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{
    "id": 1243537,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1243537/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 214,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mumma",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Police officers are one of the categories of our society that live in very poor conditions. It is no wonder there is rampant bribery. What some of those police officers get is money to buy their food. It is only a few of them who are engaged in grand corruption that makes their ends meet. Some of them are actually collecting money to survive because the conditions of their work make it difficult for them to be able to engage properly. Police officers are human beings. They have feelings and senses like any one of us, but they are the ones we sent to the goriest scenes to do their work. It is sad because we expect them to work like robots. If there is a fire outbreak somewhere and people get burnt, it is the police officers who are expected to go there. It is as though they have no feelings. We expect them secure the place and collect dead bodies. When there is an accident, we expect them to go there and do their work. After collecting the bodies that are in deplorable state and taking them to the mortuaries, we expect them to walk home, wash their hands, clean themselves, cook meals, eat and laugh with us as if nothing happened. I wonder whether anyone of us Senators can have the courage to go to an accident scene and lift bodies, some of which may be in bad states, and walk away as if nothing happened. These officers need to be provided with the mental support they need in order to do their work. It is not a wonder that we have seen a rising number of cases of violence in this country. We see a police officer shooting a girlfriend, the wife or colleagues. What do you think is going on in their mind? In my view, we should not blame them. Instead, we should blame our own system because we have not put anything aside to support them. In the Finance Bill, an extra Kshs15 billion will be channeled to the health sector. That is beyond what was there in the previous financial year. Health is a devolved function. That money should be used for essential things like providing mental health services for police officers. We do not have to come up with another scheme riddled with corruption. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we have not resolved the scandal on the Managed Equipment Services (MES) that were procured during the first term of devolution. We are"
}