Senate · Afternoon Sitting
Thursday, 13 April 2023
Senator Cheruiyot highlighted procedural matters, urging committees to expedite petitions and statements and reminding Senators of the new question‑filing timelines. He moved for the second reading of the Division of Revenue Bill, outlining its constitutional basis for equitable revenue sharing, and emphasized the importance of upcoming security and financial‑integrity training. The Speaker deferred certain statements to allow compliance with standing‑order timelines. Senators Osotsi and Kathuri criticised the limited resources and weak oversight capacity of the Senate, arguing that this hampers effective devolution. They called for stronger funding, timely release of county allocations, and the empowerment of the Controller of Budget, Auditor‑General and EACC, including establishing OAG offices in every county. Additional concerns were raised about the mismanagement of the Equalisation Fund and the inadequate delivery of library and ICT services at the county level. Senators debated the proposed revenue allocation and public debt management, warning against fiscal missteps that could lead Kenya toward bankruptcy and urging transparent, fact‑based budgeting. The discussion also highlighted shortcomings in agricultural support, health‑sector equipment delivery, and the need for devolution to improve service delivery, reflecting both constructive proposals and criticism of current policies.
Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-At-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for ten minutes. Clerk, do we have quorum now? Hon. Senators, kindly take your seats. It has now been established that we have the requisite quorum. Clerk, kindly proceed to call the first Order. Next Order.
[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted the Speaker)]
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the Senate today, 13th April, 2023: Report of the Auditor-General on the irregular payment of conference facility and Daily Subsistence Allowances (DSA) in Homa Bay County Assembly. Report of the Auditor-General on the financial statement of the Laikipia County Executive State and Public Officers Car Loan and Mortgage Scheme for…
Report of the Auditor-General on the financial statement of the Laikipia County Revenue Board for the year ended 30th June, 2022. Report of the Auditor-General on the financial statement of the Laikipia County Emergency Fund for the year ended 30th, June, 2022. Report of the Auditor-General on the financial statement of the Laikipia County Enterprise Fund for the year ended` 30th June, 2022. Re…
The Chairperson, Standing Committee on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) , you have a Paper to lay. You can proceed to take the Floor.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I assure the House that I will be very brief. If it was my wish, I would have just sent a link or a Quick Response (QR) code for the Members. However, I know some people like my friend, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, will have problems reading.
[(Loud consultations)]
Sen. Chesang, if you are making your Statement under Standing Order No.56, we will get there.
Pardon, Mr. Speaker, Sir?
I thought you had a Paper to lay according to the business.
No, Mr. Speaker, Sir.
If you are making a Statement as the Chairperson of a Standing Committee under Standing Order No.56, we are yet to get there.
Okay, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Thank you.
So, you may now proceed to lay the Paper; not to make a Statement.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of the Senate today 13th April, 2023: Report of the Standing Committee on Information, Communication and Technology on its consideration of the County Printer Bill (Senate Bills No. 10 of 2022) .
[(Sen. Chesang laid the document on the Table)]
Next Order. Hon. Senators, kindly take your seats.
[(Several Senators stood at the Bar)]
[(Hon. Senators entered the Chamber)]
Hon. Senators, I need to make a Communication.
[(Loud consultations)]
Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery this afternoon of Sen. Tony Nkosikhona Sibandze from the Parliament of the Kingdom of Eswatini. Sen. Tony Nkosikhona Sibandze is the Chairperson of the Finance Portfolio Committee and the Chairperson of Eswatini’s Disciplinary Tribunal on Contraventions by Parastatals under the Public Enterprise Unit.
He is also a Member of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) and a Rapporteur of the Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs. He is in the Senate as a guest of the Senator for Tana River County, Sen. Danson Mungatana, MP. The Senator is making a second visit to Kenya as the head of delegation to the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), which has over 25 countries in the co…
[(Applause)]
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I wish to join you in welcoming a fellow Senator, very highly respected man in the Kingdom of Eswatini to this Chamber and to this country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, theirs is a kingdom and their protocols are very stiff. However, he is a man of great standing in their country and he is highly respected. In fact, during the opening of their Parliament whenever the King and th…
[(Sen. Cherarkey and Sen. Tabitha Keroche consulted loudly)]
Sen. Cherargei and Sen. Tabitha Keroche, this is the second time you are out of order. The third time, you know exactly what will befall you. Kindly take note.
Hon. Senators, I have another communication to make. In the Public Gallery, we have 34 students, accompanied by two teachers from Acacia Academy in Kitengela, Kajiado County, who are in the Senate on an educational tour.
Hon. Senators, in our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming visitors to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome to them. On behalf of the Senate and on my own behalf, wish them a fruitful visit. I will call upon the Senator for Kajiado County to make very brief welcoming remarks.
