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{
    "id": 1370888,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1370888/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 94,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13599,
        "legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
        "slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I would like to assure Sen. Orwoba, that I do not receive any preferential treatment from the Exchequer. In fact, the amount of money that is assigned for office operations is the same for all the Members of this House. If she is not getting money, I can assure her that I am also not getting money. Today, I would like to speak as a taxpayer. As Members of Parliament, we are some of the highest taxpayers in this country as employed people. If the statistics are right that it is only one per cent of Kenyans who earn salaries above Kshs100,000, then we pay on average in taxes, PAYE alone, higher than 99 per cent of the rest of the country. Whenever there are changes to our taxation, it is implemented immediately. We are already paying for the taxes that were imposed just a few months ago. Then, the very least we expect is that we will be facilitated in our jobs. I want to make it clear to the country that Senators are not asking for salary increment. You will hear some people saying that Senators are crying for money. No, these is operations funds that have already been assigned and allocated to the Senate for purposes of facilitating the offices of the Senators. For some reason, the person responsible for disbursing money at the Exchequer, at the point at which money has come in and deciding which department gets money and which one does not, or which one is not a priority, never prioritizes the Senate. In fact, Members will remember that our system in here is due for an upgrade. In last year's budget we were given Kshs200 million to upgrade this system that never works, including during important debates and divisions. However, the Senate cannot implement this. We have been told it will be transferred to the next financial year because they are not giving us that money. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the reputation out there is that Senators are a bit more reasonable people; that we are not going to do Maandamano like the one we saw yesterday at the National Assembly. However, I would like to inform you leaders here"
}