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"id": 1506292,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1506292/?format=api",
"text_counter": 63,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
"speaker": null,
"content": " I completely agree that things have changed. Men are an endangered species. We live knowing that. We need to be very realistic. Naturally, if you ask the ladies here... Ninety per cent of ladies in this country list their children or mothers when they fill their next of kin forms; not their husbands. It is a common practice. Therefore, this is a progressive Bill. The honourable ladies who are here, please, declare your husbands so that they become recognised even as widowers. In the event God takes your life and you are still serving or you have served, allow your man or husband to enjoy the pension. Whether you like it or not, that man has supported you in your political journey. That man supported you in one way or another. It is none of your business even if he remarries many other wives. Let them enjoy the pension. Hon. Deputy Speaker, the other progressive part we also need to look at is children. Yes, the Constitution provides that a child is anybody below the age of 18 regardless of whether they are boys or girls, but we must make some accommodations. The legal minds can assist us on how that is going to be done. Nowadays children stay in our homesteads up to their 20s because of going to college and university. Some stay with parents even beyond the age of 23 years. We really make life difficult for them when we exclude them from any benefits of this nature. As I conclude, to be honest, former Members of Parliament go through a lot. That is a fact, especially about those who do not have any profession to fall back on once they leave. They live a miserable life. When you walk around, you will find them hovering around here looking for a cup of tea or something. A Member of Parliament is an honourable member of society. We must treat them with some respect and take care of them at the end of their service. We should ask members of the society to stop the habit of bashing Members of Parliament and taking them to be the easiest punching bag. Why establish Parliament if you do not want Members of Parliament? Why do you want them to pass laws? Why do you elect them if you do not want them? Abolish Parliament instead of bashing them every day. You say, “ Sasa yeye anakula pesa yetu ya CDF.” You say that even when you see a Member of Parliament buying a good shoe. We need to get this mentality away from Kenyans. Members of Parliament are their sons and daughters, husbands and wives, girlfriends and boyfriends, and mipango ya kando or whatever you call it. Members of Parliament support quite a lot, especially the men. They support quite a lot in society. We must continuously support Members of Parliament to deliver service even when their term ends."
}