Military veterans Bill offers relief to retired officers
Retired soldiers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) who are struggling to make ends meet will soon have a new lease on life if a Bill currently before Parliament is passed.
The Military Veterans Bill, 2022 sponsored by National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya and slated to be introduced in the House, aims to assist veterans in living a dignified life after giving their lives to serving their country.
The veterans will also be entitled to home while their dependents will have access to an education fund that will be set up.
“Policies regarding veterans shall be aimed at recognizing and honoring military veterans, ensuring smooth and seamless transition into civilian life, restoring capability of disabled military veterans and improving the quality of life,” states the Bill.
If adopted, veterans will have access to counselling and treatment for post-traumatic stress, physical rehabilitation for any condition arising out of military service, education and skills development placement or business opportunities by defence council.
“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,” says the Bill.
Fallen soldiers will be honored and memoralised and their dependents will access counselling treatment for post-traumatic stress or related conditions.
The council will also be mandated to consider proposals that touch on policies funding and budgeting for military veteran’s affairs.
After years of service, most ex-servicemen and officers have a difficult time reintegrating into society, with some returning home with long-term physical and emotional problems.
For years, the government has been chastised for failing to meet the requirements of its military veterans, despite the fact that they gave up civilian lives to battle the country’s adversaries.
Attempts in the past to put in place a mechanism to ensure that they had a better life have however, failed thus the proposed bill tends to fix the issue.
