Every time fuel prices rise or a new tax lands on payslips, one question resurfaces on Kenyan timelines: how much do our MPs actually take home every month? With the cost of living still biting and Parliament frequently in the news over new allowances, the topic of members of parliament’s salary has never been more relevant.
In 2026, Members of Parliament remain among the highest earners in Kenya’s public sector, drawing a combination of basic salary, allowances, and benefits that regularly draws public scrutiny.
This article breaks down exactly what an MP earns per month, how the figure is arrived at, and why it keeps growing even as the government preaches austerity.
Who Sets MP Salaries in Kenya?
Members of parliament pay is not decided by MPs themselves. Under Article 230(4)(a) of the Constitution, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has the sole mandate to review and set pay for all state officers, including members of the National Assembly and Senate.
This was a deliberate design after 2010 to stop lawmakers from voting for their own pay rises. The current figures are anchored on the Third Remuneration and Benefits Review Cycle, covering financial years 2021/2022 to 2024/2025, gazetted by the SRC on August 9, 2023.
Once gazetted, a rate remains fixed for an MP’s term unless the SRC issues a fresh review. The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) then administers the actual payment of salaries and allowances to the 416 MPs sitting in the National Assembly and Senate combined.
MP Basic Salary and Gross Pay Breakdown
As of the 2024/2025 financial year, an ordinary Member of Parliament earns a gross monthly salary of Ksh 739,600. This is made up of:
- Basic salary: Ksh 443,760
- House allowance: Ksh 150,000
- Salary market adjustment: Ksh 145,840
- Official commuter allowance (included in gross pay)
This gross figure excludes the additional mileage and car maintenance allowances discussed below, meaning an MP’s actual monthly take-home is significantly higher once those are factored in.
The Mileage and Car Allowance Boost
In March 2025, the SRC approved a fresh perk that pushed members of parliament earnings even higher. Effective April 1, 2025, all 416 MPs and Senators began receiving a fixed monthly mileage allowance of Ksh 366,011, on top of a car maintenance allowance of Ksh 356,525 per month.
Combined, these two allowances alone add up to about Ksh 722,536 monthly, nearly matching the basic gross salary. This means:
- Total monthly mileage cost to taxpayers: Ksh 152.3 million
- Total annual mileage cost to taxpayers: Ksh 1.82 billion
- Combined annual cost of mileage and car maintenance per MP: about Ksh 8.7 million
MPs whose constituencies lie more than 205 kilometers from Parliament Buildings in Nairobi can also claim an extra travel allowance calculated at Ksh 152.6 per kilometer for one return journey per week, meaning legislators from far-flung counties earn considerably more than their Nairobi-based counterparts.
Leadership Positions and Extra Perks
MPs holding leadership roles earn more than ordinary backbenchers. Deputy Speakers of the National Assembly and Senate receive a basic salary of Ksh 580,014, a house allowance of Ksh 200,000, and a salary market adjustment of Ksh 186,676, bringing their gross pay to Ksh 966,690.
The Leader of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party each earn a basic salary of Ksh 480,011 plus a house allowance of Ksh 150,000 and a market adjustment. Beyond salary, MPs also enjoy:
- Sitting allowances for committee work, ranging from Ksh 7,500 per sitting for ordinary members to Ksh 15,000 for committee chairpersons, capped at Ksh 120,000 to Ksh 240,000 monthly
- A car loan and mortgage scheme administered centrally by the PSC
- A monthly airtime allowance of Ksh 15,000
- Security provided by the state, which cannot be commuted to cash
- Access to a contributory pension scheme
Plenary sitting allowances, however, were scrapped, and the SRC has explicitly stated that any benefit not specified in its gazette notices is not payable.
Why This Keeps Sparking Public Debate
The gap between members of parliament earnings and what ordinary Kenyans take home continues to fuel outrage. Health workers’ unions and civil society groups such as Katiba Institute have publicly questioned the justification for the 2025 mileage increase, especially given that it landed at a time when austerity measures were squeezing government spending on healthcare and other essential services.
Critics argue the mileage allowance functions as a disguised salary hike rather than a genuine reimbursement for travel costs, since it is paid as a fixed amount regardless of how much an MP actually travels.
Conclusion
In 2026, an ordinary Kenyan MP earns a gross basic salary of Ksh 739,600 per month, but once the mileage allowance, car maintenance allowance, and other perks are added, actual monthly earnings for many legislators comfortably exceed Ksh 1.4 million.
These figures are set entirely by the SRC under constitutional authority, not by MPs themselves, though Parliament has repeatedly lobbied successfully for enhanced allowances.
As the cost of living remains a pressing concern for most Kenyans, the pay and perks enjoyed by their representatives will likely remain a hot-button issue heading into the 2027 General Election. Stay tuned to NAIROBIminiBLOGGERS for updates as the SRC reviews these figures in future gazette notices.
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