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{
    "id": 1096348,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1096348/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 194,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, it is true that the Question was put yesterday but the Report of the Committee was tabled on 5th August, which is not yesterday. The Report of the Committee was tabled on 5th August. So, Members have had time to look at the Report. Members have actually generated amendments, which you can see on the Order Paper. Hon. Speaker, last week on Thursday, I made a Statement and you advised Members to be alert on the contents of the Statement. In that Statement, I actually indicated that the Committee of the whole House on the NHIF (Amendment) Bill was supposed to take place yesterday. So, every Member had notice from last week that the Committee of the whole House was to take place yesterday. Unfortunately, on Thursday last week, a Member stood and raised the issue or quorum and we could not complete the debate on NHIF last week so that we could have it yesterday. However, Members had notice that the Committee of the whole House on the NHIF (Amendment) Bill would take place yesterday, but because it could not take place then because of the completion of debate and putting of the Question, we put the Question yesterday hence the issue cannot arise now that Members have not had time to bring amendments. I know Hon. Junet has not been in the House for a while but that is not reason to derail the benefits accruing from this NHIF (Amendment) Bill for the Kenyans. Kenyans are suffering out there. They cannot afford to pay their medical bills and when we are creating a vehicle to help them, this House cannot be standing in the way of Kenyans who are suffering out there because we want to take our sweet time to bring amendments when we had all the time to bring amendments and people have not brought those amendments. So, Hon. Speaker, I urge that we also remember we are going on recess for four weeks from tomorrow. Kenyans cannot wait until September so that we start doing UHC, which is something we already knew that we were to do. So, I find this request rather strange, especially from a member of the House Business Committee (HBC). Remember it is the HBC that scheduled this business to be on the Order Paper today. If Hon. Junet did not attend the HBC, he cannot try to invalidate the decisions of the HBC, which, Hon. Speaker, you chaired and saw the wisdom of having this Bill on the Order Paper today. I urge that we do not derail the further processing of this Bill. If Hon. Junet has any issue he would want to bring an amendment on, he still has time and we can process it even as we go in the Committee of the whole House. But, let us not derail the processing of this Bill any further on account of time! This is because Hon. Junet is a Member of the HBC. He would have raised the matter in the HBC. Then last week we gave notice, through a Statement, that this matter will be coming to the Floor this week. So, every Member heard that and some Members have actually prepared. There are Members here who have come purely to process this. So, let us not frustrate the work of Parliament just because we are not comfortable with something. Let us raise it when we come to the Committee. Hon. Speaker, I urge that we do not reschedule this matter."
}