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{
    "id": 1024112,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1024112/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 202,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kitui Central, WDM-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Makali Mulu",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1955,
        "legal_name": "Benson Makali Mulu",
        "slug": "benson-makali-mulu"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, I hope I will get additional minutes as compensation for the few minutes they have taken from my time. I really want to challenge ourselves, as Members of this House, because we have been very quick at aligning other laws with the Constitution yet this one, which touches on our welfare has taken 10 years. So, it has finally come and we are debating it. There are two important things in this Bill. First, there is the issue of the SRC involvement. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I want to remind you, because I served with you during the 11th Parliament. If you look at the Kenya Gazette of 2013 which listed the benefits to MPs, you will find that there was the issue of the gratuity of 31 per cent. It was saying that after you have served your full term of five years, you will be entitled to earn 35 per cent of your basic salary as gratuity. I want to go on record. Members who came back for a second term did not get that money. I raised this matter with the Speaker and we had several discussions with the Treasury. I am still convinced, even as we debate this Bill that it is unfair to the MPs who managed to come for a second term. So, that is a matter we really need to look into as we discuss this Bill. The other one is the issue of pension being contributory. It means that, as a Member, you contribute and then the Government also contributes. Currently, a Member contributes 2.5 per cent and the Government contributes 25 per cent. If you have been contributing for five years and the Government has also been contributing the 25 per cent, then when you are out of Parliament, you should be paid your money. I like the idea of changing so that you get it when you attain the age of 45 years. As an economist and financial expert, I know that there are risks associated with getting your pension too early because pension is supposed to take care of you during old age. When you get it at the age of 45, unless you are a very good financial manager, you will experience some challenges during your old age. I just want to remind Hon. Members that we should be good financial managers to make sure that by the time we hit 60 years, we still have some savings. The truth of the matter is that the more you continue aging, the more the diseases and other health issues continue attacking you and you will need your savings to take care of the health issues. If you have exhausted your savings and the pension is also not there, then you are likely to have challenges. As we debate this Bill, the unfairness in terms of the Members serving their second terms not being paid their gratuities is a matter we cannot let go. It is important that we pick it up with the National Treasury so that those Members who managed to come back to Parliament for a second term can get the money they are entitled to. With those remarks, I support the Bill."
}