Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1623762,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1623762/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 256,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mungatana, MGH",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "these people transported all the way back to Nairobi. This is because they had mishandled the opportunity for employment back in Johannesburg. There is a category of young people who want to go abroad, but do not know how to access job opportunities, leading them to seek shortcuts. There is also another category of individuals who set up bureaus under the guise of creating employment or searching for job opportunities when, in fact, they never had any intention of genuinely helping our people. Their original intention, and it remains so, was to con these individuals, particularly the young men. This Bill by Sen. Tabitha Mutinda addresses this need. It is a legislative proposal aimed at solving a problem that currently exists within our country and society. Many young men and women are not necessarily thinking solely as Kenyans. In a sense, they are global citizens. Some have gone to study in Kampala and have returned. Others have studied in Tanzania and they are back. Some did not qualify to enter certain colleges in Kenya, but managed to enroll themselves in neighbouring countries and obtained their degrees. Some can speak different languages and intend to live elsewhere. Therefore, because of that desire, some people cash on it. This need is being addressed by this legislation. That is one case I have dealt with and resolved. There is another case, which was being handled in the criminal court that deals with trans-border crime. In that case, I was representing a director of an employment agency who had been accused of trafficking. In fact, very serious charges were brought against that director. According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) who brought the case, they believed that the clients of that lady were not actually going to work, but were being trafficked from Kenya to another country. We struggled significantly because the law in this area was not well established. We had to produce extensive documentation and prove many things before we could convince the prosecution that this was a genuine person who had been engaged in labor recruitment for a long time. We had to provide a list of many people who had been assisted by that firm and demonstrate that there was no justification for closing it and accusing them of trafficking. After some struggles, the director was eventually freed. This law also protects genuine employment firms that are conducting legitimate work. It promotes and protects the private employment bureaus that are genuinely seeking to help Kenyans secure job opportunities. I am very happy with this Bill. I am pleased with the way it has been drafted. It addresses several concerns and questions that we frequently encounter when traveling outside the country. I have had the fortune of serving as an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and I have travelled to many countries on behalf of the Republic of Kenya. Ordinarily, after all the formalities, the ambassador always organizes an opportunity to meet with Kenyans. They not only meet the embassy staff, but also the residents, the movers and shakers in the area. Many times, when we meet these young men and young women, they frequently share their concerns about documentation and how they are being treated in those countries. In many embassies around the world, you will find military, education and trade attachés. However, this law now proposes that we must establish compulsory labour 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."
}