[(Applause)]
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I wish to join you in welcoming the students from Acacia Academy in Kitengela. As you are aware, you are in the Senate where I serve as a Senator for Kajiado County. My colleague, Sen. Tobiko, happens to be a Member of Parliament (MP) in the previous Parliament is also a nominated Senator in this 13th Parliament. I welcome you to the Senate to learn more about this Ho…
Let us move to Statements pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) . Sen. Wambua, proceed.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on the legal structure and operations of the National Fund for the Disabled of Kenya (NFDK) . In the Statement, the Committee should-
Sen. Crystal Asige, please, proceed.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Statement by Sen. Mbugua. I thank him for bringing, for the first time, a discussion about the NFDK. The NFDK is an endowment Fund established under the Trustees Act. The mandate of the Fund is to enhance social and economic empowerment of the PWD in Kenya. They provide financial grants to institutions of up to Kshs300,000 towards infrastructural developmen…
a needy PWD graduate benefit from this Fund considering the limited vocational tools of trade provided? In conclusion, we are in the digital era and it is important for the Fund to indicate the steps they are taking to ensure they are progressive. Technology is a saving grace for the PWD. We have far more to gain from the use of technology than the non-disabled do. Using myself as an example, as…
The next Statement by Sen. Onyonka has been deferred.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, this afternoon, I have three Statements on different issues. I will start with the first Statement.
Next Statement by Sen. Cherarkey.
Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the Division bell for five minutes
[(Division bell was rung)]
Serjeant-at-Arms, close the door and draw the Bar. Hon. Senators, kindly log in before I put the question. I believe we are all logged in. I will now proceed to put the question. Bill (Senate Bills No.6 of 2022) be now read a Second Time, put and the Senate proceeded to vote by County Delegations) Hon. Senators, kindly, proceed to cast your vote electronically. Hon. Senators, we will get to …
[(The Door was closed and the Bar drawn)]
[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted the Speaker)]
[(Question, that the Natural Resources (Benefit Sharing)]
[(Voting in progress)]
[(Voting in progress)]
(Division) (Question, that the County Vocational Education and Training Bill (Senate Bills No.3 of 2022) be now read a Second time, put and the Senate proceeded to vote by County Delegations)
Kindly, proceed to vote electronically. Hon. Senators, we move to the third Order. I proceed to put the question that the Bill now read a Second Time. Kindly proceed to vote.
[(Voting in progress)]
[(The Senators proceeded to vote)]
Hon. Senators the results of the division are as follows;
Hon. Senators, the results of the division are as follows -
I now direct the Bar be undrawn and the doors opened.
[(The Bar was undrawn and the doors opened)]
Hon. Senators, we shall now proceed to Statements pursuant to Standing Order No. 56 (1) . We have four Statements in that regard, and one Statement by the Senate Majority Leader. I now call upon the Senate Majority Leader to make his Statement. Thereafter, the four Chairpersons of the Standing Committees listed in the Order Paper should be ready to make their Statements as briefly as possible. Th…
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Pursuant to Standing Order No. 57 (1) , I hereby present to the Senate the business of the House for the week commencing Tuesday, 18th April 2023. Before I proceed with the Statement, allow me to take this opportunity to welcome hon. Senators back from the short recess. At a meeting of the Senate Business Committee (SBC) held on 11th April 2023, the Committee observed…
The Committee recommended stringent measures to be taken by the Chairpersons, including strict adherence to the timelines provided for in the Standing Orders concerning Statements, Petitions, and Questions. This will ensure that there is adequate time for debate on Bills and Motions. In addition, the Committee also recommended that Movers of business who are not in the Chamber when their business…
I am acutely aware that many of these are because they have statutory timelines that they have to observe, either Budget Policy Statement (BPS) within 14 days, and the like. Nonetheless, we celebrate the good work and effort of this Committee. With respect to Petitions, the Senate has received 12 Petitions that have been committed to respective Standing Committees pursuant to Standing Order No. 2…
avail themselves for that training. I know there is very crucial information that will be passed to Senators on generally your well-being as a human being, as Members of Parliament (MP) and, of course, many things from our intelligence service and financial reporting center. Over the years, with no exception of course except for this term of Parliament, we have had colleagues who have run into pr…
Hon. Senators, for the convenience of the Senate and pursuant to Standing Order No. 45 (2) , the Statements by the Chairpersons of Standing Committees that were to be made under Standing Order No. 56 (1) (b) are hereby deferred to Tuesday next week so that we can prosecute Order No.12 which has some timelines. So, Clerk, kindly call that order.
Next Order.
Hon. Senators, it is now 6.30 p.m., time to adjourn the House. The Senate, therefore, stands adjourned until Tuesday, 18th April, 2023 at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 6.30 p.m.