Senate · Morning Sitting

Clerk, confirm whether we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.

[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted the Deputy Speaker)]

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

What is the situation now Clerk? Are we okay? Ring the Quorum Bell again for another 10 minutes. We have the quorum now. You can stop the Quorum Bell. Call the next Order.

[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted with the Deputy Speaker)]

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

No. Let us first clear with Question 47.

Okay.

Cabinet Secretary, it is your turn now to respond to the Member. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. It is always very nostalgic to be back home. I consider the Senate my home even more than the Ministry where I am. This is where I established my career and was catapulted to national limelight because of the work we did here. I appr…

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, can the Cabinet Secretary state whether there are plans to upgrade the Isinya-Konza Road to bitumen standard and, if so, indicate the projected timelines for the same.

Cabinet Secretary, you may respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Following your directions, I will just be brief. That road is extremely important; it is strategic. Konza Techno Polis is a Silicon Savannah and it is very important for us to make sure that we support the infrastructure around it. I was part of a delegation with the President that went to Korea lat…

development partners. The Korean Government is one of those development partners we are trying to work with to support this road. I thank you.

Hon. Senators, I want to give further guidance. Once we read the Question by the Senator and the Cabinet Secretary responds, I want to get a specific supplementary question from the Senator and then we move to the next Question. I want to spare 40 minutes at the end of this session, so that I open up to Senators to raise any other issue that they might have. Therefore, so that we save time and tr…

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is a bit difficult to speak on that specific road. This is because, as the Cabinet Secretary has said, they are waiting for funds. Nonetheless, allow us to make connected supplementary questions. I want to inform the Cabinet Secretary that I have lamented on the Floor of this House and brought the cry of the people of Kajiado, specifically on the issue of raising a num…

beings. Kajiado needs development. I really pray that the Cabinet Secretary understands this. I am the Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Roads and Transportation and Housing. I hope the Cabinet Secretary is getting the pain that I am carrying for the people of Kajiado because it is real. We feel like we have been left out.

Sen. Tobiko, I also want to understand. Do you mean the road is continuous from the Ukambani side, crosses the tarmac and then the other side is continuous?

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

There is a point of order from Sen. Kavindu Muthama.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I want to tell Sen. Tobiko that most of these roads that she has mentioned are not constructed by the Ministry, but by the County Government of Machakos. For instance, the Mua Road was done by the County Government of Machakos. The particular road that you are talking about goes to the church of one of the prominent businessmen in Machakos, and he did it person…

[(Laughter)]

Sen. Kavindu Muthama, that was a point of information not a point of order. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, while I agree with Sen. Tobiko that a number of roads have been done in Machakos County on the left side of the Mombasa Road, I disagree with Sen. Kavindu Muthama that it was done by the county. It was actually done by us, the nationa…

[(Laughter)]

county. That is why even if we do 200 kilometres, they do not feel it because the county is big. Therefore, a lot of work needs to be done. I want to report to the Senator that the road from Isara-Imaroro-Kajiado up to Kiserian Ngong’ is parallel to Mombasa Road. However, our job is to make sure that we connect the remaining connectors on this parallel road, including the one you have raised. Ad…

Thank you. Since, this matter is touching on Kajiado County, let me allow the Senator for Kajiado County, to ask a supplementary question.

Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also want to thank the Cabinet Secretary, particularly on the Illasit-Njukini Road, which he has also given a commitment of March, next year. I look forward to seeing it being successful. I will go straight to the supplementary question in regards to the connection of Rongai-Twala-Kitengela Road. Are there plans within the Ministry and Government to…

Hon. Cabinet Secretary proceed. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : The bypass from Kitengela to Rongai is about 24 kilometers. It is at the design stage. At the moment we are at the same fate; we want to see how to raise funds. Initially in the past, we thought we should do a Public Private Partnership (PPP) from the Galleria junction; a ring road going to Karen via R…

straight to Kiserian is something we are working on and designing. Hopefully, we can raise the funds to make sure we deliver it. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I had a meeting with all the leaders of Kajiado County. I got a number of the proposals including from Sen. Tobiko and all the elected leaders. We discussed on how to deliver a number of roads. The elephant in the room is the pending roads. Once…

Thank you. Let us go to the next Question by Sen. Gataya Mo Fire. Question No. 030

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I seek to know from the Cabinet Secretary who also happens to be very conversant with Tharaka Nithi County.

Thank you. Hon. Cabinet Secretary---

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also have a supplementary question. I do not know whether---

Let him answer because it is due.

