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{
    "id": 1376467,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1376467/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 352,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Oketch Gicheru",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I especially thank the Members of the House and the Members of the “Lower House” who were there, of course, led by Sen. Cheruiyot and Senior Counsel, Sen. Omogeni, for their work. They did the best they could with the much time that they had and with the people they could be able to interact with. Madam Temporary Speaker, one of the major issues that caused the problem we saw in our country was the cost of living. I think that this Report has attempted very well to deal with some of these things. If you look at page 144 of the Report, it proposes that the Social Protection Fund should be expanded to include some of the people who are downtrodden by issues of high cost of living to the extent the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) as well as old people. In the older persons cash transfer, how do we make it effective? How do we expand the support for these kinds of people? In fact, as a young person, I wish they even had the courage to classify youths coming from schools, whether it is Technical and Vocational Education and Trainings (TVETs), universities or colleges. You know, I see many of them in Migori County. When they finish school, they spend even two years and cannot find jobs and ways of living. I wish that the Social Protection Fund was expanded and put them as a risk group. If you were to give those youths Kshs10,000 every month for at least a year, when they are still looking for a job, they will have a better outcome of succeeding when they eventually get a job. The idea that the Social Protection Fund can be expanded is a good one. However, I wish they could see youths in this country as vulnerable, especially those who are living in tertiary institutions and cannot get support. I also support the idea that older persons cash transfer should be increased from Kshs.2,000 to Kshs.10, 000. We have not figured out how to support them even when they are sick or if their sons, daughters and grandchildren have left home. They do not have a support structure that they can depend on. So, it is not just about the subsistence but also increasing this money in such a way that they can even use it to procure some simple medical services that they need. Lastly, I congratulate the Committee for its input on the IEBC as well as political parties to bring sanity to our entire politics. The idea of electoral justice as well as oversight on the Executive are ideals that we must continue championing and fighting for. You can just imagine right now, if you were to come to this House and then one entire side of the House moves to the other side. You will not have a debate. We will not have a conversation. It is something that we must embrace and build. The only missing link or point was in the area of devolution. I think that this Report should have recognized very well that if we are going to build this country ultimately, money must go to counties. Money must follow functions. We must empower counties to have more money so that both power and money can be felt by the people. I know that there is an attempt to give the Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) money and I support it 100 per cent. However, there is no risk of increasing some more counties. If we have more counties, then it means that more money will go to the county."
}