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{
    "id": 346465,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/346465/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 422,
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    "content": "with us for quite a while, 80 years or so, you will be on that kind of thing. That is okay but the country will eventually be the one suffering. It is fine for Mr. Ogindo because he has advanced in age. However, equally, even if he is the one that we bring on board, that will be a very difficult thing for our children to bear as they move forward. The packages, as contained in this Act, are very attractive and nice if one was to benefit from them. While the offices are supposed to be served by people on the basis of patriotism, it takes away the aspect of patriotism from the office and brings in the aspect of monetary gain. The level of competition that will be put to these offices will cease. People will be looking at an opportunity to be sustained by the country and the taxpayers for life. I believe that when we put a clause in the Constitution to the effect that the Chief Justice should serve for a period of one term that is not renewable; and more so some of these offices, the intention was to ensure that they are driven by nothing else other than what is best for this country. When we now factor in the issue of monetary gain as part of the package, we then lose that spirit that we had when we were passing the Constitution. I beg my colleagues that we oppose this Bill not because we want to deny the office bearers what is very attractive in it, but have the country in mind. If we continue through this--- Already, in the coming days, the country will feel the weight of a very huge wage bill. I know the Minister for Finance will be talking about it. We have an increased number of Members of Parliament. We have the Senate, county assemblies that are quite heavy and commissions that are also very heavy for this country. Again, do we want to put this kind of load on the wage bill? At the end of a given term, we will have a country that will be crying about how to reduce the wage bill or how to deal with pensions and pensioners. Even as we do this, I remember my 90 year old wazees in my constituency who have, up to today, not benefitted from their old age allowance. When we start doing these kind of things, I would rather that we consider those old wazees and mamas who were even part of the Mau Mau Freedom fighting than sit here and allocate ourselves such huge pension funds. I think this will be sending the wrong signal in this country. It is for those reasons that I beg to oppose. I know that I have supported many things that you go along with, but for this particular one, I beg to oppose because it is not good for the nation."
}