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{
    "id": 327696,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/327696/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 373,
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    "content": "fact it is a challenge that this Government must deal with. I will be very happy if we reduced the salaries of Members of Parliament to Kshs20, 000 per month so long as the Government of Kenya can take its responsibility fully and squarely by taking care of the marginalized and do not making it a responsibility of Members of Parliament. It is one of those things Members of Parliament do not want to say because they fear that if they say it in this podium, they may not get elected. I will go and get elected by saying the truth and the truth is that the Government must deal with the issue of social assistance. That is why I want to thank hon. Laboso for being brave and for putting on the table what a lot of us fear. The burden has been transferred to Members of Parliament and other elected leaders; councillors and other categories of elected leaders. It is not because Kenyans are lazy but because the incident of poverty is extremely high and the incident of taxation in this country is extremely high. Kenyans are over-taxed and Kenyans are poor and struggling. So, the Government must take action. I know that Members of Parliament will like the monies to be released so that we do not have the scenario where we see here sometimes, where former Members of Parliament come here seeking for assistance from sitting Members of Parliament because they are not able to make ends meet and in the end, the public laugh at them. I am part of a social media network and the last few days, I have been engaging members of the public. They have been throwing all vitriol at us especially for those who are brave enough to engage. I can tell you, there is a woman who I think lives in the United States of America. I do not know if she is a woman or a man. I remember the second name is Malianya and this person has been engaging the public and he or she actually wrote that, if the decision was hers, she would look for Al Qaeda to come and bomb this Parliament. When you hear those sentiments coming against Members of Parliament, it is not good. But why are Members doing this? It is not that Members of Parliament are bad because we are part of the society. It is because of the undue burden that has been put on Members of Parliament. I do not support any increment of salaries for Members of Parliament but the Government must hold the bull by the horns and deal with the challenges that we face as a country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, having said that, I just want to suggest certain amendments. One on the issues is the definition of youth. I know that because of the issue of access and criteria the Ministry is probably using the standard age of 30 years, but constitutionally more specifically Chapter 17 under the General Provisions provides of a youth as a person up to the age of 35 years. So, I will want to encourage that we actually recognize that. Once in our wisdom, we have decided that the youth are persons up to 35 years, we must recognize and give respect to that. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, again, in the provision under Clause 5 of the persons who shall sit in the Board of the Authority, I want to encourage Dr. Laboso, if she could also expand the representatives of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and also define Non-Governmental Organization broadly because when you only put it to the National Council of NGOs because of the multiple systems of registration, then we exclude quite a big chunk of agencies that work in this area but who are not necessarily registered under the National Council of NGOs. There is an Act of Parliament that deals with NGOs and that establishes this body."
}