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{
    "id": 20769,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/20769/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 343,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Karua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 166,
        "legal_name": "Martha Wangari Karua",
        "slug": "martha-karua"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise in support of the Motion. This is a struggle between those who are holding onto the old order and the new dawn. Article 221(5) of our Constitution clearly indicates that it is Parliament that approves the Estimates. The Government proposals are a mere wish list. The day we passed the recommendations of the Budget Committee, this House authorized the teachers to get an additional Kshs5 billion to enable employment of the contract teachers and a further 10,000 teachers. I do not see why the Government is finding it so difficult to say that in the Appropriations Bill, they will provide the Kshs5 billion as ordained by Parliament. Article 221(6) of the Constitution clearly says that the Estimates shall include what Parliament has approved. If any Appropriations Bill is brought here without containing the Kshs5 billion for teachers, then everybody in this Parliament supporting this Motion should be ready to block such an Appropriations Bill. Those who think that we are playing politics with this, it is the Government that is playing politics. It is the Government that is fighting our children. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is not about teachers, it is about our children. I am a product of a public school and I know that a majority in this House and this country are products of public schools. It is our children for whom we want adequate provision in education and any country that does not invest in its children and youth is doomed to collapse. We really must invest in our children and affirm that the contract teachers must be employed forthwith and another 10,000 teachers recruited. The Early Child Development (ECD) is also part of early learning. There cannot be a good foundation for primary without ECD. These are necessities and I think we should not be arguing. The Executive thinks that it has a prerogative over the Budget, but let them read Article 21 of the Constitution and know that it is this Parliament that has the prerogative. The Budget Committee consulted the public in line with the Constitution, talked with teachers and Members of Parliament. I personally went to the Budget Committee on this item. It was accepted and Parliament passed it. Why are we arguing? What are we arguing about? The Government should stand up and say that it will give Kshs5 billion to the teachers as agreed. It is not to the teachers - I repeat - it is to our children. They are the ones who need that education. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, just because we are receiving salaries that allow us to take our children to private schools does not mean that we forget that the bulk of our constituents; the bulk of this nation, are relying on the public schools that we relied on. We should not be selfish and think that everybody in Kenya can access a private school. If this Government respects and supports our children and the will of Kenyans, it will immediately release the requisite money to the teachers, so that our children can go back to class. I want to salute our teachers; they work under very difficult circumstances, and to say that we support them fully. I want to ask the parliamentarians that when the time comes, let us refuse an Appropriations Bill that does not have provision for teachers. I beg to support."
}