Where the spouses elected?
Don't they have a job of their own?
There are poor people and now the self proclaimed "first ladies" want cash for waving to the audience.
Are they forced to go around next to the elected administrators of the country?
"The pay is also supposed to recognise their role for upholding national family values." Sure. And what about the gender issues? Women that can't stand on their own...
Wait until you get a female top politician. Will the husband get payed then?
Ridiculous to pay them.
Drop the "first lady" and "second lady" syndrome.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7581172.stm

Nini
Misplaced priorities. We are experts in that, I expect Raila to be the fisrt person to protest this unfolding theft of public funds. Gothongo, where art thou?
$6,000 x 64 = 384,000 Ksh per month per spouse
348,000 x 12 = 4,608,000 per year per spouse
4,608,000 x 5 = 23040000

at the end of five years, both will have stolen 46,080,000 from the tax payers

add that to Lucy's salary
8000x64x12x5 =30,720,000


=76,800,000

What shall we hers next?

Ministers spouses....$4000 per month
MPs wives............$2000 per month

Their mistresses ....$1000 per month

Only in Kenya

We as taxpayers should stand up and refuse these extrimities. We should not be burdened with unnecessary burdens we have enough of their big salaries.

These people are ticks, none of them will object to the undeserved salaries.

quote:

Originally posted by sajini:
add that to Lucy's salary
8000x64x12x5 =30,720,000

At least Lucy worked very hard for the pay.
She managed to gather up gov forces and attack a newspaper, abuse the workers, steal computers (that are still not given back) etc...
Hard working spouse

our local councillor says that also he needs his wife to be getting allowance together with the wife of the chief and sub-chief

Ida Odinga deserves our praises.

Ida declines Sh400,000 Government allowance


By Dennis Onyango

Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s wife has declined the Sh400,000 monthly allowance offered by the State.

Mrs Ida Odinga, however, thanked the Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura for recognising the public responsibility she shoulders by virtue of being the PM’s wife.

Mr Muthaura’s offer to Ida and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s wife, Pauline, triggered a national outcry.

Speaking for the first time since the controversy broke out a fortnight ago, Ida said she had not commented about the issue because she had not received communication from the Government.


Mrs Ida Odinga has thanked the Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura for recognising the public responsibility she shoulders by virtue of being the PM’s wife.

"I first read about this thing in the Press. All this time that the media have been talking about the allowances, I had nothing from Government showing I would be paid. I treated the talk as rumours or malicious propaganda somebody had initiated against me," she said at her home on Tuesday.

Important role

A letter made available to The Standard dated September 1 and signed by Mr Andrew Mondoh on behalf of the PS in the Prime Minister’s office, said:

"The Government of Kenya has taken cognizance of the critical role that you play as spouse of the Rt Hon Prime Minister Mr Raila Odinga in projecting a positive image of our nation’s family values.

"In addition, the Government recognises your wise counsel and guidance which contribute to the public good in the course of nation building activities, besides playing hostess during national and other official public engagements.

"In view of the above, and in order to compensate for the above services," the letter said, the State had approved a monthly payment for her of Sh400,000 and allowances when she travels "within and outside the country on official engagements".

Ida said: "The legacy I have built is not worth Sh400,000. I thank Mr Muthaura for appreciating that there is a heavy responsibility that comes by virtue of my position. But I will not take the money.

"I have seen people writing that I should take care of Raila on my own. Surely, Kenyans know I always do that. Kenyans know I have taken care of my husband in good and bad times without help from the State, sometimes in spite of the State. I will continue doing that," she said.

She went on: "I attend at least three functions a day, each of them public functions. I will continue doing that. I host people in the name of the Republic of Kenya.

"People come from abroad, convinced that the practice here is similar to that of their countries. I host them in my house, my private office or in hotels, on behalf of the Republic of Kenya. That is why I thank Mr Muthaura for showing some understanding."

Spouses of heads of State in developed countries such as the US, UK or South Africa, do not earn such allowances.

