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{
    "id": 892201,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/892201/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 108,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tharaka, DP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. George Gitonga",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13491,
        "legal_name": "George Gitonga Murugara",
        "slug": "george-gitonga-murugara"
    },
    "content": "What roles do the village elders play? Why is it important to appreciate them and if possible, remunerate them for the work they do? Why is it important that we have a policy on their recruitment? As I have said, village elders are the basic fabric of the Government system in the villages. They play a pivotal role as the first port of call when it comes to any Government matter that must be discussed in the village. In a few words, we can say that village elders are jacks of all trades and masters of everything. They are judges and magistrates in their local villages and they are also the ones in charge of the education system at the basic level. Security rests on their shoulders. They are the dispute mediators who try to solve disputes about land, marriages, divorce, dowry and anything else. The social work that they do is for free. The Government has not recognised them in spite of the fact that they render one of the best services that we have in the villages. The problem is that village elders do all this work without receiving any form of remuneration from the Government. In fact, I confirm and I have done my research that they are not even recognised officially because they are deemed to be a creation of either the assistant chief or the chief at the village level. It would be important if we had some form of uniform or even badges or whatever form of recognition for the village elders. In most cases, and this is not in dispute, village elders are paid in kind and some of the payments border on the bizarre. What they are paid is absolutely absurd. When we used to have local brews, possibly that is how they would be remunerated or if you have slaughtered a goat, you would offer him a goat head or something, which really is demeaning and is not what the Government should be doing for its citizens. It is important in this age and era to move away from practices that look like servitude, that we have people who are working without recognition. We have people who are working without a pay. These are people who are working without a policy in place on how they would be recruited and what form of remuneration they would be expected to receive. This is the reason this Motion is before the House today. I urge the House to discuss this matter in a sober manner, bearing in mind that village elders possibly are watching us in the villages and are waiting for us because they have always been rendering services. We just had an election two years ago and these village elders played a key role. In the ruling Jubilee Coalition, they were in charge of what was known as cluster 30 in which they did very well to deliver the votes. Recognition is therefore vital. It is important to have what we have said. If we can, we should give them uniforms, boots and badges as a form of motivation to render their services. Those who have read history will recall that there used to be an emperor in France known as Napoleon Bonaparte, who had this clarion call that men are led by toys and toys were the medals they were given when they did well. The net effect of that was to recognise a person who has done a good job and that person is likely to be motivated. Therefore, it is through this Motion that I call upon this House to pass a resolution that village elders should be recruited and remunerated through a policy and a formula that is going to be put in place by the Government of the Republic of Kenya. Let us appreciate that village elders serve the country dedicatedly. In fact, as I said, they are the first port of call. Whenever there is a problem in the village, you do not go to the chief or the assistant chief first. You go to the village elder who, if unable to resolve the problem, escalates it to the assistant chief and then to the chief. We must also recognise their unreserved commitment to duty. In most cases, you hardly hear any of them saying they will not solve a problem unless that problem is beyond their reach. It is also important to appreciate them in a very unrelenting manner because these people are committed to serve the community. I have had occasion to meet and hold discussions with them 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."
}