Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly, ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.

[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted with the Deputy Speaker)]

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

Clerk, we now have quorum, call out the first Order.

Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery this afternoon of a visiting delegation of the counsel members from the African Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliament. The delegation is attending the third meeting of the counsel of African Colloquium. The African Colloquium is an organisation that brings together legal counsel serving in Parliament in Africa bo…

The objectives of the colloquium are to provide a forum principally for interaction and interlinkage between legal counsel serving the parliaments of Legal Services and the capacity building. The Parliament of Kenya holds the secretariat of the Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments with the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Jeremiah Nyegenye, CBS, being the patron to the colloquium and Directo…

Sorry, we apologise for that hitch in the system. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I take this opportunity to welcome my colleagues in law of the Colloquium of Legal Counsel in parliaments across the continent. I have heard of a brother from Uganda; our neighbour, Libya, Sierra Leone and Ghana and as you know, I am the Senate's permanent representative to the Parliament of Eswatini. So, I want to take thi…

[(Laughter)]

honorary title. I challenge anybody challenging me in that position to rise up and stake their claim. Welcome to Kenya. I am sure you followed the debates about what has happened in the African Union (AU). We thank your countries for the support that you accorded Kenya in that election. We hope that we can make our relationships as African brothers and sisters even closer. I am the Senator for N…

Thank you, Senator, representing the Capital City of Nairobi.

Asante, Bw. Naibu Spika, kwa kunipa fursa hii. Kwanza kabisa, nachukua fursa hii kuwakaribisha wanafunzi wanaosomea matibabu na mhadhiri wao. Jambo la kwanza, nachukua fursa hii kumshukuru Naibu Spika wetu kwa sababu aliona manufaa ya kuanzisha masomo ya matibabu na akaanzisha chuo hiki. Ni vizuri wameweza kutembea hapa siku ya leo ili waweze kuona vile majadiliano yanafanywa katika Seneti. Nawa…

Ningependa kuwaambia kwamba, mtie masomo mbele na muendelee na hii kazi nzuri ambayo mnafanya. Hata ingawa mnasomea matibabu, nawajulisha kwamba mnaweza kuwa viongozi kama wale walio hapa. Kama vile Naibu Spika alifanya, alitaka muwe na maono na mawazo mazuri ya kuwatibu Wakenya wote. Nawatakia mema mkiwa hapa mkiona vile mjadala unaendelea katika Seneti hii. Mkirudi nyumbani, Meru, mseme hata si…

Thank you, Sen. Kinyua. Sen. Okiya Omtatah, resume your seat, I want to address you.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, sir, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the Senate, today, Thursday, 20th February, 2025- Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of the County Executive of Laikipia for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of the County Assembly of Laikipia for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Auditor…

There is another Paper to be laid by Sen. Hamida Kibwana, MP. Has anybody been given that assignment to do? Sen. Oketch?

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of Sen. Hamida Kibwana, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of the Senate today, Thursday, 20th February, 2025- Report of the Senate Delegation to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2024 on Sustainable Development in New York, United States of America, from 8th to 17th July 2024. Thank you. Next Order. There is a Notice of Motion to be given by the…

[(Sen. Oketch Gicheru laid the document on the Table)]

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to give Notice of your Motion, the Motion being reports of the 63rd and 64th sessions of the OACPS Parliamentary Assembly and the 43rd and 1st sessions of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly meetings held in Brussels, Belgium and Luanda, Angola respectively. THAT, the Senate notes the Reports of-

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to give Notice of the following Motion- THAT, the Senate notes the Report of the 9th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 15th to 17th September, 2023 laid on the Table of the Senate on Tuesday, 5th March, 2024.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. On behalf of Sen. Ali Roba, I beg to give Notice for the following Motion- THAT, the Senate notes the report of the 14th Ordinary Session of the Plenary Assembly and Related Meetings of the Forum of Parliaments of the International Conference of the Great Lakes region, held in Livingstone, Zambia, from 15th to 19th April, 2024 laid on the Table of the Senate on…

Thank you once again, Mr. Deputy Sir. This is a Notice of Motion on the Report of the Senate delegation to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2024 on sustainable development. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of Sen. Hamida Kibwana, I beg to give Notice of the following Motion- THAT, the Senate notes the Report of the Senate Delegation to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2024 on sustain…

However, you have laid that Paper today not Wednesday. Today is Thursday. It should be: Laid on the Table of the House today, 20th February, 2025. I think there is an error in that Notice.

My apology. May it be on record that it was laid today, Thursday, 20th February, 2025.

