Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 317799,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/317799/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 569,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Odhiambo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 119,
        "legal_name": "Alfred Bwire Odhiambo",
        "slug": "alfred-bwire"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I also wish to support this Motion. I am glad that the Minister for Education is here. We are showering praises on the Minister for Education. But I do not believe we should do that. He is a very intelligent man; very wise. The moment his colleague, the Minister of State for Public Service raised salaries for civil servants, why did he not think that it was also necessary for him to consult the teachers union in advance and negotiate with them? He could even have promised them that as children of Kenya - because all of us are Kenyans - now that we have raised salaries for civil servants, be patient. We are going to raise your salaries as well. After all, civil servant salaries were only increased by a maximum of 22 per cent. He could have done that and saved the situation. It was evident that the strike was going to come. It was even raised on the Floor of this House. I remember the Assistant Minister for Education denying that he was not aware of the warning that the teachers union had given, as if he is not part of this country. Are Kenyans trying to show that teachers do not belong to Kenya, and other civil servants are more Kenyan than teachers? We are all the same. So, we should treat teachers equally. The other day, when the teachers who are on strike tried to conduct holiday tuition, the Government said they are mercenaries. They are trying to use their position to get money from parents. But we know very well that there is a shortage of teachers. So, teachers are actually working extra hours. For those extra hours nobody pays them. To make it even worse, when they ask for their rightful money which was awarded to them in 1997, they are still being told to go the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. But when hon. Dalmas Otieno was awarding the civil servants, nobody went to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. Why are we applying double standards for the same people who belong to this country? It is very important that the Minister acts immediately and saves our innocent children from suffering, because when two bulls fight, it is the grass that suffers. Right now, it is the children who are suffering. Some of even those Union members can afford to take their children to private schools. What about the ordinary Kenyan who cannot afford? This is very urgent because the children are suffering. Minister, please, listen to the voices of Kenyans, particularly poor Kenyans."
}