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{
    "id": 836594,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/836594/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 138,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "p.m. Most of my colleagues have taken time to contribute and share their thoughts. It is quite intriguing. I did not know that people have this kind of interest in issues to do with older members of our society. I believe it is because of the fact that we all know that we are leaders and we are supposed to take care of all segments of our society. Secondly, because getting old is inevitable, at some point, all of us are possible beneficiaries of this law. With a lot of interest, Members have given their contribution on this Bill. I have noted the 16 amendments that have been proposed by the Committee chaired by my good friend, the hon. Sen. Sakaja. The amendments are important and enrich the Bill better than what I had envisioned. I, therefore, will be looking forward to working together with the teams that look into our Bills and see a way that we can improve and make it better. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I must also note the concern that was shared by one of the Senators who spoke. I think it was Sen. Wetangula who said the Bill has addressed all forms of injustices and infringement that can be meted upon the elderly but did not mention what happens to people who set up old people’s homes and then run into financial misappropriation scandals. It is not uncommon as these things happen. People start children’s homes and before you know it, they are profiting out of the venture. He, therefore, felt that it is important for us to address ourselves to that issue in the Bill and find a way in which the people that operate these kinds of homes can have financial reporting as part of what is checked for before their licence is renewed, maybe on yearly basis or the time period that will be set up. That way, by the time you get your license renewed like in many Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs), you have first filed your books of accounts and are properly checked. We do not want NGOs whose budgets are upside down. It is not uncommon in this country to have NGOs whose 60 per cent of the budget goes to capacity building and then use 40 per cent to do the actual work that they should be doing. We do not want to see that kind of scenario in many of these homes that are being set up. Of course, there are good suggestions also about what county governments can do about vulnerable, old members of society; people that are homeless and have nowhere to go. This was completely unheard of back in the day but as society continues to evolve and you get to hear about succession issues, I am sure many of my colleagues here know about one or two people back where they come from, who back in the day were well off families but with time as land continues to depreciate in size, before you know it, the generations that follow thereafter find themselves being landless. I have seen one or two instances in our county. Or, you may find a case where there was a dispute in the succession. By the time the matter is adjudicated, you find that the person who was supposed to have benefited out of the inheritance has been ruled not to be the rightful owner of that property. They then find themselves homeless. What county governments can do was also a worthy contribution from colleagues. I sincerely thank my colleagues who have contributed to this Bill. I will look into all the amendments proposed by them and the Committee and work towards enriching this Bill. 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."
}