Okay, thank you. I thought he could answer---

Proceed, Hon. Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I agree with the Senator of Tharaka-Nithi County, my friend Sen. Gataya Mo Fire. I have visited that road and his village when he was the Member of County Assembly (MCA) of the area. At that point I was serving in this House. Allow me to use that opportunity to give a global p…

across the country. It includes Kshs45 billion for acquisition of land and Kshs105 billion for payment of work done already by contractors. We have a commitment and final auditing is being done for over Kshs700billion to complete these roads eventually. Mr. Deputy Speaker, we also have a challenge because every pending bill is accruing interest and other charges as we progress. The total cost of …

Sen. Gataya Mo Fire, ask your supplementary question.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have a supplementary question. One of my constituencies in Tharaka-Nithi County has been politically neglected. I need your protection; there are loud consultations.

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, Sen. Dullo. Sen. Gataya Mo Fire cannot concentrate.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, one of my constituencies has suffered historical injustices regarding the road network. This is Tharaka Constituency. My county has three constituencies; Maara, Chuka-Igambang'ombe, and Tharaka. Tharaka Constituency has, for an extended period, suffered some historical injustices in terms of road network. I do not understand the logic behind contractors who build roads in…

Hon. Cabinet Secretary, proceed. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, while I may not have an answer to why Tharaka Nithi County has been marginalized in the past, I have seen some people being jittery when I attribute the historical problems like the ones the Senator has said to past Governments. It is an incontestable fact that Tharaka Nithi Co…

support we are receiving from multilateral agencies; the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, that you saw this week. The President has sent me to talk to the Chinese Government. I have been there three times. I have acquired the notoriety of being closer to the Chinese administration. A significant portion of these roads are being delivered by contractors from China. There is a progra…

Thank you. It would help if you had informed Sen. Gataya Mo Fire that it is not Meru County that has marginalized Tharaka Nithi County, but previous Governments. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : You are right, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. In the same way, I told Sen. Tobiko that the absence of roads in Kajiado County has nothing to do with the leadership or the people o…

Thank you, hon. Cabinet Secretary. We will proceed to the next Question from Sen. (Dr.) Murango. Sen. Wamatinga, are you representing Sen. (Dr.) Murango?

Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I am holding brief for Sen. (Dr.) Murango who is attending an opening ceremony in his county. Question No. 056

Hon. Senators, we are doing so well. In the next 10 minutes, I will open the Floor up to 11.30 a.m. for Senators to ask any general supplementary questions. Cabinet Secretary, this is a direct one again. Please respond in two minutes. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, first, I thank Sen. Murango because he was part of the Kirinyaga County lea…

Sen. Wamatinga, are you versed with those locations?

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, coming from the neighbouring county of Kirinyaga, this is my second home. Therefore, I am quite conversant with that.

Do you have any supplementary question?

I will skip on that. I will go to the next question after which I can ask my supplementary question.

Okay, ask Question No.060.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport:

The Cabinet Secretary, please respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to state that the project for upgrading to bitumen standards of Sagana-Kathaka-Thiguku/Mururi–Urumandi-Ngucui-Mahigaiini-Nyamindi- Kianugu-Kiumbu all the way to Kangaita roads has commenced. However, the project has registered a slower progress than anticipat…

Sen. Wamatinga, you may have the Floor.

Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, and the Cabinet Secretary for that comprehensive answer. I will ask one supplementary question.

There is a dual carriage road that traverses Murang’a, Kirinyaga and Nyeri counties. The Cabinet Secretary has addressed the issue of the compensation of the people who have been affected. Could the Cabinet Secretary please give us an indicative timeline within which the affected people will be compensated because, we have been promising them that it will be done every end of month? Thank you.

The Cabinet Secretary, please respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Murkomen) : Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the compensation, I will follow up with Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA) as to how many people have been documented to be compensated. These are the roads that form the network of the Mau Mau roads. Most of the roads were actually passing through existing road…

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. The next and last Question is from Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale. Question No. 065, for the record. Question No. 065

Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence, in the Speaker’s Gallery this afternoon, of visiting delegation of lecturers and students from the Maasai Mara University in Narok County. The delegation is in the Senate for a one-year academic exposure. Hon. Senators, in our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming visitors to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome to them and, on behalf o…

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. It gives me a lot of pleasure to receive through my remarks, the delegation from Maasai Mara University, in Narok County. Only a few years ago, we could only talk about the University of Nairobi. The exponential expansion in higher education in this country is evidence of the fact that we are ready for a Kenya in the next century. I encourage the students an…

[(Resumption of Question Time)]

Question No. 067

Question No. 067

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I wish to raise three Questions. The Cabinet Secretary was in my county recently. He attended the Iten International Marathon and we ran the five-kilometre race together. I won and he came in second place.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I wish to raise three Questions. The Cabinet Secretary was in my county recently. He attended the Iten International Marathon and we ran the five-kilometre race together. I won and he came in second place.

