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{
    "id": 222348,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/222348/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 191,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Kulundu",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Labour and Human Resource Development",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 295,
        "legal_name": "Newton Wanjala Kulundu",
        "slug": "newton-kulundu"
    },
    "content": "I am happy with the insight given on statutory basic minimum wages, maternity and paternity leave and housing, especially for workers living in slum areas. The Employment Bill is important, and will ensure effective protection to all workers in the various sectors in the economy. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, a lot of functional shortcomings observed, relating to labour officers, is a reflection of the weakness in the current Employment Act, Cap.226, which this Bill seeks to repeal. I am in full agreement with the valid observations made by hon. Members regarding the definitions in the Bill, and see the need for re-examination. Finally, I agree with hon. Members that there is need to recruit more officers for the effective implementation of the Employment Bill when it comes into law. Most Members of Parliament are in support of the Bill, and I assure the House that all the concerns raised by the hon. Members will be looked into to make sure that workers' rights are fully addressed and protected. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I may add here that we have asked for, and received authority, to recruit 150 labour officers. Every district should, therefore, have a labour officer in the very near future. We are very much concerned that a labour officer covers more than three districts on foot, thus rendering his work extremely difficult. I appeal to hon. Members to lobby for a generous budgetary allocation from my friend, the Minister for Finance here, because labour is key to economic development. With those remarks, I beg the House to pass the Bill subject to amendments proposed by the hon. Members. Thank you."
}