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{
    "id": 1451131,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1451131/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 4515,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Emuhaya, ANC",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Omboko Milemba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Whereas I have a lot of respect for the Budget and Appropriations Committee and its Chair, and the work it did despite the fact that we have several challenges that required budget-cuts, I would really want the Committee to listen to me carefully. When you look at the Budget which was supposed to be mutilated because of the fact that the Finance Bill had not gone through, it was very important that we prioritise things which must be achieved. When you are not having enough money in your home, you must go for the necessities. Hon. Members, in one of the pages in this Budget there is the Teachers Service Commission budget. So, whereas we are celebrating that we have employed all the JSS teachers, which costs Ksh18.5 billion, there was an agreement between the teachers of Kenya and the Government of Kenya in what was called the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). It was signed and deposited in court some time last year. The Government of Kenya paid the teachers half of what was agreed upon, which was about Ksh13 billion. The remaining Ksh13 billion was to be paid in this financial year. If you look at the budget of the Teacher Service Commission, you will realise that its recurrent expenditure has been cut by exactly Ksh10 billion. It means that all the teachers of Kenya are not going to get their full CBA as had been agreed by the Government. Now, the Chair of BAC, if he is anywhere here, let me tell you this: what you are doing to this country, which is already going through various demonstrations by both the young people and other groups, is that you are actually going to draw all the 400,000 teachers of Kenya out on the streets. You have allocated their money to roads and, possibly, to other things, which otherwise would have waited as we clear with the teachers. The teachers were looking forward for the following four things in this Budget, which are not forthcoming. Number one is the Phase II of the CBA, which is costing Ksh13.5 billion and it has been removed. Number two is a medical cover for teachers, which has been in existence and which was Ksh15 billion. That too has been cut. Number three was promotion of teachers, which had been given Ksh1.5 billion and which, again, I can see is not in the Budget. Lastly, of course, is the issue of employment of the JSS teachers, which we have achieved. Now, what are we doing to our country? Already we are in a mood of riots and demonstrations and now you want to draw all the teachers on the streets! In fact, the leadership within the BAC... I wish the Chair was here. This is a step of trying to incite teachers of Kenya to get out of class and go to the streets. The teachers have been patient knowing that their package will be in this Budget. Therefore, I want to ask you Hon. Members, because this will affect you, starting next week and the following week... I do not see us going anywhere because this matter will affect us in our constituencies. 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."
}