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{
    "id": 20162,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/20162/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 515,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Namwamba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I would like to reiterate something that I said in this House yesterday; that the hallmark of honour is to say what you mean and mean what you say. On three occasions when I raised the matter on absorption of contract teachers, the Government made an unequivocal commitment that as soon as we passed the Budget, 18,000 contract teachers would be absorbed. It is a harsh indictment on the Government that, that commitment; repeated here three times, is one that the Treasury did not take seriously when preparing the Estimates. I believe that the challenge we are facing today with the teachers’ strike is one that we cannot ignore. The best opportunity we have to address this matter is now as we debate this Appropriation Bill. I would like to say that we should applaud the action taken by teachers and appreciate that, unlike in the past, when industrial action by teachers has been in respect of their own interests in terms of income and higher salaries, this time round, the teachers have gone on strike to protest the plight of our children. They are saying that there is no way a single teacher can continue to effectively handle a classroom of 160 students. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, looking at the figures in this Bill, look at the figure in Arrow 1 - Kshs55,940,155,169 that is the budget for the provincial administration and national security. Contained in that budget is Kshs2 billion which was added to the budget of the NSIS. I do believe that the NSIS could survive easily without those additional funds. Arrow 8, the budget of the Department of Defence – Kshs52,016,698,310; again, that is another budget line that received additional funds amounting to Kshs6.4 billion. Therefore, I do believe that the Treasury still has the opportunity to revise these figures and raise funds to absorb 18,000 currently on contract and another 10,000 which is a figure that is quite reasonable. I want to applaud the Treasury and the Ministry of Education for the commitment they have made to address this matter. However, the best beginning point that would send a clear message to the teaching fraternity in this country and the whole country is if the Government set aside funds to start by absorbing the 28,000 additional teachers that teachers are demanding should be absorbed. That can be achieved through adjustments to this Budget. This is something that the Treasury should really consider. In the absence of those adjustments, I do oppose this Motion."
}