Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes. Hon. Senators, we do have quorum now. So, we can proceed with today's business. Clerk, you may proceed to call the first Order.

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

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

[(Sen. Cherarkey stood up in his place)]

Senator for Nandi, please, take your seat. Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence, in the public gallery this afternoon, of visiting teachers and students from Naromoru Girls High School in Nyeri County. The delegation comprises one teacher and 32 students who are in the Senate for a

[(Sen. Cherarkey sat in his place)]

one-day academic exposition. On behalf of the Senate and on my own behalf, I extend a warm welcome to the delegation and wish them a fruitful and enriching visit. I call upon the Minority Whip to extend a warm welcome to the delegation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the students and teachers from Naromoru Girls High School. Naromoru has a rich heritage in Maasai Culture, and we have a significant Maasai presence there, so it remains home for us. I am happy that these very young students have come to Parliament to observe how we carry out business here. I encourage you to aspire to g…

Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to give notice of the following Motion- THAT, the Senate notes the report of the Liaison Committee on the activities and operations of Select Committees during the Third Session, 2024, pursuant to Standing Order No.224 (2) , laid on the Table of the Senate on Wednesday, 28th May, 2025. Thank you.

Chairperson, Standing Committee on Energy. Do we have any member of that Committee?

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to give notice of the following Motion- THAT, the Senate adopts the report of the Standing Committee on Energy on the inquiry into the shortage of smart energy meters in Kenya and the potential for their local manufacturing, laid on the Table of the Senate on Wednesday, 11th, June, 2025.

Sen. George Mbugua? Minority Whip, you may proceed to give notice.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to give notice of the following Motion on behalf of Senator George Mbugua, MP- THAT, the Senate notes the report of the Third Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disability (CPwD) , African region conference held in Lusaka, Zambia from 24th February to 20th February, 2025, laid on the Table of the Senate on 7th August, 2025.

Sen. Danson Mungatana.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to give notice of the following Motion- THAT, the Senate notes the reports of the Kenya delegation to the sittings of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Committees and other Pan-African Parliament Organs held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, South Africa, from 13th September to 20th September, 2024 and 28th October to 17th November, 2024, laid on the…

Sen. Andrew Omtatah? That business is deferred.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) to make a statement on a matter of national importance, namely the protection of freedom of worship in educational institutions. Mr. Speaker, Sir, a Grade 10 student at St. Mary's Lwak Girls High School, Ms. Samira Ali Ramadhan, has been compelled to halt her studies following a dispute over her right to wear the hijab in observa…

Sen. Consolata; that statement is dropped. Sen. Kiprono Chemitei; that statement is dropped.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Committee on Education on a matter of countrywide concern regarding the exclusion of Kenya's Sign Language (KSL) from the final grading of the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations (KCSE) for candidates without hearing impairment, despite the subject being taught, examined, marked and re…

Sen. Hezena, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to the Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on a matter of countywide concern regarding illegal logging activities, environmental degradation through murram extraction and commercial harvesting of water from a public dam within Kirisia Forest in Samburu County. Kirisia Fores…

Senator for Turkana County, the Hon. James Lomenen.

Thank you, Mr. 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 on a matter of inter-county concern regarding loss of lives and death of livestock by bandits in Turkana County. In the months of January and February, 2026, residents of Kakong’o and Kainuk villages in Turkana South Constit…

In Turkana South Constituency, more than 100 goats and 650 cattle were stolen, while in Turkana East Constituency, more than 1,500 goats and 500 cattle were stolen during the raids. In the statement, the committee should address the following-

Asante sana, Mstahiki Spika. Ningependa kutoa taarifa kuhusu ongezo la ada za matumizi ya maji, ada za utoaji wa vibali na ufungaji wa lazima wa mita za kisasa, kwa kimombo, smart metres, na mamlaka ya rasilmali za maji katika Kaunti ya Kirinyaga. Ninasimama kwa mujibu wa Kanuni 53 (1) , Kanuni za Kudumu za Seneti, kuomba kauli kutoka kwa Kamati ya Ardhi, Mazingira na Mali Asili kuhusu ongezeko l…

yameongeza athari ya kiuchumi na jamii hasa katika kipindi cha kiangazi ambapo mahitaji ya maji kwa mimea shambani na mifugo ni ya dharura. Katika kauli hiyo, Kamati izingatie ifuatayo-

Senator from Busia County, Hon. Andrew Omtatah.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I request for a statement on the fraudulent recruitment of Kenyans for jobs abroad. I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on a matter of nationwide concern regarding the growing and alarming crisis of fraudulent recruitment of young Kenyans for employment abroad. Across the country, unscrupulous …

Sen. Consolata, you may make your statement pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) .

