National Assembly · Morning Sitting

[[The Temporary Speaker (Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai) in the Chair]]

I order that the Quorum Bell be rung for 10 minutes. (The Quorum Bell was rung)

I order that you stop the Quorum Bell. Hon. Members, we are now ready to transact business. Clerk, proceed.

The Deputy Whip of the Majority Party.

Reports of the Auditor General and Financial Statements for the years ended 30 th June 2021, 30 th June 2022, 30 th June 2023, 30 th June 2024 30 th June 2025 and the certificates therein in respect of the following: 1. Akithii Girls Secondary School 2. Aquinas High School 3. Good Shepherd Girls’ Secondary School-Makueni 4. Kamarandi Secondary School 5. Langata High School 6. Mutira Girls High Sc…

Next Order.

First Readings THE PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL (National Assembly Bill No. 19 of 2026) THE FOREIGN SERVICE (AMENDMENT) BILL (National Assembly Bill No. 24 of 2026) Second Reading THE NATIONAL TRANSPORT AND SAFETY AUTHORITY (AMENDMENT) BILL (National Assembly Bill No. 36 of 2023)

[(The Bills were read a First Time and referred to the relevant Committees)]

[(Moved by Hon. Didmus Barasa on 29.7.2026 – Morning Sitting)]

[(Resumption of debate interrupted on 29.7.2026 – Morning Sitting)]

Hon. Members, no one was on the Floor on this Bill, so anyone is free to contribute. Are there any Members who are interested in Order No. 10? Hon. Owen Baya.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to request that, now that the debate was done very well, the Mover be called upon to reply so that we can move to the next Order. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Mover is here. He is coming in.

[(Hon. Didmus Barasa entered the Chamber)]

Yes, I can see him.

Hon. Didmus Barasa, you are supposed to be in your seat and replying.

I would like to put the question. (Question, that the Mover be now called upon to reply, put and agreed to)

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to move that the National Transport and Safety Authority (Amendment) Bill…to reply. I want to thank…

I would like you to go on record and say clearly what you are doing. You are replying.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to reply. I thank all the Members who have contributed to this Bill. I also want to assure them that I have taken note of their concerns, which we will use to improve the Bill during the Committee of the whole House. With those few remarks, I beg to reply.

I will put the question.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

[(The Bill was read a Second Time and committed to the Committee of the whole House)]

Next Order.

[(Order for Committee read)]

[[The Temporary Speaker (Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai) left the Chair]]

Second Reading THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) BILL (National Assembly Bill No. 62 of 2023)

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the Employment (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 62 of 2023) be read a Second Time. The objective of this Bill is to ensure that civil servants and other people whom the government has employed are given a notice period when being transferred from their current stations to the other stations. This is very important because transfer of civil ser…

Who is your seconder?

I ask Hon. Owen Baya to second.

Hon. Didmus Barasa, while I would like to second, I have other thoughts that may not be in parallel to yours. Anyway, now that you have given the privilege to second, I will do so but allow me to speak freely. Hon. Temporary Speaker, there is good intention in this Bill, and I like the way Hon. Didmus Barasa has put it. He said the Bill has come to the House as a proposal or good idea. I accept th…

[(Question proposed)]

Member for Tigania West.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this important Bill by Hon. Didmus Wekesa Barasa. The family unit, not just in this country but the world over, is under threat. It is important for us to note this very carefully because, under all circumstances, we need to protect the family unit. This Bill has been introduced at a time when we all agree th…

Very well. Before I give the next speaker, allow me to recognise in our Speaker’s Gallery students from Nyali School from Nyali Constituency, Mombasa; and, Gatoto Junior and Primary School from Embakasi South, Nairobi. We welcome them to observe the proceedings of the House. Member for Marsabit, you have the Floor. Hold on, Hon. Waqo. Hon. Owen, you want to...

[(Hon. Owen Baya spoke off the record)]

I want to say something to the students from Nyali.

Yes, you have a minute.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, and I want to welcome the students from Nyali School to the House. My name is Owen Baya, Member of Parliament for Kilifi North. It is a pleasure to have you here. Parliament is a great place to be. Leadership is not only nurtured in school, but it is also grown in schools and implemented or done here in this House through legislation, oversight, and rep…

Very well. Hon. Waqo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for allowing me to add my voice to this very important amendment Bill that speaks on employment. I also want to congratulate the sponsor, Hon. Didmus Wekesa Barasa, for coming up with this amendment, which is very helpful to all of us Members of Parliament and Kenyans out there. I have looked at this brief amendment and I want to say that I support this Bill beca…

Very well. Hon. Naisula Lesuuda.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support the Employment (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 62 of 2023) by my colleague and friend, Hon. Didmus Barasa. He seems to be on a roll with the number of Bills he is bringing to this House. This particular Bill is very important. It is actually something that Members of Parliament deal with every other day. Many people come to us askin…

Give her 30 more seconds.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I just wanted to caution Hon. Didmus, since I know he has ambitions. I wish him the very best to become a Governor. Mostly, we find political witch hunt at the county and even at the national level. If you are not supporting this regime and another regime comes in, you get transferred. We just have to be fair and let civil servants be civil servants. Thank you ve…

