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{
    "id": 543867,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/543867/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ndiema",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1067,
        "legal_name": "Henry Tiole Ndiema",
        "slug": "henry-tiole-ndiema"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, from the outset, I support this amendment Bill and thank Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo for coming up with this idea that we all have been grappling with. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the village elders, as we all know them, have been there since time immemorial. They have been doing very many things to the communities. They are not only the administrators but they have also been involved in dispute resolutions. They have been in tribunals; whether on matters of land, family matters and also in all issues, disseminating Government policy, protecting Government property and also dealing with prevention of crime. There have also been attempts to involve them in settling cases in a manner that ensures cohesion and forgiveness within the community. This role has been done by elders for all this time but the Government has never found a way to recognize them in terms of compensating them for the hours they put in. I want to thank the Senator for West Pokot for coming up with this idea of ensuring that they are remunerated to some level. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, village elders come in very many names in this country. In some parts, they are called village elders, wazee wa mtaa, Apondet apkok in the Rift Valley, Mukuru, headman, Mukasa, Mutureti, et cetera . I think as we seek to amend and assign a name, I do not know what we can do. Perhaps we should have an amendment whereby they do not lose that identity; the local name. This should continue because then they will carry along that status. The way such elders were identified was not through perhaps an interview process or appointments by the Government. One had to naturally grow, prove himself and assume that position naturally. The community would grant you that position depending on your conduct, particularly your behaviour and so forth. At the Committee Stage, somebody should come with an amendment to ensure that the method of recruitment is not the usual recruitment that is done through the Public Service. Perhaps it is necessary that the elders nominate this person through some form of electoral college or direct election depending on the area so that they come from the community. The qualification should never be tied to academics. There are some elders who are very respectable in the way they speak and resolve issues yet they never saw a door of a classroom. By amending this Bill, we should not disengage those who are already engaged as elders. In fact, we should reward them. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in a village, there is not one elder; they are quite a number. Perhaps we can leave the elders as elders but elevate one in a village to be the one in charge. He could be called the coordinator or the chairman. We should have the chairman of the elders in every village. If numbers are not assigned, then everybody will 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."
}