National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting

Hon. Members, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 42 (4) relating to Messages received from a Cabinet Secretary, I wish to convey to the House that I have received a Message from the Cabinet Secretary for Defence. In the Message, the Cabinet Secretary is requesting the House to consider and approve the rapid deployment of Kenya Defence Forces personnel to the East African Community Region…

and 5 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011, he has nominated the following persons for appointment to the aforementioned offices— No. Nominee State Department/Ministry

Departmental Committee Nominee Finance and National Planning Dr. Chris Kiptoo James Muhati Health Eng. Peter Tum Dr. Josephine Mburu Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works Charles Hinga Joel Arumonyang Justice and Legal Affairs Caroline Nyawira Murage Labour Geoffrey Kaituko Lands Nixon Korir Regional Development Abdi Dubart Idris Dogota Social Protection Joseph Mugosi Mutavi Sports and …

On a point of order.

Did I hear a point of order? Is there anything out of order? What is the point of order? Is that Hon Kamket?

Yes, this is Hon. Kamket, the Member for Tiaty. Hon. Speaker, I would like to get some guidance from the Chair on the Communication from the Cabinet Secretary for Defence. I am aware that yesterday His Excellency the President commissioned the military taskforce for deployment to the EAC Regional Force. I would like to know what comes first. The officers were commissioned yesterday, but the Cabin…

has communicated today. Is Parliament, therefore, going to do post facto review of what has already happened or what is the role of Parliament?

Hon. Kamket, the letter from the Cabinet Secretary came to Parliament yesterday morning. The event you are talking about happened yesterday afternoon. In any case, deployment of troops in an emergency situation is not a leisure walk. It is an emergency. The role of Parliament is to approve ipso facto or post facto as long as it can help the situation we desire to deal with.

On a point of order.

I am not entertaining any more points of order on that issue. Who is raising a point of order? Yes, Hon. Makau.

Yesterday, the Kamba nation celebrated when we saw on social media a Mr Joseph Mutavi nominated as Principal Secretary. I just want to know from you whether this Joseph Mugosi Mutavi is the same as Joseph Mutavi. The person could be disadvantaged in explaining himself in terms of his name. I have since learned that he is from Kuria, and not Ukambani.

Hon. Makau, the Speaker shall not be a part of any ethnic excitement or celebration.

[(Laughter)]

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I am still laughing at that statement on ethnic excitement and celebrations and wondering whether it is pre facto or post facto, as you put it. Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the House:

Next Order.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, pursuant to Article 5 of the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community and relating to the Pan-African Parliament, this House approves the appointment of the following Members of Parliament to the Pan-African Parliament—

Next Order.

Hon. Members, I draw your attention to the Supplementary Order Paper that has been circulated. That is the order of business of the day.

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 44

Hon. Member, those additional jives are not in your Statement. When the Speaker approved the Statement, it was approved to be read as it is. I can see you are now on a tirade against the Cabinet Secretary.

I am doing so because of the suffering of the people from my constituency, who are hardworking and honest Kenyans. These people are paying his salary.

Hon. Member, this is not a debate. Just read your Statement.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I wonder whether the Cabinet Secretary has communicated with his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. Otherwise, he would have known how bad the state of our cotton industry is. Kenya’s cotton production has been declining and we only produce 20,000 bales of cotton a year. So, it will take many years for us to fix our textile industry to cr…

Hon. Member, you are debating your own Statement.

The Cabinet Secretary should look at his job description. His job is to create employment and to grow our industry. Thank you.

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Chepkonga, before you take the Floor, let me remind Members that when you prepare a Statement request and bring it to the Speaker for approval, it means you come here and read it as-is where-is basis. Any additional statements, however strongly you feel about them, are a violation of the Standing Orders. Once you present your Statement, you do not start debating it. Yes, Hon. Chepkonga.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise pursuant to Standing Order 83 as read together with Standing Order 91, which states that a Member shall be responsible for the accuracy of any facts which the Member alleges to be true and may be required to substantiate any such facts instantly. Is it in order for the Member for Kamukunji to allege that the Cabinet Secretary, who was his colleague in the last Parl…

Order, Hon. Members. I approved the Statement on the basis of what the Member presented before me. The Statement will now go to the Committee that is relevant to trade to look at it and deal with it in the normal manner. Leader of the Majority Party, give your Thursday Statement.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Regarding the matter raised by Hon. Hassan, I just beg that Members to be a little bit patient. As soon as the Procedure and House Rules Committee is able to sit, it should review the Standing Orders so that the Cabinet Secretary who should be answering the Question can come here and answer the Question by the Member for Kamukunji so that we dispel the claim of whether it …

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (a), I rise to issue the weekly Statement, on behalf of the House Business Committee, which met on Tuesday, 1st November 2022 to prioritise business for consideration during the week commencing on 8th to 10th November 2022. Hon. Members will recall that on Tuesday, 1st November 2022, the House considered the Report by the Parliamen…

Hon. Members, there is a further minor Communication from the Chair.

Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House that I am in receipt of a letter from the Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah, seeking deferment of the election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Select Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, 4th November 2022. The request for deferment arose from a consultative meeting between the Le…

Having acceded to the request, I order that the election of Chairperson and Vice- Chairperson of the Select Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity stand deferred to Tuesday, 8th November 2022. The Director of Audit, Appropriations and other Select Committees is directed to designate and notify Members of the place and time for the said elections. The House is accordingly guided. Hon…

Hon. Speaker, it is good to go on record. You know, this is a House of records and rules. I was ambushed by your Communication that arose from the request from the Leader of Majority Party on the deferment of elections of leaders of the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity. Earlier on, my Members in the Committee advised me. I confirmed this with the Office of the Director respons…

I direct the Leader of the Majority Party and the Leader of the Minority Party to consult on this matter. Let us hear from the Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Speaker, I render my apologies to the Leader of the Minority Party. I had indeed consulted with part of the leadership of the Minority. The Leader of the Minority is aware that we even had similar issues with the Public Investment Committees – issues we needed to re-align – and we deferred the elections. Therefore, I will be consulting with him. I could not be able to reach him this morning.

We should not have any tiff on the election of Chairpersons. So, you can go ahead and discuss. Hon. Members, let us hear from the Leader of the Majority Party on the next Order.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following procedural Motion: THAT, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 33 and notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 97 (1) on Limitation of Debate on Motions, this House resolves to extend its sitting time today, Thursday, 3rd November 2022 until 9.00 p.m. Members will appreciate that today being Thursday, the House is supposed to rise at

I second.

[(Question proposed)]

Put the Question!

Is that the mood of the House?

Yes!

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Next Order!

the Teachers Service Commission immensely disrupted teachers’ lives, lowered teacher morale and caused untold trauma to many teachers countrywide; concerned that, the exercise was not supported with a clear policy framework and was initiated without the participation of teachers or their unions, contrary to Articles 118 and 132 of the Constitution on public participation and involvement of the peo…

Hon. Members, this Motion was brought by Hon. Titus Khamala. Next Order!

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, pursuant to Article 5 of the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community and relating to the Pan-African Parliament, this House approves the appointment of the following Members of Parliament to the Pan- African Parliament -

Democracy – Kenya (FORD-K). This is pursuant to the objectives of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), which intend to create a platform for people from all African states to be involved in discussions and decision making on the problems and challenges facing the African continent. Hon. Members, as you are aware, this Pan African Parliament (PAP) sits in Midland, South Africa. Therefore, these Membe…

I second

Is that all?

Put the Question!

There being nobody keen on debating the Motion, I will put the Question.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Speaker, it is not that there is anything out of order in your Communication. Hon. Members will remember that as we began the sittings of this House, even as we debated the contentious issue of which political sides of the House constituted the Majority and Minority, all of us, including Hon. John Mbadi and Hon. Opiyo, implored on Members on the need to conduct ourselves with decorum. The fac…

Member speaks. You will have your time for your say and eventually, Hon. Speaker, as you have guided, the vote will decide whichever way it goes. Hon. Speaker, I am commenting because I also noted with concern the actions of the Member for Kwale. She was waving and shouting “bado mapambano”. I do not know who she was pambana-ring with in the House. This House is not for mapambano in the manner sh…

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Member.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The Communication you have made about the conduct of the Member for Kwale County was adequate enough. Is it in order for the Leader of the Majority Party to start debate on a statement you have made clear about the conduct of the House?

Actually, I would have allowed even the Leader of the Minority Party to say something because they are the custodians of the leadership of the House. The dignity of this House is not just the responsibility of the Chair. Hon. Wandayi.

Hon. Speaker, I will speak not necessarily on the matter you have just rested. The issue of good conduct or bad conduct in these chambers have not been restricted to that particular day only. We have had several cases where Members from both sides of the political divide have tended to make the business in this House a little bit difficult, especially on matters to do with discourse. I must also c…

Thank you, Leader of the Majority Party and Leader of the Minority Parties. The County Woman Representative for Mombasa, do you want to comment on the matter? I have already withdrawn everything that was said about you. Hon. Zamzam, I will give you one minute to say something.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika. Leo umenipa nguvu kwa sababu ule usemi ulioutoa juzi, wakati sikuwepo, ulifanya nikavamiwa sana. Watu wengi kule Mombasa wanajua kuwa mimi ni mama mwenye heshima zangu. Nikiamka najua nasema kitu gani. Najua wakati wa kuongea na wakati wa kunyamaza. Kwa hivyo, nachukua fursa hii kukushukuru sana kwa kutoa mwelekeo kwa kuwa sikuwepo Bungeni siku hiyo. Nina imani kuwa sote t…

Shukrani, Mama Kaunti ya Mombasa. Nakuelewa na nakushukuru.

[(Laughter)]