Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Clerk, can you determine if we have quorum please? Kindly ring Division Bell for three minutes.

[(The Division Bell was rung)]

2018/2019. Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statement of Wajir County Disaster Management Fund for the year ended 30th June, 2019. Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statement of Wajir County Bursary Fund for the year ended 30th June, 2019. Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statement of Samburu County Executive Staff Mortgage Scheme Fund for the year ended…

Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery, this afternoon, a visiting delegation of clergy from Nyandarua County, who are in the Senate on a courtesy call. Hon. Senators, I request the delegation to stand so that they may be acknowledged in the Senate tradition.

[(The delegation stood in their place)]

[(Applause)]

Hon. Senators, again, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Public Gallery, this afternoon, of a visiting delegation of businessmen from India and the Democratic Republic of Congo, who are in the Senate on a courtesy call. Hon. Senators, on behalf of the Senate and my own behalf, I extend a warm welcome and wish them a fruitful visit. Thank you.

[(Applause)]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. It is the Senate Majority Leader who advised me to be contributing from the dispatch box. I do not know why he is changing his mind today. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to join my fellow Senators and yourself, in welcoming the clergy from Nyandarua County who are here. They had come to pray with me. With them, is my own spiritual leader, Bishop (Dr.) Joseph Macharia,…

Some of us might think that we are overdoing it. We are not overdoing it. We are here because of the grace of God and the fact that He allowed us to be here. It is not that the rest were not prayerful, our journey was just more difficult I thank them and thank you, for allowing them to be here. Since they prayed for me to come here, I wanted them to come and see where they brought me. Thank you,…

Sen. Kibwana, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I extend a warm welcome to our friends and investors who have come to Kenya and decided to pay a courtesy call to this Senate. I welcome them. Kenya is a beautiful country. They are all welcomed to invest in different sectors. We have Senators from different counties in here. I also wish to ask them to travel to different counties to explore different investments. Ken…

Next Order, please.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) , to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries regarding the state of rice farming in Kisumu County. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Can we hear from Sen. Sigei? Okay, we will hear from Sen. Kibwana.

Mr. Speaker Sir, I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) , to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget on austerity measures imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on developing countries including Kenya. In the Statement, the Committee should: -

Mr. Speaker Sir, I rise, Pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) , to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation, and Housing regarding the need to redesign a section of the road on the Nithi Bridge on the Meru- Nairobi Highway and the construction of a modern bridge. In the Statement, the Committee should: -

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to commend and support the Statement by the Deputy Speaker. What the Hon. Member is raising is a problem which is extreme in our country. The Committee in charge of transportation should go beyond what has been raised. We have lost many lives and there are specific hot spots in our roads. If we ask every Senator here to mention the hotspots in their areas, they will mentio…

Proceed, Sen. Mandago.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I support the Statement by the Senator for Meru on that bridge. I had the opportunity to travel that route when I was a public servant. I realized that the accidents that occur on that bridge are attributed to the design of that road and not the carelessness of the drivers. There is no way you can have a “Z” kind of turning on a bridge, on a descending hill and expect the drivers…

design. Other than taking immediate remedial measures of redesigning and constructing the bridge, the responsible engineers who designed those roads should be held to account. I am sure that in their professional ethics, safety is paramount in the design of our roads. Therefore, they should take seriously the matters of design so that we do not lose lives as a result of design errors.

Sen. Munyi Mundigi, proceed to read your Statement.

Hon. Senators, in the Public Gallery, we have students from Alliance High School, the school I went to, and they are accompanied by their teachers who are in the Senate on an educational tour. In our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming visitors to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome to them, and on behalf of the Senate and my own behalf, wish them a fruitful visit.

Hon. Senators, also in the Public Gallery, we have 40 pupils from River Bank PEFA South B Academy, accompanied by three teachers, who are in the Senate on an education tour. In our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming visitors to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome to them, and on behalf of the Senate wish them a fruitful visit. I thank you.

[(Applause)]

I will allow one Senator to welcome the guests. Proceed, Sen. Methu.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am sure the Deputy Speaker is comfortable now that I am speaking next to him. On behalf of Senators here, I rise to welcome the pupils from River Bank PEFA South B Academy and the students from Alliance High School, that the Speaker attended. As I welcome them, especially the students from Alliance High School, I would like to remind them that all of us here used to work hard …

Let us now have Sen. Osotsi.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations on the rising cases of insecurity in Vihiga County. In the Statement the committee should–

Sen. Ali Roba, proceed. The next Statement is Business for the coming week and any Member of the Senate Business Committee (SBC)

can deliver it. Sen. Madzayo, read the Statement. As a Member of the SBC, you can go ahead. (The Speaker consulted the Clerk-at-the-table).

It is Madam Temporary Speaker. The Senate Minority Leader (Sen. Madzayo) : Madam Temporary Speaker, I apologise profusely.

