Ford Kenya Party boss and Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula’s ouster as Minority Leader in the Senate will make him lose perks worth millions of shillings.
Wetangula was on Tuesday ousted as the Leader of Minority in the Senate by 19 NASA Senators.
They replaced him with Siaya Senator James Orengo.
But as it has turned out, he will lose a superior pay package, vehicles, enhanced security and at least nine employees paid for by the State according to the Star.
By virtue of the position he served in at the Senate, he enjoyed a budget of over Sh1 million shillings for his office.
He enjoyed a monthly salary Sh765,188 which is Sh143,938 above what other Senators earn. His colleagues earn Sh621,250 every month.
His reduced salary means the Senator’s group life insurance and personal group accident cover will also be reduced.
Further, his gratuity and pension will be reduced because the benefits are drawn from annual remunerative packages.
According to a gazette notice on the remuneration of State officers, its states in part: “For purposes of gratuity, pension and insurance, the annual basic remunerative package is computed on the basis of sixty percent of the monthly gross remuneration package.”
As the Minority Leader, he cruised in a Mercedez Benz provided for by the government, had a security detail of six police officers who were attached to his rural home, his Nairobi home and two others for his daily security services.
His office had five staff members- two researchers, a legal officer, a secretary and a personal assistant all of whom were are on the Parliamentary payroll.
His position also accorded him special travel perks as he is allowed to enjoy unlimited local travel and up to six international travels per year in Business class compared to other Senators who only enjoy just two international travels per year.
The state also foots his air ticket and his personal assistant’s every time he decides to go upcountry.
Yesterday, NASA principals Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka convened a meeting at Panafric Hotel to try and salvage Wetangula but it emerged the Senators were bent on retaining Orengo as their Majority Leader.
They castigated Wetangula as arrogant which worked against him.
“Everybody spoke and everybody castigated him,” one of the Senators at the meeting told the Star.
Another one added: “They told Wetang’ula maneno yake yote (castigated him).”