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{
    "id": 1523028,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1523028/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 472,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suna West, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Masara",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Report of 2020, have examined the main aspect of mental health, but have overlooked the mental health of police officers. The Bill addresses this. The National Police Service Commission, in consultation with the Inspector-General of Police, will promote the mental health of police officers by providing the requisite resources. This Bill also aligns with the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. It facilitates the progressive realisation of the rights to the highest attainable standard of health, which includes the right to health care services, guaranteed under Article 43(1)(a) of the Constitution. These rights include the mental health and well-being of all Kenyans. Article 21(2) of the Constitution states that the State shall take legislative, policy and other measures, including the setting of standards, to achieve the progressive realisation of the rights guaranteed in Article 43 of the Constitution. The Bill, therefore, facilitates the fulfilment of the obligation by ensuring that the requisite mental health, wellness infrastructure and resources are put in place for the police officers who are the frontline responders. This Bill has walked a long journey. I started pursuing it way back in the 12th Parliament which was around 2019 to date. Through that journey, there are some comparisons which were done. In the United States of America, such a Bill is in existence. It has proved that it helps many police officers who are in uniform to execute their duties in a robust way. In Canada, there are around eight provinces which have similar Acts of Parliament. The benefit of such an Act is that the law enforcement officers in such a country are outputs. When they are met with such circumstances, they usually recover and work well for their people. In Namibia, Section 42(1)(b) of the Police Act 1990 empowers the Minister to make regulations on standard of physical and mental fitness and the medical examination of members of these families. If you can recall the history of this country, some time back, police officers were killing themselves, their superiors and family members. However, research indicated that their mental status was not sound. Therefore, if Members of Parliament fast-track this Bill, it will cure several gaps which are in the National Police Service Act. I want to remind this House that currently the Act governing the National Police Service Commission lacks this mandate. It is not there. You and I served in the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs in the 12th Parliament and that is when we went around the country. The concerns we collected from the police officers and their seniors were the reason we requested the then Government to allocate some money so that psychiatrists and counsellors could be employed in the National Police Service Commission (NPSC). This depends on the goodwill of the Government. If this Bill is enacted, it will now be a mandatory role for the NPSC to provide socio- psychological support to police officers. The Bill is very clear that these facilities need to be established in every county. However, in future, when the economy stabilises, there is need to introduce these facilities in every divisional headquarters so that when these officers face similar issues they can get assistance in the nearest centers. These police officers are also our bodyguards and when their wives or mothers die, they just take a break and then come back since we need bodyguards. They are psychologically traumatised, but where do they go? They get orders from their superiors who are in stations. Maybe you went to the field and along the line of duty, you killed somebody and the following week, you are being posted again to go and work. You are psychologically disturbed, but what option do they have? That is why this Bill is very important. The cost of this Bill as analysed by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) is not much compared to the results we will get when it is enacted. Many police officers have undergone training as psychologists and counsellors. Being that the role of the NPSC is limited, they are not being compensated as per their training. Some joined the police force when they only had the form four certificate but now they have gone 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."
}