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{
    "id": 991903,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/991903/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kasanga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13185,
        "legal_name": "Sylvia Mueni Kasanga",
        "slug": "sylvia-mueni-kasanga"
    },
    "content": "Committee on COVID-19 Situation in Kenya to facilitate public participation. A call for public memorandum was placed in the local dailies on the 22nd and 23rd of April, 2020, which closed on 1st May, 2020. Before I go into the details of the Bill, allow me to give a brief background on the publication. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as you are aware, on 31st of March, 2020, the ad hoc Committee on the COVID-19 Situation was established here in the Senate. We were tasked with several matters to address, including the financial assistance to vulnerable persons and groups, the protection of residential and commercial tenants, protection of employees from job losses and the easing of legislative and regulatory requirements for doing business. Those were part of our mandate. We have, as a Committee, severally reported in the House every week since the establishment of the Committee. Before embarking on this task of the Bill, we were able to form all the issues that were given to the Committee in five thematic areas. These areas included health, economic and financial issues, social order, public order and human rights issues, access to food, water and other basic commodities, and support services and cross-cutting issues like Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and others. After identifying these thematic areas, we then invited members of the public to come give us their views and feelings on the issues of COVID-19 under these thematic areas. The response was overwhelming; we had over 160 submissions coming in and we still have a few more still coming in. I really want to thank all the organizations, individuals and Members of Parliament who came forth with these requests that we had given them because it is upon this basis that the Bill was formed. When we received the views from the public, we did a comparative study on how other jurisdictions around the globe had responded to the pandemic and, especially on issues of policy and legislation. The Committee resolved that it was imperative to have legislation; it was the only method that we could see that would have the future at heart; something that was for posterity. Our proposal to come up with legislation should not be construed to mean that the Government of the day has failed in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Far from it, we have engaged various Ministries and Government agencies. We have been brought to speed on up-to-date issues on what they are dealing with. The social dialogue has been extended to private partners. We commend the Government’s effort in trying to avert the"
}