Proceed. The Senate Minority Leader (Sen. Madzayo) : Madam Temporary Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No. 57 (1) , I hereby present the business of the Senate for the week commencing Tuesday, 15th November, 2022. Before I proceed with the Statement, allow me to take this opportunity to welcome Hon. Senators back from the short recess. I trust that they benefited from the induction programmes t…

Much concern has been expressed on the Floor of this House on processing of Bills by Standing Committees. Further, concern has been expressed on the need to expeditiously consider and conclude on the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill. I, therefore, urge all Standing Committees to observe the requirements of Standing Order No. 148 and to table reports within the set timelines. More sp…

Next Order.

Much concern has been expressed on the Floor of this House on processing of Bills by Standing Committees. Further, concern has been expressed on the need to expeditiously consider and conclude on the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill. I, therefore, urge all Standing Committees to observe the requirements of Standing Order No. 148 and to table reports within the set timelines. More sp…

Next Order.

enable mothers go safely through pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period which should include the integration of mental health in perinatal care as recommended by the National Mental Health Taskforce in its “Mental Health and Wellbeing towards Happiness and National Prosperity” report; NOW THEREFORE, the Senate urges the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Council of Governors to…

Hon. Senators, we now resume debate on this Motion which was interrupted on Tuesday 8th November, 2022. As at the rise of the House, Sen. Chimera, was contributing to the debate and has a balance of 14 minutes. Do we have Sen. Chimera here? I welcome contributions by other Members. Sen. Okenyuri, proceed.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I would like to first congratulate the Mover of the Motion for a well thought out Motion. Sexual reproductive health and rights is a matter I hold dear to my heart. Access to this right was adopted in Cairo in 1994 under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) number five on maternal healthcare. Twenty-eight years down the line, we are still battling with issue…

You can imagine an environment where women who have given birth successfully are celebrating, while those who have had miscarriages have to go home sad because they have nothing to go home with. It is very ironical. I can equate that scenario to having a wedding and a funeral in the same compound. Are we celebrating or mourning? I can only imagine the trauma that the women who lose their pregnanci…

Sen. Wakili Sigei, you have the Floor.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I rise to support the Motion by Sen. Kibwana on this important issue. Statistics have shown us that there is a very huge gap in maternal healthcare in Kenya. According to the finding of the 2019 UN Task Force, Kenya, has a very huge gap in terms of maternal healthcare. It is timely that such a Motion is placed before the House. I wish to encourage the Members that in as …

another mother seated or sleeping next to her is mourning the loss of her new-born. It is not an easy experience. It is not something that you would like to have an extended experience in. I ask our county governments to ensure that we have separate wings or beds where they can manage the victims of such situations. That is extremely important. The investment in maternal health sector cannot be g…

Sen. Shakila Abdalla, you have the Floor

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to support this Motion that is before the House. I congratulate Sen. Kibwana for this timely Motion. Kenya is suffering because Kenyans are going through a lot. Such issues affect the mental health status of many Kenyans; a majority of whom are quiet and suffering in silence. Mental health for mothers is a very important issue, wh…

If our hospitals including those in the counties can be improved, they will serve a good deal to the patients suffering mentally. It is high time we accept as a country that mental illness is here with us. We need to face and deal with it accordingly.

Thank you Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support the Motion on Promotion of Mental Health Facilities for Mothers by Sen. Hamida. I am proud of her for bringing this Motion at this particular time. The issue of mothers is very important. Health issues are sensitive and fundamental. Every Kenyan needs good medical and health services. As a mother, motherhood is godly. It is a blessing and natur…

Hon. Members, I have a Message from the Speaker of the National Assembly to the Senate on the approval of a Member of Parliament for appointment to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) .

“Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.41 (1) of the National Assembly Standing Orders, I hereby convey the following Message from the National Assembly: - WHEREAS, the National Assembly, by a resolution passed on Tuesday, 8th November, 2022, approved a Motion on the appointment of seven Members to the Parliamentary Service Commission; AND FURTHER, WHEREAS the Senate on Wednesday, 9th …

Hon. Members, I have a Message from the Speaker of the National Assembly to the Senate on the approval of a Member of Parliament for appointment to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) .

“Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.41 (1) of the National Assembly Standing Orders, I hereby convey the following Message from the National Assembly: - WHEREAS, the National Assembly, by a resolution passed on Tuesday, 8th November, 2022, approved a Motion on the appointment of seven Members to the Parliamentary Service Commission; AND FURTHER, WHEREAS the Senate on Wednesday, 9th …

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me this chance. I thank Sen. Kibwana for bringing this Statement on the Floor. Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a mood disorder affecting women after delivery. PPD in Africa is estimated to be about 10 to 28 per cent, while locally in Kenya, it is about 10.6 to 13.5 per cent. The feeling of this depression is more intense and lasts longer than those o…

Hon. Senators, pursuant to Standing Order No.84 (2) , this Motion does not concern counties. I will, therefore, proceed to put the question.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

I now call upon the Mover to reply.

Hon. Senators, there being no other business on the Order Paper, the Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday, 15th November, 2022, at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 5.08 p.m.

Hon. Senators, pursuant to Standing Order No.84 (2) , this Motion does not concern counties. I will, therefore, proceed to put the question.

[(Question put and agreed to)]