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{
    "id": 802997,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/802997/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 169,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to contribute to the County Governments Retirement Scheme Bill. Allow me to thank the Committee led by Sen. Johnson Sakaja for the hard work in this Bill because it is not gainsaid that our colleagues have been fighting us on this Bill. What surprises me is the interest they have. The County Retirement Benefits Scheme Bill is a province of the Senate. As to how we have two Bills; one in the Senate and one in the National Assembly on the County Retirement Benefits Scheme is as baffling as anything that is happening in this country. You wake up and find you are in Addis Ababa. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you are the Mover of the previous Bill in the Senate and you know the problems that you faced, then as the Majority Leader. Together with the Chairperson, Sen. Stewart Madzayo seated right behind me, there were interests and fights and most of them were about this Bill and its contents but now I realize what the issue was. The Deputy President mentioned Kshs32 billion assets that are at risk if we do not have a legal framework. Therefore, this matter is urgent and important. People do not like retiring because of lack of a legal framework, the opaqueness of paying retirees. Every time, I travel to my county, there is a person, widow, family and people who have been left by their dependents and their pension has not been paid. This matter is absolutely serious. Why do we make pension at national level an opaque method that people have to queue at the Treasury and other offices in Nairobi? Widows are suffering for money people have been deducted. They have to go and bring certain documents. I know about five ladies who have given up because they are tired of coming to Nairobi. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a scheme to provide for benefits for people who have served the counties and the nation faithfully and their money deducted should go to retirement happy and their money should be paid forthwith. That should be the intention of this Bill and that is why I am supporting it. Those people who are 60 years of age and above and have worked should not be subjected to the kind of problems I have seen in Makueni County regarding pensions. As we do this at the county level, it is also important that the Committee led by Sen. Sakaja interrogates our pensions generally because there is a problem. It is an issue that we must interrogate because once people retire, it should be easy for them to get their pension. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare tabled a Report showing the interest that the stakeholders have in this Bill. I am happy now that 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."
}