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for according me this opportunity to make a statement on the commemoration of International Women's Day,

Sen. Veronica, you can proceed to make a statement under Standing Order No.52.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. It is not Rutune Junior School, it is Rutune Senior Secondary School. They combined two schools from Mukurwe-ini Sub-County.

heritage of the young generation who cannot relate with the history of our forefathers? How do we merge what we used to do then with what they are doing now for posterity? I agree that it is important for us to come up with institutions of basic learning that will teach some basic languages. In the Competency-Based Education (CBE), French and German are taught as foreign languages. How I wish we …

I support and yield the rest of my time to my colleague. Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker.

heritage of the young generation who cannot relate with the history of our forefathers? How do we merge what we used to do then with what they are doing now for posterity? I agree that it is important for us to come up with institutions of basic learning that will teach some basic languages. In the Competency-Based Education (CBE), French and German are taught as foreign languages. How I wish we …

I support and yield the rest of my time to my colleague. Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker.

Thank you, Sen. Wamatinga.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Bill. From the onset, I want to say that this is a progressive Bill and it must be enriched, enlarged and made comprehensive. Culture is a way of life and it needs not to be retrogressive. When you talk about culture, a number of people think one is talking about long-time traditions and retrogressive practices yet culture is the foundati…

to commercialise burials. Standards have been set and pride has been brought into funerals. The dead used to be celebrated with honour, especially in my community and I know in yours too, just as birth was celebrated. These are aspects of culture, showing how practices have changed from one form to another. They revolve around values of love and honesty. That is why I say this Bill should be enri…

Thank you, Sen. Beatrice.

What is your point of order, Sen. Cherarkey?

What Standing Order are you using?

Madam Temporary Speaker, Standing Order No.1. I am sorry for taking long on the issue of--- please give me a moment to apprise myself on Standing Order Nos.1 and 62 on the procedure of moving of Motions, and Standing Order No.53 on giving Notice. Can I read?

Proceed to read it. Standing Order No.53?

No, Standing Order No.60, that is Notices of Motion.

Madam Temporary Speaker, Standing Order No.1. I am sorry for taking long on the issue of--- please give me a moment to apprise myself on Standing Order Nos.1 and 62 on the procedure of moving of Motions, and Standing Order No.53 on giving Notice. Can I read?

Proceed to read it. Standing Order No.53?

No, Standing Order No.60, that is Notices of Motion.

Yes, I have the correct one. I do not know why that one is missing. Madam Temporary Speaker, Standing Order No.60 on Notices of Motion says- “1) Except as otherwise provided by these Standing Orders, notice shall be given by a Senator of any Motion which the Senator proposes to move.

Sen. Okiya Omtatah, do you have a typo error in your Notice of Motion?

Yes, which I noticed and raised it. It was not in the Motion that I gave to the Speaker. That is not the date of that judgment.

[(Sen. Cherarkey spoke off record)]

There is an error and I acknowledge it. That is why I was going to invoke the Speaker's guidance on that error. I think it is a typo. Perhaps, I could be guided. That is why I was raising the attention of the Speaker that there was an error in the content.

I am checking whether Standing Order No.62 could apply moving of Motion in an amended form, where the Speaker may permit a Senator to move in an amended form, a Motion of which notice has been given, if in the opinion of the Speaker, the amendment does not materially alter any principle embodied in the Motion. Hon. Senator, in view of the fact that it cites Petition No.24 and 27 of 2029 consolida…

[(Sen. Okiya Omtatah spoke off record)]

Madam Temporary Speaker, it is not my place to amend; it is the secretariat, because what I gave had the correct date from what was presented here.

There is an error and I acknowledge it. That is why I was going to invoke the Speaker's guidance on that error. I think it is a typo. Perhaps, I could be guided. That is why I was raising the attention of the Speaker that there was an error in the content.

I am checking whether Standing Order No.62 could apply moving of Motion in an amended form, where the Speaker may permit a Senator to move in an amended form, a Motion of which notice has been given, if in the opinion of the Speaker, the amendment does not materially alter any principle embodied in the Motion. Hon. Senator, in view of the fact that it cites Petition No.24 and 27 of 2029 consolida…

[(Sen. Okiya Omtatah spoke off record)]

Madam Temporary Speaker, it is not my place to amend; it is the secretariat, because what I gave had the correct date from what was presented here.

Thank you, Sen. Okiya. We can proceed to the next agenda, which is, the Agriculture Produce Bill (Senate Bills No.17 of 2025) .

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I suggest that you allow the secretariat to amend it and then you give that Notice on Tuesday next week. The secretariat, please, amend that Notice on Tuesday so that we do not refer to a petition that is non-existent. I thank you.

Hon. Senators, this is the resumption of debate. Proceed, Sen. Cherarkey.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. At the onset, I want to congratulate you for ably moving this Bill; the Agriculture Produce Bill (Senate Bills No.17 of 2025) . You continue to distinguish yourself as an astute legislator, following in some of us, who are the greatest debaters and legislators in this House. I can give you accolades. There is a song that says, “what a man can do, a woman can…

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