Very well, before I give the next Member a chance to contribute, allow me to recognise in the Speaker’s Gallery, learners from Ukunda Bright Angels Academy from Msambweni Constituency, Kwale County. We also have learners and teachers from Miale ya Tumaini from Kajiado North Constituency, Kajiado County. You are welcome to observe the proceedings of the House. Member for Igembe Central Constituency…

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Bill. First, I want to congratulate Hon. Barasa, for bringing forth this very crucial and important Bill. In fact, it has come at the right time and I really support it. On this issue of transfers, every employer has set a time limit when every employee should serve before requesting for transfers. I believe Ke…

Very well. Member for Moiben, Hon. Bartoo, are you on this?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for also giving me the chance to contribute to this Bill. I thank Hon. Didmus Barasa for bringing such a crucial amendment. Most of the time, when Kenyans are employed, they sign to work in any part of Kenya. Also, due to efforts aimed at promoting national cohesion and integration, it is good to experience every part of Kenya. Every institution normally has a tr…

Very well. Allow me to recognise the learners and teachers from Mary Immaculate School from Kwanza constituency, Trans Nzoia County. You are welcome to observe the proceedings of the House. The next chance will go to the Member for... (Hon. Janet Sitienei raised her hand) Hon. Sitienei, I do not see your request here. Why are you raising your hand? You will be next after the Member for Manyatta.…

[(Hon. Janet Sitienei spoke off the record)]

No. The next one.

Then let us have Hon. Kemei. Before Hon. Kemei, let us indulge the Member for Turbo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this Bill. From the outset, I wish to thank Hon. Didmus Barasa for bringing this timely amendment Bill. It is important that when we employ, we must take care of our employees. This Bill will cure arbitrary transfers without policy regulation. It will establish policy regulations to ensure that all transfers are f…

Very well. Next, we have Hon. Kemei.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. From the outset, I want to support this amendment Bill, an Act of Parliament to amend the Employment Act 2007 and for connected purposes. I thank Hon. Didmus Barasa, the Member for Kimilili Constituency in Bungoma County, for introducing this important amendment. In examining the insertion of new section 15A, it is evident that the…

Very well. Member for Igembe North.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this important Bill. First, allow me to thank the Mover, Hon. Barasa, for bringing a very critical Bill to amend the Employment Act, 2007. This is a very important Bill because it provides safeguards to employees against arbitrary harassment, misuse and intimidation by employers. This Bill is so critical because it w…

Very well. Allow me to recognise students who are seated in the Speaker's Gallery, Pentagon Academy, Suna West, Migori County. In the Public Gallery, we have Line Member School, Kiminini Constituency, Trans Nzoia County. We welcome you to observe the Proceedings of the House. Mbunge wa Mombasa.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda kwa kunipatia huu fursa ili nami nimpongeze Mhe. Didmus Barasa kwa kuwafikiria wafanyakazi, hasa walimu na wengine ambao huwa wanapewa transfers za kiholela. Nikiangalia huu Mswada na jinsi alivyoweka marekebisho, watu wengi wamekuwa wakipata matatizo mengi sana wakati wa transfer. Pengine mwalimu ni mgonjwa na yuko na daktari wake wa karibu ambaye anajua hali yake …

Very well. Member for Njoro.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker for allowing me to support the Bill raised in this Parliament by Hon. Barasa. I support what my colleagues have said. It is true. We have seen very innocent Kenyans being punished over transfer issues. As Hon. Zamzam from Mombasa has said, the issue of transfers have been turned into an issue of punishment for many of the employees, especially teachers, …

Member for Makueni.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this Bill. The practice of transferring workers is a human resource management tool mainly aimed at ensuring equity in the use of competencies. Key competencies and experiences are shared within the country and institutions. The Mover of this Bill looked into transfers of workers. Transfers are not bad, but they ar…

Before I give the next Member a chance to contribute, allow me to recognise, in the Public Gallery, students and teachers from PCEA Kagaru Church School from South Imenti Constituency, Meru County. In the Public Gallery, we have Keiyo South Farmers Association from Keiyo South Constituency, Elgeyo Marakwet County. We welcome them to observe Proceedings of the House. I see that the Member of Keiyo …

Asante Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Ningependa kuwaambia wanafunzi walio hapa kwamba wamekuja mahali sheria inaundwa. Huko mbele nawaombea Mungu. Mfanye bidii ili mfike hapa siku za usoni. Wananchi wanaotoka Keiyo South tunaowaita hustlers pale nyumbani ni miongoni mwa wageni wetu. Nawakaribisha Bungeni. Hapa ndipo tunakaa tukiunda sheria. Inawezekana kwamba kila aliye na nia anaweza kuja hapa. Miaka ishir…

Mheshimiwa wa Keiyo Kusini, kulingana na Kanuni za Bunge, lazima umalize kwa Kiswahili ukianza mchango kwa lugha hiyo. Mbunge wa Marakwet Magharibi, endelea.

The Member from Keiyo South has uttered a word that must be struck out from The Hansard. Could the Member tell us what bakule means on the Floor of this House? Is it in order to use a Kalenjin word on the Floor of the House?

