Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 991916,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/991916/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kasanga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13185,
        "legal_name": "Sylvia Mueni Kasanga",
        "slug": "sylvia-mueni-kasanga"
    },
    "content": "Governor. We know many people with loans have already gone to their banks to have their loans restructured. The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has given a few reprieves to ensure that the citizens are cushioned from extra charges that come from some of these conversations. We are putting in these structures here so that, in future, we do not have to start digging up on what do we do or what did we do then and we need to do it now. County governments may suspend fees payable for renewable trade licenses and payment of property rates during the pandemic. This is another proposal. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, and Hon. Senators, these are not exhaustive provisions. I know we may need to rephrase them as we go ahead with the Bill. We may need to include a few other provisions so that we do not abuse anyone. The employer is a critical part of this economy as much as is the employee. So, it is the landlord who is very critical in our economy as is the tenant. Therefore, all of them have to be cushioned from the effects of the pandemic. We have received many proposals dealing with statutory timelines. Some of them may not have been canvassed in the Bill, but we intend to take them on board. For instance, when the Ministry of Lands has suspended issuance of certain paperwork that would enable land transactions to happen, and such transactions are time-bound, then what happens? We have been receiving some of these complaints and we are still looking at them. Under the miscellaneous matters, the Bill makes it an offence to misuse funds meant to alleviate effects of the pandemic. It also makes it an offence to spread false information. It also makes it an offence not to follow directives that have been given by the relevant authorities under this Bill. We have canvassed that and we have seen how our police officers are struggling with enforcement measures. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as it may not be possible to envisage all matters that we need under the legislative solution during the pandemic, the Bill gives a leeway to Cabinet Secretaries in charge of various dockets to make regulations whenever need arises. Like I said earlier, we are not being prescriptive in this Bill, but we are giving a framework that we can follow in the event of, God forbid, other pandemics that may come. The Committee is currently considering all the submissions that we have received. We are having several remote meetings with stakeholders who have brought in their memoranda. On Friday, 8th May, 2020, we had a meeting with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Coulson Harney LLP (Bowmans); they had presented weighty issues. Especially issues on timelines on some of the issues that I mentioned on the Ministry of Lands and stuff like that. We intend to take more stakeholders, including Senators and Members of Parliament before wrapping up on all proposals. We will be proposing a raft of amendments at the Committee Stage. We believe we want to strengthen the Bill and make it easy for implementation. In conclusion, I want to thank the Office of the Speaker and the Office of the Clerk of the Senate for extending the Committee a lot of support. We have an incredible Secretariat who are working round the clock. Our Reports are very detailed because we"
}