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{
    "id": 359752,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/359752/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 216,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "The Member for Kilome",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "(Hon. (Ms) Muia): Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I stand to support this Motion, which talks about the elderly people of our society. The issue of taking care of the old citizens of this country is of great concern to all of us. During the referendum, this group of people supported the Constitution, because they knew very well that their welfare was provided for. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of Article 57 of the Constitution talk about senior citizens. During the campaigns for the adoption of the current Constitution, the Government then promised this particular group that it would take care of their welfare, just as the current Government promised to empower youth and women during the campaigns in the last general election. I want to refer hon. Members to Article 57 of the Constitution, which makes reference to elderly persons and says they are expected to fully participate in the affairs of the society, pursue their personal development, live in dignity and respect and be free from abuse and receive reasonable care and assistance from their families and the state. You find a family whose bread winner is a man or woman who is over 60 years of age. So, the family is now without any income. It is abandoned and helpless. You look at what they go through, even after the adoption of the current Constitution and feel helpless. I am appealing to the Government to make sure that it takes care of this group of people in our society, because these people participated fully during the referendum on the current Constitution, knowing that the State would take care of their welfare. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I recall that about two years ago, this House legislated on the same issue under Article 57, but the method that was used by the Provincial Administration to implement the law was not the best. I remember that officials from the Provincial Administration in my constituency went to every location and identified only seven beneficiaries of the scheme. There was no method that was used to identify those people. The Provincial Administration officials involved did not"
}