HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 1506326,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1506326/?format=api",
"text_counter": 97,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Gilgil, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Martha Wangari",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Number one to the Mover, there is an issue he spoke about retirement on medical grounds. I would like to confirm that it also includes People Living With Disabilities, those who join with disabilities, and also those who get disabled when they are serving. I say that because if you remember Hon. Dennitah Ghati, the former Migori County Woman Representative, we joined with her in the 11th Parliament. She was well, but in the 12th Parliament, she was a Person with Disability (PWD). So, this provision on Clause 9 should also include PWDs, so that if you want to retire on medical grounds, the PWD aspect is also considered a medical ground, so that if you get a disability when you are serving, or even when you join when you are serving, you have that leeway to be considered at that point. I also want to agree that the issue of widows and widowers has been discriminatory, and I have said it is because, first of all, it was not envisioned that women could serve as Members of Parliament, but it is very important that both spouses are included. It is also true, as Hon. Nyikal said, that statistically, men live shorter lives. Generally, men have a shorter lifespan than women. It is also because men usually have a back-up plan and not many stay as widowers. In fact, they are very few who stay as widowers. The moment their wives die, it does not take long —within a year. If you look around, even bishops or any kind of men in this country will not complete one year before they have another wife. However, we have so many widows who are left to look after their children until they are adults. I think that was the relationship. Times have changed and we are now here. Widowers should be included just like widows and given the same rights. It has also helped reduce conflicts within families because when you officially recognise that person in your paperwork… The rest has been canvassed by Hon. Chepkonga who clearly stated that Members of Parliament have no mipango ya kando . If such situations arise, it becomes easier to handle the case. This way, there would be a person on record as your spouse and you will save your family and children from embarrassment and avoidable issues. Hon. Deputy Speaker, there is the issue of post-retirement medical scheme. We all agree that after leaving Parliament… During elections, even when it is clear you are going to lose, supporters often encourage you to take a loan to finish things, despite knowing that you are going nowhere. When you lose, you are left with a loan and auctioneers at your door, which sometimes drives Members to go for their gratuity out of desperation. Getting this option of post-retirement medical scheme is very important because you have a choice to contribute, and what the Leader of the Majority Party said is also very important. When you are able, it is not so much to contribute Ksh10,000 or Ksh20,000. The statistics show that the turnover of parliamentarians is 70 per cent. You will be very lucky to come back to this House. In fact, when you join this House, your chance of going home is about 70 per cent. All of us are actually queued to go home. Only a few of us have been lucky to do two consecutive terms. It is important that instead of begging your colleagues when you are out, trying to raise some small monies for small procedures in hospital, it is good to contribute when you can. This will help us a big deal when we are out there having issues of medical care. We will not have to call harambees, because not many people will contribute to a Member of Parliament. You cannot call a harambee in your backyard. It is not possible. You have to come to this House to beg people who understand what you are going through to contribute. It is the same thing that when you lose, even the traffic to your house just cuts off. This will help us cushion ourselves in getting medical care and it will go a long way to ensure that we are taken care of, and rightfully so, from our own contributions that we make from our salaries, not public coffers. I support."
}