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{
    "id": 1013868,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1013868/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 281,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Omogeni",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13219,
        "legal_name": "Erick Okong'o Mogeni",
        "slug": "erick-okongo-mogeni"
    },
    "content": "is what led us to go to court and argue that issue before the High Court with a hope that for once and for all, the High Court will come up with a definition that creates some clarity on what is a money Bill. I am saying this because you know that we have passed very progressive Bills. I sympathize with my friend Sen. (Arch.) Kasanga. She came up with a fantastic mental health Bill. We debated and thought it was a very good idea. When it went to the National Assembly, it was killed on that excuse that it was a money Bill. I remember in our discussions we tried to understand where the National Assembly is coming from. They argued that any Bill that emanates from the Senate and creates new offices that will create new salaries and positions, according to them, that will be a money Bill. If we allow this Bill to pass, because I have looked at it and it is creating a number of offices. It will certainly meet the same fate like what befell the Bill that was brought by Sen. (Arch.) Kasanga. Madam Temporary Speaker, you remember we came up with the Pandemic Response and Management Bill with fantastic ideas. It was a very progressive Bill that was providing solutions on how we deal with Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Again, when it reached the National Assembly, return to sender and it died. If we are not careful, Sen. (Dr.) Zani and process this Bill the way it is, it will go to the National Assembly. I assure you they will send it back. Lawyers in the House will tell you we were converting the volunteers. I know in Nyamira County we have so many of these volunteers in thousands. Currently, they operate through a scheme of volunteerism. They are not paid. Madam Temporary Speaker, I can tell you that the moment we convert them to workers, they become employees of the county governments. You must put them on salary. A person called a worker, if you go to the Employment Act, they have rights and privileges. They must belong to a trade union and agitate for their minimum wages and all these. You will have actually killed, in my view. If we convert these volunteers to workers, we would have killed a very good idea. I know some of them, especially, in my county, are retired workers. They are people who have retired, but they do not want to stay idle at home. They come out to render services to the people. They are people who enjoy a lot of respect within the community. The question that arises is; how are we going to convert these retired Kenyans to become workers within our employment system of our counties? That creates problems. Madam Temporary Speaker, the first thing is for us to look for ways of removing the word “workers” from the Bill. You ensure that they remain what they are, “volunteers”. Secondly, we know that there is a big problem of wage bill. I do not know what is the position from where the Senate Majority Leader comes from in West Pokot County. However, in my county, we have surpassed the ceiling by far. If we convert these volunteers into workers and put them on the payroll, I can assure you like in my county Nyamira, I will require one billion shillings to pay these workers. The moment they are workers as I have said, there are lawyers waiting. The counties will be taken to court and sued. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}