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"id": 983679,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Murkomen",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
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"id": 440,
"legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
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"content": "national Government and all actors, including ourselves, will contribute to block this disease from spreading fast. This is because if it affects people in a crowded place, for example, a slum, we will have a big problem. There has to be a contingency measure by the Government. Those people live on daily income and wages that they earn from working as laborers in construction sites or factories. So, we must think of how to deliver food where they live. If the people in Kibra will not get food, the people in Karen and Lang’ata will have to share food with them by choice or force. A contingency measure must be applied to ensure that everybody is taken care of without looking at whether they are rich or poor. This will be a challenge that we will deal with. This is one area that, as Senators, we must give our views to the Executive and county governments on how best to achieve results. Most importantly, if you are a Senator and there are people who have been working for you either in the farm or in the house, this is the time to extend generosity. This is because even though we get salaries, there are many people who get nothing. If they are told to stay at home, they will not earn anything. So, if we are able to keep certain people in employment, even when they are not working in our farms, companies or private offices, we must continue to support them. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the President spoke about hoarding, hiking prices of commodities and panic buying that ensues. Prof. Nichol Hervet of the University of Washington was quoted on this matter. He said: “Public health is not just about your own personal health; it is about the health of the public at large.” Therefore, if one person cannot access hand sanitizers, water, soap or basic commodities, that person is not just posing a risk to himself, but to everyone including those who have stock of sanitizers and soap in their homes and retail stores. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are buying, hoarding these products and increasing their prices. A hand sanitizer of 400 ml that was selling at Kshs200 recently, is now selling at Kshs800, and in some places it is Kshs1,000. I request the business people to heed the advice of the President not to increase prices. It is an act of patriotism. Let us not wait for legal enforcement. This is a time for this country to come together. Everybody who has the ability to help his or her neighbour should do so. This is the time to heed what Jesus said in the Bible about our neighbours. We must take care of the person who depends on us, for example, your neighbour whom you have a duty to care for. Lord Atkins, in quoting the Bible, said that, “your actions may lead to advance impact towards any person who is closer to you.’ So, we must extend a hand. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I saw a story on CNN of a buyer who bought goods out of panic - all the sanitizers in his community - and after coming back to his conscious, he decided that he was would donate for free to as many people who need them as possible. This is the time of patriotism that we must stand together, to ensure that we assist those who need our support. Our economy will have a severe impact. In Italy, they have made certain determinations that are intended to help the economy. To start with, the Government 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."
}