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{
    "id": 993185,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/993185/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 156,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker Sir, we have also proposed in the Pandemic Response and Management Bill, which is coming for the Committee of the Whole stage, that during the time of a pandemic, such statutory timelines that might have been expired are then extended, especially those where it is not possible to do a renewal during the period of the pandemic. The decision by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Interior and Coordination National Government to halt the detaining of persons arrested for breeching of the curfew in facilities officially designated as quarantine facilities. This is an issue that we had raised that the Government was criminalizing quarantine, leading to a lot of the stigmatization. Those found going against the curfew or the Public Order Act were being taken to those facilities, making it look like it is a criminal affair to be quarantined, while it is a public health affair. After our interaction, the Inspector-General was directed to identify alternative facilities to deal with those who are breaking the law and the curfew rules to ensure that these persons are not mixed with those placed in quarantine, following contact testing measures which unnecessarily exposes those people to the Coronavirus Disease (COVID- 19). That was a recommendation that we had also made in the Third Report. Mr. Speaker Sir, following our meeting with the Commission for Administrative Justice (CAJ), we were able to help create a linkage between the Judiciary and certain service providers, like Swvl Kenya. Swvl is a company that does transport through technology. They have been offering our medical frontline workers free transport during this time using technology. We want to thank them and encourage the uptake of such technology. They have been facing a lot of challenges, but we are glad that they were able to provide a linkage with the Judiciary. Following the meetings with the Cabinet Secretary of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development, together with transport stakeholders, this was upscaled to the level of the presidents of the East African Community (EAC) to deal with the issue of testing of truck drivers at the borders, and reducing the traffic in Bungoma and Busia. As of last week, the traffic was around 40 kilometers, because of the low number of people testing and the different protocols being utilized by Kenya, Uganda and the other countries. There is some progress that we are seeing in that, but we will keep following it up. Mr. Speaker Sir, allow me to go straight to the Fifth Report. At that point, we had done 49 sittings. I have just reported that as today, we have done 52. This one is basically on the issue of economics and finance. The Sixth Report will be on Social and Public Order, and Human Rights. In relation this thematic area of economic and finance issues, the Committee deliberated extensively on issues relating to - (1) The impact of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on business, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). (2) The trade aspects, including easing of legislative and regulatory requirements for doing business, impact of the closure of retail markets by county governments, and protection of residential and commercial tenants and landlords. 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."
}