National Assembly · Morning Sitting

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education on its Examination of the Report of the Auditor- General on the Financial Statements of State Corporations (Central Region) for the Financial Years 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 6…

Hon. Members, for the convenience of the House, I want us to skip Order No.7 and go directly to Order No.8.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Procedural Motion: THAT, this House resolves to exempt the Business appearing as Orders 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 in today’s Order Paper from the provisions of Standing Order 40 (3) , being a Wednesday morning, a day allocated for Business not sponsored by the Majority or Minority Party or Business sponsored by a Committee. Everyo…

Hon. Junet Mohamed, you are seconding this Motion.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to second.

[(Question proposed)]

Put the Question!

Is that the mood of the House?

Yes!

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Next Order.

Hon. Members, we concluded the Committee of the whole House on this Bill. What remained was for the Question to be put.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Mover.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Finance Laws Bill (National Assembly Bill No.5 of 2025) be now read a Third Time. I also request Hon. Murugara to second.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to second. Before you put the Question, I have noticed that Hon. Ruku is here; yet, the Motion to approve his appointment as a Cabinet Secretary is on the Order Paper. Is it in order for Hon. Ruku, the great man from Mbeere North…

Hon. Murugara, you are seconding a very special Motion, and I request that you proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to second.

[(Question proposed)]

Hon. Junet.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I would like to support the Third Reading of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill. It is very important in combating money laundering and organised crime in our country. We have a serious problem on money laundering because a lot of our money is lost in this manner. For example, look at what is happening in the county governm…

Hon. Chepkonga

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As the Leader of the Minority Party has said, this Bill is indeed, very important because Kenya has been accused of money laundering. It will get rid of the shenanigans we saw yesterday. When people are arrested or called upon to account for money, they should not plead politics. They should just say they have been found with some money which are unex…

Hon. Chepkonga, I am curious; you being a senior lawyer, is having money in your house evidence of crime?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is not evidence of crime. But as you know, we passed the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) Regulations recently. For you to have more than one million shillings, you should explain its source. If you are unable to, then under the Assets Recovery Agency, it will be treated as proceeds of crime. Nobody is supposed to hold huge cash in their house, and more importantly, an e…

The last Member to contribute on this matter will be Hon. Elachi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to start by thanking everyone who stood with me during the difficult time. We thank God for everything. The form of money laundering in this country has changed. You remember when the former President changed the system, people also changed. Others went to mini-markets. Most of the petrol stations are used for the same. When you look at it, you wonder h…

Thank you, Members. I want to put the Question. I confirm there is Quorum. Next Order.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

[(The Bill was accordingly read a Third Time and passed)]

Hon. Members, as you are aware, debate on this Special Motion was concluded yesterday. Therefore, we wish that the House decides one way or the other.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Order Members. Members who are walking out of the Chamber, please take your seats. Hon. Members, debate on this Motion was concluded yesterday too. Therefore, I will proceed to put the Question.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Hon. Members, debate on this Motion was also concluded yesterday. It is now for us to decide this morning. Therefore, I will proceed to put the Question.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Hon. Junet?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, Order No.13 has been called out. We are going to debate on the approval of nominees for Cabinet Secretaries and one of them is sitting here. You cannot skin a monkey when it is looking at you.

[(Laughter)]

I have not seen any monkey in the House this morning.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is the point of order Hon. Farah Maalim. Hon. Farah Maalim (Dadaab, WDM) : I want to set the record straight. In North Eastern, we do not eat monkeys. He comes from Nyanza. We do not skin monkeys. For the record, that only applies where he represents in Parliament.

We will do this in a different way. I do not want to pronounce myself on the microphone on that matter, but the person concerned has been communicated to, accordingly. Of course, there are repercussions if he does not follow the reasons he has been given. The House could always vote either way. So, there are repercussions for refusing to follow what has been advised. Hon. Members, I am informed H…

Is it the mood of the House that the Mover be called upon to reply?

Yes!

Thank you. The Mover may proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to take this opportunity to thank all the Members who have contributed the Motion. As I stated earlier, Ms Hanna Wendot tendered an apology on 14th of April, the same day of the vetting, on her X handle, @hannawcheptumo. She said, ‘First and foremost, I sincerely apologise for this statement, and wholly withdraw it. No woman deserves to be killed under a…

[(Several Hon. Members walked into the Chamber)]

Hon. Members at the back, take your seats. Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu, UDA) : They should serve with the same dedication they demonstrated while serving in their other capacities. I beg to reply.

Hon. Members, thank you so much. I now want to put the Question. Order. Hon. Thuku, I stated this morning that when the Hon. Temporary Speaker is on his feet, you freeze. That means you keep quiet.

