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{
"id": 418012,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/418012/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "March 20, 2014 SENATE DEBATES 32 Sen. (Eng.) Muriuki",
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"speaker": null,
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to say a few words regarding this Motion. I actually support it and wish to commend the Mover for having remembered something in our society which can easily be forgotten. It is very easy to forget the old people. Like one speaker said, we are all headed there and it is very easy also to be forgotten. So, it is better to remember people when you are there to remember them, especially as a House which is in a position to do something about it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, part of the problem that we are seeing now and what gives rise to the need or concern of the Mover and many of us, is the breakdown in the family structure. In the so-called olden days, the African family was always an extended family, such that even if an old person, be they a man or lady, did not have his or her own children, there was always somebody to take care of them. What has changed that, in my observation, is education. Education is very good in one way, but it has also brought other challenges which we now must start addressing as a nation, starting with the Senate. We need to mind the affairs of the counties where these people are. I believe that the Mover of the Motion does not mean just old people, but actually the poor old people. People who are old and have means can mind their own affairs or their families can do that. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, education in one way or another brought the breakdown of the family structure. This is because young people who go through education easily get employment away from home. In Nairobi City, for example, we say that we have three or four million people, but if you look at the identity cards, they indicate that almost everyone comes from upcountry. But most people do not go upcountry. They actually settle in Nairobi City or any other urban area and earn their living. But most of the people that we are concerned about are actually in the rural areas. Even when their children or grandchildren are merciful enough to send stipends, perhaps, they just send some little money, but do not bother much about the social welfare of the old and so on. So, this Motion is calling upon the Government to institute structures, such that, as a community, we are able to take care of the old people. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, it is worth noting and commending the Government also that it has found it necessary or worthy to set aside some money to give to the old persons. The only challenge is the way the old persons are identified to benefit from the old persons’ fund. The last time I checked, they were being given Kshs2,000 per month, but there is a lot of outcry. I do not know about the other counties, but certainly where I come from, in Nyandarua County, there is an outcry in almost every area that I go. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, whereas a few of them deserve to benefit, you will find that there are many names of people who are prominent, maybe one has a shop and going on with business, but their names are on the list. So, he is among those who are supposed to get Kshs2,000. I believe the structures, which the Mover has in mind, can curb these practices. When this House came up with this idea through Sen. Sang to have a body to manage the affairs of the county generally so that there is a forum through which when such issues come up, discussions can take place and the leadership can take action. What happens is that people in the locality just see people in the list but there is no forum where such issues are discussed. It is through such forums that we get to know that a 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."
}