Senate · Afternoon Sitting

I am informed that we do have quorum, so we will proceed with today’s business. Clerk, you may proceed to call the first Order.

Senate Majority Leader, proceed.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Senate Majority Leader, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of this Senate today, 31st October, 2024- Report of the Auditor-General on the financial Statements of Nyamarimba Sub- County Level 4 Hospital – County government of Kisumu for financial year ended 30th June, 2022. Report of the Auditor-General on the financial Statements of Naivasha Sub-Cou…

Report of the Auditor-General on the financial Statements of Bungoma County Referral Hospital – County government of Bungoma for financial year ended 30th June,

Statements pursuant to Standing Order No. 52 (1) . Hon. Sen. Dullo, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This is a Personal Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) . As a Senator, my constitutional responsibility is to serve the people of Isiolo County, uphold transparency and ensure accountability in all county government operations. I am constitutionally tasked with exercising oversight over county government functions to safeguard the interests of the people of…

functions. My county office was recently broken into and items stolen under suspicious circumstance. This act not only undermine my work but raises questions about the lengths certain individuals are willing to go to hinder my office operations. I would like to state categorically that should anything happen to me, my family, my employees or my supporters, the County government of Isiolo must be …

Sen. Crystal Asige, you had a personal Statement. Proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.58 to express my gratitude and share the immense honour of being named in the list of 2024 Time100 Next Honorees.

[(Applause)]

I am proud to be listed beside His Excellency Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal's youngest President who is championing economic reforms and anti-corruption efforts in his country, inspiring us all. His Excellency Governor Wes Moore, the first black governor of the State of Maryland, United States of America (USA), who demonstrates extraordinary leadership in crisis response and so much more. Chart-…

being unable to do something in whatever form, is not the sum total of who you are, neither does it have to define who you can be. Thank you again to Time100. It is an honour and great privilege to represent my country on the global stage. I look forward to continuing my work in serving all Kenyans, no matter their ability or disability.

[(Applause)]

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I have two Statements to read today, with your permission. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget regarding the utilization of development funds by the County Government of Marsabit. For the past seven years, funds allocated for development in Marsabit County amounting to billions of…

Mr. Speaker Sir, pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) , I rise to seek a Statement from the Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs on the state of ongoing investigation at the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) . The KNTC has lost over Kshs6.5 billion under unclear circumstances with established suspicion of fraud. This led to constitution of disciplinary committee which has been looking i…

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget regarding the reallocation of development funds by Marsabit, Turkana and Samburu counties towards special programmes for distribution of food and other relief supplies. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Proceed, Sen. Essy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Health regarding the safety, efficiency, and side effects of polio vaccines administered in Kenya. In the Statement, the Committee should –

Can you correct the record, Sen. Okenyuri.

Okay. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I can see he has just walked in. He says I proceed with what I am doing. Thank you.

Sen. Kisang’, proceed.

Thank you, 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 sudden collapse of the Economic Stimulus Programme Market (ESPM) structure under construction in Iten Town in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. In the Statement, the Committee should -

Sen. Mwaruma, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment, and Natural Resources regarding the Kshs908 million compensation fund released by the Government for victims of wildlife attacks in Taita-Taveta County and across the country. This compensation was announced on July 12, 2023, by the t…

Sen. Seki, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) , to seek a Statement for the Standing Committee on Health regarding the medical interns who have not received their remunerations since being posted in August, 2024. This situation has left young health professionals in a state of financial and emotional turmoil. 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 of Land, Environment and Natural Resources regarding the status of Njoro-Kisima land, Title No. 9216, purchased

by the Government in 2014 to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from the Njoro and Nakuru pipeline areas. In the Statement the Committee should-

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget regarding alleged misappropriation of funds in Isiolo County. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Proceed, Hon. Senator.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) regarding the alleged breach of confidential subscriber information by Safaricom. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Sen. for Nandi, Sen. Cherarkey, please proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee of Energy regarding the passage of deliberately incurred demurrage costs to consumers of petroleum products. In the statement, the Committee should-

Sen. Hamida, please, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. On behalf of my colleague, Sen. Hamida, I read her Statement on the increase on bizarre abductions and murders. 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 recent wave of abductions and gruesome murders across the country, which has left Kenyans deeply…

