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{
    "id": 1499794,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1499794/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 251,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mungatana, MGH",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "When you come to Members of the National Assembly and the Senate, the amounts are not comparable to what the presidents or former presidents are getting. So, since all these categories of public servants are doing the same work, of serving the public, it is good for them to have a decent retirement package. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when you look at the formulation of this law, you would see that they have created the trustees who are supposed to manage all the 47 counties. The money is going to be in one place, and trustees are going to be chosen. Good qualifications have been given. However, in this country, we have had many problems when it comes to funds. Anything you see written a ‘fund’, such as the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), Local Authorities Pensions Trust (LAPTRUST) Fund, and anything that is ending up with the word ‘fund’, has problems. There are problems because the structures of our laws seem to be a copy and paste. New ideas are not being put to create checks and balances. Even in Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs), you will see the same problem. When you hear of a SACCO, unless, there is good management, there will be a problem. In fact, there are some people who, once a SACCO is established, will try to get into the management or into a cooperative so that they can misappropriate funds. They will try even to get into this so that they can misappropriate these funds from the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs). I would like to tell all the MCAs and the umbrella organizations for Members of the County Assembly who are listening to me, that, this law is available for you to study and look at. We would want to hear a lot from all the 47 counties when we go into public participation. For instance, on how do we tighten the bolts and nuts? How do we make it impossible for someone with ill intention from getting money from your fund? How do we manage this asset that we are creating? This is because all of you are going to be deducted and this money is going to be in one place. The temptation for the devil is going to be high because the money will be a lot. The truth of the matter is, if this law is not tightened, and is going to be like other laws, then we are going into a rough ride. You have seen many people complaining that they are not getting their pension on time, or my father or wife, or husband, who was a member of this Fund has passed away, and he has not gotten anything. I am therefore appealing to Members of the County Assemblies to really take time. If I were you listening to Sen. Mungatana today, I would quickly run to the umbrella organization and ask for a meeting that would authorize the hiring of lawyers to just look at how you can improve this law so that nobody is going to play around with this money or fund that you are creating. I think time has come. Perhaps, time is now, that, people like the administrator, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of this Fund, must also put a bond, property or some cash in an account that, if money goes missing, then this Fund will have a lien on the money that you have put as a bond. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is not an outrageous requirement. It happens. Most people who are living on rental properties, like we used to, pay a deposit. That deposit says, in the event that the house is in disrepair, I will access that money to put that house in order so that the next tenant who is taking over the responsibility of tenantship would The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}