National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting

Thursday, 28 November 2024

Session Summary

The Deputy Speaker moved the Startup Bill, outlining a six‑part framework to register, incubate and incentivise start‑ups, aiming to boost youth employment, innovation and economic growth. The speech highlighted Kenya’s strong tech ecosystem, the lack of a regulatory framework, and cited comparable startup legislation in Tunisia and Senegal, while noting procedural delays and the need for House Business Committee action. Members praised Hon. Irene Mayaka and Senator Crystal Asige for introducing the Start‑up Bill, highlighting it as a progressive piece of legislation that will foster innovation, entrepreneurship and private‑public collaboration in Kenya. The debate emphasized the Bill’s provisions for fiscal and non‑fiscal incentives, support for marginalized groups, and clear eligibility criteria for start‑ups, while urging government agencies to implement the framework. Overall, the speakers expressed strong support and optimism for the Bill’s potential impact on youth‑led enterprises. The debate focused on the Start‑Up Bill, with Hon. Ibrahim Saney praising its provisions for tax incentives, credit guarantees, mentorship and a research fund to nurture Kenyan innovators, especially youth and those in remote areas. A brief exchange arose over the use of the term “illiterate” when describing a skilled technician, which was clarified by the Temporary Speaker, and the session was later adjourned due to a lack of quorum.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Members, there is no quorum. Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell. Hon. Members, we now have a quorum to transact business. Clerks-at-the-Table.

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

implementation of the transition to the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). We will have a breakfast Kamukunji in the New Wing Dining Room on Tuesday, 3rd December 2024, from 7.00 a.m. Do not have breakfast in your houses. You will be served breakfast so that we can engage with the Ministry, the Cabinet Secretary, her Principal Secretaries, and the Director-G…

WAQO NAOMI JILLO
Hon. Naomi Waqo (Marsabit County, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: Reports of the Auditor-General and financial statements for the year ended 30th June 2024, and the certificates therein in respect of:

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Next is the Vice-Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations. Leader of the Majority Party, I directed that you ensure that a Chair represents their Committee when you put their matters on the Order Paper. The Vice-Chair can only step in when the Chair is not there. You do not have to list the Vice- Chair. The Chair means and includes the Vice-Chair.

KOECH, NELSON
Hon. Nelson Koech (Belgut, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Hon. Speaker, I am the Chair.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Are you the Chairman? Go on.

[(Laughter)]

KOECH, NELSON
Hon. Nelson Koech (Belgut, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

I thought you had reservations about my position as the Chairman. However, Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on its consideration of the Treaty Making and Ratification (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 9 of 2024) .

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Thank you, Hon. Chairman. Next is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection, Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a.

Abdi Ali Abdi
Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a (Thika Town, UDA)National Agenda Party of Kenya

I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Reports of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection on its consideration of:

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Thank you, Hon. Alice. Clerks-at-the-Table, read out the notices of Motions. Hon. Members, we have a few Statements at Order No. 7. However, I direct that we move to Orders No. 8, No. 9 and No. 10 and put questions, having finished your committees, and then we return to Statements. Order, Hon. Alice. Take the nearest seat. Where you are going is definitely not the closest seat.

[(Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a stood in the aisle)]

[(Laughter)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Mover. Leader of the Majority Party.

ICHUNG’WAH ANTONY KIMANI
Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move that the Public Finance Management (Amendment) (No.3) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 44 of 2024) , be now read a Third Time. I request Hon. Junet Mohamed, the Leader of the Minority Party, to second.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Junet.

Junet Sheikh Nuh Mohamed
Hon. Junet Mohamed (Suna East, ODM)Orange Democratic Movement

Hon. Speaker, I second.

[(Hon. Joyce Kamene stood in the aisle)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Mama Machakos, take your seat. I have confirmed that we have a quorum.

[(Question proposed)]

[(Question put and agreed to)]

[(The Bill was accordingly read a Third Time and passed)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Mover.

ICHUNG’WAH ANTONY KIMANI
Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move that the Public Finance Management (Amendment) (No.4) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 45 of 2024) , be now read a Third Time. I also request Hon. Major Bashir to second.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Major.

ABDULLAIH BASHIR SHEIKH

I second.

