The Retirement Benefits (Deputy President and Designated State Officers) Act provides several benefits and perks that are available to deputy presidents after they leave office. Under this Act, former deputy presidents, along with their spouses and children, are entitled to public financial support and other franking privileges to help them respond to post-work formal requests, as well as other informal public duties often required of a former deputy president.
Having served Kenya as the Vice President for five years, from 2008 to 2013, Kalonzo Musyoka is eligible to receive pensions and benefits as provided by the Act. Section 3(a) of the Act states: “The persons entitled to the benefits conferred by this Act shall be persons who at any time after January 1, 1993, retire as Deputy President, Prime Minister, Vice President, or Speaker.”
Moreover, the pension and retirement benefits for Deputy Presidents do not require an aggregate period of two terms in service, as is the case for Members of Parliament (MPs). Additionally, Kalonzo Musyoka was not removed from office through impeachment, which would have made him ineligible.
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So, what does Kalonzo Musyoka receive as retirement benefits?
Until around 2022, Kalonzo Musyoka was drawing a parliamentary pension of nearly Ksh200,000 per month for his multiple terms as MP for Kitui North (1985–1997) and Mwingi North (1997–2013). In 2020, however, he applied for the former Deputy President’s pension, which he currently receives.
Each former deputy president is entitled, for the remainder of their life, to receive a monetary allowance from the Kenyan government. This allowance, payable monthly by the National Treasury, is equal to 80% of the last monthly salary they received while in office.
According to the Retirement Benefits Act of 2015, upon leaving office, former deputy presidents are also entitled to a lump sum payment equal to one year’s salary for each term served. For Kalonzo, this amounted to Ksh70.21 million in 2023.
In addition to the benefits provided by the Act, the former VP is also provided with lifetime police protection and receives two saloon cars with an engine capacity not exceeding 2,000cc, as well as a luxury four-wheel-drive vehicle with a 3,000cc engine every four years. He also gets a fuel allowance equivalent to 15% of the monthly pay of the serving Deputy President.
The Act further provides for each former Deputy President to have support staff, including one personal assistant, one secretary, one accountant, two housekeepers, two senior support staff, two gardeners, and two cleaners, all selected by the former DP and responsible solely to him.
Kalonzo Musyoka is further eligible for full medical and hospital cover provided by a reputable insurance company for local and overseas treatment. This coverage extends to his spouse and children below the age of 18.
Upon the death of a person entitled to a pension under this Act, the surviving spouse is entitled to 50% of the pension that was payable to the deceased.
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