Nairobi, January 26 - President William Ruto has announced plans to fast-track the introduction of a contributory pension scheme for governors, Members of County Assemblies (MCAs), and county assembly speakers, saying the move is necessary to safeguard the dignity of leaders after they leave office.

Speaking at State House during the UDA National Governing Council (NGC) meeting on Monday, the head of state said many leaders exit public office only to fall into financial hardship, despite having served their communities diligently.

“We also need to implement the suggestions on pensions. We want a governor, an MCA, or a speaker at the county assembly; when they do their two terms, at least they have a pension because many leaders, when they get out of office, go straight into squalor because the job we have is thankless sometimes,” Ruto said.

The President argued that providing pensions would help ensure that former leaders do not become a burden or a source of embarrassment to themselves and the communities they once represented.

Ruto said the UDA National Governing Council had resolved to instruct both the Executive and the Legislature to expedite the process of establishing the pension scheme, noting that the matter involves public funds and therefore requires careful planning.

He revealed that the proposed pension model would be contributory, similar to the existing pension schemes for Members of Parliament and Senators.

“We must secure that so that people who have occupied leadership positions do not become a disgrace to themselves and the communities they represent. So, I want to assure you, the instruction of this council to the executive and to the legislature is that we expedite that exercise. Because it involves money, and we have agreed as a council that we model it the way the National Assembly wanafanya. It is contributory, the same way the one for the National Assembly and the Senate is,” Ruto said.

According to the President, the goal is to have the pension framework in place by the next national budget cycle.

“So the MCAs also want it to be the same as that of Members of Parliament. Let it be contributory, and by the next budget, we must implement the pensions for our Members of County Assemblies, speakers, and governors,” he said.