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{
    "id": 803040,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/803040/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 212,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "swaps that are going on as far as county pensions are concerned are illegal for the reason that the Transition Authority (TA) has given directions for counties to establish county assets and liability verification committees. Before a county verifies its assets and liabilities, it will be premature for that county to purport to assume or transfer some assets and liabilities. Almost all the 47 county governments owe their retirees and workers a lot of money, which should have been remitted to LAPFUND and LAPTRUST. However, before the assets and liabilities verification exercise is concluded, it becomes very difficult to tell whether the assets or liabilities are accurate. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the last two weeks, we have been looking at pending bills coming out of counties and we have seen that part of the pending bills arise from statutory deductions with respect to pensions. For example, Isiolo County inherited pending bills totaling Kshs900 million. However, upon verification, they established that only Kshs97 million of that amount is payable. We are talking of 11 per cent of Kshs97 million. Today, we were looking at Meru County, which inherited Kshs1.1 billion in terms of pending bills. However, upon verification, only Kshs200 million was considered to be payable. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am bringing this up because a part of that Kshs1.1 billion from Meru County or a part of that Kshs900 million from Isiolo County are deductions owed to employees and their pension schemes. I, therefore, call upon counties to fast track the process of verification of assets and liabilities. There was a gazette notice that was issued recently for 14 counties, including Homabay County that had not established the Assets and Liabilities Verification Committees. Let them fast track this and conclude this exercise so that we can remit all the backdated or outstanding contributions of county government workers. That will enable the Funds to do their actuarial valuations so that each member of those funds can be given a statement, whenever they ask for one, showing what they will take home when they retire. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I finalise by urging for diligence from the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare to ensure that the provisions that brought conflict in the past are weeded out of this Bill. I request that even as we go through the next step of the Committee of the Whole, where we can effect amendments to this Bill, Senators should not be shy from proposing amendments. This is because this Bill will be a game-changer for Kenyan workers, particularly those who are based in the counties. With those remarks, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to support with the necessary amendments in future. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir."
}