National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting
Monday, 25 November 2024
The sitting began with the Speaker confirming quorum and forwarding a nomination for the Ethics and Anti‑Corruption Commission CEO to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee for expedited approval. Members then laid the Energy Committee’s report on reducing electricity costs and moved a comprehensive motion to lift the moratorium on new power purchase agreements, subject to conditions on storage, tariff approval, local currency contracts, and auction‑based procurement. The debate was largely procedural and focused on advancing these legislative items. Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah praised the government’s Taifa Care health scheme, affordable housing programme and job‑creating initiatives such as the Hustler Fund and overseas employment opportunities. He highlighted the sharp drop in inflation, the revival of the sugar industry and increased agricultural production, while also urging a clear distinction between lawful arrests and abductions and commending security agencies for swift action. Hon. Junet Mohamed highlighted the need for improved airport infrastructure through transparent public‑private partnerships, while urging greater awareness of the new health financing scheme (SHA) and broader inclusion in the Conflict of Interest Bill. He also called for urgent action on gender‑based violence and stressed the constitutional right to peaceful demonstrations, emphasizing balanced security responses.
Hon. Members, there is no quorum in the House. Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell. Order, Hon. Members. We now have quorum to transact business. Clerk-at-the-Table, proceed. I have a Message from a constitutional commission.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Hon. Members, pursuant to the provisions of Section 16 (1) of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission Act, Cap 7H, as read together with Section 5 (1) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary) Approval Act, Cap 7F, I wish to report to the House that I have received a Message from the Chairperson of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission asking the House to approve a person for appointment as…
before Tuesday, 3rd December 2024 to enable the House to consider the matter within the statutory timelines. I thank you. Next Order.
Leader of the Majority Party.
Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table:
The Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy.
Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Energy on the inquiry into the matter of the reduction of electricity costs in the country.
Are you done?
Yes, I am done, Hon. Speaker. This is not an election petition...
[(Hon. Vincent Musau, Hon. (Dr) Robert Pukose, and Hon. Nimrod Mbai carried papers to the Table)]
Are those two your assistants? Hon. Nimrod and Hon. (Dr) Pukose are playing assistants. Thank you. The Chairperson for the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Hon. Ndindi Nyoro is not in the House. Next Order.
Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Departmental Committee on Energy on the inquiry into the matter of the reduction of electricity costs in the country, laid on the Table of the House on Monday, 25th November 2024, and approves the lifting of the moratorium on the signing of new power purchase agreements (PPAs) subject to the foll…
agreements will only be entered into with a power generation entity that has fully disclosed and registered full beneficial ownership in compliance with the Act.
Thank you. Let us go back to Order No.5. The Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriation Committee.
Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table:
Thank you. Next Order.
Hon. Ndindi, proceed to give Notice of Motion under Order No.6
Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, pursuant to the provisions of Article 113 (2) of the Constitution and Standing Order 150 (3) , this House adopts the Report of the Mediation Committee on the Division of Revenue (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.38 of 2024) , laid on the Table of the House on Monday, 25th November 2024, and approves the mediated version o…
Next Order.
We will start with Statements. Hon. Umulkher Harun, you may proceed.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection regarding the delay of the National Youth Council (NYC) elections. The NYC is a corporate body established through the National Youth Council Act Cap.132 and primarily acts as the official voice of the youth in…
It is against this background that I request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection on the following:
Are you not contradicting yourself? You are asking about the delayed elections and at the same time for the names of those who have been elected.
Hon. Speaker, an appointment was made last week.
Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a, this request is directed to your Committee.
I can give a response by Wednesday next week.
Okay. Next is the Deputy Speaker.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock regarding the pressing challenges facing the cereal sub-sector, particularly the wheat growing areas in Narok, Laikipia, Nakuru, Meru and Uasin Gishu counties. To an extent, this also affects the maize growing areas. The…
enforcement mechanisms leading to market disruptions and potential health risks to consumers. Furthermore, poor infrastructure for grain-handling including underutilised mobile dryers at the Government purchase centres are due to lack of supporting services. Most farmers are required to take their crops to a specific place to have it dried when many of them cannot afford the transportation. Final…
Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Hon. Mutunga, when can you bring a Statement? Hon. DK, what is it?
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to support what the Deputy Speaker has raised on the agony wheat farmers are going through, especially in the North Rift. Wheat production in Kenya has been going down because AFA, which is mandated to protect local production, no longer protects local production, but supports importers. Farmers end up selling wheat for less than Ksh5,000 per bag, nearly equivalent …
consideration by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to make sure that wheat farmers are protected and get value for their produce.
Hon. Mutunga, can you manage to bring the Statement next week?
It is possible to get the answers next week, Hon. Speaker. I believe they are all available.
Thursday morning?
Thursday morning, so be it. Let us move on to response to Statements. Hon. Mutunga, respond to a request for Statement by Hon. Dorice Donya. Is she in the House? She is not in the House. Response to her request is stayed. You can have it on the Order Paper on Wednesday afternoon. Hon. Brighton Yegon. Is he in the House? Hon. Mutunga, both are not here. I direct the Statements to come on Wednesday…
That will happen, Hon. Speaker.
Next Order.
Hold on Leader of the Majority Party for a minute. Before we execute the Motion, allow me to acknowledge, in the Speaker’s Gallery, Mzee Wamboka Khaoya, the father of the Member for Bumula, Hon. Jack Wamboka Wanami, accompanied by two people. He is visiting the House to have a first-hand view on what his son does and where he does it. On behalf of the House and on my own behalf, Mzee karibu sana k…
[(Applause)]
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Allow me to welcome Mzee Wamboka Wanami, the father of the Member for Bumula. I thank him for taking his time to come and see what his son is doing. It is, indeed, a great honour for a father, who is 90 years old, to come and witness first-hand what his son is doing in the House in service not just to the people of Bumula, but to the nation. We must take this opportunity t…
Jack Wamboka, who is not only serving the people of Bumula, but doing a great service to the nation of Kenya. Many times, Members of Parliament are referred to by people as “Mpigs”. It takes courageous men and women to ignore all the noise and support their Members of Parliament and their sons and daughters. That is why I take great exception to thank Mzee Wamboka for having the fortitude to not …
[(Loud consultations)]
Those kamukunjis are out of order.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker.
Order, Hon. Mbui and Hon. Kawaya. You may be required to carry out that animated discussion elsewhere. You are making it difficult for even the Hon. Speaker to follow the proceedings.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I was also very distracted because when they converse in the Kamba language, I only hear nesa nesa. Thank you for protecting me.
[(Laughter)]
did not know that there was a waiting period under the NHIF. You could not be on-boarded upon paying, and your bills would not be sorted out in hospitals until after six months. Under Taifa Care, the moment you register and then go to the means testing instrument and pay your premiums, you are immediately on-boarded, and you can begin enjoying medical care services. The same goes to those sufferi…
should be doing and must do about abductions. Abductions are not necessarily from Government agencies. We have seen, and I spoke here last week about the example of the criminal element arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) - and I thank them for the swift action - where young women were abducted from Eastleigh, tortured and murdered. The same character then abducted and kil…
through the clips to see what they said. They were defending the issue of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as an alternative way of implementing our capital projects. That has not changed. When the President appeared here, he indicated that he had received information from friendly partner states. That is the reason why he terminated the Adani deals. This is not to mean that we do not need a new…
You beg to move?
Yes, Hon. Speaker.
Hon. Members, the time now is 6.35