The Vice-President’s wife is yet to make her stand on the monthly allowance.

It is tough and unimaginable to think that Muthaura woke up one day,had a nice cup of chai and made this decision without the prior knowledge or insistence of the beneficiaries.The fact that this new found heroism is coming after quite a long lull and a huge public outcry validates this as a stunt to get some credibility back!

kalonzo's wife is more original.

Lucy, where art thou?

Kalonzo wife to give Sh400,000 to charity

Posted Friday, September 5 2008 at 20:51

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka’s wife has accepted Sh400,000 monthly allowance from the Government — but will donate it to charity.

Mrs Pauline Kalonzo said she would donate all the money to six charitable organisations countrywide.

Speaking for the first time since it was revealed that she, together with Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s wife, Ida, are to be paid from the Exchequer, Mrs Kalonzo thanked the Government for the offer.

“The proposed allowance came to me as a surprise. I wish to thank the Government for this recognition,” she said in a statement to the media.

On Monday, Mrs Odinga rejected the payment with a thank you note to the head of Civil Service and secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Francis Muthaura.

Mrs Odinga said although she played a key role in hosting Government guests, among other functions, her work could not be measured in monetary terms.

On Friday, Mrs Kalonzo, in a rare press statement, said: “Rather than decline the good gesture and being aware of the immense suffering of many in our midst, I will instead donate the entire sum to charities.”

The beneficiaries will include 48 internally displaced children, formerly based at Kirathimo, who are now at Parklands Primary School.

She said she has been assisting the 48 for the last six months.

Also to benefit from the money are Muli Children’s Home (Yatta), Women and Youth against HIV and Aids and Poverty (Isiolo) and HIV-orphaned children in Mwingi.

Annual audit

Others are Living Positive (Kenya) of Ngong Town and Adopt Access Association (Nairobi).

Mrs Kalonzo, who is a senior official at the Central Bank of Kenya governor’s office, said an annual independent audit would be carried out to ensure transparency in the use of the money by the organisations.

“I will be reviewing this list from time to time to reflect the needs of other disadvantaged Kenyans in line with my long association with charity work and other humanitarian activities,” she said.

This is commendable of Mrs. Kalonzo, she knows the money can go a long way in helping the needy.

Ida said "The legacy I have built is not worth Sh400,000" -- the Jalou arrogance.

quote:

Originally posted by RUKI:
Ida said "The legacy I have built is not worth Sh400,000" -- the Jalou arrogance.

Shame........Shame........Shame
What legacy? Proud old lady!!!
Congrats Pauline!!!

Sajini

I agree 100%. Ida Odinga and Pauline Musyoka deserve our praise for not taking the salary.

This was a Muthaura ploy to embarass the VP and PM against the public. even Michuki was on TV declaring that he as finance minister did not know anything about it.

mm

quote:

Originally posted by sajini:
Ida Odinga deserves our praises.

Since when did ARROGANCE become a feature of an ethnic group?

with tribal statements like these, we still wonder why "there is hate"

as you generalize Ida's remarks to be that of her community (she is half luyia and half luo), dont CRY when others generalize the behaviours and remarks of others who come from your place.

quote:

Originally posted by RUKI:
This is commendable of Mrs. Kalonzo, she knows the money can go a long way in helping the needy.

Ida said "The legacy I have built is not worth Sh400,000" -- the Jalou arrogance.

Ida's legacy is hers to keep, state and defend.

Not yours to deride. The shame is more on you.

Sorry. But Ida's is way above your myopia.

quote:

Originally posted by wagatemi:

quote:

Originally posted by RUKI:
Ida said "The legacy I have built is not worth Sh400,000" -- the Jalou arrogance.

Shame........Shame........Shame
What legacy? Proud old lady!!!
Congrats Pauline!!!

None of the spouses needs the money. They should not burden tax payers any further. Law should be passed to protect taxpayers hard earned cash from being distributed funily by Muthaura & Co