Senate · Afternoon Sitting
Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Senators debated the governance crisis in Nyamira County, highlighting the loss of Kshs19 billion, parallel county assemblies and a breakdown in oversight. The discussion was sharply critical of the County’s officials and the Committee on Devolution, while urging stronger Senate intervention and possible suspension of funding until accountability is restored. Senators discussed the progress report of the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations concerning the leadership and operational crisis in Nyamira County Assembly, moving and seconding a motion to adopt the report. Procedural matters were addressed, including limiting debate time to five minutes per senator and proposing an amendment to nullify decisions made by the disputed County Assembly leadership. The debate reflected a constructive oversight effort with limited conflict. Senators debated the legality of recent County Assembly sittings in Nyamira, highlighting that they contravene Section 7(b)(ii) of the County Governments Act and urging the Senate to adopt proposed amendments. Concerns were raised about the Controller of Budget’s role and possible collusion, as well as the risk of misappropriated funds reaching governors. The discussion called for a formal determination and swift resolution to prevent similar disputes in other counties.
Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes. Order, hon. Senators. We now have quorum. Let us settle down. Clerk, you may proceed to call the first Order of business.
[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted with the Speaker)]
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Hon. Senators, Pursuant to Standing Order No.232 (1) (b) , I hereby present a Petition that has been submitted through the Clerk by
Mr. Daniel Mutuma Rukaria and other residents of Kithima Location, in Meru County regarding public land grabbing. As you are aware, Article 119(1) of the Constitution states- “Every person has a right to petition Parliament to consider any matter within its authority, including to enact, amend or repeal any legislation.” The salient issues raised in the said Petition are as follows- THAT, Kithim…
The Chairperson, Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee (JLAHRC) . Where are the Members of the JLAHRC Committee? Majority Leader, can you come to the aid of your Chair? There is a Paper that is supposed to be laid on the Table.
Mr. Speaker, I thought I had trained very many assistants, but nonetheless--- There were many others besides Sen. Methu.
Hon. Senators, before I call you for purposes of requesting for Statements, allow me to make the following Communication.
Machakos County. The delegation comprises two teachers and 39 students who are in the Senate for a one-day academic exposition. Hon. Senators, in our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming guests to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome to them. On behalf of the Senate and my own behalf, I wish them a fruitful visit. I do not see the Senator for Machakos in the House. I will, therefore, delega…
Thank you. Mr. Speaker, Sir. I take this opportunity to welcome the students of Katangi to the Senate. Make sure that you learn all that you can within this visit. I remind you that Kamba people are great. Learn to become great as the Kamba leaders who have done great things for this country. Thank you.
Statements pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) . Proceed, Hon. Sen. Edwin Sifuna, Senator for Nairobi City County.
Mr. 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 a matter of county-wide concern regarding the parcel of land known as LR No.5871/2, situated near Thika Road Mall in Roysambu Constituency. The land was previously occupied by the defunct Uchumi supermarket chain and is currently unde…
Senator from Busia County. Is that correct?
Yes, Mr. Speaker, Sir.
Sen. Andrew Omtatah.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have two statements. Can I read them out loud?
Proceed.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Energy on a matter of national concern regarding the handing over of a massive cooking gas handling facility to a private firm. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) has been left counting losses amounting to millions of shillings after its plan to develop a 30,000 metric …
Mr. 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 national concern regarding the withdrawal of Kshs19,707,023,504 from the Consolidated Fund under the vote item “State Officers’ Salaries Allowances and Miscellaneous” in January, 2025. According to the Statement of Actual Revenue and Net Exchequer Issu…
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have four Statements this afternoon. The first Statement is on renewable energy development and equitable access in Kisumu County. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.51 to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Energy on a matter of county-wide concern regarding the status of renewable energy development in Kisumu County and the equitable access to clean, affordable…
I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.531 to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Health on the matter of county-wide concern, namely, the alarming state of disrepair and collapse of Pap Onditi Hospital in Kisumu County. Pap Onditi Hospital, once a vital lifeline for thousands of residents in lower Nyakach and neighbouring areas, today suffers from acute shortage of medical personnel, e…
Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.56 (1) , the Chairperson Standing Committee on Trade, Investment and Industry, proceed.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant Standing Order No.56 (1) (b) to make a Statement relating to the activities of the Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism for the first quarter of the Fourth Session covering the period between February and April, 2025. During the period under review, the Committee held 22 sittings, during which it considered 18 Statements and four Bills. The …
Next is the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing. If the Chairperson is not here, do we have any Member of that committee to represent them? Okay. We will move to the next Statement.
