Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.

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

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

[(Loud consultations)]

Sen. (Dr.) Lelegwe, kindly take your seat. Sen. Seki, settle down. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to give notice of the following Motion- AWARE THAT, the Constitution of Kenya under Article 43 (1) (f) guarantees every citizen the right to education, and Article 53 (1) (b) provides that basic education is free and compulsory; FURTHER AWARE THAT, the Government of Kenya launched the New Education Funding (NHEF) model in 2023, primarily targeting University and…

The Chairperson, Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, you have a notice to give.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to give notice of the following Motion- AWARE THAT, the Sugar General Regulations, 2025 and the Sugar Regulations, 2025 were tabled in the Senate on 6th November, 2025 and referred to the Select Committee on Delegated Legislation for consideration pursuant to Section 12 (1) of the Statutory Instruments Act; COGNIZANT THAT the Committee is required to make a…

[(Legal Notice No.167 of 2025)]

[(Imports and Exports)]

[(Legal Notice No.168 of 2025)]

Next Order, Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on a matter of county-wide concern regarding the ongoing review of water service boundaries and the management of water infrastructure in Murang’a County, particularly the reported restructuring involving Murang’a South Water and Sanita…

Senator for Kilifi County, the Hon. Justice (Rtd,) Steward Madzayo.

You, had a second statement. Proceed with it.

Senator for Nandi County, Hon. Cherarkey, please, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Allow me to read my two Statements.

The statement by the Senator for Nakuru County is hereby deferred.

Sen. Mungatana, please, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to read my statements.

The next statement pursuant to Standing Order No.56 (1) (a) is by the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.56 (1) (a) of the Senate Standing Orders to make a statement on a matter within the mandate of the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on flashfloods that struck Nairobi and other counties on Friday, 6th March, and Saturday, 14th March, 2026, and the systemic environmental governance failures that continue to amplify …

Now, statements pursuant to Standing Order No. 57 (1) , the Senate Majority Leader.

Mr. Speaker, sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.57 (1) to make a statement regarding the oversight mechanisms by the Senate under Article 96 of the Constitution. The Senate, through its committees, exercises its oversight mandate over county governments in accordance with the Constitution, the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, the Public Audit Act (PAA) , the Public Procurement and Asse…

You have it, Majority Leader.

You gave a reply to the county governments on the legal instructions that they tried to give to the Senate while in Kilifi - of their failure to appear until certain matters that they hold against the committee are resolved. We made it abundantly clear in this House that appearance before this House is not a buffet that you cherry-pick, that I want to take this one, I will leave this other commit…

[(Applause)]

Hon. Senators, I will allow comments for not more than 15 minutes, including the statement by the Majority Leader, in which case, then I will allow comments for not more than half-an-hour. Therefore, if you get an opportunity to speak, kindly, do so for not more than three minutes. Sen. Eddy Oketch, you have the Floor.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I just wanted to follow up very quickly on the Majority Leader that the moment we accept---

Sen. Eddy, just take your seat. I will allow you to make your comments. We have guests that have been seated for quite some time. Let me acknowledge their presence, and then we can proceed with the comments.

[(Interruption of Statements)]

Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Speaker's Gallery this afternoon of a visiting delegation from the County Assembly of Samburu, comprising members of the House Business Committee (HBC) , the Speaker's Panel and its secretariat. The delegation is undertaking a training programme at the Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training (CPST) . Hon. Senators, I request eac…

[(Applause)]

Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me join you in welcoming, on behalf of the Senate, the members of the County Assembly of Samburu, members of the House Business Committee and the Speaker's Panel to the Senate. I know there is a lot to learn here from the Senate by the county assembly members and their staff. Some of the members who are here today have served in the last three assemblies. They have served sin…

[(Applause)]

