'Down with Kenyan MPs'
2007-07-31 15:19
Nairobi - Kenyan police fired tear gas to scatter demonstrators protesting on Tuesday against plans by members of parliament to award themselves big pay rises as a "severance package" before December elections.
Dozens of protesters rallied by a grassroots group, the Civil Society Task Force on Grand Corruption, tried to reach parliament, blowing whistles and waving placards denouncing the move to grant MPs another 1.4 billion shillings ($20.7m).
A witness said police blocked the road outside and later fired several teargas canisters to disperse the crowd.
Some protesters shouted as they ran away: "Down with members of parliament, down with the thieves of taxpayers' money."
The legislators first infuriated the public - which widely viewed them as greedy, selfish, and lazy - by quadrupling their salaries in 2003 as their first order of business.
Several members of parliament on Tuesday declined to comment before the bill was tabled in parliament, which was expected to happen soon.