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{
    "id": 220658,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/220658/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 294,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Muturi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 215,
        "legal_name": "Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi",
        "slug": "justin-muturi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I thought that Mr. Sungu would speak before me because I just got the Bill. However, let me begin by saying that I support this Bill. I believe that it is yet another addition to our labour laws or the laws relating to the workplaces of Kenyans. Like I have done in the last three such Bills that have been debated in the last two weeks, I have been supportive of the Minister. However, again, we go to the form. We do not know whether by the enactment of this Bill, additional expenses which may or may not be provided for will be occasioned. Will the enactment of this Bill occasion additional expenditure? If so, we need to get a statement from the Minister at the appropriate time. However, we just needed to point out to him that it is important that he indicates that for the House so that as we pass the law, we do not then May 22, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1499 later come to find problems. Mr. Speaker, Sir, going to the preliminary, Part I of the Bill, I do know that, what is described as class or description in relation to a workplace is said to include a \"group of workplaces, described by reference to a locality\". I would hope that this, even though I appreciate, in the way it is crafted, it means the definition is not exhaustive, but I would wish that we get such workers as drivers of buses, matatus and such like other vessels--- I hope that their workplace would be covered by reference to the locality. Locality here may have some interesting meaning in that a driver is not in any one fixed place. The fact that his workplace needs to be secured is important to be captured in that definition section. In some countries we have seen requirements that a driver of a bus or truck must undergo, after ever 12 months. It is mandatory that they must go for examination about their health. They must be examined to establish that they are still in good health and capable of controlling vehicles. In some of those countries, particularly in South Eastern Asia and some areas of the United States of America, that requirement is important because buses and other modes of transport are all fitted with air-conditioning devices. These devices, affect the health of people who handle those vehicles on a continuous basis. Mr. Speaker, Sir, after every 12 months, it is mandatory that they go for a medical check-up to see that the air-conditioning has not affected their health so much as to make it impossible for them to have proper control of the vessels that they handle. I think that in relation to this definition of locality, bus, truck drivers and so on, will be part of the requirements of this Bill, which says that the occupier or the employer will take certain actions to prevent or to ensure the safety of the employee. There will be provision specifically to take care of that."
}