The tragic death of Waris Dawood, her daughter Nuseiba Dahir, her niece, Amina Abdirashid, and Wells Fargo executive Willis Onyango Ayieko, among others, exemplify the horror of these unresolved cases, highlighting systematic challenges within our investigative and justice system. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Sen. Sigei Wakili, please proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations regarding various issues pertaining to administrators, village councils and programme officers. Cognizant of the roles of administrators and village councils as set out by the County Government's Act No. 17 of 2012…

Appreciating that the sovereign power belongs to the people, and exercise at both levels of government, developing administrative capacity for effective governance at the local level is a fundamental role assigned to the administrators and the village councils, and aware that contracts of the majority of the county administrators lapsed early this year, 2024, and that those of village councils are…

Sen. Tabitha Keroche.

Mr. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) , to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Health regarding the closure of the Nakuru War Memorial Hospital, despite issuance of orders on 1st October, 2024 by the Court of Appeal for the immediate reopening of the hospital and the formation of a five-member committee to manage the hospital on interim basis, pending the d…

The Chairperson Standing Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations. Chairperson Standing Committee on Finance and Budget.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This is a Statement relating to the activities of the, pursuant to Standing Order No. 56 (1) (a) . I rise pursuant to Standing Order No. 56 (1) (a) to make a Statement relating to a matter of which the Committee is responsible, namely, the Resolution of the Senate on the current state of the Nation. As you are aware, the Senate passed a Motion on the Current State of…

The Chairperson Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I wish table the status Report of the Committee on the National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration on the Motion regarding the State of Employment in the Public Service and Compliance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal (PPAD) Act. Upon the filing of the Motion by the Senate Majority Leader and the Senate Minority Leader, the Senate on Wed…

equity of opportunities across the public service, as espoused in Article 232 of the Constitution, on the values and principles of the public service and engage the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) to audit compliance with Section 53(6) of the PPAD Act by public procurement entities, with a view to establish a roadmap to ensure the compliance of the said provisions of the Act. Mr. S…

The Committee further noted the need for most of the county executives to develop and implement affirmative action programmes such as succession planning as part of their human resource policy to ensure that the youth access employment in line with Article 55(c) of the Constitution. Regarding ethnicity, the Committee observed that the majority of the county executive have more than a third of its…

compliant with Section 157(12) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, which provides for the requirement to report to them every six months as for the financial year 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. The Counties are Meru, Nandi, Marsabit, Garissa, Isiolo, Kericho, Kiambu, Kisii, Mandera, Migori, Tana River, Tharaka Nithi, Turkana and Vihiga. The Committee further observed that compliant count…

The Chairperson Standing Committee on National Security.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No.56 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders to make a statement on the status of implementation of the Senate resolution by Government departments, agencies, commissions and independent offices concerning the issues under the mandate of the Standing Committee on National Security, Defense and Foreign Relations as directed in the motion on…

National Police Service to fast-track issuance compensation to police officers who either lost their lives or suffered injuries as a result of the demonstration and; Finally, engage the directorate of the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to have an investigation undertaken to ascertain the identity of persons or organisations funding and coordinating the protests and demonstrations in …

The Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, you are supposed to lay a Paper.

Yes, Mr. Speaker Sir.

Proceed, please.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to table – The Report of the Standing Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights on its consideration of the Constitution of Kenya Amendment No.2 Bill, (Senate Bills Number 46 of 2024) .

[(Sen. Wakili Sigei laid the document on the Table)]

The Chairperson Standing Committee on Land, Environment, and Natural Resources, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, proceed to table that Paper.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise to lay on the Table – The Report of the Senate Standing Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources on the Land Amendment Bill (National Assembly Bills No.40 of 2022) . I thank you.

[(Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale laid the document on the Table)]

[(Resumption of Statements)]

Now, Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.57 (1) . The Senate Majority Leader, please proceed.

granted to each student and that the lack of transparency in the disbursement of bursaries from various agencies makes it difficult to determine the total amount allocated in a financial year, thus hindering efforts to ensure equitable access to education for financially disadvantaged students; NOW THEREFORE, the Senate urges the Ministry of Education, to:

granted to each student and that the lack of transparency in the disbursement of bursaries from various agencies makes it difficult to determine the total amount allocated in a financial year, thus hindering efforts to ensure equitable access to education for financially disadvantaged students; NOW THEREFORE, the Senate urges the Ministry of Education, to:

Sen. Chimera, please proceed.

