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{
    "id": 850643,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/850643/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 381,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mumias East, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Benjamin Washiali",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 151,
        "legal_name": "Benjamin Jomo Washiali",
        "slug": "benjamin-washiali"
    },
    "content": "Act, Cap 490 by creating a new class of members of cooperative societies targeted towards social impact investments. The Bill seeks to safeguard members’ rights in the cooperative societies by giving the Cabinet Secretary supervisory powers to prevent oppression of members by creation of such new classes. Further, the Bill seeks to limit the voting powers of social impact members to specific resolutions, maintenance and operation of the proposed special fund, an investments committee, remuneration of the special fund trustees and similar affairs. Members will be limited to resolutions that are on special funds, investment committee, remuneration of the special fund trustee and similar affairs. The fourth is the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) Act, No.9 of 1998. This is to enable the Fund to receive contributions from the national Government, county governments and employers for the administration of employee benefits. That was not the case before. We did not have county governments when this Act was introduced in 1998. Therefore, this is majorly to align it to the current two levels of Government and allow for the administration of employee benefits. The Bill also proposes to expand the scope of the Fund by providing health insurance to the indigent in our society. Finally, the Bill seeks to change the name of the Fund from the NHIF to the National Health Insurance Fund as well as change the membership of the board of the Fund. Given that the Government is committed to universal health, the Fund will go a long way in supporting this policy of the Government. That is why the framer of this amendment thought it wise that instead of limiting it to ‘hospital’, we should allow it to take care of all other health aspects so that the mandate of this Fund takes care of quite a number of health aspects. The fifth Act that the Bill touches is the Statistical Act, No.4 of 2006. The amendment here is to streamline the membership of the Board of Directors of the Bureau and clarify the functions of the board. It also seeks to include the office of the corporation’s secretary. The Bill also amends the First Schedule of the Act to clarify the role of the national Government and county governments. It proposes to include a new schedule which sets out the fundamental principles relating to statistics. This is self-explanatory. I am sure Members looking at the Bill will see why it is very necessary for this amendment to be considered. The sixth is the Energy Act, No.12 of 2006. These amendments will give additional function to the Rural Electrification Authority (REA). The function is to collaborate with county governments and other agencies in facilitating the supply of electricity in order to promote development of appropriate local capacity in manufacturing. This is also self-explanatory. We are aware, as Members of this Parliament, what REA has done, especially in powering public institutions, villages, hospitals and schools. As I speak, they have resorted to providing electricity to villages. We do not just want to limit the role of REA in the provision of electricity. We also want them to go a step further to provide capacity for manufacturing. Power supplied by REA is specifically for lighting. With these amendments, we will need to increase the capacity, so that it is able to run the big motors that end up supporting the manufacturing sector especially now that the Government has introduced the Big Four Agenda. It is necessary to amend the Energy Act 2006, so that REA can be involved in manufacturing. The seventh Act is the SACCO Societies Act, No.14 of 2008. This amendment is to create an exception to the restricted investments that SACCO society is permitted to make. The Bill seeks to provide the establishment of a special fund by SACCO societies. It also provides for the establishment of an investment committee to monitor and supervise the special fund and the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}