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{
    "id": 904860,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/904860/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 392,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13188,
        "legal_name": "Getrude Musuruve Inimah",
        "slug": "getrude-musuruve-inimah"
    },
    "content": "(b) resigns from office by notice in writing addressed to the Cabinet Secretary; (c) is adjudged bankrupt or enters into a composition scheme or arrangement with the person‘s creditors; (d) is convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding six months; or (e) is removed from office under any of the circumstances specified in Section 4B.‖ Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is a gap that was not addressed in the principal Act. Therefore, this particular amendment comes to address this gap. For example, when a board member has gross misconduct, it is possible for that vacancy to be filled. The amendments that are in this Bill make the principal Act to become good, acceptable and workable for our citizens. There is also an amendment in Clause 9 that establishes a public mental health facility managed by the national Government and county governments. This is good because it obligates the national Government and the county governments to be responsible of persons with mental illness. The Government should not run away from what is happening to Kenyans. The Mover has done research and it is clear that quite a number of people have mental challenges. Therefore, there is need for the Government to come in speedily to ensure that they arrest this issue. If it does not do that, it means that they will be playing the ostrich. We cannot solve issues of Kenyans by playing the ostrich. We must come out clearly to state and address the problem. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I also support the Bill by stating that the person in charge of a private mental health facility shall be a mental health practitioner; a psychiatric, psychologists or clinical officer. There are instances when people come up with organisations that do not have the experience or expertise. They will say that they are psychiatrists who take care of the mentally challenged. However, in the actual sense, they are getting money out of it. The money does not go to the mentally challenged but their pockets. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is need to ensure that anyone who wants to run this kind of clinic or home has the expertise and empathizes with these people. They should not do it out of the drive for money. People who take care of patients in Mathari Hospital are not paid well and yet, they do the donkey work and deserve an increment. If you go to Mathari Hospital, you cannot do the kind of work that medics do. You will prefer to go home. This is because some of the patients are not able to go to the toilet. They ‗ poo-poo’ anywhere, and since a person is employed there, they have to clean it. That is what people go through and have no voice at all. As we talk about mental illness, I will not fail to talk about persons with disabilities. When you go to some schools, you will find that children in some schools ‗ poo-poo’ on themselves. The teachers have to become the nurses and mothers. Some schools parents do not care about their children with disabilities. It is, therefore, up to the teacher to know what to do with those children. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}