National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting

National Assembly caucus is spearheading the Global Tuberculosis Caucus - 4th African TB Summit 2023. Hon. Members, on my own behalf and that of the National Assembly, I welcome the delegation to Parliament and wish them fruitful engagements during their stay in the country. It is important to note that from the World Health Organisation (WHO) sources, TB is the most resurgent disease today rava…

Hon. Kipchumba, do you have a Petition to present?

Yes. Thank you, Hon. Speaker for giving me this opportunity to prosecute this Petition on the Floor of this House. I rise pursuant to Article 119 of the Constitution and Standing Order 219 to raise a Petition regarding deregistration and dismissal of Mr. Joseph Kimeli Chebii by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) . On behalf of Mr. Kimeli Chebii, a resident of Marakwet West, where I come from, I…

THAT, the deregistration and dismissal constituted grave injustice since the TSC did not properly investigate the allegations levelled against him, and arrived at its decision solely on hearsay; THAT, the complainant in the defilement case gave birth to a child whom she claimed as belonging to Mr. Chebii, but the resultant DNA test turned negative as contained in the Government’s Chemist’s letter…

Order, Hon. Timothy. You are going beyond what the Standing Orders allow you. You present the Petition as given to you by your constituent. The only forum you may have is going to the Public Petitions Committee and help your friend, client or constituent, in prosecuting the Petition. Hon. Members, that Petition stands committed to the Public Petitions Committee under Standing Order 227. Next Ord…

The Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to lay the following papers on the Table:

Chairperson of the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee, Hon. Gideon Mulyungi.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table:

Thank you. Next is the Chairperson of the Public Petitions Committee.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: Reports of the Public Petitions Committee on its consideration of the following Petitions:

Next Order.

Chairperson of the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee, Hon. Mulyungi Gideon.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Decentralised Funds

Thank you, Hon. Mulyungi. Next Order. Sorry, Hon. Rozaah Buyu.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order 33 (1) , I seek leave for the adjournment of the House for purposes of discussing a definite matter of urgent national importance regarding reported police brutality in various parts of the country. Hon. Speaker, Article 37 of the Constitution provides for the right of every person to assemble, demonstrate and picket. Additionally, the Constitut…

Hon. Rozaah Buyu, do you have the requisite numbers to support you? The support is overwhelming. You may take your seats.

[(Several Members stood in their places)]

[(Loud consultations)]

Hon. Rozaah Buyu, you will be allocated time to move your Motion after the debate at Order No.9. That will depend on how things go. But when that Order is called, we will allocate it one hour. After the one hour, you can then move your Motion.

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Ruku.

Hon. Speaker, I thank you. I think the Motion is defective because the Mover has not quoted the Constitution properly. The Constitution says that the public has the right to, peacefully and unarmed, demonstrate and picket.

[(Some Members spoke off the record)]

He is on a point of order!

I repeat: peacefully and unarmed. She has not quoted that part of Article 37 of the Constitution.

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, Hon. Members! I am sure you know very well that when a Member is on a point of order, you cannot rise on another point of order. When he has finished, then you can claim a point of order. Hon. Ruku is on a point of order.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for protecting me. What I am saying is the fact that Article 37 of the Constitution gives us two conditions for us to be able to demonstrate, picket, present petitions to public authorities and to assemble. We must do that in an unarmed and peaceful manner. The Mover of the Motion has not quoted Article 37 of the Constitution the way it is supposed to be. That Motion is de…

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, Hon. Members! Order! I do not see what is agitating you. He has risen on a point of order to draw the Hon. Speaker’s attention to what he thinks is a defect in the Motion. Leave that to the Speaker to deal with. The Motion came to my office, I read through and was satisfied that it is a proper Motion. As such, I approved it. That is why it is before the House.

[(Applause)]

Hon. Speaker, I have no issue whatsoever about the character of the Motion. I just want to request you that in accordance with the traditions and rules, easy traditions if I may say so, be kind enough to give us a specific time for the debate on this Motion rather than leaving it open in the manner you have implied.

I think I have been very specific, Hon Wandayi. The next order is a question to be put. I directed that Order No.9 be debated for a maximum one hour. If it ends earlier, this Motion will start earlier, but we will give it one hour. Thereafter, the Motion will come. It cannot be any more definite than that.

[(Laughter)]

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. We are all well guided and we respect your ruling. There is a practice that now needs to be called out. When Members want to debate, they stand on a point of order. They forget that Standing Order 107 (1) (b) makes it a disorderly conduct to knowingly raise a false point of order. I urge that in such cases, it is not enough to let the Member finish and sit down. That is wa…

Hon. Otiende Amollo, I know that we can rigidly apply the Standing Orders as you say. I also know that we need some comic relief in the House at certain times.

[(Laughter)]

On a point of order for comic relief.

Not allowed.

