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{
    "id": 1195334,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1195334/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 178,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kimilili, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Didmus Barasa",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, I hope that you will add me the minutes that have been lost due to the Members conversing in high tones. The reason as to why village elders are not being paid is because they are not included in the structure of Public Service Commission. We will ask the Public Service Commission to consider village elders from the schedules of civil servants who should be paid. It is immoral and bad manners to engage people when you do not pay them anything. If the Government of Kenya does not recognise village elders, then they should be told to pack and go so that their roles can be taken over by other Government officers who are paid salaries. For very many years, this House has been giving the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government billions of shillings in the disguise of confidential vote from what they usually call “Other operating expenses.’’ This money is not being utilised properly. Most of this money was being used in the previous elections to perpetuate political missions. We now have a responsible Government that respects everybody who is serving the country. I am hopeful that the Kenya - Kwanza Government will give some stipend to the village elders who play a very important role. Had it not been for village elders, we would have a backlog of cases in our courts because some of the disputes are resolved by the village elders. The only way to pay and appreciate them is to give them a stipend or a salary. As we support this Motion, we should ensure that we have an answer. When Government asks for money to fund programmes in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, we will put them to account, to ensure that they have a budget and a plan to appreciate and pay village elders. Similar Motions have been brought to the Floor of this House by Members in the 8th, 9th and 12th Parliament. The House cannot continue to legislate in vain. This should be the last Motion on this. We will ensure that during presentation of Budget Policy Statements, the Departmental Committee on National Administration and Security will consider entrenching the salary of village elders in the budget. The work of the National Assembly is to assist the Government in serving her people. It is our humble duty to ensure that when the Departmental Committee on National Administration and Security begins to plan their activities for the remainder of the year, they should consider this matter. They must always remember that we have Kenyans in the name of village elders who are suffering. They wake up very early to report to the chief’s office and stay until evening. Most of them have bills to pay, they have children who require school fees yet they are not engaged in any other activities besides working for the Government of Kenya. They do not work for charity. The Government must therefore pay them. Even as we try to engage the Government to pay these village elders, we should be aware that for that to happen a structure would be created to put their qualifications. A number of them may be required to retire since they are above 60 years. Others do not have the requisite education. We will ensure that even if the Government will come up with a structure on how to pay them and put some qualifications, those who will not qualify should be given a one-off payment because they have been working for this Government for very many years. Thank you, Hon. Mwengi Mutuse for bringing this Motion on the Floor of the House. It is a very good Motion. Hon. Mutuse is a first-term Member of Parliament. He is beginning his term on the right footing. I wish him well. I support this Motion. Thank you."
}