A report released by Margaret Nyakang’o has revealed wide differences in the sitting allowances paid to Members of County Assemblies across Kenya.
The findings show that while some ward representatives receive relatively small amounts, others earn more than four times that figure in the same period.
The details were outlined in the county governments’ budget implementation review report covering the period between July and December 2025.
According to the report, some MCAs receive as little as Sh23,000 per month in sitting allowances, while others earn more than Sh110,000 during the same period. The allowances are paid separately from the regular salaries and other benefits that MCAs already receive as part of their compensation package.
Ward representatives across the country currently earn a monthly salary of Sh154,481. This amount includes a basic salary of Sh92,689, a house allowance of Sh50,000, a commuter allowance, and a salary market adjustment of Sh11,792.
In addition to this pay, MCAs also receive sitting allowances for attending assembly meetings and committee sessions.
These allowances are capped at Sh124,000 per month for each member.
The report shows that MCAs in Bomet County receive the highest sitting allowances in the country. Each of the 39 ward representatives in the county takes home an average of Sh113,537 per month in sitting allowances alone.
This means that an MCA in Bomet earns around Sh90,000 more in sitting allowances every month compared to a colleague in Kitui County.
MCAs in Busia County follow closely behind. The 54 ward representatives in the county receive an average of Sh109,270 per month in sitting allowances.
In Samburu County, the 25 MCAs earn an average of Sh100,349 each month from the same allowances.
The report notes that spending on sitting allowances varies widely from county to county. Some of the counties where MCAs receive relatively high allowances include Marsabit County, Tana River County, Bungoma County, Kisii County, Kisumu County, West Pokot County, Embu County and Kirinyaga County.
In Marsabit, each MCA receives about Sh90,461 per month, while those in Tana River get around Sh89,762. Bungoma MCAs earn about Sh86,163, while their counterparts in Kisii receive about Sh81,802.
Kisumu MCAs take home roughly Sh74,684, while those in West Pokot earn about Sh73,424.
However, the report also highlights counties where the allowances are much lower. MCAs in Kitui receive an average of Sh23,754 per month, which is the lowest recorded amount. In Migori County, ward representatives earn about Sh29,095, while those in Nairobi County receive about Sh35,282. Other counties with relatively lower allowances include Kajiado County, Homa Bay County, Kilifi County, Kericho County and Kakamega County.
During the six months under review, county assemblies across the country spent about Sh772.68 million on sitting allowances. This spending came from an approved budget of Sh2.07 billion for the allowances, showing that a significant amount of public money continues to go toward the payments.
The findings come at a time when many MCAs have been calling for a review of their pay and benefits. Across the country, ward representatives have been pushing for higher salaries and improved working conditions.
Many of them have also been asking for a pension scheme similar to the one enjoyed by Members of Parliament and senators.
Currently, MCAs do not have a structured pension plan even if they serve several terms in office. To address this issue, a new proposal known as the County Assemblies Pensions Scheme Bill, 2024 has been introduced in the Senate.
The Bill is sponsored by Aaron Cheruiyot.
The proposed law suggests that County Assembly Public Service Boards should contribute 15 percent of an MCA’s pensionable earnings to the scheme. Individual MCAs would also contribute 7.5 percent of their earnings toward the same fund. The proposal further recommends that employers provide life insurance with disability benefits for MCAs, valued at least three times their annual pensionable earnings.
If the proposal becomes law, taxpayers would cover part of the cost of the new pension scheme. This possibility has already sparked discussion about how much public money should be spent on the welfare of elected leaders and whether such spending can be sustained in the long term.