[(An hon. Senator spoke off record)]
[(Loud consultations)]
Next is a Statement by the Chairperson of the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) .
Mr. Speaker, Sir, pursuant to Standing Order No.56 (1) (b) , I wish to present a Statement relating to the activities of the Senate CPAC for the period commencing 11th February, 2025 to 30th April, 2025. It is important to note that those are the dates from which the committee was reconstituted to the end of the third quarter. During the period under review, the committee held a total of eight si…
fines, imprisonment or other punitive measures to safeguard the authority and dignity of Parliament. From experience, governors are happy to pay the Kshs500,000 fine and go scot-free. Further, the Committee requested the clerks of the 47 county assemblies to submit written management responses. The committee resolved to adopt the Auditor-General’s reports for 45 county assemblies as submitted by …
Since this report was restricted to the period up to 30th April, 2025, when we make our subsequent reports, we shall update the House on how the Committee has responded to the ruling delivered by Justice Aburili on 7th May, the county visits that the Committee has organised and how the Committee has planned to ensure that the resolutions of the House on 27th March are closed and matters that were …
Next is Sen. Wakili Sigei.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for allowing me the opportunity to read this Statement. 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 county-wide concern regarding the transition from JamboPay revenue collection system to BometPay revenue collection system and other financial malpractices by the County Government of B…
Hon. Senators, we are supposed to proceed to comments. However, I am informed there is a Motion that is supposed to address a crisis in Nyamira County, and I believe we need to give it priority. We have two groups, each purporting to be the legitimate County Assembly of Nyamira and each is busy churning Bills and laws, not knowing which one is the right House to guide Nyamira County. That is inde…
[(Several Senators walked into the Chamber)]
[(Loud consultations)]
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity. I take this opportunity to welcome the girls from St. Francis Mang’u, and the teachers who have come to visit us today. This is the Senate, and I am your Senator. My name is Karungo Wa Thang’wa. I thank your parents for voting for me. This is a great opportunity for you to come to learn and see what we do at the Senate. The Senate has been describ…
Clerk, call Order No.13. The Chairperson, Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations, please, proceed.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move- THAT, the Senate adopts the Progress Report of the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations on the Operational and Leadership
Crisis affecting the County Assembly of Nyamira laid on the Table of the Senate on Thursday, 17th April, 2025. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations has reported a long-standing dispute of the County Assembly of Nyamira that allegedly split the Assembly into two factions. The Committee is further concerned that the dispute is affecting the s…
The Committee observed that-
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir.
Having said that, may I take this opportunity to commend the Members of the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations for their devotion and commitment to duty as the Committee continues to consider this matter. I also wish to thank the office of the Speaker and the office of the Clerk of the Senate for the support extended to the Committee in taking this important assignme…
Who is seconding your Motion, Sen. Abass?
Sorry. I request Sen. Thang’wa, who is a Member of the Committee, to second.
Proceed, Sen. Thang’wa.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I second.
Hon. Senators, the Motion has been moved and seconded. I will proceed to propose the question.
On a point of order.
Yes, Senator Gloria.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise to request that we limit the debates to five minutes per Senator.
Under what Standing Order?
Under the Standing Order No.111; Limitation of debate.
Hon. Senators, we may go the whole-hog and I end up putting a question or strike a consensus. On the time allocated per Senator to speak, do we then agree that we each speak for five minutes?
