It is their constitutional right to object to this greedy action by people who already live the glamorous life at our collective expense.

Our view is that it is criminal for 222 MPs in the 9th Parliament to conspire against over-burdened Kenyan taxpayers by plotting to award each other Ksh 1.4 billion - an amount equivalent to the annual disbursement under the famous Youth Fund; which was intended to raise 79.1% of the population of Kenya who are youth out of poverty. 222 MPS want to award themselves an amount equivalent to what they gave to 21,248,984 Kenyan youth. A shocking example of raw greed!

The payment of gratuities to MPs in the 9th Parliament is unwarranted first and foremost because they are under-performers who are already paid much more than almost all parliamentarians in the world. This Parliament has distinguished itself by being the only Parliament since Independence which has had no constitutional input - neither adding nor taking away a single comma or full stop to our Constitution. It has done this despite having the people's explicit mandate given on December 27th 2002 when Kenyans voted for them to change our Constitution to enhance freedoms of the individual and to entrench equity and good governance.

The 9th Parliament has failed to provide leadership in constitutional reform and has actually served to obstruct whatever progressive acts have emanated from outside the House. It has suffered from lack of quorum to the extent that it has been hard to find 30 of them willing to attend the chamber to debate matters of national importance. Just recently, Kenyans saw the national budget for 2007/8 being debated by less than 10 MPs and billions of shillings passed completely unscrutinised by our so called representatives. This is taxation without representation.

MPs in the 9th Parliament seem to think they are above the law and have attempted to steal public funds before. Though they are recidivist repeat offenders, perhaps they actually are above the law! Only last October the Attorney General said that 65 MPs (one out of every four) could have been charged for mileage fraud, and decided to "temper justice with mercy and forbear prosecution."

The 9th Parliament has also failed to check Government corruption and has done nothing to resolve such corruption cases as:

Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing which sucked up over 200 billion combined and their predecessor scandals such as

Ken Ren Fertiliser which cost Ksh 4.4 billion with over 265 million passed by this same 9th Parliament in the Budget for the Consolidated Fund Services (Vote No. R 50 External Debt Redemption Vote Head 164)

If they are passed these payments will further deplete public coffers even as more urgent national priorities for parliamentary attention go unattended. We call on Parliament and the Government of Kenya to first address matters of national importance, interest and value to Kenyans such as the fact that 46% of Kenyans live in absolute poverty earning less than Ksh 70 per day according to the Government of Kenya's own poverty estimates. This means that over 20 million Kenyans live in unacceptable poverty which manifests itself in the form of -

No employment or employment as wage slaves

Homelessness

Landlessness, and

Hopelessness

Kenyans recall that the MPs of this 9th Parliament have already disregarded the views of Kenyans and shamelessly ignored the poverty of Kenyans and enhanced their salaries to about Ksh 1 million per month. This is over 2 times what was paid to MPS during the entire 8th Parliament five year term (1997-2002). Further most MPs have abandoned the political parties on which they were elected and thereby betrayed both voters and the spirit of pluralism.

Parliament is currently engaged in a fraudulent act, namely the unconstitutional abuse of its legislative power for the direct personal benefit of 222 MPs. Among the intended beneficiaries of this fraudulent and unconstitutional abuse of office are the President and his cabinet, and the Leader of the Official Opposition.

It is clear that there is a conspiracy by MPs against the people of Kenya whose taxes are being illegally voted for a very private purpose. MPs are in a situation of conflict of interest and are unable to exercise objectivity on the matter of their personal financial interests. Despite public outrage at three previous attempts to tax Kenyans for selfish reasons, it appears that the 9th Parliament is hell bent on voting on Tuesday July 31st 2007, as a bloc against the national interest.

The evidence of conspiracy and fraud is obvious. For instance, the budget which was only read last month did not provide for any gratuity for MPS. Rather the amount MPs intend to vote themselves on Tuesday afternoon, were disguised as salaries and benefits for an additional 70 MPs.

We are concerned that the current crop of MPs are engaged in a blatant attempt to appropriate to themselves millions of shillings each in campaign funds ahead of the general election that is less than 4 months away.

We would recommend that any legal provision for gratuity should be applied to the 10th Parliament. At this stage Kenyans attention is also drawn to the miserable situation of many decent and honest Kenyans who have served in the past 8 Parliaments since 1963. That some exist on pensions amounting to Ksh 3,000 per month is a national disgrace. We are sure that Kenyans would prefer that Parliament focus on addressing the plight of these forgotten heroes before taking care of an already pampered and ungrateful lot.

We call on all Kenyans of goodwill to support former parliamentarians and civil society as they peacefully protest this national scandal. We also make a final appeal to each individual MP to vote with his or her own conscience. We will watch and tally the vote.

There is a case to be made for a campaign to vote out all 210 elected MPs should they commit this crime. But for the moment, the Parliament of Kenya, each and every single member therein, should take notice that Kenyans ultimately reserve their democratic rights which are not limited to the vote.

SAY NO TO THE ROGUE PARLIAMENT.

STOP THIS STEALING!