The Salaries and Remunerations Commission has approved the 4.5 billion shillings car grants for MCAs and the county speakers .
In a statement, SRC chairperson Lynn Mengich said the commission has reviewed and directed the conversion of the Sh4.5 billion Car Loan Benefit to a Transport Facilitation Benefit in form of a grant for the MCAs.
“Taking into account the principle of equity and fairness, affordability and fiscal sustainability, SRC hereby reviews the car loan benefit as set earlier to a transport facilitation benefit in the form of a grant,” read the statement in parts.
Mengich directed county governments to administratively undertake the conversion of the Car loan in transport facilitation benefit in form of a car grant for Speaker and MCAs.
Mengich said once converted into a grant, the car loan shall cease to exist with MCAs and speakers who have benefited converting their loans to grant.
The approval by SRC comes at a time when the county assemblies are handling the BBI bill with two counties Kisumu and Siaya already giving it a nod.
The approval also follows the promise by President Uhuru Kenyatta to MCAs when he made a four days tour in the Mt Kenya region supposedly to drum up support for the passing of the BBI in county assemblies.
The Constitution amendment bill 2020 needs 22 more counties to pass it before it is brought to parliament for more debate.