Opinion | Why paying MPs $15,000 was a justified action (Ateny Wek Ateny)

By Ateny Wek Ateny

OPINION – I have no doubt that paying MPs the above amount was one of the best decision the government have made this year. After being in office for more than one year, since the re-constitution of the National Legislature, with difficulty for MPs to even meet their basic needs, paying them such little amount is more than justified.

If anyone is sensible enough to look at the life our MPs are in, you would find the need even to have more payment for them. The same should go to lecturers, teachers, health workers and the security personnel to say the least. Doing them in turn is the best- given our economic situation.

So, instead of criticizing the government for having paid our legislators $15,000 American dollars once in a while, with something equivalent to their Kenyan counterparts’ salaries for just one month, should be seen as a token instead of criticizing it. We all know how our citizens are suffering economically. But, this are supposedly the people who make our laws.

How do citizens expect the alleviation of their suffering, if the legislators are almost becoming beggars or some have already been? Imagine, some legislators are the best Boda Boda’s riders, sitting in the tea places, and eat just one meal, if not nothing. And, we still have to stomach to call them legislators and expect them to be voters of making the law.

I have made some research about East Africa Members States legislators, I found South Sudan to be on the bottom. Their salaries don’t even reach $100 dollars, while the least among other five members receives $5,000 dollars a month. I think South Sudan have the best nationalists amongst all nation combined. You may deny this, but it is the reality.

For instance, our soldiers receive the average of 1,000 SSP, roughly an equivalent of $2 US dollars, fluctuating between that and even below. Yet, they don’t engage in looting spree. Isolated incident of theft by some soldiers may happen sometimes, but generally we have the most disciplined security perineal.

In other countries, if a soldier is not paid anything that meet the basic need, the looting is an order of the day. This is can’t go without saying that, we also have the best population too. Our citizens are the most resilience amongst all. The future is what they think about.

Finally, having said so, I must commend President Kiir for making the ministry of finance to make payment for our legislators. We know how far; we came to be what we are today. Though we have abundance resources and we are to blame ourselves for choosing to being poor.

However, if, in the limit income we see some of our brothers and sisters being paid in an attempt to alleviate their suffering, must accept that while we wait for our turn. Otherwise, it is unfortunate if we act out of envy.

The author is a former presidential press secretary. Follow him on Facebook HERE.

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