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"id": 382182,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/382182/?format=api",
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"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
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"speaker": {
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"legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
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"content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also stand to support this very important Motion. I would like to start by saying that there are various State and Government agencies that are in charge of paying out benefits, and they usually have a particular structure and process that is put into place. Unfortunately, most of the time, that process and structure is not transparent; it exists probably only in their websites. Most of the time, you will find that the structures for collecting the benefits tend to be more integrated than the ones for giving out the benefits, especially at the time they are meant to be given. There are various benefits that we may be referring to, such as retirement benefits, disability benefits, medical benefits, NSSF benefits--- This is money that somebody has contributed knowing that at a particular time, they will need back that money. Therefore, it is very important that, that money is given at the right time, in the right way and with a lot of dignity to the person who has made that contribution. It is a well known fact that in Kenya, most of the time when it comes to claiming and getting back benefits, it becomes a tiring process. There is no clear explanation also as to where those funds are held and what those funds are used for. Do they accrue interest, for example, and how is that navigated across or how is that passed on as part of an added interest to the person who has made that contribution? Usually, the processes are very cumbersome. It may include somebody having to write a letter, they will have to send a complainant form; most of the sites will say it will take only about a month, but we know it will take a much, much longer time. Even if it is court awards, for example, especially those that include insurance cases and where somebody has really gone through a very difficult time and expects that this is the time they will reap from, their efforts, that process that takes a lot of time and that person continues with that specific suffering. If it is a disabled person, for example, they are not able to have that attended to immediately because they need the money to be able to do so. There is also lack of information and no clear stated time lines in terms of action and feedback, and there are a lot of promises. This is what we are saying in this Motion; that somebody finds themselves pushed and tossed from one place to another, to and fro as they are making that particular claim. It is for no reason that people who put in their money so that when they need it, it can come to them in some form of benefit--- One of the things that show this is that in 2011, the Government allowed early retirees or those who opted out of employment to claim for their retirement early and within June of that year, there was a liquidity problem because everybody was actually looking for their money. That means that as people are putting in their money, they are actually putting it there for a reason and they expect to reap from it and utilize it when the time comes. It is indeed a violation of human rights, as it has been stated by the Mover of the Motion. It is very, very unfair when somebody has to go to and fro as though they are begging for that The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}