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{
    "id": 798067,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/798067/?format=api",
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    "content": "have lost their beloved ones to pay hospital bills so that they are allowed to collect bodies for burial. Therefore, NHIF is critical and a big help to Kenyans. I urge that we all make sure that our people sign up for those services. I also urge the county governments to pool their resources and help the people who are unable to afford Kshs500 per month, so that they access the healthcare services. This has been successful in some of the counties. This is critical and will go a long way in the collaboration between the national Government and the county governments in making sure that the Big Four Agenda, specifically for the healthcare, becomes accessible and affordable to everybody in the country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President also spoke a lot on the integrity of leaders. We, in this House, and the other House, are happier to know that there is more in place to make sure the misuse of public resources will go down. As we campaigned and continued with offering services to the people, we have heard that corruption is a big problem in this country. People do not get their monies’ worth because of the amount of corruption involved. I believe, just as the President said, that we must lead from the front on this. We must also help him by making sure that we put in place the legal tools that are necessary to fight the war on corruption. I was impressed to hear the amount of recovered assets that had been ill gotten from public resources as well as the many civil proceedings that are pending in courts. This will make sure that those illegally obtained public assets are recovered and people involved prosecuted. I was particularly happy to hear the President encouraging us in the Government as well as those in the private sector to report timely on graft in the country. However, we need also to protect the whistle blowers. We have not paid too much attention to that part of whistle blowers. In many places, everybody knows who is involved in graft. However, they are afraid to report them because of the repercussions. If we are able and have the will to protect the whistle blowers, then it will be easier for people to come forward to report on graft. I am sure a lot is happening right in plain sight. However, the whistle blowers are intimidated and scared for their lives; that is why they cannot come forward and report on graft. It was important for the President to have pointed it out, so that we, leaders, pass the necessary laws that will protect the whistle blowers. I was also quite impressed to know how resilient this country is. Having come from a year where we had, not only one general election, but two presidential elections which almost threw this country to total instability, but its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.9 per cent. To me, that is impressive and speaks a lot to the kind of a country that we have. A country that is able to survive that instability and its economy grew by such impressive margin. I was impressed to hear that with our 4.9 per cent GDP, the real GDP of the world is 3.6 per cent while that of the sub-Saharan African countries is at 2.6 per cent. So, we are almost double the 2.6 per cent. There is room for growth and we can do better. We have heard from Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri that back or prior to 2007 we were growing at 7 per cent. If we grew by 4.9 per cent in a year when there were many negative things going on in this country, I am sure we can do better. I hope and believe 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."
}