Senate · Morning Sitting

Clerk, could you confirm if we have the quorum to begin the Sitting? Serjeant-at-Arms, please, ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.

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

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

I am informed that we now have quorum. Clerk-at-the-Table, call the next Order?

[(Loud consultations)]

Hon. Members, the Motion on the extension of the mandate of the Ad Hoc Committee on the compensation of the Kenyan Victims of the 1998 bombing of the United States of America Embassy in Nairobi is by Sen. Kavindu Muthama. Any Member of that Committee? Clerk, we can defer this. Please, call the next Order. For purposes of proceeding, we will re-arrange the Order Paper because we have one Cabinet …

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

[(Sen. Chute spoke off record)]

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I beg to give Notice of the following Motion - THAT, AWARE that at the Sitting of the Senate held on Thursday, 27th June, 2023, the Senate, resolved to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the compensation to the Kenyan victims of the 1998 bombing of the United States of America Embassy in Nairobi and report back to the House within three months of i…

Sen. Chute, you have not called out someone to second your Motion.

[(Sen. Chute spoke off record)]

Clerk, proceed to the next Order.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for the privilege to acknowledge our children. Riara Schools have made a very big contribution to the education of this nation. I, therefore, wish to welcome the young people plus their teachers and assure them that as we sit down here in the Chamber, their round faces remind us of God’s message that the world will never come to an end. In the coming days, s…

Thank you, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, you may respond now to that last batch of Questions from the hon. Members. The Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife (Hon. (Dr.) Mutua) : Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I also want to acknowledge the students who are here from Riara. I remember my days as a student visiting different areas where we got a lot of interest and we l…

[(Resumption of Question Time)]

Nianze na swali la Mheshimiwa Mungatana kutoka kwa ndugu zetu wa Tana River kuhusu shida ambayo imetokea kule kwa sababu ya upungufu wa wasimamizi wa wanyama pori. Ningependa kumwambia kwamba, shida ambayo tumekuwa nayo ni upungufu wa watu wa kutosha. Hivi sasa Rais wetu ametupatia ruhusa ya kuweza kuwaajiri watu wapya; karibu 1,500 ambao ni wasimamizi wa wanyama pori. Kwa hivyo, tutaanza kuwaaji…

On the question about Baringo, it is good to note that we cannot just allow domestic animals to go and graze in game reserves. That is why they are set as game reserves. We know there is that challenge where people need to go and get fodder and all that. Therefore, we have entered into agreement with several counties such as Mbeere Conservancy, Shimba Hills Conservancy and South Kitui Conservancy…

just jogging will do 28, 30 or 35 kilometres per hour. You cannot outrun an elephant even if you are fast. It will catch up with you. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we, therefore, need to tell people to keep away. If you see an elephant flapping its ears, know that is dangerous. You should keep away. You cannot outrun it. You may be far, but it can catch up with you very fast. It is about being able…

Thank you, hon. Cabinet Secretary. I will ask Sen. Chimera to be the first person to ask questions the next time you appear. He had a question, but he came in when I already had discretion to close the questions time. I appreciate you together with your team, Madam Sylvia Museiya the Permanent Secretary and the rest that support you for taking time to come in and respond to questions in this honou…

[(The Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. (Dr.) Mutua, was escorted out of the Chamber)]

Question No. 018

For purposes of us progressing, we will deal with the other issues in the Order Paper as we await the Cabinet Secretary. Should he appear in good time, we will proceed to deal with the Questions that were scheduled for the Ministry. Hon. Members, earlier on, Sen. Chute had moved the Motion on extension of time of the Ad Hoc Committee. I would like us to revert to that, so that we progress. Clerk…

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I need some clarity on where we are going. There were a number of Ministers who were listed to appear before us. Amongst them was the Cabinet Secretary of Roads and Transport and infrastructure who had Question No.65 on the fate of the Presidential directive on upgrading of Kakamega Airstrip to international status. We wanted you to guide us about that and the other Mi…

I will. I am afraid that Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale you were probably not concentrating on the directive from the Chair. I have indicated that the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has written a letter to the House, which has been accepted. He asked to have his Questions deferred because he is on official duties outside the country. He, therefore, could not at…

[(Sen. Cherarkey stood in his place)]

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, on a matter of procedure, this House had made a ruling that we can only wait for a Cabinet Secretary or they can fail to

attend the House on two occasions only. First, when attending a Parliamentary committee or Parliament and second when in a Cabinet meeting. Could you clarify to the House which procedure would force the House to adjourn, to wait for a Cabinet Secretary who was well versed to appear today as from

Proceed Sen. Mungatana.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in addition to what my colleagues have said, it is important for Cabinet Secretaries to honor the summons here. In particular, I was personally waiting for Hon. Murkomen because we have a national embarrassment at our international airport where the roof is leaking.

[(Applause)]

Thank you Sen. Cherarkey and Sen. Mungatana. In fact, the reason the Hon. Cabinet Secretary was accommodated to

come at around 11.00 a.m. was due to the issues you have just raised. The decision that this House took previously still stands. It can only be to a point where the Senate Business Committee (SBC) has agreed to adjourn or defer questions. Otherwise, all Cabinet Secretaries who are required to respond to Questions are supposed to appear unless it has otherwise been accepted by the SBC. In this ca…

Pardon me, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. Sorry if I am seen to be slowing the House. I find it difficult to understand and probably the Clerks can guide us, under what Standing Orders do we wait for a Cabinet Secretary? We have been around for a while and we have never seen a situation where business of the House is being stood down to wait for a Cabinet Secretary. Even if we are going to do it, co…

Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, I had already indicated that I am calling the next Order to deal with the Motion for the purpose of making sure the business of the House is not suspended. Sen. Cherarkey, proceed.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I want to repeat what my colleagues have said. With all tremendous respect, I know you have the power to rearrange the Order Paper as per the Standing Orders. However, how do we look before Kenyans if we can wait for a Cabinet Secretary? Can you rule that the Cabinet Secretary appears in the next possible sitting so that we can proceed with other matters? I am aware o…

Finally, I reiterate that there are only two instances you can fail to appear before Parliament; when you are attending a Cabinet meeting or Parliament. We shall not allow Hon. Murkomen to take this House for granted. He was here and knows the value of Parliament. We have received so many complaints. Sen. Chute will tell you that in Marsabit County and in northern Kenya, roads have been swept away…

Sen. Cherarkey and Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, you are both aware that under Standing Order No.45 (2) the Chair has the mandate to re-organise the Order Paper and business of the House for the convenience of the Senate. It is on this provision of the Standing Order that we made those rearrangements. However, in view of what you have said, I will, as already stated, direct that Sen. Chute proceeds with hi…