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{
    "id": 1373380,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1373380/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 202,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kitutu Masaba, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Clive Gisairo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "On the Motion by Hon. Malulu concerning village elders, those of us who come from rural constituencies appreciate the role played by village elders. As much as they officially recognise that leadership ends with assistant chiefs, the lowest point able to reach every home is through village elders. These people bring communities and homes together. They identify people with misdemeanour or any errant characters so that law enforcers act in good time. They help us fight things like illegal brewing of alcohol, getting children to school for parents who sometimes do not want to take children to school. These are very important people in our society. From the way they live, sometimes you find that they do not even get airtime to make a call in case of an emergency that needs urgent response from authorities. These people are sometimes forced to survive by following elected leaders and politicians for their daily sustenance or facilitation. This is something that we can easily move away from by giving them a small appreciation on a monthly basis. This will ensure that they run their errands with dignity. It is wrong to have someone whom you call a village elder and therefore a leader recognised by villagers but cannot afford the very basic need like transport to attend a meeting. I see chiefs convening them for meetings regularly yet they do not even have sitting allowances. It is time that we, as a House, supported such an amendment to ensure that they are incorporated in the administration and have some level of compensation. These are parents. As our colleague, Hon. Beatrice Elachi, has said, they are sometimes retired people who bring wisdom to resolve disputes in communities. Such needs compensation. We cannot use their wisdom for free. We cannot recognise them and give them titles yet we do not appreciate their sacrifice and compensate them appropriately as a government. For those from Gusii, village elders are called Abatureti. I can see the party Treasurer, Hon. Japheth, shaking his head in acceptance that I have used the correct word. Even Hon. Japheth, while convening a meeting contacts these persons to ensure that there is law and order. I believe we need to rise up as Hon. Members and ensure that our village elders, the Abatureti, get appreciation, support and adequate compensation to do their work. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
}