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{
    "id": 404829,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/404829/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 197,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Langat",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 384,
        "legal_name": "Benjamin Kipkirui Langat",
        "slug": "benjamin-langat"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I do not want to go through the schedule because it is actually in the Bill itself. I want Members to refer to it, but I want to say that this is an attempt to reduce subjectivity in terms of when we are compensating people in the course of accidents. Two issues which the House needs to appreciate are that we must balance between compensation and also the risk. If, for example, we put this compensation too high, it has the effect also of pushing up the insurance premiums so as to be able to compensate these people. So, the House must be alive to those two competing issues – the need for compensation and also the need to sustain the premiums amongst our people. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, generally my Committee is supportive of the proposed amendment. If you look at the report, and I hope Members have it, the Committee has received submissions. It is considering some of the additional amendments so that we fine tune this Bill and at the end give certainty in the event of accidents and that also reduces corruption. The insurance sector is full of corruption from the insurers themselves. Many of them do not want to accept liability but we also have those who have been beneficiaries. There is a lot of corruption. So, this House should really put in place a law which makes sure that insurance companies accept genuine claims and also ensures that people who want to take advantage of the situation and make fraudulent claims in the insurance sector are also brought to book. Therefore, I want to urge the House that these are fairly short amendments. I have explained the rationale behind these amendments. I am only saying that let us start here. I know this is the beginning and going forward we will continue fine tuning it. In other countries, this system has been adopted. For example, in Switzerland, this structured compensation scheme has been implemented and there is a budget by the Government to compensate those people who are involved in accidents. There is a budget provided and anybody who is involved in an accident is paid without undergoing serious challenges. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, somebody has snatched the microphone from me. I think I need your protection so that nobody should steal my air time. I do not want to engage the House in a lengthy debate. This is a fairly straightforward Bill. It aims at structured compensation. If you lose your arm, there is a figure for that. If you lose your leg, there is a figure for that. If you lose your ear, there is a figure for that. I have informed the House that Kshs3 million has been given as maximum compensation. The only challenge we can have as a House is how the figure of Kshs3 million was arrived at and that is something we are still considering in our Committee. If there are amendments, we will consider them at in the Committee of the whole House. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I do not want to bore the House. I want to urge hon. Nelson Gaicuhie who is my able Vice-Chair to second this Bill. Thank you very much."
}