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{
    "id": 548737,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/548737/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 401,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Njenga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1510,
        "legal_name": "Francis Kigo Njenga",
        "slug": "francis-kigo-njenga"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the current Executive obeyed the Supreme Court when the Opposition contested the validity of the current president’s election at the Supreme Court, where election results were upheld. Regarding this matter, the Supreme Court had ruled that the retired teachers should be paid. Just like they obeyed the Supreme Court on the presidential election results contest case that was filed at the Supreme Court by the CORD, the Executive should obey the same Supreme Court and pay the retired teachers without further delay. We are a House of respect. We respect all the other arms of the Government. With that respect, we are seeking the implementation of the orders of the Supreme Court. The Constitution says that nobody should be marginalised, or denied his rights, for whatever reason – be it because of retirement or age. As Members of this House, we have sworn to uphold the Constitution and make sure that it is obeyed. Therefore, it is high time the Executive also obeyed the Constitution and paid the retired teachers as per this House’s resolution. At one time, I asked the old men how they thought the Government would raise the money that was required for their payment. To my surprise, it was the same old retired teachers who said that their money was not Ksh150 billion but was only Ksh42 billion, which included their pension of about Ksh16 billion and their unpaid allowances and compensation. The same people came and said that we were ready to negotiate so that the Government could pay them. If those people are so flexible that they do not even want to go to court, why can we not appreciate the respect that they have shown to the Government? At one time, I looked at the legal costs that the Government has incurred because of people not being proactive, or not telling the truth to the retired teachers. The sum is over Kshs700 million. Why should we lose Kshs700 million, which we could have saved? A sum of Kshs700 million is enough to help us improve our education standards as well as our cash transfers. Why should we continue incurring costs? I know very well that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) boss is supposed to be jailed, or put into police custody. Why we are subjecting the TSC boss, who does not budget or appropriate any monies, to similar problems? It is high time we became a House that can save money for the Government; a House that creates value. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, if the teachers were paid their money 10 years ago, they would have gotten full value because the value of the shilling then was probably ten times. These are people who have been denied their rights. At one time, an Assistant Minister for Education, Prof. Olweny, was asked by one Maina Kamau about paying them interest. The retired teachers are not interested in the interest. They are interested in their dues at their eroded value. The previous Parliament had said that it would factor in part of the retired teachers’ dues in the Supplementary Budget, and the rest of their dues in subsequent Supplementary Budgets. That was in 2010. As we pass this Motion, the Executive should pass the Motion like tomorrow. The rest of their dues should be put in the forthcoming Budget. The teachers should be paid before we embark on the budgetary process in November. Therefore, I urge this House that we should be the representatives of all categories of Kenyans, including the weak, the working class, the retired people, the women and The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}