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{
    "id": 1062722,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1062722/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 372,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": "people globally. Of these 128 million people, 22 million are at certain stages of fighting the infection with 95,000 globally in very serious or critical conditions. In Kenya, we have had 131,000 people infected as of yesterday. The numbers are growing bigger every day. Sadly, as of yesterday, we have lost 2,135 people and the number is increasing. If you look at all the graphs, the curve that had flattened two months ago is now on the rise. All indications are that it would be rising for the next 60 days. Hon. Members, we also appreciate that this virus hates people who are most likely going to end up in hospital in serious condition or about to die. These are people above the age of 50 and with underlying medical conditions. However, that is not to say that the people in their teens have not died from the disease. We have been looking at our Parliament statistics and the average age of this Parliament is 48. We are not very far from the threshold. It means there is quite a number of people above 50 who have been averaged downwards by those who are younger. The average age for our staff is 45. It just shows you how much at risk we are, as a House. If you also throw in the mix the nature of our interaction, which is quite dynamic, we just saw a very interactive discussion at the back, at a very close range ignoring all the signs of “sit here” and social distancing protocols. When you we sit at the tea place, we all bring our chairs close together without masks. For those who have attended the extended session in the Members’ small lounge that is opened after the rise of the House you also know the interaction at that point is very close without masks. We have seen some of our own colleagues who said they are in hospital because they interacted in those two places. It is, therefore, important that we rethink about how much we want to put ourselves at risk even as we transact business, and is there a better way of doing so without putting Members at risk? Hon. Speaker, as His Excellency the President observed, the numbers that are being announced everyday by the Ministry have names attached to them. Most importantly, each one of us by now knows somebody who has either succumbed or been infected and certainly, people who have been affected. We have all gone for fundraisers because insurance companies are not paying for COVID-19 related treatments. Therefore, as we stand in solidarity with all Kenyans who are affected, we cannot continue, as a House, treating this matter as business as usual. We need to start thinking of the initial circumstances in which we are operating. The Ministry of Health has given us advice. They reported that our healthcare facilities are currently overstretched. The stock of oxygen has gone too low to last more than a day."
}