Very well. There is another Notice of Motion by Sen. Veronica Maina and another one by Sen. M. Kajwang’. Sen. Eddy Oketch, you can do both.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Sir. This is a Notice of Motion on the report of the Parliamentary Delegation to the 2024 Joint United Nations - Inter- Parliamentary Union Parliamentary hearing held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America from 8th to 9th February, 2024. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of Sen. Veronica Maina, I beg to give Notice of the following Motion- …

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of Sen. Moses Kajwang’, I beg to give Notice of the following Motion- THAT, the Senate notes the Report of the Proceedings of the Parliamentarians’ Dialogue at the Africa Climate Summit, 2023 held in the National Assembly Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, on 3rd - 6th September, 2023, laid on the Table of the Senate on Wednesday, 2nd October, 2024. Thank …

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) to make a Statement on a matter of countywide concern namely, the troubling events that transpired during H.E the President’s recent visit to Isiolo County on Thursday, 6th February, 2025 and the broader deterioration of governance and security in the county.

The chaos and disorder witnessed during the Presidential visit were not merely spontaneous occurrences, but rather the culmination of systemic failures in security governance and administration exacerbated by deliberate action of certain county officials. These issues demand immediate national attention. First, I must address the glaring security lapses that characterized the visit. The security …

abuse of power has created an environment of fear where citizens are hesitant to exercise their democratic rights further deepening the governance crisis in Isiolo County. The Isiolo County leadership has also orchestrated an artificial show of public support through a coordinated deception campaign in individuals, both elderly and youth, who are on the county payroll and are routinely paraded be…

Senate oversight functions and intimidate those holding the county government accountable. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, given the gravity of these matters, I stand before the Senate to request you to direct that-

Thank you. Sen Dullo, in your Statement, you have tasked me to do some work and to contact the EACC to do a security overhaul. I direct that once it is constituted, the Senate Committee on National Security, Defense and Foreign Relations will engage that Statement to see how we can assist Isiolo County. It will be their pending work.

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Yes, Sen. Cherarkey.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you have answered me partly, but I needed your direction Under Standing Order No.1. Now that there is ongoing reconstitution on the Committee, can you direct that since this matter of security is urgent and important, the Liaison Committee handles it for the time being? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with your indulgence you can do that under Standing Order No.1 because the rec…

Sen. Cherarkey, you know that the Liaison Committee is composed of chairpersons of committees. If you have not elected chairpersons in your respective committees, then there is no Liaison Committee. Of course, I am the Chairperson of the Senate Liaison, and we are not meeting because we have no members. You must give me members from the committee. Senator for Nairobi City County, proceed.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are Members of that committee, and whatever directive you will make, we will abide. For your information, we have elections to get the chairperson and the vice-chairperson on Tuesday next week. By the end of the day Tuesday, the committee will be in place with the leadership. There is no reason not to commit any business to us.

Thank you.

Sen. Sifuna, you seem to have come with a lot of energy to that Committee. I think it will be one of the best.

[(Laughter)]

Mr. Deputy 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 regarding the persistent clashes between the Kuria and Maa communities along the border of Migori and Narok counties at Guitembe in Migori county side and Angata Barikoi in Narok county side. In the Statement, the committee should…

Proceed, Sen. Tobiko.

Mr. Deputy 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 regarding rising rape cases in Magadi Area, Kajiado West Sub County in Kajiado County, attributed to a suspect going by the name Lorgali. In the statement, the committee should-

Next is Sen. Hamida Kibwana.

I have two statements on health matters. The first one is on mental health and work conditions of medical interns. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Health regarding the tragic death by suicide of Frances Njuki, medical intern at Thika Level 5 Hospital in November, 2024. The incident came just two months after t…

My second Statement concerns the agreements for supply and lease of medical equipment to county public health facilities. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Health regarding the viability of agreements entered into by the Ministry of Health and county governments under the National Equipment Support Programme (NE…

Next is the statement under Standing Order No.57 (1) by the Senate Majority Leader.

Sorry, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I was consulting. I rise to make this statement pursuant to Standing Order No.57 (1) . Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the legislative business pending before the Senate is as follows- We have 53 Bills, of which 41 are at the Second Reading and 12 are at the Committee of the Whole. Nineteen Motions are pending conclusion; 24 Petitions are pending conclusion out of which …

I, therefore, request the party Whips to mobilize the prerequisite number of county delegations for the voting to be undertaken. I also request hon. Senators to remain in the House for the same purpose. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on Tuesday, 25th of February, 2025, the Senate Business Committee (SBC) will meet to consider the businesses for the week. The tentative business for that day will include…

Hon. Senators I can see a few Senators lined up for comments. Let me put the question under Order No.8 then we come back to the comments. Next Order.

[(Interruption of debate on Statements)]

Thank you, Mr. Deputy 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 regarding the mysterious murders and disappearance of residents of Nakuru County. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Thank you. Hon. Senators, from Order No.9, the Mover is not around, then Order Nos. 10, 11 and 12 are Divisions. We do have not much to do that. Orders from Nos. 13 to 22, also the owners of the Bills and Motions are not in the House. Therefore, that will be the end of our business today.

Second Reading

Wote Water, Sanitation and Sewerage Service Companies laid on the table of the Senate on Wednesday, 2nd October, 2024. (Motion deferred)