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{
"id": 214530,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/214530/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Githae",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Transport",
"speaker": {
"id": 159,
"legal_name": "Robinson Njeru Githae",
"slug": "robinson-githae"
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"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was saying that as we support this Motion, we must also take cognizance of the developments and improvements that have occurred in the police force. I know as a matter of fact that there are some police stations where officers are still living in mud and mabati houses. That is true. However, there are also some police stations where the Government has constructed modern houses for the officers. Even in my constituency, we have used the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) money to construct ten houses for police officers in an effort to supplement the Government efforts. I agree that more could be done, but the Government is moving in the right direction. It is only that the housing element has only started being addressed. If what has been done in the last four years had been done in the last 40 years, probably by now, we would have been able to eliminate all mabati houses at police stations. We must also take cognizance of the fact that this administration doubled the salaries of police officers, immediately it assumed power, from Kshs5,000 to Kshs10,000 for constables. Again, this is not adequate. More could be done but that is also a step in the right direction. I wish, again, that over the last 40 years, we had been increasing the salaries of police officers annually, little by little. By now, police officers would be adequately paid. Again, I accept that the current salaries for police officers are not adequate. I understand that there is a proposal in this year's Budget to increase the salaries of police officers alongside those of civil servants. So, again, we must commend this effort. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I accept that not all police stations have got police vehicles but, again, quite a number of them have vehicles. We must commend the former Minister in charge of internal security, Dr. Murungaru. I know that he bought more than 500 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles for police stations countrywide. The two police stations in my constituency benefitted from those vehicles. I accept that these are not enough but, again, things are moving in the right direction. It is important that police officers have adequate life insurance. One of the reasons as to why the United States of America (USA) is able to recruit people, even from Africa, through their Green Card to go and fight in Iraq and other places, is because of insurance. If a soldier dies in service in the USA, he is entitled to Kshs20 million. So, he can fight knowing that if, unfortunately, he dies, his family will be taken care of. It is important that our police officers and civil servants have some kind of life insurance, so that as they perform their duties, they know that, if they die in service, their families will be taken care of. The only query I have with this Motion is that I wish my friend, Mr. Ojode, had also included a provision requiring that money paid to police informers is increased. That is where the problem is. At the moment, the police only react to situations. They only react to incidents of insecurity, because the money that used to be paid to police informers has been reduced. We need to increase this money so that police officers can be aware of what is about to happen before it actually happens. It is unfortunate that when Mr. Ojode was appointed a Minister, he declined the appointment. If he had taken up that appointment, probably, he would have been very instrumental in passing the benefits he wants police officers paid. Unfortunately, he declined the Ministerial appointment. With those words, I beg to support. 2426 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 11, 2007"
}