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"id": 1023767,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1023767/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Suba South, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. John Mbadi",
"speaker": {
"id": 110,
"legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
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"content": "Act was not in existence to benefit. So, this is not being applied in retrospect. Rather it is being applied to those who are already pensionable. It is only that the amounts that they are getting are too low. This is also supported by the reports of the two tribunals. This case did not just appear from nowhere. There are two tribunals that were set up by this House through the Parliamentary Service Commission - the Majid Cocker Tribunal and the Akiwumi Tribunal. The two tribunals spoke to this matter and advised that we should consider raising the minimum pension to Ksh100,000. Therefore, going forward, any MP who is pensionable and is getting less than Ksh100,000 should, at least, get Ksh100,000 so that they are able to meet a few of their expenses. Finally, in terms of burden to the taxpayers, that is one of the reasons we consulted with the Chair, Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, the Leader of the Majority Party and even the former Leader of the Majority Party. We were in agreement that these MPs deserve to get backdating of these payments to 2010 because that is the time that Akiwumi Tribunal Report was adopted by Parliament. Sections of that Report have been implemented. It is only this provision that has not been implemented. So, it would have made sense to backdate it to 2010. However, looking at the economic condition of the country and the pandemic that we have, we felt it may not be desirable to backdate. So, we want to plead with these former MPs, wherever they are, that if the President assents to this Bill, at least they will get something per month from the date of assent to enable them meet their basic requirements. The number of pensionable MPs has now reduced significantly. They are just about 150. I was working on the statistics of their payments. If you work with an average increment of Ksh80,000 per month per Member without even factoring taxation, because this will still be taxed, the country will incur Ksh144 million in the first year. I do not think that is too much pressure on our budget. I want to conclude by thanking the Members for supporting the former MPs. I know there was the question about those who have served for only one term. Let us consider it in a separate Bill which is coming to this House because for this one, there was only one objective. These former MPs have been crying and they look so miserable. In fact, if you meet them, you will sympathise with them. So, I thank Hon. Members. However, the other matter we can consider is the Hon. Mwadime’s Bill. We need to discuss with the Treasury to see if it can be accommodated. There is something Hon. Duale raised regarding the opinion of the Treasury. This matter came to the Budget and Appropriations Committee as a requirement of Article 114 of the Constitution. Having discussed with the Treasury… Actually, the Treasury was initially opposed to the entire Bill, but we discussed and agreed that we can shelve the arrears up to 2010 to allow these former MPs to benefit. I saw some analysis in the media that about 130 widows and widowers of the former MPs will also get pensions. I do not know where that opinion is coming from because if you are already dead when the law is amended, you cannot benefit. So, the widows and widowers of the former MPs cannot benefit. That was also misinformation. Allow me to move and, again, request Hon. Wanga to second. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}