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{
    "id": 937442,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/937442/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 340,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suba South, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. John Mbadi",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": "First, there is something that I need to clarify. Maybe, I did not say it when I was moving the Bill. This figure of Kshs100,000 was actually US$1000. This was a proposal from the Justice Cocker Commission and more prominently, through the Akiwumi Commission. Where did this figure come from? The Akiwumi Commission and the other did a research among Commonwealth countries and it was found out that former MPs were being paid, as pension, a minimum of USD1,000. Even if you go across to Uganda, that is exactly what they give as a minimum pension to those who have served as MPs. Therefore, we are not going to be acting in isolation. I think it is only Kenya where some MPs have been earning as low as Kshs2,000 as pension. So, we are not doing something that our colleagues, peers and counterparts, even in the region, are not doing. It is something that should not be argued as that we going to spend so much money. In fact, as I said yesterday, the 150 MPs or thereabout who are still alive and are likely to benefit from this will take home a maximum of Kshs180 million per year. That is if this Bill becomes law. I do not think that is too much for this country given the kind of service those gentlemen and ladies have offered to this country. Allow me just to say something about the possible amendments. I propose to my colleagues who are here that on this Bill, because it was purely targeting former MPs who served within a period of time, I do not think it will be right to vary it to include other Members who served outside that period because then, that will defeat the objective of the Bill. My thinking is that there is a Bill that is coming immediately after this one. That is the one by Mwadime. If you look at it critically, it addresses the issues of those who are serving for one term. I do not see why we cannot use that Bill to propose amendments that can cushion some of the MPs who serve one term outside the bracket of 1984 and 2001. But I will discuss with the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning which is proposing the amendments and with the leadership of the House and see how we can deal with those amendments. I want to end there because I do not want to say much. The rest we can reserve to say during the Mwadime Bill which is coming immediately after this one. I want to end by again saying thank you very much, Hon. Members, who made contributions to this Bill. All that you have said, I think Kenyans have listened. When you talk to Kenyans out there when they discuss this Bill, I think it enjoys wide support among them. That is because they know the role that those Members of Parliament played and they see how they live. Many of them are really waiting for this Bill. I am sure we will prioritise the Committee of the whole House so that this Bill is brought back to the House for Third Reading as soon as possible, so that we can dispense with it before we go on recess on 5th of December. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I beg to reply."
}