[(Several Hon. Members were up standing)]

[(Hon. Kwenya Thuku consulted loudly)]

[(Question put and agreed to)]

We have four Members who have Statement requests. Let us go back to Order No.7 quickly. consulted with the leading Clerk-at-the-Table)

[(The Temporary Speaker (Hon. David Ochieng’)]

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding the implementation status of enhanced salary packages for teachers within Isiolo municipality. Following the 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) , it was …

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, Hon. Members. Hon. Member, go ahead.

It is against this background that I request the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education to apprise the House on the following:

Member for Tinderet, you are the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education. How long will it take you to respond to this matter?

I will respond in two weeks’ time, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member for Isiolo County, follow up with the Member after two weeks. Next is Hon. Rashid Bedzimba.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No.44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding the criteria for recognition and equation of certificates and diplomas obtained from schools offering international curricula in the country. There exist two curricula in the Kenya education system – the International Curricula…

[[The Temporary Speaker (Hon. David Ochieng’) left the Chair] [The Temporary Speaker (Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai) took the Chair]]

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, Hon. Members. Hon. Rashid Bedzimba should be heard in silence. We are not even able to hear what he is saying. Please, proceed.

The policy bars these students from admission to local universities and from employment within the public sector solely due to lack of an equivalent certification.

It is against this background that I seek a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education on the following:

Thank you very much. The Statement Request is referred to the Departmental Committee on Education. Chairman, Hon. Melly, when will you be able to respond to this request?

I will respond in two weeks' time, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

In two weeks’ time it will be. Thank you. Next is Hon. Abdul Haro, the Member for Mandera South. Please, proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No.44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy regarding the status of retrofitting the Elwak diesel- powered off-grid power station with a hybrid solar photovoltaic system. Elwak is the largest town in Mandera County with a steadily growing population and a rising demand for electricit…

Thank you very much. The Request is referred to the Departmental Committee on Energy. I understand that the Chairman is out on official business. Is the Vice-Chairman in? In the absence of the Vice-Chairman, is there any Member of that Committee? Hon. Elisha, I am told that you are a senior Member of the Departmental Committee on Energy. When are you going to give a response to this Statement Requ…

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I undertake that we will reply to the Statement Request within a maximum of two weeks’ time.

Two weeks maximum. Thank you very much. Next is Hon. Ong’ondo Were, the Member for Kasipul.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to provisions of Standing Order No.44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining regarding the indiscriminate and illegal mining activities in Kowidi Location, Kasipul Constituency. The number of miners is steading increasing in Kowidi location. The miners engage in unregulated mi…

Thank you very much. The Statement Request is referred to the Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining. Is the Chairperson in the House? What about the Vice-Chairperson? Do we have any Member of that Committee? In the absence of Members of the Committee, I would like to pass this to Hon. Naomi Waqo to make an undertaking on behalf of the Committee Chair. When can the Member for K…

Hon. Temporary Speaker, since we are going on recess in two weeks' time, I promise that the Chairman will work hard and provide a response two weeks after the recess. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next Order.

The Chairperson Departmental Committee on Education. Hon. Melly, please proceed.

Thank you. I rise to prosecute this Motion, which was tabled yesterday. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental

Appointment as Principal Secretary, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 155(3)(b) of the Constitution and Sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, CAP 7F, this House approves the appointment of Prof. Abdulrazak Shaukat as Principal Secretary, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation. Hon…

Order, Hon. Osoro. You may conclude Hon. Chairperson.

The Chief Whip of the Majority Party is harassing me.

[(Loud consultations)]

Go ahead, Hon. Gisairo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. At the outset, you need to protect me from Hon. Farah, who is my leader and Hon. Osoro because they have started attacking me.

Did you say that someone is attacking you? I have not noticed anything like that.

They have told me to just say, “I second”.

You are protected. I did not notice them attacking you.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I was just bringing the matter to your attention. As the Chairperson of the Committee has said, we cannot be a productive and innovative country without research. Prof. Shaukat proved to us that he is capable of leading this new State Department because of his vast experience. It has been separated from universities because they are struggling. So, this State De…

[(Question proposed)]

Hon. Junet, Leader of the Minority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I want to thank the Executive for setting up this very important State Department for Science, Research and Innovation. What is happening in the world now is about innovation and technology transfer. If you watch the news today, President Trump has frozen US$200 million for innovation in Harvard University. This tells you how impo…

Secondly, Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat is a renowned scholar in this country. He is a man of impeccable credentials. He has helped and served this country all his life under many capacities. He has given his life to public service. There is no better person to be in charge of the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation than Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat. With those few remarks, I support the M…