[(Question proposed)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Kamket, take your seat.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Mover.

ICHUNG’WAH ANTONY KIMANI
Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move that the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 48 of 2024) , be now read a Third Time. I also request Hon. Beatrice Elachi, Member for Dagoretti North, to second.

Elachi Beatrice Kadeveresia

I second.

[(Hon. Kassait Kamket stood in the aisle)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Kamket, you look restless today. Kuna mtu ameiba ng’ombe yako or is it the other way round?

[(Laughter)]

H
Hon. Members

Put the question.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

We put the question?

H
Hon. Members

Yes.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

I confirm that we have a quorum to put the question.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

[(The Bill was accordingly read a Third Time and passed)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Thank you. Call out Order No.11 as well.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

We go back to Order No.7.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

We will start with the request for statement by Hon. Joyce Kamene, Member for Machakos County. Give Hon. Joyce the microphone. Hon. Joyce, that is the problem of sitting where you never sit. They keep flashing where you ordinarily sit. You do not have your card? Go ahead.

KAMENE, JOYCE
Hon. Joyce Kamene (Machakos County, WDM)Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation regarding the status of Mavoko Water Supply Project. Hon. Speaker, the Mavoko Drinking Water Supply Project is an initiative financed jointly by the Governments of the Republic of Kenya and the Kingdom of Bel…

KAMENE, JOYCE
Hon. Joyce Kamene (Machakos County, WDM)Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya

Hon. Speaker, it is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation on the

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Thank you, Hon. Kamene. Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation, Hon. Bowen. When will you bring the response?

BOWEN DAVID KANGOGO
Hon. Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Hon. Speaker, the Mavoko Water Project is very important. It has been delayed for long. Allow me to follow up with the Ministry and report back to the House at the beginning of next year. I will bring it by the first week of February because it is a complex issue that has been running for years.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Okay. Next is Hon. David Kiplagat.

WAQO NAOMI JILLO
Hon. Naomi Waqo (Marsabit County, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Hon. Speaker, he has stepped out.

OUNDO, WILBERFORCE OJIAMBO
Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM)Orange Democratic Movement

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Okay. Hon. (Dr) Oundo, what is your point of order?

OUNDO, WILBERFORCE OJIAMBO
Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM)Orange Democratic Movement

I know you have mentioned about us passing Bills in the National Assembly and saying outside there we do not know their content. But that is a story for another day. Sometime in the middle of this year, we passed the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (Amendment) Bill 2024. It was the expectation of Kenyans that before we go for Christmas or earlier, we would have a new functioning Co…

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Thank you, Hon. (Dr) Oundo. It is not even within the jurisdiction of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs anymore. They finished their work. The matter came to the Commission. It is recommending authority for appointment. We have the nominating bodies. Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Parliament, through Parliamentary Service Commission, nominated panelists. Religious bodies and …

Shinali Bernard Masaka
Hon. Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani, ODM)Orange Democratic Movement

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to pay tribute to Mr Absalom Castro Wendo. It is with profound sorrow that I rise to pay tribute to Mr Absalom Castro Wendo, a son of Ikolomani Constituency, who served this House diligently as a Serjeant-at-Arms. Mr Wendo was awarded the Head of State Commendation by the late President Mwai Kibaki in 2010 for his exemplary work and unwavering devotion to duty in t…

Shinali Bernard Masaka
Hon. Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani, ODM)Orange Democratic Movement

generations to come. He carried on his duty to the inaugural session of Bungoma County Assembly from 2013-2017. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, former colleagues both in the National Assembly and Bungoma County Assembly and the people of Ikolomani, Kakamega County and Bungoma County as they come to terms with this massive loss. We buried Mr Wendo's father, Mzee Muyeyia, …

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

It is ‘eternal peace’. Thank you, Hon. Shinali. Among us here, the only people who know Mr Wendo are Hon. Keynan and a few others. He was a colossus in this House. He was very commanding. He was always the one clearing the way for Hon. Speaker to come to the Chamber. He was a very good man. When devolution came, he was seconded to establish Bungoma County Assembly where he worked for five years. M…

MWENJE MARK SAMUEL

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to refer you to Articles 27 and 38 of our Constitution. Article 27 of the Constitution provides for freedom against discrimination, especially on ethnicity.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Is it freedom against discrimination or freedom of discrimination?

