National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting
Thursday, 6 October 2022
Hon. Adan Keynan praised the President’s speech and highlighted the importance of the NG‑CDF, diaspora diplomacy and Kenya’s role on the global stage while urging continued support for it. He warned of pressing challenges such as drought, inflation, unemployment and the need to revive agricultural and livestock sectors, calling for collective parliamentary action. The member concluded by emphasizing unity among MPs regardless of political differences. The afternoon sitting focused on procedural disputes over the determination of majority and minority parties, with members expressing anxiety about the House's paralysis. Several MPs used the floor to congratulate leadership and raise constituency concerns such as affordable housing, the Hustler Fund, stalled market projects, and water infrastructure. The debate featured a blend of formal contention, applause, and occasional levity. Members highlighted the acute drought‑induced hunger affecting Garissa and other northern counties, urging the President to prioritize relief and national unity. The debate also covered agricultural challenges, calling for continued input subsidies, the revival of dam projects, and a reclassification of banditry as terrorism to curb violence in the Kerio Valley. Procedural remarks by the Deputy Speaker underscored the need to manage maiden‑speech timings.
Hon Members, I wish to introduce to you a delegation of Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) of Kwale who are seated in the Speaker’s Gallery. It is led by the Speaker, Hon. Seth Mwatela Kamanza.
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Hon. Members, I have a Communication to make. I have a Message to deliver and a ruling that follows our debates earlier in the week. Hon. Members, this is a Message on the Nomination of Persons for Appointment to the Offices of Cabinet Secretaries, Secretary to the Cabinet and the Attorney-General. Hon. Members, Standing Order 42 (1) relating to ‘Messages from the President’ provides that-
“The Speaker shall read to the House any message from the President delivered to the Speaker for communication to the House”. In this regard, I wish to convey to the House that I have received a Message from His Excellency the President, notifying the nomination of various persons for appointment to the Offices of Cabinet Secretaries, Secretary to the Cabinet and the Attorney-General. Hon. Member…
The Committee is expected to table its report in the House on or before Tuesday, 27th October 2022. In accordance with the law, the House would be required to consider the Committee’s report and make a decision on the nominees within seven days following the tabling of the report; that is on or before Thursday, 3rd November 2022. The House is accordingly guided.
will agree with me that this legislation creates a unique and puzzling scenario where a coalition, which is a conglomeration of parties, can also be treated as a political party on its own right. I note that in the letter that I received on this matter from the Member for Suna East, Hon. Junet Mohamed, he submitted names of leaders representing the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya Coalition Party. Cur…
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It is apparent that while the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Coalition Political Party elected to behave as a political party in certain categories of elections in the last General Election, it has now staked its claim to the leadership of the Majority Party in this House using its second skin as a coalition. The issue that arises at this stage is whether this conduct is in conformity with the expectat…
Kenya African National Union (KANU), National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya (NARC-Kenya), Muungano Party (MP), Maendeleo Chap Chap Party (MCCP), Democratic Action Party Kenya (DAP-K), Devolution Empowerment Party (DEP), United Party of Independent Alliance (UPIA); United Democratic Movement (UDM), United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), Kenya …
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coalition agreements. This is a glaring omission when viewed against the post-election coalition agreements tabled by the Member for Kikuyu Constituency during the proceedings. The post-election coalition agreements are critical to the Speaker for purposes of guaranteeing constitutional rights and political freedoms of Members of this House elected under UDM, PAA, MCCP and MDG.
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appears randomly between unpaginated pages. I am inclined to think that these are superimpositions. Hon. Members, may I at this point bring to the attention of the House that several Members said to belong to the Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya Coalition Party have formally written to my office to denounce their association with the party. In a letter dated 9th September 2022 and received by my offic…
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great fault in any provisions seeking to limit the political rights of Members of this House. Our Constitution is very Rights-centric. In any ruling I make as your Speaker, I must be guided by the provisions of Article 3; Article 10 and Article 21 of the Constitution. These provisions require me to uphold, respect and defend the Constitution whenever applying myself on any questions brought before…
House is 14 Members. If these Members were to be added to the 165 Members of the initial constituent parties of the Kenya Kwanza Coalition, it would comprise a total of 179 Members.
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deals with persons that it can interact with and hold to account should need arise. For clarity, Standing Order 20A (3) provides, and I quote:
On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.
Yes, Hon. Wandayi.
Hon. Speaker, I listened keenly to your ruling on this contentious issue. Whereas, of course, I do not agree with it, I would wish to acknowledge the fact that this House operates in a quasi-judicial manner. Therefore, in line with rules of natural justice, tenets of democracy and established jurisprudence, I would wish to give notice that we shall be moving you to review your decision. For that r…
Order, Hon. Members. In the tradition of the House, under our Standing Orders and practice, once the Speaker makes a ruling such as the one I have made, it is not subject to debate, it is not appealable and it stands as it is. I want to take this opportunity to salute and thank you, Hon. Wandayi and all Members of the House, for the decorum that you have exhibited throughout the close to one hour …
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I want to encourage the House to note that a decision has been made. Let the chips fall where they may. Take up your offices. Carry out a robust and vibrant oversight of the Government and make sure that public resources from taxpayers are put to good use. Audit their use vigorously and make sure that you do everything possible within the law to ensure that we have a responsible Parliament, with b…
Yes.
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Order, Hon. Members! Order, Hon. Junet! I have given direction. The ruling of the Speaker is a public document; it will be on the parliamentary website. You can get it in the course of the evening or tomorrow, depending on what the Clerks-at-the-Table will do, and you can analyse it and critique it. You can do many things about it except debate it on the Floor of this House.
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He is here.
Go on, Member.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker.
No! No!
Member for Lagdera, if you want to cede your time, we can give it to somebody else. Order, Hon. Members! Order! Order! Order, Hon. Members! The Member for Lagdera, you will forfeit your position if you do not want to speak. Order, Hon. Members! Order! Hon. Members: No! No! No!
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Order! This House will adjourn until Tuesday, 11th October 2022, at