Pension raise for former Kenyan MPs opposed

Kenya's salary and remuneration commission has opposed a plan to increase the pension of 375 former lawmakers.

The head of the commission, Lyn Mengich, said an increase in the pension would provoke similar demand by other former public workers and increase the wage bill.

Members of parliament this week passed a bill that will see the former legislators - who served between 1984 to 2001- earn 100,000 Kenyan shillings ($926;£707) monthly as a pension.

This will be an increase from a minimum of 33,000 shillings that they are currently getting.

The former MPs will receive the monthly pension if the president assents the bill into law.

Kenyan MPs are among the highest paid in the world and critics argue that increasing the pension will increase an already ballooned wage bill.