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{
    "id": 471378,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/471378/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 170,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Musila",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 94,
        "legal_name": "David Musila",
        "slug": "david-musila"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to make a general Statement on a matter that is very dear to my heart and, indeed, to this honourable House. It is only a month ago that this Senate passed a Motion urging the Government to release all KCSE certificates held by heads of schools since 2006 on account of school fees balances. On Monday 14th July, 2014, the Deputy President, while officiating at a function in Murang’a County directed heads of schools to release these certificates unconditionally. I take this opportunity to congratulate the Deputy President and, indeed, the Government for this move. This action will see the release of over half a million certificates held by schools unlawfully and allow these boys and girls, most of whom are orphans and from very poor families, to join others in seeking employment. Sadly, these young people missed the Kenya Police Service recruitment on Monday 14th July, 2014, as they lacked their certificates. Mr. Speaker, Sir, since the Deputy President’s announcement, there have been statements attributed to stakeholders, particularly heads of schools and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), claiming payment of some sums of money by the Government before they release these certificates. In 2006, the former Government of President Kibaki released even more certificates that had been held by schools following a Motion of the National Assembly and a High Court order that I had filed through Mutula Kilonzo Jnr., now the Senator for Makueni. At that time, similar claims were made by schools that if schools released those certificates, they would not function thereafter. The Government did not pay any money to those schools then and no school collapsed as a result of the release of certificates. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Section 10(1)(d) of the Kenya National Examinations Council Act makes it unlawful for any person or institution to withhold certificates or diplomas for candidates on examinations administered by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). The certificates being held now, therefore, are withheld unlawfully and must be released in accordance with the directive of the Government, Motion by this Senate and the law. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}