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{
    "id": 986903,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/986903/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 157,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kajiado South, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Katoo ole Metito",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13239,
        "legal_name": "Janet Marania Teyiaa",
        "slug": "janet-marania-teyiaa"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, because of time and being aware of the businesses ahead of us - Order Nos.8, 9 and 10 - I will try to be brief. I rise to issue a Statement to the House on the welfare of Kenyans abroad faced with various challenges around the world occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am aware that during the Morning Sitting, the Leader of the Minority Party, Hon. John Mbadi, raised this issue. It is also good to note that on the Committee’s own Motion, we met the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs on Thursday. We were actually ready to brief or apprise the House on what is happening. First of all, let me thank your office and the office of the Clerk for facilitating that meeting at a very short notice. It was carried live on Citizen TV. I also want to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for making themselves available within a very short notice of one day. This is just a follow-up of another meeting we held with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 27th January 2020, still on the same matter. We issued a Statement to the House on 3rd March 2020. Last week, one of the issues the Committee of Defence and Foreign Relations wanted clarified was whether all the money earmarked for the upkeep of Kenyans in China had been disbursed to them in full. This was money for students, not every Kenyan in China. It was for 91 students and nine acrobats. The second issue we wanted clarified was whether the country had explored the possibility of facilitating exit of Kenyans from the affected regions now that the situation seemed to have stabilised in China. The third issue was on reports of mistreatment of Kenyans and other foreigners of African descent in China. The fourth one was the status of Kenyans in foreign countries other than China, with regard to infection, treatment, general welfare and recorded deaths and any other matter that the Ministry may deem relevant for the Committee to know. The Government of Kenya had channelled about Kshs9,766,572 to the Kenyan Embassy in Beijing. So far, the Embassy had disbursed Kshs4,956,645. A balance of Kshs4,809,927 was in the process of being disbursed. The eligible Kenyans were 91 students and nine acrobats who were documented with the Embassy. Each received Kshs15,000 per batch. It was done in three batches. By the end of the disbursement, each of the 91 Kenyan students should have received Kshs45,000. This is on top of their usual scholarship stipends. This money was also supplemented by some food donations from the Chinese embassy here in Nairobi and the Kenyan Mission in Beijing. On the second issue of lockdown, in Wuhan City, where the virus originated, there was a lockdown which was lifted on 8th April 2020. The situation still remains fluid and unpredictable. Therefore, students are still locked down with their respective universities. However, they are all The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}