Members of Parliament have increased their sitting allowance to an extra Sh100,000. This comes after parliament restructured the sitting hours for this year's session amid the coronavirus restriction.
According to the new calendar which will take effect on February 17, the MPs increased sittings to five sessions a week from two.
The lawmakers said that the move is meant to speed up debate and passage of Bills
In the past, house business has been transacted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Now, the National Assembly will see MPs hold two sittings every Tuesday and three on Thursdays.
They earn Ksh 5,000 per session, meaning they will take home Ksh 25,000 weekly or Ksh 100,000 monthly under the new arrangement.
The session will now be held up to 9 pm from 2:30 pm as the House rushes to complete priority business amid the Covid-19 pandemic that cut plenary sittings to two.
The MPs also passed that on Thursdays, businesses not sponsored by the Majority Party, Minority Party, or a Committee shall have precedence over all other businesses.
In the past, the legislators earned Ksh 80,000 monthly for their afternoon sittings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with Wednesday having morning and afternoon slots.
The House is expected to give priority to the Draft Budget Policy Statement for the year 2022/21.
On Thursday morning, the members will be considering The Public Order (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 14 Of 2019), The Labour Relations (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 18 Of 2019), and The Crops (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 25 Of 2019) among others.
Members will go on a break and resume the afternoon session and break again ahead of the evening sitting.
