Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes. Hon. Senators, we now have quorum, kindly take your seats. Clerk, proceed to call the First Order, please.

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

I wish to report to the Senate that pursuant to Standing Order No.46 (3) , I received the following Message from the Speaker of the National Assembly regarding the passage, by the National Assembly, of the Social Protection Bill (National Assembly Bills No.12 of 2025) . The Message, dated Wednesday 30th April, 2025, was received in the office of the Clerk of the Senate on Tuesday 6th May, 2025. P…

WHEREAS the Social Protection Bill (National Assembly Bills No.12 of 2025), was published vide the Kenya Gazette Supplement No.43 of 20th March, 2025 as a Bill to provide a framework for the administration of non-contributory social protection interventions and to establish the National Board of Social Protection, AND WHEREAS the National Assembly considered the said Bill and passed it with amend…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This is a Petition to the Senate by the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) concerning discrimination, interference and violation of clinical officers' practice rights by the Ministry of Health (MoH) , the Council of Governors (CoG) and the Social Health Authority (SHA) . I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.232 (1) (b) , to present a Petition that has been submit…

Sen. Karen Nyamu, you have become notorious in defying the Standing Orders and that should be your last warning. Hon. Senators, pursuant to Standing Order No.238 (1) , I commit the petition to the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare. In terms of Standing Order No.238 (2) (a) , the Committee is required in not more than 60 calendar days from the time of reading this prayer, which is to…

[(The Petition was committed to the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare)]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. My first Statement is regarding the implementation of the Senate resolution on the promotion of mental health facilities for mothers. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Health on a matter of national concern regarding the status of implementation of the Senate resolution on the promotion of mental health faci…

bonding and family well-being, yet, due to stigma and systematic gaps in our health systems, these issues then go undiagnosed and untreated. In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Kenyan and African passengers deserve equitable, dignified and high-quality service when they board international flights, regardless of which continent they are departing from or flying to. I urge the Committee to treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves and ensure this House is duly informed on the way forward. In the Statement the Committee should address the following-

Proceed, Sen. Omtatah. That Statement is dropped.

The Chairperson Standing Committee on Labor and Social Welfare.

Thank you, Speaker Sir, for giving me this opportunity to read this Statement relating to the activities of the Standing Committee on Labor and Social Welfare for the period between 11th February, 2025 to 30th April, 2025, pursuant to Standing Order No.56 (1) (b) of the Senate Standing Orders. Mr. Speaker, Sir, during the period under review, the Committee held a total of 23 sittings, during whic…

Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.57 (1) . Proceed, the Senate Majority Leader.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, before I proceed with this Statement, let me take this opportunity to welcome hon. Senators back from the short recess. I hope they took time to rest, spend time with their families and friends, reconnect with their constituents and rejuvenate themselves for Part III of the Fourth Session. I hope they noted the order of those activities. How they are scripted was quite intentiona…

among Counties, laid on the table of this Senate on Thursday, 17th April 2025, and that pursuant to Article 217 (1) of the Constitution of Kenya approves the Fourth Basis for Allocating the Share of National Revenue among Counties from financial year 2025-2026 to financial year 2029-2030 as follows- County allocation, which is equals to (baseline allocation ratio * 387.425 billion) plus (0.45 of …

Mr. Speaker, Sir, on a point of order.

What is your point of order, Sen. Osotsi?

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I did not want to interfere with my good friend, the Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Budget. I am concerned because the Report that he is presenting is very important to us, Members, since it is only done once after five years. I am struggling to get a copy of that report. It is not in the iPad. I would request that it be provided to us, so that we are able to interr…

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the issue raised by the Senator of Vihiga is very important. The reason you have seen me disorderly is because some of my colleagues who know that I sit in this Committee are trying to find out what it is that we have brought in the House. Going by the history of decision-making on this Formula, this is not the way to go. It would be more useful to this House that the industry o…

[(Applause)]

Yes, Senator of Nairobi City County.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, many of us in this House are not in the habit of interacting with things we have not read, unlike some people in other quarters that I do not want to mention. You find that someone has not read something, but they are an expert in it. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we could resume the regular business because you had rearranged the Order Paper. We can then have the documents uploaded and pro…

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I strongly associate with the sentiments of my colleagues, but I am very industrious, hence I have read the report and internalized it. I have the report and it has markers. I am ready to debate. Sen. Cheruiyot, Sen. (Dr.) Lelegwe and a number of us who have been in this House through God’s grace know that the issue of revenue formula almost divided the country in the last sessi…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Some of us are first-timers and I like referring to myself as an amateur in politics. I am learning hence I consider myself an intern of this House. I was looking forward to being sensitized on this matter. Most Kenyans do not even know that there is a revision of this formula after every five years. We sit here as representatives of Kenyans and I find it very curious…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I walked in when Sen. Cherarkey was making a passionate appeal for time out on this Motion by Sen. Ali Roba. The truth is that this is perhaps one of the most important engagements of the Senate in its five years. This is because it will determine the monies that will be shared among counties for the next five years. In fact, I implore the Speaker and the Chairperson …

Hon. Senators, let us make progress in this particular matter. I agree that this is an extremely weighty matter. We should, therefore, put every effort to ensure that we avoid the ugly scenes witnessed during the passage of the formula that is now under implementation. I have consulted with the Chairperson of the Committee on Budget and Finance and we have agreed that this Motion will be moved on…

[(Resumption of Statements)]

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 Government’s decision to lease public sugar companies for approximately 30 years. This is to effectively privatizing ownership rather than retaining them under public control with the appointment of competent professional management. In the Statement, t…

Hon. Senators, before I allow comments on the Statements that have been sought, allow me to make this Communication.

[(Interruption of Statements)]