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{
    "id": 584982,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/584982/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 334,
    "type": "other",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "total of about Kshs42.3 billion. Retired teachers had taken the Government and the TSC to court. This matter had dragged on in the courts for almost 18 years. At some point, the courts had awarded the retired teachers and directed that they should be paid. The Government back then as it is today took a positon that they will not pay. I want to put it on record, on the Floor of this House, that the retired teachers who were granted a pay award by the court must also be paid. We believe that this country has got enough bread to go round. It is only that certain people are hoarding the bread and keeping it away from others. The retired teachers who are persons over the age of 65 years that this Bill seeks to address must also be paid. The Government must find that money and comply with the court order and pay the Kshs42.3 billion to those retired teachers who have suffered for a long time. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, former councillors also brought a Petition to this House and it is worth considering. In the court of public opinion, it sounds a little bit gluttonous to entertain former councillors at this point in time. However, the architecture of our politics is something that we need to change. This Senate, comprising of individuals who have served this nation studiously for a long time; you probably owe this nation a reshaping of our politics because politics is taken as an occupation in which people go into to acquire wealth. So, when you find a former councillor who is unable to pay school fees for their children or grandchildren, we look down upon them. We ask them; where were you when other people were sorting out their future? These former councillors and particularly those ones that you find do not have a cent to their name are probably the people who served this nation with utmost good faith. There could be a few who because of shady deals that they could pull within those defunct authorities, ended up making some money and are now comfortable. Let us change our politics, leadership and public service so that it is service and not something people go into to acquire so that they can line and feather their nest in future. The old people in Kenya are reliant on M-Pesa. One of these fine days, we will need to take a position as a country whether M-Pesa should be a private or a national infrastructure. When I talk about M-Pesa, I refer to the cash transfer system that is currently being run by one of the telcos. This has now become part of the life of many old people in this country. While they are in the villages looking after cattle and tilling their land they wait for their children or relatives to send them money through M-Pesa. When you look at the demographics or statistics, about 4 per cent of our population would benefit from this Bill. It is this 4 per cent which is the poorest age group in this nation. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is a good Bill which, if subjected to some slight amendments, can provide some hope and a much more dignified sunset time for those people who have given their labour and service to this country. There is an issue that has been raised about the definition of old persons. This Bill defines an old person as one above 65 years of age. I request for some consistency because the definition of old people that Kenya has adopted according to the National Policy on Older Persons and Aging, is 60 years which is consistent with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) definitions. So, we probably might want to rationalize that or get proper explanation why we are starting at 65 and not 60 years. 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."
}