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{
    "id": 1373423,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1373423/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 245,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Moiben, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Phylis Bartoo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "day with big titles of “Village Elder” sitting in very high places and performing important duties but at the end of the day, there is nothing to take home. Their children are amongst those who are sent away from school because they cannot afford school fees, medical cover for their families and other basic needs yet they play important roles. It is unfortunate and shameful for us as a nation to continue misusing the services of such persons in our societies. As Parliament, we make the budget and appropriate money to different institutions. We go back to our communities and engage them yet since Independence nothing decisive has been done for them. My wish is that this government, under the bottom-up economic model, would realise the importance of village elders because they are at the bottom of the pyramid. It is high time they were elevated to have a status in society and get recognised. I want to thank Hon. Malulu Injendi for bringing this Bill so that village elders can formally be entrenched in the national government administrative structure. That way, they would be remunerated like other Kenyans. The remuneration for a village elder is a human right. However, their rights, since Independence, have been violated. It is high time Members rectified this anomaly so that village elders can also take something home at the end of the month or get a stipend. We are not asking for a lot of money. This is a small percentage of the national Government budget. It is important that this is looked into as we pass this Bill. The position of village elder should be entrenched in law, so that they start earning something. In my constituency, you can only identify them by their uniform. Some of them do not even have soap to clean their uniforms yet they are supposed to attend functions in it. They are called every time there is a national function and they show up. Some of them have worn the same uniform for many years and it has changed colour while others have patched it. It is shameful for an honourable lady or gentleman to stand in tattered uniform. For some, the uniform is of a different colour. The shirt has changed colour because of wearing it for a long time. Even the trousers are of a different colour. Is this not embarrassing? If there are proposed amendments to this Bill, we are ready to walk the journey and ensure that they are passed so that village elders can live in dignity. As I support this Bill in totality, I thank my brother and hope that one day village elders will have something to take to their families like other Kenyans who are on salary. We have affordable houses. How I wish they can be paid so that they, too, can purchase houses for themselves. With those remarks, I support."
}