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{
    "id": 1381094,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1381094/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kigumo, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Joseph Munyoro",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I stand to oppose the Bill as it has been brought and support the Departmental Committee on Labour for rejecting it in totality. However, I also want to point out that, as some of my colleagues have observed, some very pertinent issues need to be looked at seriously regarding the work- life balance that we keep talking about to our employees. Some employers abuse that trust. Some people work 24 hours a day because once they go home, their employees send them messages through WhatsApp and emails. They have to have a laptop that they take home. It is entirely unfair that we put some of our employees through some very unfair labour practices. So, as much as I oppose this, I think it came from a good intention. I would not put any ill will on the person who moved the Bill. However, based on our circumstances and where we are, I would think of where I come from, Kigumo, where we are tea and coffee growers. Like someone asked, if we have a driver taking tea leaves to the factory and his shift is over, does he stop the vehicle and disconnect calls? What do we do under those circumstances? Some issues are not critical. You cannot say one is a doctor so they are supposed to be working 24 hours. What do we do about our young people who work in business process outsourcing? Those companies cover the whole world, and they have odd working hours depending on where they are located. When I see the Senator proposing that we form a committee for any company that has more than 10 employees so that they discuss when one can pick and disconnect calls, I feel that there is an element of nuisance in it. We cannot have companies which employ thousands of employees like Safaricom Limited agreeing on how they will be communicating via SMS, calls, what time to pick calls, when to disconnect calls, and when you are allowed to even abuse your employer. We should reject this Bill. As much as both the Senate and the National Assembly are law-making Houses, some Bills ought to go through some critical analysis by the House Business Committees, so that if a Bill is found wanting or lacking in some element, we can advise the Mover on how to improve it or help in other ways. This is so that we do not give Committees a lot of work when they could be looking at other important Bills and issues that affect employees. I reject this Bill in totality and I support the Departmental Committee on Labour for doing the same."
}