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{
    "id": 864823,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/864823/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 529,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kihika",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13216,
        "legal_name": "Susan Wakarura Kihika",
        "slug": "susan-wakarura-kihika"
    },
    "content": "since 2013, about Kshs12 billion has not been submitted. That is of real concern. When you are an employee and look at your pay slips and see deductions made, so you sleep soundly knowing that when you retire you will be well taken care off. Therefore, if that money is not remitted, there will be a crisis when that person retires. It will mean that, that person has no pension to draw. We cannot, as country, allow that to happen. We have seen it happen in many instances. It just breaks my heart because it involves old people, who have worked their entire lives and should be enjoying their pensions. These are not gifts, but money that they worked very hard to contribute, so that they can enjoy in their retirement. Madam Temporary Speaker, I am quite happy that we are now at a point where we are debating this Bill. I have also heard many Senators talk about the different amendments they would want to see in this Bill. As long as we get to a consensus and pass the Bill, we will be doing one of the primary roles of this House, which is to protect the counties. The counties exist because of the people who work there. Madam Temporary Speaker, what I like most and would like to point out in this Bill, beyond what we have seen as the Objects and the Purposes of the Bill which is great, is that they have stated there that it will provide for establishment of the Scheme and payment of retirement benefits. We are talking about this. It is important. Once we have this as law, then governors will not pick and choose when they want to submit these deductions that they have made on their employees. We will now have a law and it will be mandatory. They will not have a choice in that matter. So I am glad that we are here. I am also happy to see that under Clause 4, under this established County Governments Retirement Scheme, it will be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and shall in its corporate name be capable of suing and being sued. We have had some people talk about wanting to put this in a private trust, which I believe would be an extremely bad move. That is not the way to handle this public money. A private trust will not be as accountable as what we have here under this Bill. Madam Temporary Speaker, as we proceed and look at Clause 3, we are able to see the specifications of the benefits that are being offered, because I have heard some Senators talk about, we do not know what is being offered or what the beneficiaries of this will get. So, that has very well articulated the specifications of the benefits offered. When I look at Clause 6, however, I am also as concerned and would wish to see an amendment brought hopefully by the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare or if not, we shall bring those individually. I am concerned about the Chairperson being appointed by the Cabinet Secretary. This is County Government retirement scheme ---"
}