National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting

Hon. Members, I wish to welcome you back to the House from the just- concluded short recess. I believe that you are geared up to embark on the legislative business of the House as we enter into the second half of the Fourth Session. You will recall that on 27th November 2024, this House considered and passed the Coffee Bill (Senate Bill No.10 of 2023) with amendments. Thereafter, I referred the B…

[(Loud consultations)]

Hon. Members, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 41 (4) , I wish to report to the House that during the recess period, I received a Message from the Senate regarding the approval of the Mediated Version of the Division of Revenue Bill (National Assembly Bill No.10 of 2025) . The Message conveys that on Monday, 30th June 2025, in accordance with the provisions of Article 113 (2) of the C…

[(Hon. Kangogo Bowen and several other Members walked into the Chamber)]

Members at the back, please take the nearest seats. Hon. Bowen, is the English language alien to you?

Hon. Members, you may recall that on 7th August 2024, the National Assembly passed the Pensions (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.44 of 2022) , which was sponsored by the Member for Kimilili, Hon. Didmus Barasa. The Bill sought to amend the Pensions Act, Cap.189 to provide for timelines within which pension was payable to an officer. Following its passage, I presented the Bill for assent…

On the other hand, an amendment that does not fully accommodate the President’s reservations or indeed one that has the effect of a total override of his reservations, including negating his proposed text, requires a two-thirds voting threshold to be passed, in keeping with the provisions of Article 115(4) of the Constitution. In conclusion, Hon. Members, I hereby direct the Clerk to circulate th…

Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Allow me to welcome Members back from the short working recess that they had. I hope that they are now better energised to carry on with the next four weeks that the House will be sitting. We have a lot of important business to transact within those four weeks. Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table:

Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Regional Development. Yes, Hon. Milemba.

Hon. Speaker, I seek your indulgence on the President’s Memorandum. Members may not be aware of the Bill that you took to the President for assent which was sponsored by Hon. Barasa. It was supposed to give a timeline for payment of pensions to the pensioners. The proposal was that a person who has retired should get their pension within 90 days. Currently, teachers, civil servants and other worke…

Hon. Milemba, we have passed that Order. I advise that you have a very important point. Prosecute it before the Committee or marshal two-thirds of the House to vote when it comes.

We need to moderate it because we can get a 50-50 out of the entire Bill, so that nobody loses. Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I will appear before the Committee.

Go ahead and prosecute your point before the Committee. Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Regional Development, Hon. Lochakapong.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table:

Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Lands.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Lands on its consideration of the President’s Memorandum to the National Land Commission (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.43 of 2023) I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you. Hon. Members, before the next Order, allow me to acknowledge, in the Speaker's Gallery, Kianjata High School from Ol Jorok, Nyandarua County and Kituro Junior Secondary School (JSS) from Baringo Central Constituency, Baringo County. We have A Journey to Africa Group from the United States of America (USA) in the Public Gallery. You should have a good habit of welcoming visitors.

[(Applause)]

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Somebody is saying they are my agemates, which is true.

[(Laughter)]

Next Order.

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental

No.PF2006072940/33782, lost his life through a tragic road accident along Kiambu-Nairobi highway on 21st August 2021. His spouse, Ms Charity Mulongo Zuma, and their three children survived him. Following his demise, the family lodged a compensation claim in accordance with the Work Injury Benefits Act (Cap. 236) under reference ML/WIBA/DCI/020/2021. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection ap…

Thank you, Hon. Waithaka. That is to the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Labour, Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a. Leader of the Majority Party, inform the Chair of Departmental Committee on Labour to bring a response in two weeks. Hon. Wandeto Geoffrey from Tetu, go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I request a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Labour regarding payment of salaries, terminal dues, and other benefits to former employees of Nyayo Tea Zones. Nyayo Tea Zones, established under the Office of the President with the aim of promoting rural development through tea farming, …

It is against this background that I request a Statement from the Chairperson of the

Thank you, Hon. Wandeto. Chair of the Departmental Committee on Labour, order. Once again, Leader of the Majority Party, inform the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Labour to bring a response to Hon. Wandeto and the House in two weeks. We will go to responses to Statements starting with the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Yes, Hon. Ng’elechei. Ar…

I am doing it on behalf of the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security.

Okay. Is Hon. Michael Muchira of Ol Jorok in the House? Yes, go ahead.

Order! Members, on your feet, take your seats. Hon. DK, you are extremely active today. Hon. Members, we will now put the question on Order 8.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Mover.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the Election Offences (Amendment) (No.2) Bill (Senate Bill No.28 of 2024) be now read a Second Time.

I would like to ask Hon. Mayaka and Hon. Lesuuda to listen. This Bill is very important and I am sure you will all contribute. You need to stay around. By way of introduction, the Bill seeks to amend Section 6 of the Election Offences Act, 2016 (Cap. 66) to enhance the integrity of Kenya’s electoral process by addressing gaps in the legal framework governing electoral offences, ensuring timely de…

in this country to hear this. It is common practice for people to spread falsehoods. Sometimes, in the heat of politics, you go out there and say, “Hon. Kaluma is this and that” which is not factual. Or you go and say, “Hon. Kaluma has withdrawn from the race” yet he has not. That now becomes a criminal offence once we pass this law. You know how people loosely talk about certain candidates or say…

As we head towards 2027, we need to be very careful about digital communication. With the current prevalence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), you can be declared President without vying for the position. AI can do dangerous things. Because of that, we must have the right regulations and statutes to protect our electoral integrity from such malpractices. This amendment Bill aligns with the Governm…

Please say, “I beg to move and I ask…”

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to move and request Hon. Senior Counsel Murugara to second.

Hon. Sir George Gitonga Murugara.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to make a few comments as I second the Bill. I commend the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party because he has done justice to what we are doing here this evening. We have to become more serious than ever before with electoral matters. I do not know if there is anything else that threatens our peace like elections. We must at all times ensure t…

[(they are called war drums)]

I think we have an Electoral Commission that is cut out for its work and we want them to move in there, reassure and give Kenyans confidence that the elections that are forthcoming will not only be free and fair, but will actually be credible and everybody is going to agree with the results once they are announced. What is the penalty? It is good also to let Kenyans know what would happen to any o…

Do we have any Member who wants to contribute to this Bill?

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

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise on Standing Order 96. This is an extremely important Motion that should be discussed to the end. In my view, with the full House when Members are fully informed, having

read the Report and everything. It is fundamental to what we are doing. Therefore, I beg to move that the debate be now adjourned.

Who is seconding your dilatory Motion? Hon. Naisula Lesuuda? I have seen the microphone somewhere to your right.

I second. Is it the mood of the House that I put the Question?

[(Question proposed)]

Yes. Next Order.

[(Question, that debate be now adjourned, put and agreed to)]

[(Debate adjourned)]

Mover. The Chairperson, Public

Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you. I, kindly, want to indulge you. Allow us to stand down this for now and we put it next when the Chairman is available.

Next Order.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, noting that the Chairman is not in the House, and this is an important Report that we must debate, I request

that this be deferred until next time when the Chairman is available for moving the same and debate thereafter. Thank you.

The Motion appearing under Order 13 is stepped down to a future date when it will be next scheduled for consideration by the House Business Committee.