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{
    "id": 1591573,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1591573/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 330,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "If Sen. Cherarkey can recall, I said previously in this House that I will not move another Government Bill that creates another board. However, the specific nature of this Bill must make sense. I also hope that when we go to Committee Stage, we can put in the transition clause the bodies or Government entities that do social interventions and which must be wound up as a result of the creation of this Board, so that we do not end up with hundreds of boards that duplicate their roles. We are trying to reduce the cost of running Government and that cannot be achieved if we continue to have many boards. I have also said that we need to make special exception for boards such as this. I have laid the basis on why this is extremely important in a country where social intervention programmes are not rolled out in the form and the manner that they are rolled out. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I believe and it is my understanding that when we create this Board, they will interact with the Ministry of Education and ask them about the cost and payment structures, the support and capitation sent to public institutions that exist in this country and how they measure that, so that we do not end up in a situation where we believe it is possible to standardize and pay for the whole country. We must appreciate that we are not an oil-rich nation and that we have almost run out of fiscal headroom to either, borrow or tax Kenyans and yet, the cost of running government continues to increase. You can also see the kind of headlines we have where people believe that it is possible to continue paying and meeting every bill from health, education and all these other things without some level of measure. It is therefore the creation of a board such as this that needs to be needs-specific and ensure that we give. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, additionally, this Bill seeks to cushion persons in need against risks and contingencies, build human capital capabilities and resilience among those in need and promote the overall well-being of vulnerable persons. We know one of the biggest signature successes of this administration. You know, we live in a country where when a government does right, it is nothing, but wait until something goes wrong somewhere, then it makes headlines. One of the boldest decisions that President William Ruto took upon taking on the reins of power was the intervention on Government policy on those that are in the social support programme, the vulnerable and the elderly. They are paid before civil servants are paid. Previously in the previous administration, they would sometimes wait for three, four, five, six or seven months before getting their monies. I saw the statement here last week. It is part of documents that I table here every other day - month on month payment to the vulnerable. However, we need to ensure that the amount sent to them is enough to meet their basic needs and all people who meet the criteria of being vulnerable people and need to be supported end up benefiting. That is part and parcel of that. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, social protection is essential to address poverty and all those things that I have mentioned. Under Part I, clauses one to six are general terms. Clause seven to 27 provide for this Board I have mentioned and its functions, which include the Cabinet Secretary relating to social protection, designing and implementation. I would like also to highlight the roles of county governments in social protection as contained in the Bill. County governments will be responsible for implementing 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."
}