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{
    "id": 1623757,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623757/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 251,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kibwana",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I am happy that the Bill provides for the establishment of Migrant Workers Welfare Fund. It also provides a bilateral labour agreement appeal against administrative decisions that will be made and the establishment of safe houses in the destination countries. It is our pride when we go to Qatar and find our young men and women working there. They all seem very happy and quite motivated to work. The other time when I was talking to the Ambassador of Qatar he told me, you know how the Kenyans workers are quite energetic and motivated that they do not mind the whole airport of Qatar or Doha to have Kenyans. Kenyans are hard-working people. We want them to have the best working out of the country in diaspora. The best thing - looking at the Bill – it will provide for the pre- departure procedures for foreign employment. Also, the biggest issue is that we always have workers trying to come back home and they are unable to do that due to their passports have been confiscated or you know, their bosses have taken advantage of our girls. So, you may find that they are unable to travel back because they do not have their passports. I am hoping and praying that this Bill shall take such matters into consideration, especially the establishment of the workers' welfare. This is ecause then there will be some under the PFM Act, the repatriation of the migrant workers. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we do not want to end up with girls in hospital. Some of them have tried to commit suicide and do many other things or maybe the same. We do not want their employers to take advantage of them. Unfortunately, at that time when you are looking for the agents who recruited these workers, they are nowhere to be found. That is why I call them scammers. They have ‘eaten’ their money and they have used them and dumped them. So, it is really unfortunate how workers are taking advantage back in other countries. I would not just peg it on one of the countries, maybe it is most of the time they talk about Saudi Arabia. I would say maybe some of the Middle East countries where the workers are taken advantage of. This Bill will take care of all the pertinent issues raised by Kenyan workers working abroad or should I say diaspora. Some of these provisions will take care of them. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I feel that even the part that the Bill exempts certain classes of persons from that pre-departure. It gives and provides an enforcement of act and the appointment of inspectors; their functions and powers. This is a good Bill that will mandate the national Government to consult county governments in creation of registers and investment opportunities. This is what one of the CSAs was dealing with. When I spoke to the Ambassador for Qatar, he spoke highly of how we are so organized when it comes to labour. I think we have more or less an MOU for labour and he feels that that area has been taken care of very well. I should say our CS for Labour and Social Protection is doing so far a good job in terms of taking care of genuine labour issues for the immigrants. I commend this Bill. It is a pity sometimes we hear young girls being harassed and at receive their bodies not knowing what caused their death. Many young girls who have died working abroad in order to support their families. It so disheartening hearing our young girls are being killed and harassed in foreign land. 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."
}