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{
    "id": 862250,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/862250/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 280,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we need to ensure that the obligations of county governments, as stated in this Bill, are faithfully and firmly implemented. These obligations are to provide free, compulsory and quality education; and to provide the infrastructure. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill also talks of the duty of parents and guardians. Interestingly, it says that any parent who does not take their children to free primary school shall, upon conviction, be given a fine of Kshs10,000 or shall be subjected to one year in prison or to community service as the judicial officer might determine. However, there is a contradiction because in Clause 6 of the Bill that spells out the fines, jail terms and community service, Clause 8 says when a head teacher establishes that a parent has not brought a child to school without any good reason, that parent shall be subjected, upon conviction, to a fine of Kshs10,000 or to a jail time of one year. That Clause does not provide the option for community service. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, our prisons, correctional institutions and facilities are bursting the seams with all sorts of offenders; like sexual offenders, chicken and land thieves and the corrupt. It would be sad when a parent or a pastoralist parent who, for reasons of illiteracy and ignorance, has not been able to send the child to school and is taken to Kodiaga or Kamiti Prison to sit there with all sorts of offenders. We need to emphasize on community service as an alternative punishment for parents who do not take their children to school. The other question that this Bill has not addressed is this: What if a county fails to fulfil its obligations? There is a penalty for parents who fail to fulfil their obligations; but what if the county does not provide the infrastructure and facilities and, as a result, the nearest school could be 10 kilometres away? What happens to the county? We need to say that the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member in charge of Education must be held responsible if the county fails to fulfil its obligation---"
}