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{
    "id": 1013532,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1013532/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 264,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Navakholo, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Emmanuel Wangwe",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2543,
        "legal_name": "Emmanuel Wangwe",
        "slug": "emmanuel-wangwe"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Allow me to also add my voice to the debate by supporting this Bill with proposed amendments. This Bill has not provided for exceptions. I will look at it and propose exceptions to the rule. We should have exceptions especially on the issue of acting in an office for six months. That rule should be very clear. There are situations where an employer has given leave of absence to a manager, so the employer has no choice but to bring in another person to act. That is a very valid exception which I will be recommending during the Committee of the whole House. However, I support the issue of mandatory retirement at 60 years. The attitude that one has to work up to 60 years is not helpful. The Civil Service should allow the youth to join the service to accumulate capital for business when they hit 40 or 50 years. Therefore, it is important for those in the Civil Service to provide an avenue for the youth to join the job market. They should not take the Civil Service as a place of permanence or where they have to stay until they retire. At the end of the day, if you retire at the age of 40, you will fall sick at 60 on account of your age. At that age, you have limited room to do business and run around. Therefore, it is important to encourage our citizenry to start doing business when they are still able to run around and in good health. I support this Bill so that everyone should know that at the age of 60 he should pack up and go home. On the issue of acting in an office for six months, we had a case about the NG-CDF. We have cases of managing directors who have been acting for more than six years. When such an MD makes a mistake or when he is not able to execute his mandate, he relies on the board chair for protection. In that case, the mistake is as a result of omission or commission, he is not able to explain himself because he is not the substantive office holder. It is important to anchor this provision in law so that we can speak for the vulnerable—those who cannot defend themselves because they are seeking employment. The employer, who in most cases is the public service, should know that after six months a certain position will fall vacant. It is the duty of the public service to plan and replace exiting officers. Failing to plan simply means you are planning to fail. If the public service cannot plan succession well, it would mean failing the generation behind us. For example, the public service has had a very good internship programme. Yesterday, the PSC issued a notice to the interns to sign their exit letters, meaning all the interns who have been working for six months are going home and they will again be jobless. That means our public service has planned to fail. What plans do they have for these interns? Therefore, it is important we put sense into the public service so that it works for Kenyans and plan for the youth. Let us support the youth who graduate from universities with knowledge and skills. They should also be supported in terms of raising capital once they get into the job market. With that, I beg to support."
}