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{
    "id": 418370,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/418370/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 275,
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    "content": "that makes sure workers find holiday centres that they can afford to escape from the pollution in Mexico. In our case too, we can adopt policies that suit our circumstances which will address problems of the old. Even in this country, where I live in Runda, my neighbour is Huruma Village and Sen. G. G. Kariuki will remember that the village was started by the Nairobi City Council. It is a Government facility. In those days because we were under colonial rules, our masters knew that the problem of the aged is an important thing and the City of Nairobi headed by older men who were volunteers and were not earning any salary---- but they ran this city very well. So, if we have things like Huruma Village, we need to take those examples and see how we can reinforce them in line with the spirit of this Motion. This Motion has a very good spirit because it reminds us that our social welfare system leaves a lot to be desired. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, after Independence in 1960s, our nationals were much more foresighted than the people who came after. They started the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in 1966 when there were no such programmes in the whole of Africa. Kenya was a pioneer. They started the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), there was no such fund in Africa except in South Africa. So, Kenya was ahead in terms of social welfare. Subsequently, the management of these funds fell into rogue hands who misused them through mis-investments and so on. Ideas were there from the first nationals. I must congratulate Sen. G. G. Kariuki because he is aging very gracefully and, of course, he is a product of the nationalist era. I would like all of us to age like my friend, Sen. G. G. Kariuki; very gracefully and in a dignified manner. Shakespeare said that old age is like a second childhood but if we can age like Sen. G. G. Kariuki, we will delay our second childhood for quite long. My mother is 94 years old and going strong. She still looks after her cows and she is aging very gracefully. So, I believe we can go up to 100 years; which means that Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale will see me here for a very long time because I take the genes of my mother. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I think we should take this issue seriously and support the policy. What I like about it is the fact that it is talking about a comprehensive policy and not institutions. The policy will define the institution. In a place like the United States of America (USA), we have such institutions like the National Institute on Aging, the Centre for Healthy Aging and in the USA Senate itself; we have the Senate Committee on Aging. This is because as a country becomes more prosperous, people begin to live longer and therefore a huge population becomes old. In the USA, those who are classified as senior citizens begin from 60 years. Therefore, I am a senior citizen, I am not that young. Since the senior citizen is a bigger part of the population, there must be a public policy and institutions regarding the lives of these people in as much as we also have a policy for the young. At that age, these people are still very productive in society. They have their wealth, therefore they spent, they can still invest and still have knowledge to contribute to the national memory of the nation. So you cannot just neglect them. In any case, I agree with Sen. Karaba that it would be very ungodly to forget old people because they are the ones who gave birth to us. The civilization of the nation depended on them to create societies. So, I think it is upon those who are still strong in a social welfare society to take 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."
}