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{
    "id": 248415,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/248415/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 328,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Khamasi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 300,
        "legal_name": "Daniel Lyula Khamasi",
        "slug": "daniel-khamasi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me a chance to contribute to the debate on this Bill. When you grow old, you know how important it is to have benefits from your working life. In this country, very little emphasis is given to people who have served the Government and the private sector, particularly when it comes to their retirement benefits. I would like to thank the Minister for introducing this amendment to the Bill. The intention is good for retirees. I am very sure at the end of the day, hon. Members will pass this Bill. However, my biggest fear is: Who will implement it? The Government is the biggest defaulter. More than a year ago, hon. Musila, in his wisdom, spent a substantial amount of money and time, and brought the Pensions (Amendment) Bill to this House to make sure that pensioners are paid promptly. The Government has failed to implement the Pensions (Amendment) Bill. The Government is the biggest culprit. When the Minister decided to make regulations to that amendment, he, in fact, wanted to defeat the spirit of the amendment. It is good that the same Government is bringing an amendment to this Act and once this Bill is passed, it should be implemented. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the amendment seeks to criminalise those employers who do not remit retirement benefits. In my opinion, if you go by the rule of natural justice, such employers are actually guilty. They are not different from thieves and robbers. They want to reap where they did not sow. They are enjoying the sweat of others. There is no reason why the Government should sit and watch as employers refuse remit their employees' benefits. They plough the benefits back to their businesses, make more profits and expand their companies. The Kenya Revenue Authority knows very well that these people are not remitting their employees' deductions. Such employers should be jailed. In fact, if we jail quite a number of them, probably they will come back to their senses and know that what they are doing is a sin even in the eyes of God. According to the Retirement Benefits (Amendment) Bill, the administrators should be given enough powers. They should not just be administrators by name. They should have sufficient powers to bring to book any employer who does not remit employees' retirement benefits to the June 6, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1147 kitty. I would like to plead with the Government to make sure that once this Bill is passed, it is effectively implemented and then we shall be doing a very useful job here. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}