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{
    "id": 1441407,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1441407/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 153,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Nominated, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Dorothy Muthoni",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I also want to unveil the key achievement in this Bill, especially for the employed Kenyans, where the taxable pension has been extended from being taxed from Ksh20,000 to Ksh30,000. This is an achievement for our workers and the salaried people. Out of what this Bill has addressed and very importantly, we are at a time when our country is struggling with cancer. This time round, the Finance Bill has reduced the cost of cancer drugs and exempted them from VAT. This initiative is to alleviate financial pressure on patients and enhance access to cancer medicine. We are doing this when the country is struggling with increased cancer cases. I want to pinpoint a place like Meru County where cancer is on the rise. This Bill, having made cancer medicine VAT-free, is a great achievement for cancer patients in this country. We also want to underscore the achievement of the employment of teachers. The education sector has been given a very huge budget and out of this, and we are proud that all the teachers who are employed as interns, 46,000 of them, will be turned into permanent and pensionable to bridge the gap in our education sector. We know too well that investment in human capital is the single investment that every progressive country must make. Education is key in ensuring that we become globally competitive amongst our equals. Employment of the 46,000 teachers coupled with the 56,000 teachers who were employed last year, makes it the greatest achievement that this Kenya Kwanza Government has achieved in ensuring that in two years, we have employed 102,000 permanent and pensionable teachers. On top of that, there is another cohort of the 20,000 who will equally be employed on internship. This is an achievement that we must all laud and welcome because our youths, whom we promised jobs during campaigns, are getting jobs and being absorbed in various areas. This Finance Bill includes provisions to support individuals with chronic diseases. The emergency kitty established in the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), the Chronic and Critical Units Fund, under the new Social Health Insurance, will cover treatment. It is evident that a majority of people who suffer from chronic diseases, go through a very difficult moment. This Bill has been able to cure this. Therefore, I strongly support this Finance Bill. Thank you."
}