Allow me as a preliminary, to just say that the Ministry is restructuring and re- aligning all our operations to be in sync with the bottom-up economic transformational agenda of the Government. This restructuring and re-alignment includes the following, some of which are relevant to the Question Sen. Kisang has asked- First, for the Safari Rally Project, we are embarking on a fresh three-year co…

necessary information. There were instances of camp managers disappearing, making it difficult to undertake this exercise. Nonetheless, the Ministry issued 1,018 licensing application forms to the 53 training camps and other relevant target groups. These forms have yet to be returned. This is a process that is being followed up. I instructed the Sports Registrar to distribute licensing applicati…

necessary information. There were instances of camp managers disappearing, making it difficult to undertake this exercise. Nonetheless, the Ministry issued 1,018 licensing application forms to the 53 training camps and other relevant target groups. These forms have yet to be returned. This is a process that is being followed up. I instructed the Sports Registrar to distribute licensing applicati…

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Sen. Kisang before you ask your supplementary question, I give this opportunity to Sen. Olekina to give some remarks to the delegation of lecturers and students from Maasai Mara University, Narok.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let me appreciate you for your magnanimity in allowing me to welcome the students and the leaders from Maasai Mara University. I want to encourage them that as you are vising here today, this university has turned Narok into the go to place. The prices of property in Narok have now escalated because of the fact that we now have a university. I encourage and advise you …

[(Resumption of debate on Questions)]

Thank you, Sen. Olekina. Sen. Kisang, what is your supplementary question?

I have two comments. First, I urge the Cabinet Secretary to have that desk in his office within the Ministry for the young athletes. Sometimes, they get invitations to go and run out of the country, but it takes time for them to get the passports. It is important that you set up a small desk between yourselves and Athletes Kenya (AK) to help. This is so that they do not miss an opportunity to go a…

I have two comments. First, I urge the Cabinet Secretary to have that desk in his office within the Ministry for the young athletes. Sometimes, they get invitations to go and run out of the country, but it takes time for them to get the passports. It is important that you set up a small desk between yourselves and Athletes Kenya (AK) to help. This is so that they do not miss an opportunity to go a…

weekend, fix an appointment at short notice and they will really assist to accelerate issuance of visa. We have not had any situation or case in the last one year where any of our athletes has failed to honour an international obligation either because of delay in passport or issuance of visa. I want to assure this House that we will continue to be vigilant, alert and available to support our spo…

As we do that, we are also honouring our retired sportsmen and women. In August of this year, we hosted the Hongera Awards where, for the first time in the history of this country, we honoured our elite legends who have decorated our sports over the years. We have also decided that most of our sporting facilities will be named after these legends. We will be starting this Saturday; I can inform t…

As we do that, we are also honouring our retired sportsmen and women. In August of this year, we hosted the Hongera Awards where, for the first time in the history of this country, we honoured our elite legends who have decorated our sports over the years. We have also decided that most of our sporting facilities will be named after these legends. We will be starting this Saturday; I can inform t…

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise to ask Question No.071 on behalf of the Senator for Kirinyaga County who is attending an official visit outside this county.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise to ask Question No.071 on behalf of the Senator for Kirinyaga County who is attending an official visit outside this county.

Those factors notwithstanding, I am pleased to inform the House that the stadium has been fully completed according to the scope of works that had been indicated at the commencement of that project. The stadium has been put to use once in a while and to ensure effective management and utilization of this facility, the Ministry is in the process of finalizing a joint management and maintenance fra…

Those factors notwithstanding, I am pleased to inform the House that the stadium has been fully completed according to the scope of works that had been indicated at the commencement of that project. The stadium has been put to use once in a while and to ensure effective management and utilization of this facility, the Ministry is in the process of finalizing a joint management and maintenance fra…

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Sen. Wamatinga, do you have a supplementary question?

Yes, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir.

Then go ahead and ask

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, and Hon. CS for that comprehensive answer. My question is, several studies have been commissioned by the previous regime and they lacked a uniform design. One of them is Wang’uru Stadium, there is one in Embu County and another in Ruring’u which have all since stalled at different development stages. What is the Ministry doing to ensure that moving forward, …

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports (Hon. Namwamba): Very quickly, just to inform the Hon. Senator that indeed, there are a number of stadia that commenced under the previous administration. We have done a quick assessment of those stadia. We have gone further also to subject these projects to a forensic audit just to determine the value for money that was put into…

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports (Hon. Namwamba): Very quickly, just to inform the Hon. Senator that indeed, there are a number of stadia that commenced under the previous administration. We have done a quick assessment of those stadia. We have gone further also to subject these projects to a forensic audit just to determine the value for money that was put into…

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I rise to ask Question No.72 on behalf of the distinguished Senator for Kisii County, Sen. Onyonka.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I rise to ask Question No.72 on behalf of the distinguished Senator for Kisii County, Sen. Onyonka.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise again to ask Question No.73 on behalf of the distinguished Senator for Kisii County, Sen. Onyonka.