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{
"id": 1558732,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558732/?format=api",
"text_counter": 193,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Owen Baya."
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{
"id": 1558733,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kilifi North, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Owen Baya",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to move that the Social Protection Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 12 of 2025) be now read a Second Time. The principal object of the Bill is to reduce poverty and vulnerability and improve the well-being of the people by providing assistance, services and programmes that build human capital and cushion people against risks and contingencies throughout their cycle. Part I of the Bill provides for the preliminary matters such as the interpretation of terms used in the Bill objects and the Act, the application of the Act, the guiding principles and the role of the county government in the provision of the Social Protection Bill. The Bill provides for the establishment of the National Board of Social Protection and defines its composition, functions, powers, and sources of funds. Some functions of the Board include advising the Cabinet Secretary on matters related to social protection, designing and implementing social protection interventions and programs, providing social assistance and care to vulnerable persons, coordinating social protection interventions, establishing and maintaining a social protection registry, undertaking civic education on social protection, periodically indexing social assistance benefits in collaboration with the National Treasury, and mobilising resources for social protection initiatives. Many people in this country require social protection, but we currently lack a law that anchors it. This includes vulnerable individuals, persons living with disabilities, and many others who need assistance from the government to shield them from the vagaries of the kind of life that they live in. For instance, while we provide monthly stipends to the elderly, there is no law backing this up. There are many other disbursements from the government without any legal framework to support them. This is an opportunity to establish a law that guides social protection in our country. One of the key aspects of this law is its provision for a registry. At times, county governments issue resources to individuals, and the national government and NGOs do the same. Just a few people benefit from this because they know how to go about the system. However, if we have a registry of those who need social protection, we can better care for them. Currently, an individual may receive funds this month to buy food, but then in three months, they receive nothing. We need to ring-fence those who require social protection in this country by ensuring we have a law in place. Another important aspect of this law is that it extends to the grassroots level. How do we create a registry? We need officers to go out and identify the beneficiaries of the social protection funds provided in this country. Last month, we disbursed around Ksh3.2 billion for the elderly. As Members of Parliament, we received messages confirming that this money reached the beneficiaries, but the criterion for how this is done remains questionable. There are no established procedures for identifying a beneficiary of social protection funds here. Even when the Exchequer is released, we are left asking under what law it has been executed. Many donors want to help the vulnerable in our country, but due to the absence of a proper law guiding the process, they are hesitant to assist. This law will go a long way in establishing the criterion, a system, a legal framework, and regulations that ensure that we take care of the vulnerable people in this country. Part III of the Bill provides for the administration of social protection benefits. It outlines the categories of persons who may be granted social protection benefits, the types of social protection benefits offered under the Act, the eligibility criteria and the procedures for The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1558734,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558734/?format=api",
"text_counter": 195,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kilifi North, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Owen Baya",
"speaker": null,
"content": "applying for the benefits. It also provides for reviews and appeals against the decisions of the Board, the rights and obligations of beneficiaries, the consequences of abusing social protection benefits and the circumstances under which social protection benefits may be terminated or refunds made to the Board. This Part also provides for the review and indexation of social protection benefits and the establishment of a social protection registry. These are the key elements that are currently missing in disbursing resources to people we need to ring-fence as people under social protection obligations. It is important to provide eligibility criteria. Sometimes you go to the village and see a 60-year-old man who gets benefits and a 70-year-old man does not get yet the older one requires funds more than any other does and we ask ourselves about the criterion that picked one and over the other. Sometimes you see people who have retired and have resources, for example, enough to fund a pension, a farm, and everything that supports their life. However, they get the funds for wazees yet a person who does not have a pension does not get the funds. This is what we tend to cure in this Bill. Obligations and rights is one of the most important things I look at. Sometimes you see an old man who is supposed to be given money from the Inua Jamii Fund but does not have information. The money is not collected for a whole year so some crooks pick the money and use it. This is what we want to cure through this Bill. I wind up, I am asking Hon. Sylvanus Osoro to get prepared to second this Bill. Part IV of the Bill highlights offences. They include prohibition of obstruction… There is also prohibition of persons from giving false information, unlawful disclosures of information, fraud, and misappropriation of funds. Misappropriation of funds is one of the things that we suffer from. Sometimes this money is given but a percentage higher than what goes to the vulnerable people is used for administration. Some parts of this country do not get these funds because data has not been collected. This law will help every person who requires assistance in Changamwe to get the assistance; not the bourgeoisie there yet they get assistance. This is an important law. I urge this Parliament to support it to ensure the people of Suba North and every eligible Kenyan benefits. I can see Hon. Bensouda is happy with this law because it will help the people of Homa Bay to also be reached so that they do not say that Serikali has not reached them. I urge everybody, including people from the Leader of the Minority Party’s home, to get social protection. I urge everybody and every Member that this law is worth supporting, passing, and worth the name of this Parliament. I beg to move and request Hon. Silvanus Osoro, Member for Mugirango South and the Whip of the Majority Party, to second."
},
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"id": 1558735,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558735/?format=api",
"text_counter": 196,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Hon. Osoro."
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{
"id": 1558736,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558736/?format=api",
"text_counter": 197,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "South Mugirango, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Silvanus Osoro",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. One thing should be very clear as I second this particular Bill. The growing hardly tell that they will get old at some point. While in your 30s, you have to know that there is a time you will be 40 or 50. I used to look at aged people when I was an extremely young man - although you still call me “young man” ---"
},
{
"id": 1558737,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558737/?format=api",
"text_counter": 198,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "You are a very “young man”."
},
{
"id": 1558738,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558738/?format=api",
"text_counter": 199,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "South Mugirango, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Silvanus Osoro",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I agree. The people who were 40 used to look very old to me when I was 20. I did not know that 40 was just next door. Now that I am also there, I find the 60-year olds very old. I know I will also be there soon. I do not know where to classify you, Hon. Speaker, but that is the reality of life. People will get to 60, 70, and 80 years, at some point. It is the duty of a responsible, well-organised and well-structured government to take care of the elderly; to take care of people with such majority age. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1558739,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558739/?format=api",
"text_counter": 200,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "South Mugirango, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Silvanus Osoro",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Looking at the economic status of our country and the opportunities that are there, challenges will happen when people get to the age of 70 years, if the Government does not step in to take care of people. That is why issues of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) are very vital as far as the question of social protection is concerned. Looking at grown, matured, and progressive jurisdictions such as the United States, they have provision of funds specifically to take care of old people. They have clinics and people employed to manage and nurse the old."
},
{
"id": 1558740,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558740/?format=api",
"text_counter": 201,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. Yusuf Hassan spoke off record)"
},
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"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1558741/?format=api",
"text_counter": 202,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "South Mugirango, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Silvanus Osoro",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The United States pays that. I do not know why Hon. Hassan is protesting. Hon. Speaker, protect me."
}
]
}