Kenya, March 11 -- A damning new report has exposed a potential multimillion-shilling scandal in Kenya's Parliament, alleging that Members of Parliament (MPs) could be earning millions in fictitious mileage allowances without providing proof of travel.
The findings, released today, point to lax oversight by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), which is accused of enabling lawmakers to claim hefty perks for constituency trips that may never have occurred.
According to the report, the leadership of both the Senate and the National Assembly has been disbursing millions of shillings to facilitate MPs' travel to their constituencies, a key component of their duties as elected representatives.
However, the absence of stringent verification mechanisms has raised alarm bells, with critics claiming that some MPs are exploiting the system to inflate their earnings.
For MPs representing far-flung constituencies, these mileage allowances can reportedly nearly double their gross salaries, making it a lucrative avenue for potential abuse.
The mileage allowance, intended to reimburse lawmakers for weekly return trips between Nairobi and their constituencies, is calculated at a rate of Sh152.6 per kilometer, as set by the PSC.
For example, an MP from Mandera East, with a round trip of 2,260 kilometres, could claim up to Sh2.8 million monthly, while a Turkana MP could pocket Sh2.7 million.
Yet the report highlights that many claims lack supporting evidence-such as travel logs or receipts-beyond a basic claim form, leaving taxpayers footing the bill for potentially phantom journeys.
"This is a huge rip-off," said James Oduor, a policy analyst quoted in the report. "While most MPs deserve mileage for legitimate travel, there's significant abuse.
Some don't even step foot in their constituencies, yet they claim these funds routinely. It's unfair to taxpayers." Netizens reflect this sentiment, with users decrying the lack of accountability and calling for audits of parliamentary spending.
The PSC, tasked with managing MPs' welfare, has come under fire for its role in the disbursements. The report suggests that the commission's leadership has failed to implement robust checks, allowing millions to flow unchecked.
In the 2022-23 financial year alone, the National Assembly spent Sh4.6 billion on domestic travel and subsistence, with the Senate adding Sh1.2 billion-much of it tied to mileage claims.
With 349 MPs in the National Assembly and 67 in the Senate, the cumulative Sh5.8 billion expenditure underscores the scale of the issue.
Lawmakers have pushed back against the allegations. "You can only claim mileage once a week, no more," an unnamed MP told TV47 News. "We travel to our constituencies multiple times.
Why does the Auditor General act holier than thou and ignore how things work here?" The rebuttal comes amid growing scrutiny from Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, whose previous audits flagged similar "glaring gaps" in mileage claims, noting that payments often lack proof of travel.
The controversy has reignited debate over parliamentary perks, with calls for reform growing louder.
"MPs must show proof they actually travelled," said a senior PSC official anonymously quoted in the report. "This is the biggest scandal in Parliament today."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.