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{
    "id": 718730,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/718730/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 91,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Kanyua",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 981,
        "legal_name": "Priscilla Nyokabi Kanyua",
        "slug": "priscilla-nyokabi-kanyua"
    },
    "content": "Treasury to look at the matter of combined incomes. When you have both a husband and a wife paying tax, there ought to be some considerations done to that particular institution of marriage. In many other countries, the people who are unmarried pay higher taxes than those who are married. I think it is time that we in Kenya also implemented such rules. The singles should pay more and those who are married should pay less because they are also bringing up children and it is only fair that the taxman has that consideration when they are shaping the rates of tax. We urge the CS in charge of the National Treasury, as he reviews taxes, to also review taxes that relate to a husband and wife in the same institution. I want to spend a bit of time on the Sexual Offences Act that seeks to be amended. There are areas of concern in this particular law. It is, indeed, true that the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act of 2006 has commenced, has worked and is in progress. There are lessons learnt from the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act, but even as we seek to amend the Sexual Offences Act, a lot of consideration needs to be put on the reasons that we had when the first law passed. The implications of the Act and the emerging question of young offenders who are around 18 years of age need to be looked at. Judges are lamenting that when they have a young man aged 18 years and they have to send that young man to prison for life or for many years and the young man is accused of having had sexual contact with a young lady, there are questions arising out of that. However, the whole intent of the law was to protect women, girls and boys. As we seek to amend the Sexual Offences Act, the original intent of the law must be kept and the original intents of the law are to create a country that is safe for women, boys and girls. I would want the Kenya Women Parliamentarians Association (KEWOPA) Members in particular to have very serious consideration, actually toothcomb consideration to the amendments sought, especially the one seeking to reduce the age limit from 18 to 16 years. I think that is an area that needs a lot of care and concern. In Kenya, 18 is the age of maturity. It is the age of getting an ID card and the age of registering as voters as we are involved in right now in this country. The age of 18 should be age of consent for sexual conduct. The attempt to reduce the age from 18 to 16 years is very worrying and the Members of this House need to have particular regard to that particular issue. The question of protecting youthful offenders is already covered by the parent Act. Youthful offenders are supposed to be sent to bolster institutions and not to prison. There is already particular attention paid by the law on the question of youthful offenders. So, in this particular law, the age should remain at 18 and there should be no attempt at reducing this age to 16. Reducing this age to 16 is going to cause a lot of other problems in the society as was intended to be resolved by the Sexual Offences Act. As we debate this Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, there are many other sections and parts that are sought to be amended. Many of them are not raising as much concern and debate. Many of them align language in our laws. Before, we had the language of Minister. We used to have Ministers before the new Constitution. Under the new Constitution, we have CSs and it is only fair that we clean up most of the laws that continue to refer to Minister instead of CS. The Persons with Disabilities Act of 2003 is sought to be amended by making changes to the Council. Many of them are not bad changes, but it is important to note that the whole legislation of the Persons with Disabilities Act needs to be implemented. Even as we seek to amend parts that have come under consideration in the implementation, it is important to note that the whole law has not been implemented. There are sections of that law that allow persons with disability to pay less tax and to import their equipment without paying tax. There are 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."
}