On a point of order.
There is no Senator on their feet, Professor. Do we have a consensus that a Senator speaking shall not take more than five minutes? Very well. Senator for Kisumu, we are done already with that aspect. It is five minutes.
[(Senators responded in the affirmative)]
Mr. Speaker, Sir, may I move my amendment? I have a notice of amendment to the Motion. I beg to move the following amendment to the Motion by the Chairperson, Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations- THAT the Motion be amended by deleting the full stop at the end and inserting the following words- “Subject to the insertion of the following recommendations after recommen…
[(Loud consultations)]
Mr. Speaker, Sir, the proposed amendment is as follows- THAT the decisions and resolutions made by the impeached Speaker and Members of the County Assembly that convened outside the gazetted precincts of the County Assembly are null and void.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, is it in order for Sen. Cherarkey, to just cross the Floor and interrupt the Members while talking as if in a marketplace?
Senator for Nandi, kindly leave the Chamber for the remainder of this session.
[(Sen. Cherarkey withdrew from the Chamber)]
Mr. Speaker, Sir, the proposed amendment is to paragraph---
Order, hon. Senator. Yes, what is your intervention, Senator for Kakamega?
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I thank you for this opportunity. This morning, just like you have seen this afternoon, we have sat through the embarrassment of Senators exchanging with the Chair when the Chair directs that they leave the Chamber. In fact, we lost 10 minutes in the morning because the Senator affected refused to go. This is an embarrassment. Those of us who are sufficiently experienced have nev…
Hon. Senators, the dignity of this House rests in your hands. I am your Speaker, not your prefect. I am here to coordinate and facilitate debate. If you decide to be belligerent, the only thing I can do is to ask you to leave the Chamber, so that you allow your colleagues to continue with debate and the business of the House. So, the dignity of this House shall not be brought about by the number …
Mr. Speaker, Sir. The amendment proposed is to the recommendation number two in the Report, and it reads as follows-
THAT the decisions and resolutions made by the impeached Speaker and Members of the County Assembly that convened outside the gazetted precincts of the County Assembly are null and void, because they are. Secondly, I propose that an amendment be carried as follows- THAT the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission investigates misappropriation and spending of public resources by the impeached Speake…
Next Order.
Sen. Wakili Sigei.
that I got, the creative economy has availed over 679,000 job opportunities for the young and the old in South Africa. Interestingly, in Indonesia, the world statistics provides that 24 million Indonesians are actually employed within the creative sector economy. In Nigeria, 3.2 million people have full-time employment and are earning a living and establishing their future through this sector. M…
Currently, we have a great number of artists, beginning with Kipchamba, a true legend. He has earned his place in history books. He has been honored by previous governments for his remarkable ability to transform ideas into music, produce and generate immense knowledge and information through his artistic talent. Many artists have drawn inspiration from him. I mentioned yesterday one whom we are …
registration, ensuring that creative works are properly produced by registered entities. That is covered under Clauses D, E, and F. I only propose that we make this amendment. Similarly, regarding the promotion of programmes, once the council is established, its objective should include running programmes to promote various categories of artists and creative arts. This will enable the council to …
chairperson of that committee, because this is an appointed person. Therefore, it is prudent to allow the members to have their own to be elected as chairperson, as long as they are not appointed. Under Clause 13, I am very happy about this particular clause, Sen. Eddy. This is because unlike the other organisations and other established councils we have created in the previous Bills or Acts, you…
Hon. Senators, it is now 6.30 p.m., time to adjourn the Senate. The Senate, therefore, stands adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, 15th May, 2025 at 2.30 p.m. Sen. Sigei, you have three and a half minutes left before you finish. The Senate rose at 6.30 p.m.
Hon. Senators, it is now 6.30 p.m., time to adjourn the Senate. The Senate, therefore, stands adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, 15th May, 2025 at 2.30 p.m. Sen. Sigei, you have three and a half minutes left before you finish. The Senate rose at 6.30 p.m.