I rise in support of this Motion and would like to urge Members of this honourable House to support it. This is an idea whose time has come before us. Many of our colleagues would come out and say we are trying to fight them politically, especially those who are in charge or those who have a fund that can propagate bursaries. We have seen from experience and I know some of the Members of this Sena…

Madam Temporary Speaker, I wish to also thank and commend Sen. Thang’wa for raising this because we need to dignify our people. This bursary programme has been used for far too long as a way of politicising how we roll out issues for our people. Today, if you do not vote in a certain MP, he will say that I never got votes from Lokichar and as such, I cannot help. It happens by design, default or …

the National Assembly, a governor or the presidential scheme as premised and run from the Minister of Labour and Social Protection; does not have to go through this indignity for him to access educational opportunity. We want to see many Kenyans serving this nation as doctors and engineers. We want to see many of them participating in promoting jurisprudence and making sure the law of this countr…

the National Assembly, a governor or the presidential scheme as premised and run from the Minister of Labour and Social Protection; does not have to go through this indignity for him to access educational opportunity. We want to see many Kenyans serving this nation as doctors and engineers. We want to see many of them participating in promoting jurisprudence and making sure the law of this countr…

Hon. Senators, this Motion is now open for contribution by those Senators who are interested in putting in their contribution. Sen. Olekina, the Senator for Narok County, you have the Floor.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. Let me begin by appreciating the two gentlemen, starting with Sen. Thang’wa and my good friend from Kwale County, Sen. Chimera. I have been sitting in this House for quite some time and I know that Parliament pronounces itself through Motions and Bills. The effort sought by my two colleagues is something, which as we speak right now, unless several pieces of le…

Sen. Olekina, would you like to be informed by Sen. Thang’wa?

Yes, absolutely. Sen. Thang’wa. Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Speaker. I thank Sen. Olekina for the contribution. However, I would like to inform him that the Motion is asking the Ministry to audit all funds allocated to bursaries by both the national Government and the county government. Again, nothing stops the Ministry from coming up with Bills. Like they said, they have two Bills after…

Madam Temporary Speaker, I wish my dear brother would listen to me and listen keenly to my contribution. My contribution is geared towards making sure that he achieves what he wishes to achieve; and maybe by just amending. Article 189 of the Constitution of Kenya says: “Government at either level shall perform its function and exercise its powers in a manner that respects the functions and instit…

I can see my time is running out. However, it is important for us to calculate the cost of education per learner and make this information public for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, including a detailed breakdown of the annual financial requirement for each student across the country. I fully support Sen. Thang’wa on this. I beseech him to pursue the root of coming up with a nationa…

I can see my time is running out. However, it is important for us to calculate the cost of education per learner and make this information public for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, including a detailed breakdown of the annual financial requirement for each student across the country. I fully support Sen. Thang’wa on this. I beseech him to pursue the root of coming up with a nationa…

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for allowing me to air my views. Like Sen. Olekina, I do not know whether to support this Motion or not. I thank Sen. Thang’wa for this elaborate Bill. There is indeed a lot of manipulation in the current NG-CDF that goes to every constituency. When I was a MP, I inherited a situation where out of Kshs500,000 was given to a location for a project, and Kshs200,0…

even if they have received contributions from the consolidated money. They will still pretend that nothing was sent and, therefore, parents must pay school fees or have their children sent home. That is practically what is happening now. My brother, Sen. Thang’wa, should emphasise on how we can thoroughly audit and have checks and balances in schools. Can we make sure that any money received in a…

even if they have received contributions from the consolidated money. They will still pretend that nothing was sent and, therefore, parents must pay school fees or have their children sent home. That is practically what is happening now. My brother, Sen. Thang’wa, should emphasise on how we can thoroughly audit and have checks and balances in schools. Can we make sure that any money received in a…

Thank you, Senator. Sen. Boni Khalwale, Senator from the great County of Kakamega, please proceed.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to strongly support this Motion. This Motion touches on one of the national values. It is enshrined in Article 10 of the Constitution. I want to congratulate the Senator of Kiambu County. Senator of Kiambu County, look at Article 10 (2) . It says: “The national values and principles of governance include- b) human dignity, equity, social justice, inclusi…