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{
    "id": 1446720,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1446720/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 104,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Samburu West, KANU",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Naisula Lesuuda",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, as I reply to the debate on this Bill, I want to thank each and every Member who contributed. Their input is valuable to the improvement of this Bill. I had written a long list of Members who contributed but I misplaced it. I am unable to call out their names but I want to thank them very much. Out of the comments that Members have made here, I have picked a number of issues in respect of which I think it will be important for us to agree on as we move to the next stage. On the issue of a 24-hour notice for an internship to be terminated, I agree with you that something might happen to an intern and in 24 hours, one might not be able to get in touch with one’s work place. Therefore, 24 hours is a very short time. However, a week or two is too long. It can be misused. Therefore, we need to agree on an appropriate time frame. Within 48 hours, an intern should be able to have got in touch with his workplace and explain why he is unable to report to work. Hon. Gichangi raised a very important point on a matter we were struggling with. We were not sure whether we should place it under the Ministry of Labour or the Ministry responsible for Public Service. I agree with you that the appropriate Cabinet Secretary should be the one responsible for Public Service. The reason we did not go through the route of the Commission yet we have had engagements with them, and even with the Committee is because not all employments happen at the Public Service Commission. The Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) gives opportunity to interns as well but they do so as PSC. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) also employs and even gives opportunities to interns, but they do not do so through the Public Service Commission. They do so through their own Commission. Therefore, if we limit it only to the Public Service Commission, we would be limiting ourselves to that space while there are other commissions and public entities where people get internship or get employed. It is something we had conversed on at length. There is also the issue of absorption of interns into employment. Some interns have reached out to me in this regard. They have really sent messages. You know that they have our mobile phone numbers. Wanatusalimia whenever they feel like. They claim that it is not enough to just go through the internship programme. They want to be absorbed. We conversed about it because it will have a budgetary implication to the country. We really debated on it. Because we are not sure how many people are going on retirement, we are not sure of the budgetary allocation. It is something that we can amend in the Bill and say that interns be given priority so that when many interns move, others can get similar opportunity through internship. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has incorporated that as a guiding principal in its merit section during employment. If you have done internship and it builds to experience, you get a number of marks, which are considered when you go for an interview. That is something we will continue to deliberate on but in the amendment, we will give priority to interns when recruitment happens. There is also the issue that was raised on the time frame. Currently, the Public Service Commission has a time frame on when one can be an intern. They do not take people who graduated much earlier for internship and people are saying that policy is discriminatory. Provided 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."
}