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{
    "id": 1344230,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1344230/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 413,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "dealing with any or accessing public services”. This is to some extent, unconstitutional. You cannot force it. Being a Kenyan is voluntary. I choose to be Kenyan. I may be born Kenyan and I do not have to take citizenship of Kenya. Why would you make it compulsory that every Kenyan must belong to this Fund? If one does not belong, they will not get services like going to school, accessing public service offices, boarding the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train, or boarding Kenya Airways aeroplanes. It is because these are public entities. Again, there is a provision under Clause 27(3). It says those under 2(b) - those who are not in salaried employment - will pay premiums annually, in advance. With the high poverty index in this country, limited income, and the stress people are going through, requiring that one pays annually in advance to be eligible for services is something not attainable. It is untenable and unachievable. This requirement will disenfranchise a very large number of people who have been contributing monthly the Ksh500 to build up for purposes of getting their cover. We will need to relook at it. Hon. Temporary Speaker, here, again, we are saying any employer who does not remit the deductions on time will be penalised 10 per cent or 10 times what was supposed to be contributed. You and I know that even the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) funding for office operations and salaries delay. So, by the time the office managers are supposed to pay and they have no money, who bears the cost and the penalty? These are the challenges that we must critically look into. The most unacceptable clause is the one setting aside other suitable entities to be involved in claim management. Many of us here know that, probably, there is more corruption in the private sector that is undocumented and un-talked than there is in the public sector. Many of us who are professionals, and I speak for majority, know that for you to be given a contract in the private sector, you almost have to pay 40 or 30 per cent. Introducing private sector players is now to expand levels of corruption and layers upon layers of corruption. These special claims management office must be strengthened and given adequate resources to undertake that function in order to avoid cases of privatising corruption. As I conclude so that I can give my colleagues a chance, Clause 40(2)(b) says payment of salary will be a charge on the Fund of the Authority. Under Clause 41(2) they set an amount not exceeding 5 per cent for administrative expenses. I would want to beseech and request the Committee and those who will be proposing amendments to make sure the salary is part of the administrative expenses and that it does not exceed 5 per cent. This Bill is so monumental. It is very important to the lives of Kenyans. I would have wished the House Leadership to allow a little more time for Members to go prepare amendments to be considered in the Committee of the Whole House. Tomorrow afternoon seems too soon. We are getting into a lengthy Committee of the Whole House and we will not have time to prepare. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support."
}