[(Laughter)]

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise pursuant to Standing Order 259D (2) (b) to notify the House of the great achievements in the past few weeks of Ms. Faith Kipyegon and Mr. Ferdinand Omanyala. I take note that Ms. Faith Kipyegon is a resident of Elgeyo Marakwet County. Therefore, I wish to recognise her. In the past month, Ms. Faith Kipyegon— a world-renowned Kenyan athlete— participated in various …

These exceptional achievements ought to be celebrated by all Kenyans. Ms. Kipyegon has previously won both the Olympic and World Athletics Championships in 1,500 metres titles. She is an iconic athlete who ought to be emulated by our youth and all. We wholeheartedly congratulate her for this iconic achievement. Hongera Dada Kipyegon. Kongoi Faith!

[(Applause)]

[(Applause)]

Thank you, Hon. Ng’elechei. Indeed, the two athletes and many others whom you have mentioned join the long array of great Kenyans. They confirm what Mr. Eliud Kipchoge said that no human is limited. Next Order.

We want to pay tribute.

Do you want to pay tribute?

Yes.

Hon. Nguna.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to congratulate our athletes for the exemplary performance internationally. I am a serious and passionate sportsman. I have never seen anyone breaking world records in three consecutive races. Congratulations to Ms. Faith Kipyegon for that exemplary performance. Mr. Ferdinand Omanyala became the first Kenyan man to win a 100-metre race in th…

Thank you, Hon. Nguna. Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I take this opportunity to thank Hon. Ng’elechei for thinking of paying tribute or congratulating Ms. Faith, who has done marvelously for this country. Her achievements in the last few months of breaking three world records together with Mr. Omanyala is no mean feat. We congratulate and thank her for raising our flag very high. Internationally, it looked like there was not…

[(Laughter)]

[(Laughter)]

Go ahead and issue your Thursday’s Statement.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. On the usual Thursday statement, on behalf of the House Business Committee (HBC) , and pursuant to Standing Order 442 (a) , I wish to give the following Statement that on Tuesday 25th July, 2023 the HBC met for the consideration of the business for the week. I wish to officially welcome Members from the short recess. I hope we have all come back reinvigorated and ready to…

With regard to the business for Tuesday, next week the House is expected to continue with Second Reading of the following Bills should they not be concluded today:

[(Loud consultations)]

[(Laughter)]

Order, Hon. Wanjiku Muhia and your team. Maintain silence and order.

The Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development will respond to the following:

Allow me to congratulate Hon. Oki Kaunya and Hon. Abdul Haro. These two Members have been very keen in utilising Standing Order 42 (a)(5)(6) in putting questions before Cabinet Secretaries frequently. Hon. Kaunya being a seasoned Member has sat through question time. I encourage other Members to put in your questions to be answered by these Cabinet Secretaries so that you hold them accountable

Thank you, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah. Next Order.

Hon. Members, before I go to the next order, allow me to acknowledge the following schools in the Public Gallery: Koibatek Primary School, Eldama Ravine Constituency, Baringo County; Ntumu Primary School, Maara Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County; Nzauni Secondary School, Mwingi West Constituency, Kitui County; Kiandu Primary School, Tetu Constituency, Nyeri County and in the Speaker’s Gallery: Kil…

Who was on the Floor at the time of the rise of the House? Yes, Hon. Junet.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me a chance to say something. I stand under Standing Order No.95. Will I be in order to ask the Mover to be called upon to reply? The Question should be put to the House to decide.

[(Laughter)]

What are you seconding?

Hon. Speaker, you know there are always new developments in the House. Ordinarily, it is not seconded but this is a very important matter raised by Hon. Junet. He normally does not sit in the House. So, I am seconding this one.

There was no requirement to second. Is that the mood of the House?

Yes.

Are there Members who still want to contribute to this Bill? Okay, if that is the mood of the House, I will put the question. Mover.

[(Question, that the Mover be now called upon to reply, put and agreed to)]

Thank you Hon. Speaker. Let me thank the Minority Whip because I am sure in as much as he was not in the House, he was watching the number of people who contributed to this debate. We still have another chance to debate during the Third Reading because this Bill concerns counties and will head to the Senate. We will allow Senators time to debate and send it back to us for concurrence. Allow me to …

Hon. Members, I now put the question.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

[(The Bill was read a Second Time and committed to the Committee of the whole House)]

Hon. Members, I gave direction that at the end of Order No.9, we will go to the Motion of Adjournment. Before I call the Mover to move the Motion, the House must be guided. One, you debate this Motion and at the end there is no vote. So, this is an issue you debate soberly. It is arising out of a very tight situation in our country. I encourage each one who will contribute to avoid raising unneces…

So, I urge you Members and the substantive Speaker will be very firm as you debate and will not tolerate shouting at each other across the aisle. If a Member says something you are uncomfortable with, you will be given an opportunity to counter with another argument, other than shouting at each other. Hon. Rozaah Buyu you may now move your Motion.