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am grateful for this opportunity. I wish the Senator of Uasin Gishu was here to see how peacefully the county assembly members from his county are seated with the representatives from the County Assembly of Makueni. That is how things used to happen before Sen. Cheruiyot became the Majority Leader and I joined the Minority Leadership, but I hope that going forward the relation…

Sen. Wambua, you will have an opportunity to say all that.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I just wanted to say that for the benefit of the representative from the County Assembly of Makueni because their county government has done extremely well. The Assembly even appeared last week and they did extremely well. What I do not know is whether I can say the same thing for the Governor of Uasin Gishu. Since you have assured me that I will have an opportunity to say those…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I just wanted to raise a point of information, but I did not want to shout because my governor has not refused to appear before the committees. Indeed, the last time he appeared before the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPISFC) , I was there. He had mentioned that there is a need to have different---

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, hon. Senators. Order, Sen. Hezena, you belong to the Samburu County delegation, which is why I gave you one minute to extend a word of welcome. That is it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I appreciate the opportunity to welcome our members of the County Assembly. At the same time, I request the Senate Business Committee (SBC) to ensure that there is harmony in the allocation of time in which the governors or the Cabinet Secretaries are invited to answer questions in their respective committees. This is because in the last time we had a conflict, where …

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

Thank you, Sen. Wamatinga. Hon. Senators, it has just been brought to my attention that today is the last day for consideration of the Motion on extension of time for consideration of the Sugar General Regulations, 2025. Sen. Olekina, you will be the next person to speak after we transact the business that I am trying to guide the House on. I immediately suspend

March, 17, 2026 SENATE DEBATES 31

The amendment proposes to amend the Health Act 2025, by inserting a new Section 7A to address a number of issues affecting those who are not able to pay medical bills that are incurred in our public hospitals and in some cases, private hospitals. I am sure that all of us, Senators from our respective counties, have had instances where those we refer to as hustlers, who are not well-endowed financ…

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Thank you, Senior Counsel Sen. Omogeni. In fact, as a matter of precedence, the pronouncements the courts have made on this have used some specific quotes, including the fact that you cannot punish poverty to the extent that if--- Sorry, there is a problem with the microphone. Try it now. It is up on my end. You are now on, Sen. Wambua. The system has picked up. You may need to use the Dispatch B…

Thank you, Sen. Wambua. The Bill is now available for contribution by Members, and I will invite Sen. Mungatana to contribute to the Bill.

[(Question proposed)]

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to make my contribution in support of this amendment. I start by

March, 17, 2026 SENATE DEBATES 50

Sen. Samson Cherarkey, please proceed.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, what I was trying to put across is that--- It is good that Sen. Methu has just walked in when I am driving the point hot and dry---

[(Sen. Methu walked into the Chamber)]

Sen. Cherarkey, please hold on. The Senior Counsel is attempting to catch the eye of the Chair. Are you willing to be informed by Sen. Okong’o Omogeni?

All right. Proceed, Sen. Omogeni.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I just wanted to inform Sen. Cherarkey. He has made some pronouncement to the effect that the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) has removed the Nairobi Hospital from facilities that are

March, 17, 2026 SENATE DEBATES 52

Fair enough. Proceed, Sen. Cherarkey.

Thank you for that information. As the crisis happens, I hope services will also improve because it is one of the premium hospitals in the country. I hope the PSC will also do due diligence because the last time I went there, services were not good. I hope they will rectify. I had to stay over two hours before receiving medical attention. Therefore, the President’s intervention was very timely in …

March, 17, 2026 SENATE DEBATES 53

Fair enough. Proceed, Sen. Cherarkey.

Thank you for that information. As the crisis happens, I hope services will also improve because it is one of the premium hospitals in the country. I hope the PSC will also do due diligence because the last time I went there, services were not good. I hope they will rectify. I had to stay over two hours before receiving medical attention. Therefore, the President’s intervention was very timely in …

Sen. Cherarkey, when the House resumes, you will have eight minutes remaining to conclude on your contribution to this Bill.