Senate · Afternoon Sitting
Thursday, 17 November 2022
Senators debated a Bill intended to formalise accounting and oversight of grants, loans and development partner funds to counties, praising its potential to improve transparency and accelerate Kshs32 billion in allocations. However, members raised strong objections to the inclusion of the Equalisation Fund, citing discriminatory allocation criteria and the fund’s lack of operationalisation, and called for clearer oversight mechanisms and investigations into delayed county projects. The discussion highlighted the need for robust reporting, impact assessments, and amendments to ensure equitable distribution and effective use of resources. Senator Ali Roba highlighted several shortcomings in the Additional Allocation Bill, notably the inappropriate bundling of the Equalisation Fund, the lack of provision for its administrative costs, and inconsistencies with conditional grant modalities. He also raised concerns about opaque contracts for leased medical equipment, delayed funding for county headquarters, and the evolving definition of marginalisation that affects fund allocation. The discussion called for legal clarification, better stakeholder engagement, and concrete reporting to address these gaps. Sen. Cheruiyot urged the privatization of public sugar mills to boost farmer earnings and challenged the view that sugar is a poor‑man's crop, while also pressing for the swift passage of the County Government Additional Allocation Bill, blaming Treasury delays for its hold‑up. The Senate debated procedural matters, with the Deputy Speaker guiding the reading of the Bill and other members seeking clarification. Overall, the session combined constructive proposals with criticism of administrative bottlenecks.
The numbers that we have do not make quorum to start the business of the day. Senate Majority Whip, make sure that we have the requisite numbers. Meanwhile, let the Quorum Bell be rung. We now have quorum. Let us now do some business. We have several Statement pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) . Let us start with the Statement by the Senator for Kisumu County, Sen. (Prof.) Tom Ojienda, SC. H…
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
I want to travel.
[(Laughter)]
Proceed.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise, pursuant to Standing Order 53 (1) , to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries regarding the massive death of cage fish in Lake Victoria, Kisumu County. In the Statement, the Committee should -
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the second Statement is on the sugarcane farming and the sugar industry within Kisumu County.
that will not be concluded from today’s Order Paper and any other business scheduled by the SBC. The Order Paper for Wednesday, 23rd November, 2022 and for Thursday, 24th November, 2022, will contain business that will not have been concluded in the previous day respectively as well as Petitions, Statements and any other business scheduled by the SBC. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in terms of legislative bu…
Senate Majority Leader, are you taking my position and giving it to the Deputy Clerk?
No, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I was referring to her. I have not given her any instructions.
No problem.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you get a copy of her Constitution, Article 110 (3) has begun to lose ink because of the number of times she has read it. This is at the heart of our operations. I am happy that this morning, we had a discussion between the Hon. Speaker of the Senate, the Hon. Speaker of the National Assembly and the team that is working on the concurrence process. It is my sincere hop…
Thank you, the Senate Majority Leader. Let us proceed to the next Order.
Hon. Senators, I have a Message from the National Assembly. The subject is the results of the Election of Members to the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) . Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 41 (1) of the Standing Orders of the National Assembly and Rule 19 of the EALA Election of Members Assembly Rule 201, I convey the following Message to the Senate. WHEREAS on Thursday, 17th …
The Azimio la Umoja one Kenya Alliance: Ali Fatuma Gedi, 138 votes; Bosire Timothy Moseti, 62 votes; Diriye Abdulahi Mohamed, 52 Votes; Kalonzo Kennedy Musyoka, 217 votes; Kega James Mathenge Kanini, 168 votes, Kioni Jeremiah Ng’ayu, 19 votes; Mugali Justus Kizito, 80 votes; Mutua Winfred Syonindi, 1 vote; Ms. Nakusa Beatrice Askul, 11 votes; Ndeti Hellen Mueni, 2 votes; Odinga Imgad Winnie, 212 v…
Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. Sorry for interrupting the process, but I had to do it because this is an important matter. For the record, I heard you say that you are giving the results to the Chief Serjeant-at-Arms to consolidate. I thought the Returning Officer for our purpose was the Clerk of the Senate.
Hon. Senators, I stand guided; the results were consolidated by the Clerk of the Senate. I now give the opportunity to the Clerk of the Senate to read out the consolidated results.
Nakusa Beatrice Askul, 12 votes; Ndeti Hellen Mueni, 2 votes; Odinga Imgad Winnie, 247 votes; and, Shahbal Suleiman Said, 181 votes.
Hon. Senators, in accordance with Section 19 (d) of the applicable rules, the returning officer in the National Assembly is the one to declare to be duly elected, Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) . She has already made that declaration.
Hon. Senators, there being no other Business on the Order Paper, the Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday, 22nd November, 2022 at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 7.52 p.m.