Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the

Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.41(1) and 144 of the National Assembly Standing Orders, I hereby convey the following Message from the National Assembly. WHEREAS the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bills No.39 of 2023) was passed by the Senate on Tuesday, 15th April, 2025 and referred to the National Assembly for consideration pursuant to the provisions of Arti…

Mr. Temporary, Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of the Senate today, the 5th August, 2025- Report of the Ministry of Health on the cell, tissue and organ transplant services in Kenya.

Let us go to the next Order. Take your seat, Sen. Chesang.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I beg to give Notice of the following Motion- THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING, the resolution of the Senate made on 12th February, 2025 on the approval of Senators to serve in various Standing Committees of the Senate and pursuant to Standing Orders Nos.197, 199 and 228, following nomination by the Senate Business Committee, the Senate approves the nomination of Sen. Joe Nyutu, …

Hon. Members, before we call out the next Order, I have a Communication to make.

Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery this afternoon, of a visiting delegation of eight staff and 17 students from Bunge Mashinani School of Governance. The delegation is undertaking a study visit in Parliament. In our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming visitors to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome to the delegation. On behalf of the Senate and…

[(Applause)]

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity to welcome a great team from Bunge Mashinani School of Governance. Feel welcome. This is called the ‘upper’ House. You have seen the deliberations and discussions that we have. We disagree to agree. At the end of the day, we are representatives of the people. We tend to have different views, but all geared towards better governance. I w…

Clerk, please, call the next Order.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing on a matter of countywide concern regarding the absence of safe pedestrian

crossing along Thika Superhighway at Kabati Market in Murang’a County, which poses grave safety risks. Thika Road is a major highway connecting Nairobi to Central and Eastern parts of Kenya, serving thousands of motorists and public transport vehicles every day. Kabati Market, located along the busy highway, is a significant commercial hub serving local residents, traders, farmers and commuters f…

Hon. Senators, please maintain silence.

Thank you. In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Hon. Members, I will defer to the next sitting the second Statement from that particular list.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have three Statements. Allow me to read all of them.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Health on a matter of countywide concern regarding the condition and operational status of ambulance services in Taita-Taveta.

In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Next is Sen. Fatuma Dullo.

Mr. Temporary 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 the matter of countywide concern regarding the abduction and assault of Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Ibrahim, former Chief Officer of Medical Services in Isiolo County. On 13th June, 2025, at approximately 2.00 a.m., Mr. Abdirahma…

Proceed, Sen. Richard Onyonka.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Education on a matter of

national concern regarding irregularities in the payroll system of the Teacher Service Commission (TSC). The Auditor-General’s report for the financial year ending June, 2024 highlights significant flaws in the payroll administration of the TSC. Specifically, the report, out of the many, reveals that TSC overpaid teachers by a total of Kshs433.9 million, attributing the overpayments to inefficien…

Proceed, Sen. James Murango.

Asante sana, Bw. Spika wa Muda, kwa kunipa nafasi hii. Nasimama kwa mujibu wa Kanuni ya Kudumu Nambari 53 (1) ya Kanuni za Kudumu za Seneti kuomba Kauli kutoka kwa Kamati ya Kilimo, Mifugo na Uvuvi kuhusu usimamizi na matumizi ya fedha za uendeshaji na utengenezaji zinazolipwa kila mwaka na wakulima wa Mwea. Wakulima wa mpango wa unyunyiziaji maji wa Mwea hulipa takriban Shilingi 7,000 kila mwaka…

Sen. (Dr.) Lelegwe, if you must consult, do so in low tones. The Senator must be heard in silence. Sen. Miraj, keep silence in the House. Sen. Murango, proceed to conclude on your Statement.

.Bw. Spika wa Muda, aida ripoti ya Mdhabiti na Mkaguzi Mkuu wa Hesabu katika sekta za Serikali imeonyesha kuwa zaidi ya Shilingi 54.8 milioni zilizokusanywa na Hazina ya Taifa hazina maelezo ya matumizi, jambo linalozua wasiwasi kuwa huenda fedha zilizochangishwa kutoka kwa wakulima wa Mwea ni miongoni mwa pesa hizo zisizojulikana zilipo. Katika Kauli hiyo, Kamati hii inapaswa kujibu maswali yafu…

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, Sen. Kisang, Sen. Nyutu and Sen. Mbugua. Allow Sen. Murango to conclude his Statement.

Nambari (4) Iwapo kuna ukaguzi wa matumizi ya fedha hizo ambayo umefanyika na matokeo ya ukaguzi huo.

