MPs reject plan for military homes

Parliament buildings in Nairobi.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

MPs have rejected a proposal to set up a military retirement home for former soldiers who served the nation as the Military Veterans Bill, 2022 sailed through to the third reading.

During the consideration of amendments of the Bill, the lawmakers deleted entire clause 22 of the Bill which was proposing setting up of defence forces retirement home for the ex-servicemen who served the country from 1963.

“The Defence Council shall establish a retirement home to be known as the defence forces retirement home to provide residential and related services to military veterans,” reads the original Bill.

However, the Committee of Foreign Relations chaired by Richard Tongi in amendments rejected the proposal which was adopted by the House on Tuesday afternoon.

In moving the amendments rejecting the proposal, Mr Tongi said the military veterans need to be with their families and not in military homes.

“These are people with families and therefore they need to be integrated in their families and not in military homes,” Mr Tongi said.

The lawmakers however adopted the proposal for the former veterans to have a full package of financial and health benefits in their retirement.

“These are the only people who put on their uniform everyday and are ready to die while protecting us and therefore they deserve a dignified life,” Mr Tongi said.

The lawmakers have also limited the beneficiaries of the military to the biological child of the military veteran who is under the age of 18 years arguing that making the proposal open would have been subject to abuse.

The initial Bill was proposing that even adopted children of the military veteran were qualified to benefit from the package of the veteran.

The Bill proposes the setting up of Dependents’ Education Fund to assist the dependents of the military veterans by facilitating their education placement in addition to providing them with scholarships.

According to the Bill, the fund will be used to pay school fees for the veterans’ children as per their needs after assessment by the Defence Council.

The Chief of Defence Forces and will be responsible for administrative duties on the Fund and the Home.

“The Defence Council shall establish a fund to be known as the Dependents’ Education Fund to provide scholarships for the education of the children of members of the Kenya Defence Forces and military veterans and deceased members of KDF or deceased military veterans,” reads the Bill.

“Policies regarding veterans shall be aimed at recognising and honouring military veterans, ensuring the smooth and seamless transition into civilian life, restoring capability of disabled military veterans, and improving the quality of life for veterans and their dependents. Policies will also facilitate access to their benefits,” states the Bill sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya.

The veterans are now inching closer to have access to counselling and treatment for post-traumatic stress, physical rehabilitation for any condition arising out of military service, education and skills development, and facilitation on employment placement or business opportunities by the defence council if it will be signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

An advisory committee, comprising six members appointed by the council and headed by a chairperson picked by the President, will be responsible for advising the council on policy issues relating to veterans.