Former Gichugu MP Martha Karua has congratulated former Members of Parliament for coming together and forming an association to cater for their general welfare.
Speaking during the official launch of the Former Members of Parliament Association (FOPA) and consequently the launch of the Members’ medical cover offered by the National Hospital Insurance Fund, Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi who was the Chief Guest, termed the Association as a pool of experienced leaders whose expertise in among others, legislative matters should be tapped from time to time to help generate capacity for Parliament in the future.
He thanked the Members for their contribution when they were in office, observing that some of them had voluntarily retired from politics after serving their constituents and the nation with great dedication.
He reminded them that they remained life Members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
He also commended the Chief Executive Officer of the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) for partnering with association to offer the members a comprehensive medical cover.
Acceding that he had previously found himself voted out of Parliament, and that all current Members of Parliament, himself included, will eventually be former Members, he called upon the association to consider setting up structures for posterity and enrolling more members beyond the current 300, adding that there is strength in numbers.
Speaker Muturi further made an undertaking that in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Service Commission, he would dedicate a secretariat and an office to the Association, terming the Members as a great resource to the nation.
He gave an example of former Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno whom he thanked for his outstanding presentation during the recent Post Election Seminar for Members of the National Assembly in Mombasa County, in which he had been tapped as a key resource person.
Speaking at the same event on Friday, Karua congratulated the association’s executive committee for helping develop the initiative that culminated into its launch today.
She noted that among the association membership were very young former Members and that the organization would be instrumental in advocating for their welfare. She hailed the National Hospital Insurance Fund for partnering with the association to develop a medical cover for the former Members.
She reckoned that the Insurance Fund had been very helpful to very many Kenyans especially senior citizens who are now finding it easy to access quality healthcare through it.
Former Kuresoi South MP, Zachayo Cheruyoit extolled the Speaker for accepting to be the association’s Patron and Chief Guest during its launch, adding that “he is the Speaker for both the former and the current Members”.
The Association’s Chairperson, former Gatanga MP, Dr. Humphrey Njuguna called for the society to embrace former Members of Parliament, noting that being voted out of Parliament did not mean that they had no other contribution to offer the society.
He decried that Kenyans are quick to relegate former Members to oblivion forgetting their immense contribution to the country, when they were serving.