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{
"id": 832949,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/832949/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kang’ata",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 1826,
"legal_name": "Irungu Kang'ata",
"slug": "irungu-kangata"
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"content": "have served several broken periods? I say that because to the best of my knowledge, the people who have been paid something post their time, were those who served for 20 years consistently, and they are few. To me, that is unfair because when we compare with other professions or areas, once you serve in a position, at the end of your term, you are entitled to an honorarium. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Motion talks of an honorarium; one pay-off. Therefore, it will not be a burden on the taxpayer. This is in tandem with general labour practices, which have been happening the world over; it will not be an exception to Kenya. Therefore, I support this idea because I know that it will not be a burden to the taxpayer and it is something that happens in all forms of employment. When you employ a person for a certain contractual period say, one, three or four years, at the end of it, you are supposed to give a certain honorarium. However, for the former councillors that never happened which, to me, is unfair. Again, there is the problem of the transition of local authorities to counties. Several counties ignored the liabilities which were owing after devolution came into effect. In my opinion, one of the aspects owing is that of human resource, particularly the councillors aspect and their emoluments, that they ought to have been paid by the various local authorities. At times, I get it to be funny that people who are at the apex of leadership or government, usually get unfair treatment compared to the people who are below them, that is the employees. You will find a clerk in the former local authorities getting paid some lump sum. A chief officer or an employee who is not elected by the people gets money whereas a councillor, who has been elected by universal suffrage, does not get anything in return to the huge service that he or she rendered to the public. I want to give tribute to the people we served with in Murang’a Municipal Council between the year 2002 and 2007. In particular, I know of one councillor who was not a Kikuyu. I come from a predominantly Kikuyu region but we used to vote for him notwithstanding the fact that he was not a kikuyu and that he had some disability. He was called Councillor Oluoch and he was a Luo. He never used to canvass in Kikuyu but the people of Murang’a used to vote for him day in day out. That tells me that councillors used to rise above ethnicity and that they were people who would rhyme well with the people. That was positive. We, therefore, need to celebrate councillors and that is why I am supporting this Motion. It makes all the sense as to why we should push for this Motion to come into place. The question then would arise of what happens once we pass this. I urge the Mover of this Motion to move with speed and if we had the Committee on Implementation, he would have talked to them to ensure that money is allocated and these people get their rightful dues. I know of some people who have served for almost 30 years like my friend Mr. Kamande, who has been the councillor for Kagunduini in Kandara. He has served for a very long period. In fact, he lost the other day after serving for almost 30 years as a leader. That means that such a person has expended all his productive years in leadership and he deserves some payment. Otherwise, he would have probably done other things apart from being a politician."
}