Public Health Union criticises MPs' mileage allowance increase

The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) has expressed concern over the increase in the monthly mileage allowance for Members of Parliament (MPs).

In a statement, the Union’s Secretary-General Brown Ashira highlighted the disparity in resource allocation, pointing out that while MPs’ allowances are being increased, health professionals continue to struggle with increased workloads, poor working conditions, and inadequate compensation.

“We continue to suffer from preventable illnesses that keep re-emerging day in and day out. We have failed to eradicate diseases like Malaria, TB, and Cholera due to skewed budgeting, yet money is available to increase MPs’ salaries,” Ashira said.

His remarks follow the approval by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) that MPs will receive an additional KSh366,011 per month starting April 1, 2025.

The increase will cost taxpayers KSh152.3 million monthly, totaling KSh1.83 billion annually.

Over the next 29 months, the cost is projected to reach KSh4.4 billion, raising concerns about the prioritization of MPs' allowances over critical sectors like healthcare.

Ashira urged President William Ruto and other government officials to reconsider the allocation of resources, particularly for public health, and to prioritize better working conditions and funding for healthcare workers.

Stressing that without proper recruitment and funding, the goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) will remain out of reach.