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{
    "id": 123754,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/123754/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 334,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Machage",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Roads",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 179,
        "legal_name": "Wilfred Gisuka Machage",
        "slug": "wilfred-machage"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there could not have been a more noble Motion for this House to support than the one before us today. The vision of this Motion is to create a national policy on older persons and the ageing, so as to have an environment in which older persons can be recognised, respected and empowered to actively and fully participate in societal development. This House will get blessings if this Motion is passed. Indeed, this should have been done yesterday, and not today. Many countries in the developed world have this policy in place, where the aged are actually taken care of. Our definition of the aged in this country is 60 years above. I would have made a different definition, maybe, by virtue of my training. There are people who show older qualities at an early age of even at 45 years. Some people remain young even at the age of 80 years. I think this aspect will be looked at later. For the purposes of today’s Motion, the age provided is okay, only that that there are different capabilities that will be presented by these people at this age. So, care has to be taken on the qualifications as to who is to receive support and who is to be used to give support. This is a talent that remains untapped. I am glad that the policy of this country has now increased the retirement age from what it used to be to 60 years. Maybe, we are moving to a situation where we will be able to recognise that talents or education is a cumulative process where people accumulate knowledge over the years, and then we waste all that knowledge. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am more concerned with the capabilities of older people at this age viz-a-viz their medical status, where the old are usually neglected because of poor financing. The Ministry only requested for Kshs30 million, it may be put aside for the development of this Policy. I think that money is not too much for the older people. The Ministry has given us the rationale for their Policy. The Assistant Minister has tried to give us different solutions from different Ministries. He has given us issues that affect older persons and their probable solutions. He has given us a few organizations that have attempted to look after the older people including the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) which makes a mistake of demanding payment of Kshs160 per month. Most older people stop the payment of this insurance. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, he has reminded us of the requirements of the food and nutrition of older people especially the bone aging, easy fracturing and so on. He has reminded us of poor housing, ventilation problems which affects their general health. Although the Ministry of Medical Services has given some little space on"
}