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{
    "id": 181465,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/181465/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 85,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mungatana",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 185,
        "legal_name": "Danson Buya Mungatana",
        "slug": "danson-mungatana"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I thank the hon. Member for asking that question. At the time of signing that agreement, the Kenyan nurses' entire package was about Kshs22,000. What the Government of Lesotho was offering at that time was Lesotho Maloti 79,260 per annum which is equivalent to Kshs513,425 per annum or Kshs42,785 per month. This was attached to a minimum of eight hours working condition. They were to be given a further hardship allowance of Lesotho Maloti 600 which is equivalent to Kshs3,927 per month. The only deduction that we knew of at that time was a 20 per cent remuneration that was supposed to be cut on their side in terms of tax and things like that. However, even at the termination of the contract, they were to be paid a gratuity which will be increased by about 27 per cent. So, the terms under which we negotiated and agreed on were fair. I then happened to be serving in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We knew that this was a good deal. We were sending our nurses to better conditions and we even processed their visas properly. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, what has turned out to be the reality is that there was reneging on some of the conditions under which we had agreed. What we are doing right now as I 3074 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE October 29, 2008 have explained to this House is that, we are dispatching on, 10th November, from our Ministry, the Head of Human Resources, the Chief Nursing Officer, the Assistant Labour Commissioner from the Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development and one Senior State Counsel from the Attorney-General's Chambers. We intend to get the complete set of the facts upon which we can formally engage the Government of Lesotho because, as I have said, we wrote a letter which has not been responded to. If we find out that these grievances are confirmed and no action is taken to redress the issues, then we shall advise on what we shall do immediately after that. However, we want the report first to give us the facts."
}