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{
    "id": 832939,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/832939/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 377,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "(Dr.) Musuruve",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13188,
        "legal_name": "Getrude Musuruve Inimah",
        "slug": "getrude-musuruve-inimah"
    },
    "content": "There is need to ensure that these leaders who did a noble job do not languish in poverty. As we speak, there are some councillors who are almost begging on the streets. They are not even able to cater for their medical expenses, to take their children to colleges, yet they served this nation. There is need to ensure that when leaders are in service and they work tirelessly, we acknowledge them by giving them honorarium. It is a good thing for them to get honorarium. It should be a reasonable amount that will help them, even if it is starting a business or doing a list of things, because it will very painful. In fact, it will be unacceptable if they are languishing wherever they are. There are those who are not able to cater for themselves, their children and families. Some of them could even be laughing stocks. I can imagine in a village where people would be saying and mocking them, “Can you imagine this one was a mheshimiwa at one point, he was a councillor yet he cannot support himself and he is now a now charcoal dealer?” Sometimes things get to that extent. There is need to come up with a policy that will ensure that councillors get their dues. At the moment, in any job placement, you will find that if someone has been working in an institution for a number of years, people eventually get the lump sum. In addition to getting a lump sum amount as a sendoff, they get something at the end of the month. This will help them a lot. Madam Temporary Speaker, it is very painful and wanting. It is a situation that this Senate needs to intervene and with speed, so that the councillors who have been serving this country, who are miserable somewhere at home, will cheer up and see that their efforts have been acknowledged and appreciated. Appreciation is very important. Any committed worker feels good when he or she is appreciated for the work that he or she is doing. Therefore, there is need to acknowledge them. It is in a form of respect that we are saying: “Yes, you did this and as a nation, we are happy.” Madam Temporary Speaker, there is need for a policy to be put in place, that will ensure councillors are paid. As one of the Senators said, people like Sen. Kang’ata and Sen. Malalah will be out of this package because when they are through with their term, the former councillors will already be on a pension scheme, because he will have served two terms. Think of a councillor who is on nothing and has served tirelessly. Since the Senate represents the counties and their interests, there is need for us to ensure that councillors get honorarium. When they get that, they will be able to manage their lives even in old age and plan for their families. At the moment, some of their children are out of school. It is so difficult if you were once a leader and you are not in leadership anymore, then you go seeking for support from your constituents. People will always look at you as a leader and nobody will even step in to support you in any way when it comes to finances. Therefore, if we are able to support them so that they could get this honorarium, at the end of the day, they will organize their lives."
}