Sen. Okiya Omtatah, please proceed.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Health on a matter of countywide concern regarding the deplorable state of healthcare facilities and services in Busia County. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the healthcare system in Busia County is in critical disrepair, marked by inadequate infrastructure, insufficient medical…

severe shortage of trained personnel. This situation is further exacerbated by non- functional ambulances, poor sanitation and a chronic lack of essential medical supplies. Sub-county hospitals are missing key services such as radiology, caesarean sections and specialist care, while existing infrastructure remains underutilized due to staffing and technical challenges. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir,…

Sen. Beatrice Ogola, please proceed.

Sen. (Dr.) Lelegwe, please proceed.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget on a matter of countrywide concern, regarding the systematic voiding of staff

allowances and other county obligations already approved for payment by the Controller of Budget during the Financial Year 2024/2025 in Samburu County. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

The next Statement, by request, is hereby deferred to the next Sitting.

Mr. Temporary 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 countywide concern regarding access to piped water in Nyamira County. Residents in many rural areas of Nyamira County lack access to clean and safe drinking water. As a result, they are forced to rely on unreliable source…

Next is Sen. Mohamed Faki.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration on a matter of country-wide concern regarding the recognition of the Wangazija Community in Mombasa. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Wangazija Community are a Swahili-speaking community residing predomin…

Sen. Faki, just take your seat. Sen. Tabitha Keroche, while you were away, certain directives were given and you are out of order. I am giving you the first warning because of what you have just been doing. Take note. Proceed, Sen. Faki.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Wangazija Community are a Swahili- speaking community residing predominantly along the Kenyan coast, particularly in Mombasa. Despite their long-standing historical presence and invaluable contributions to the cultural landscape and Islamic heritage of our nation, they remain unrecognized as a distinct ethnic group by the State. This continued lack of formal recognitio…

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I wish you had permitted me to give diagnosis of a problem in the previous discussion, but let me proceed to read the Statement.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let me comment on one or two Statements; the issue of ambulances in Taita-Taveta County and the state of healthcare in Busia by the presidential hopeful, Sen. Okiya Omtatah. On this issue of the status of health, I appeal to the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health to move the working reports on the status of health in counties that they have visited. It wil…

As we visit Busia for the Senate Mashinani, we must visit those places, so that we assess the situation. I am not talking about Kakamega, which is not a growing concern. Let me summarise by saying the success of devolution depends on how we handle health matters in this country. Finally, on the Statement that has been brought by Sen. (Dr.) Murango, on the issue of rice, I am still wondering. Why …

Sen. Godfrey Osotsi, you may proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I wish to comment on the Statement by Sen. Onyonka on the issue of irregularities in TSC payroll system. I think this is a very serious issue. Our teachers continue to suffer as a result of the TSC’s inefficiency, especially in the management of the electronic payroll system. As I speak, there are many other systems in Government which have problems, includin…

managing schools; the NEMIS, the e-Citizen platform and others, which have serious technical issues and security issues. The Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act is very clear that such systems, which are supposed to be handling large volumes of population and they are usually classified in law as critical information system or information data, are supposed to be categorised in law and gazetted as…

Sen. Mungatana, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I wish to make a brief intervention on the Statement regarding irrigation water charges brought to this House by Sen. (Dr.) Murango. I request the Standing Committee on Agriculture,

Livestock and Fisheries while addressing the issues surrounding water charges in Mwea, to also consider the situation at the Bura Irrigation Scheme in Tana River County. The farmers there have been under oppression of very high water charges. They complain that the water costs are so expensive that farming no longer makes economic sense. The President visited the Bura Irrigation Scheme and direct…

Sen. Edwin Sifuna, proceed.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, you gave a directive on the other matter, but I would like to offer a diagnosis of the problem as I see it between this House and the ‘lower’ House. I believe the problem is that the leadership of both Houses does not communicate, not just at the Speaker’s level, but even among ourselves. As a result, Members of the National Assembly often have no idea where the Senate …

assured us that the CBK would tweak some technology. Perhaps we can send Sen. Ososti, our ICT expert, to verify this. The Governor mentioned systems such as Temenos T24 and Granular Data Integration (GDI), which I admit I do not understand, but I am sure Sen. Ososti does. He assured this House through the Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations that once the CoB releases payment f…

Sen. Mariam, proceed.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I move the Report on the Standing Committee on Health on the Inspection Tour of the Health Facilities in West Pokot, Trans Nzoia and Turkana counties. During the visit, the Committee observed the need for cooperation and collaboration to ensure the effective devolution function of health, strengthen the function and oversight on the utilization of resources. Th…

incentives and the health projects whose construction had stalled. Further, there was need to ensure that primary healthcare established in the early years of devolution were operationalized.

Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale and Sen. Cherarkey, please let us listen to Sen. Mariam.

Madam Temporary Speaker, the Committee also noted that health facilities did not have the requisite number of healthcare personnel working in critical departments such as maternity wards and emergency care. Specialized care units and various health departments face high workload and staff shortage. The Committee also observed that counties should address the low staff morale and motivation arisin…