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{
    "id": 836576,
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    "content": "because as they grow old, they become senile. We should also have a way of availing to them pro bono legal services so that they sustain themselves. So, we should look at their welfare and ensure that they are covered under the NHIF and facilitate them to acquire national identification cards. If there is any programme that needs to be rolled out, then older members of society should--- I want to thank the Catholic Churches across the country. I know many religious organisations have homes for the elderly across the country but the Catholic Church has been the pioneer of establishing homes for the elderly among other religious and charitable organisations. Those are people that we need to provide a conducive environment for. This law should give them an opportunity. Where we come from, and the same belief is held by the Maasai and the Luo, when you take an elderly person to a home for the elderly, they are likely to curse you. Some people will agree with me that our cultures do not allow that because when people become old, you need to take care of them. I thank the religious organisations led by the Catholic Church because I know that this is the way to go. We have heard of rape cases of elderly women and this has become part of the problems in the society. The police and other security agencies need to ensure that the lives and the wellbeing of the elderly people are protected. As I said earlier, a number of the elderly people live alone. The criminals, therefore, take advantage of their loneliness to attack them. The abuse of the old people must stop and the police must protect them. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when you go to a police station, there is a gender desk. We should also have a desk for the elderly people, and I hope Sen. Cheruiyot will factor this in. Since some of them are sick and others even senile, we should have a special way of handling them. That is why we need a desk that will work towards protecting them from abuse and any people who would want to take advantage of them. We need to even give the elderly people legal services, especially when they want to do succession of their property. Some of them do not understand how to go about it. Therefore, there should be a way that the law should protect them. We must have a unit within the police station that will ensure that the rights of the older people are not abused. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you are a senior citizen, the former Senate Majority Leader, the current Deputy Speaker, the Senator for Tharaka-Nithi County and God willing, the future Deputy President of this Republic. I am speaking blessings. I urge that we expedite this law. I want to challenge the Council of Governors and our Members of County Assembly (MCA) to come up with laws that are modern, so that we can protect our older members of society. I know there is a Motion that is coming with regard to the former councillors. They also fall under the same category. As the national Government registers older people for the next financial year, let them do it together with the county governments, so that we can ensure that we protect our integrity. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support this Bill and call upon my colleagues to expedite it, so that it can go to the National Assembly and the President assents to it. This will ensure the happiness of the elderly members of the society, who are always vulnerable. This Bill breaths life to Article 57 of the Constitution and the major gift 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."
}