Member of Keiyo South, did you utter that word? What does it mean?

Mhe. Spika wa Muda, sikuwa na nia mbaya kutumia hilo neno. Ni neno la urafiki pale nyumbani. Ninasema karibu kwa marafiki wangu ambao wamenitembelea. Asante.

Nakuelewa. Lakini unafaa kuweka alama za nukuu ukitumia maneno ambayo hayaeleweki kwa kila mtu.

Nimesikia, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Asante.

Thank you. Let us have the Member of Marakwet East, Hon. Kangogo Bowen.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Employment (Amendment) Bill of 2023. I want to start by opposing it. I do not know if Members have read the implications of the Bill, especially to our public service. The Bill will make public service ungovernable. You will have government employees who are not responsible to their superiors. You will need to seek their consent before y…

What is out of order, Member for Tigania West? Hon (Dr) John Mutunga Kanyuithia (Tigania West, UDA): I respect the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation who has been making his contributions. However, it is surprising that he is reading the Bill selectively.

He is doing what? Hon (Dr) John Mutunga Kanyuithia (Tigania West, UDA): He is reading the Bill selectively. He has read a few clauses and left out others.

Hon. Mutunga, you are totally out of order. You also spoke on the Floor and did not speak to all the clauses of the Bill. Allow the Member to contribute unless something is really out of order. Yours, is a point of debate.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, my good friend, Hon. Mutunga, has not quoted the Standing Order he has stood on.

I have already ruled, Hon. Kangogo.

As I conclude, Hon. Temporary Speaker …. (Hon. Danson Mwashako spoke off the record)

The Member has said nothing so far since I gave him the Floor.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

For what?

On what he had said earlier. He has just said something that was not good.

Hon. Mwashako, you have just walked in. I do not want us to derail Members who have been sitting here since 9.30 a.m.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. While walking in, I clearly heard the Member, who is the Chair of a very good Committee, insinuating that Members have not read this report. When he said he is going to oppose, he indicated that Members have not read. Is it good to cast aspersions on Members that we are contributing without reading the report?

Hon. Mwashako, I think I heard the Member say, because some Members are not here, he only urged all of us to read the Bill. I do not think it is bad. What did you say, Hon. Kangogo?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I persuaded Members to read the Bill because it only seeks to amend one clause of the Act. I know some Members listen to what other Members are saying and contribute without reading.

[(Loud consultations)]

You are making it worse, Hon. Kangogo.

I have not quoted anybody. Allow me to conclude by saying we love the human resource in our country. They are doing a good job for the Public Service and the Civil Service, including our teachers. We must have discipline on how these employees transact their business. Having employees to determine when they will be transferred or not, is not good. I oppose this Bill.

On a point of information, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

There is a point of information from Hon. Didmus. Do you accept it or are you done?

I accept it, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Very well. Hon. Didmus.

I inform the Hon. Member that this proposal does not provide that those who are being transferred have to accept before they are transferred. This proposal is simply saying that they must be given a notice period before they are transferred. It happens in the Judiciary. He has not read and he was not here when I was moving it. Secondly, which is very important, is we are just saying that transfers…

Hon. Members, I also have a copy of this Bill. Allow me to just set the record straight. Let me just read it because it is important. Clause 4 says where an employee is to be transferred, the employer shall: 1. Give the employee the reasons for the intended transfer. 2. Inform the employee of the implications. 3. Notify the employee of the measures. 4. Require the consent of the employee before e…

Are you done, Hon. Kangogo?

This is the point I wanted to put across because Hon. Didmus is saying there is no part of the Bill that seeks consent. You have just read and I quoted Clause 4(d). You require consent of the employee before you effect the transfer. Which employee would want to go on transfer? Hon. Temporary Speaker, I oppose.

It is your right to actually support or oppose. I heard what Hon. Didmus was telling you? He asked what is wrong with what is written. Nothing is wrong, Hon. Members. This is a House of debate and we debate to improve any law for posterity. Allow me to give Hon. John Emathe a chance to contribute.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I support the Bill from the onset. Kenya is one of the countries that is known to have excellent human resource capital in the world, like the former President of the USA, President Obama. Job transfers are normally granted either as a carrot or as a stick. When granted as a stick, it is sometimes punitive or used to correct a behaviour. However, when we dwell so…

Very well. Hon. Timothy.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me an opportunity to comment on this important Bill. First of all, I congratulate Hon. Didmus Barasa. The people of Kimilili made the right decision by sending this very consequential Member of Parliament to this honourable House. Teachers in this country have faced a myriad of challenges. One of the issues is in reference to the transfer of teachers. T…

Hon. Toroitich, there are no amendments on the Floor. You can only support the Bill as it is and propose amendments at the right time. Hon. Members, that Bill will have a balance of one hour and 23 minutes when it is next scheduled.

Hon. Members, the time being Prepared by: Directorate of Hansard and Audio Services National Assembly Parliament of Kenya. Published by: Clerk of the National Assembly Parliament Buildings Nairobi, Kenya.

[(The House rose at 1.00 p.m.)]