MWENJE MARK SAMUEL

Equality or freedom from discrimination. Article 38 of the Constitution protects political rights. Allow me to quote Article 38 (2) of the Constitution which says: “Every citizen has the right to free, fair and regular elections based on universal suffrage and the free expression of the will of the electors for—

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Which Article in the Constitution?

MWENJE MARK SAMUEL

Article 38 (2) (a) .

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Go on.

MWENJE MARK SAMUEL

Every citizen has the right to free, fair and regular elections based on universal suffrage, and the free expression of the will of the electors for—

MWENJE MARK SAMUEL

discrimination that might be taken upon. This is a grave issue from my constituency. It has caused some serious tensions in some of our metropolitan constituents. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Boss Gladys Jepkosgei

Hon. Speaker, I stand on a point of information. I want to inform the Member that we have an independent constitutional commission that deals with those kinds of complaints. The easiest thing is to go and report to NCIC. They will investigate and the person will be prosecuted. We have seen NCIC in the past. They used to arrest people at night. If you remember the story of Hon. Linturi when he spok…

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Mwenje, please provide the clip so that things do not escalate. The Speaker has not seen it yet. If you can provide the clip to the Clerks-at-the-Table, I will look at it tomorrow or over the weekend, and give direction on Monday. For the avoidance of doubt, the Constitution of Kenya 2010 enjoins every citizen to live anywhere on the territory of Kenya, to own property, transact business, mak…

ICHUNG’WAH ANTONY KIMANI
Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I was hoping it was on my Statement. I have viewed the clip. I do not know whether the gentleman on the clip is an actual religious leader or just draped in Islamic religious clothing, but what he was saying is very unfortunate, and I want to agree with the Hon. Deputy Speaker that, indeed, NCIC has failed this country. The kind of things that the person was saying were no…

ICHUNG’WAH ANTONY KIMANI
Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

so that the House concludes with all that it needs to, before we commence the long recess at the end of next week. Members will note that today and tomorrow, Sittings are dedicated to consideration of individual Members’ business. I, therefore, urge Members to be present and ready to prosecute their businesses. Further, with regards to business that is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, 29th Novembe…

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

And remind Members to get on the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) on the morning of 6th.

ICHUNG’WAH ANTONY KIMANI
Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, UDA)United Democratic Alliance

Hon. Speaker, thank you for that reminder. We are prioritising this business, and Hon. Waluke and Member for Kanduyi, there is a Sitting tomorrow at 9.30 a.m. and we expect you to be there to represent the people of Bungoma. As Hon. Speaker has indicated, after we finish with this priority business, on 6th December 2024 at 6.00 a.m., Hon. Members are expected to accompany him on the Standard Gauge…

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Junet.

Junet Sheikh Nuh Mohamed
Hon. Junet Mohamed (Suna East, ODM)Orange Democratic Movement

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to seek your indulgence on a matter of importance. For quite some time now, Parliament has been under attack from the religious leaders and other groups. We are not Members of Parliament by accident. We were elected by the people of Kenya.

[(Applause)]

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

There is one in Kisii that had 45 candidates.

Junet Sheikh Nuh Mohamed
Hon. Junet Mohamed (Suna East, ODM)Orange Democratic Movement

Yes! You are right, Hon. Speaker. Imagine in Kisii, they had 45 aspirants. You cannot bastardise a position that has been given by the Constitution. The people donate their sovereignty and yet, they are saying that Parliament is useless and has been captured. In this afternoon Sitting, we have passed almost five Bills.

Moses M. Wetang'ula
Hon. SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Boss Gladys Jepkosgei
Hon. Deputy SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

the financial years 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, laid on the Table of the House on Thursday, 25th July 2024 subject to:

Boss Gladys Jepkosgei
Hon. Deputy SpeakerUnited Democratic Alliance

Hon. Members, the Chairperson of the Committee had requested that we defer this Order to a later date. Next Order.

MAALIM, FARAH
The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Farah Maalim)Wiper Democratic Movement - Kenya

Hon. Members, the time being 6.53