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{
    "id": 214520,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/214520/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 370,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Oniang'o",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 363,
        "legal_name": "Ruth Khasaya Oniang'o",
        "slug": "ruth-oniango"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know what being a policeman is all about. I am happy to support this Motion. We are a country that demarcates professions. We are a country that puts people \"that way\", and other people \"this way\". On many occasions, I have said in this House that we need to harmonise the salary structure in the public sector. We cannot have a police force of about 40,000 officers living in dingy places, not knowing where their next meal will come from. They sit out there in the sun, feeling sorry for themselves and are highly demoralised. No wonder we have this level of insecurity in this country! It is just not right! I think for anybody to perform that function, he or she should actually be well motivated. They must have incentives. They have to be assured that when they die in the line of duty, their families will be taken care of. That is not happening in this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we do not support the police when they kill somebody on sight. We know many innocent Kenyans have died when there is a fracas and my heart goes out to them. But, at the same time, the police have also died innocently! We are saying that the Government needs to look at the Police Force! The other day, I arrived at the airport and I was met by three policemen. They said:- \" Mheshimiwa, we cannot defend ourselves! We cannot talk! Are you aware of the conditions that we live in? Are you aware that when we die, our children are not supported? They do not go to school? Are you aware that we get only Kshs495 for medical expenses?\" Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, that is not right. We are here to talk for the voiceless! I would like the young people sitting here or out--- When we ask them: \"What career would you like to pursue?\" They would say: \"I would like to be a policewoman or a policeman!\" They should see that as a respectable and a respected profession. Those of us who travel are aware that when you look at police officers when they are near you, you feel safe. If you dare take out something to try and bribe them, you will go in for a period and you will regret in your life that you ever did that. So, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I agree entirely with this Motion. I agree with hon. Ojode that this Question has come here before. We know that the police will not go on strike. By their training and ethical code, they cannot go on strike. They cannot say: \"We are suffering!\" You saw a Question here asking: \"How do we promote them?\" They do not seem to have a promotion structure! We do not even have a proper structure that remunerates them according to their level of qualification! So, we have to treat this particular sector of the public service as we do others. We have seen civil servants go on strike and we have sought how to stop them from going on strike and how to harmonise the salary structure so that everybody gets what they deserve. I remember the Attorney-General saying that he is going to bring here a Bill which will ensure that salaries in the public sector are harmonised, so that every Kenyan feels that we are all sharing the national cake equitably. Sometimes, we bring these Questions here but they are not answered properly. We get 2422 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 11, 2007 the impression that these matters are being treated casually. So, I am hoping that as we support it here, it is going to pass and the Government is listening. One way of beginning to deal with the issues of insecurity in Kenya--- We cannot deny that insecurity has reached high levels in this country. I do not know even why tourists are coming here because if you go out there, everything you read about Kenya is the level of insecurity in a country which is so strategic and which is ready to go forward economically. We need to deal with the level of insecurity. If we are going to deal with it, then we have to properly remunerate the people that we expect to provide us with security. I support everything that Mr. Ojode has said and I leave it there for other hon. Members to contribute. With those few remarks, I beg to second."
}