Kenyan MP’s are the world’s best paid, a report by the BBC reported that Kenya’s prime minister (post annulled) earned over a third his British counterpart and almost 10% more than the US president.The report claims an MP takes home a basic salary of $44,000 a year, plus allowances, an MP can take home up to $126,000 not including the the $370 a day for attending parliament sessions.Apparently, this public servants cant afford their own iPads, so the Kenya’s Parliamentary Service Commission wants bidders for over 40 iPads for its MPs and senior staff costing the government some 350,000 in hardware purchases only minus costs for high-speed Internet connectivity during sessions.
The Kenyan government says the iPads will help save paper, hence trees and the environment . The government uses over 1,000 reams of paper weekly for the National Assembly and the Senate. The tender was done so quickly that by the time we were writing this piece, the bids for the tender had closed. Though Kenyans went to social media to say anything they felt appropriate, the MP’s are likely following its Ugandan counterparts ordered 375 for their MPs.
Though not so public, the commission approved the purchase of iPads last year December 5 and because the commission is sure most officers dont know how to use them, more money will be spent in training and probably insurance of the gadgets.