Thank you very much, Leader of the Minority Party. Hon. Farah Maalim, contribute for two minutes.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute. I have known Prof Abdulrazak for more than three decades. He has a powerful wealth of knowledge. At this stage, he is serving in that unique position as the only African in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) . This is a man who will take research in this country to a much higher level. As one of …

Hon. Ndindi Nyoro contribute for two minutes.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. What we call Silicon Valley today is out of a policy in the United States of America (USA) called Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) a few decades back and also the proximity to Stanford University. STEM Policy gave the USA many immigrants who were very good and smart in those areas. The availability of money from Wall Street gave …

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Prof Abdulrazak anatoka Mombasa na nimefurahi sana kupewa nafasi hii ili nimpongeze huyu msomi. Anaye chukua idara hii ni mchapa kazi. Ukiangalia historia yake, sehemu tofauti ambazo amefanyia jamii kazi yeye ni mtu wa kujituma. Ana uweledi wa uongozi. Kwa vile hatuna muda, nachukua fursa hii kumpongeza ndugu yangu, Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat. Namwambia afanye kazi na…

Hon. Owen Baya contribute for two minutes please. What is out of Order Hon. Bashir?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, looking at the mood of the House and the competencies of Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat, I request the Mover to be called upon to reply.

Yes.

Hon. Baya, I know you want to say very good things about Prof., but there is a request by Hon. Bashir. We really would have wanted to say good things about Professor, but there is the request by Hon. Bashir. Can I give you a minute?

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The person of Shaukat is what we need as a country to develop research. When he was the Chairman of the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) he really stimulated research in universities, but when he left everything went down. We have the right person for the job. He comes from Kilifi and he is Prof Shaukat. Thank you.

Hon. Members, Hon. Bashir rose and called upon the Speaker to call upon the Mover to reply. I would like to find out whether it is the mood of the House that I call upon the Mover to reply.

[(Question, that the mover be now called upon to reply, put and agreed to)]

Mover.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to reply that the House approves.

Thank you very much. For the convenience of the House, I defer putting of the question to a time as will be scheduled by the House Business Committee. Next Order.

[(Putting of the Question deferred)]

The Hon. Chairman, Departmental Committee on Regional Development, please, proceed.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Special Motion: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental

I am acting on behalf of the Chairman. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure in its report on the approval hearing of a nominee for Appointment as Principal Secretary, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 155 (3) (b) of the Con…

of the Public Appointments Parliamentary Approval Act, Cap 7F, His Excellency the President submitted the name of Mr Aden Abdi Millah as the nominee for appointment for the position of the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. By Section 6(9) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, the Clerk of the National Assembly invited interested mem…

Hon. Weytan.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I can confirm, as a member of the Committee, that the nominee displayed a high level of professionalism, integrity, and maritime skills. If the strategies the nominee displayed are implemented, Kenya can go to the next level and attain double-digit economic growth. I beg to second.

[(Question proposed)]

Put the question!

Leader of the Minority Party. I hear Members shouting that I put the question, but the chance is for the Leader of the Minority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. If there is a committee that has done a thorough vetting job this time, then it is this one. They have looked at every aspect of this matter. You can see them categorically say in their Report that the nominee has shown a lot of enthusiasm to do the job for which he is being nominated. The nominee is someb…

Hon. Leader of the Minority Party, you have spoken very well about the candidate. However, in the morning, Hon. Farah Maalim told us that the mother was in his house.

No! He has two homes. He has one there and one here. You cannot know the one in which the mother is staying. She could be in that one.

[(Laughter)]

You may proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you do not know which one she is staying in. These people have ten homes. As we speak, Farah has 40 homes. Anyway, this is a great man. He will help the country. I urge the House to support his nomination.

Thank you very much. I will give a minute to Hon. Farah Maalim. You will get a chance, Hon. Mishi.

I want to begin by thanking His Excellency President William Ruto and His Excellency the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for having seen us. This is the first time my constituency, one of the biggest constituencies in terms of population in this country, has appeared in ten years. I repeat, in ten years. You are right in terms of population. We have a bigger population than even the whole of K…

[(A Member spoke off record)]

You never get somebody like that in this country today. You do not get somebody who says he is earning more than he deserves and that he needs to put more into an organisation. He has been a career civil servant and I appreciate him very much. I appreciate the House. Thank you very much to Members of Parliament for supporting me on this one. For Junet, his mother comes from our side. I am his unc…

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika. Nami pia naunga mkono Hoja hii ya uteuzi wa kijana wetu Aden Abdi Millah. Namshukuru sana Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kenya pamoja na Mhe. Raila Amollo Odinga kwa kufikiria kabila ama jamaa ambazo zimetengwa. Tuliona Fikirini kutoka huko Pwani. Tulimwona Profesa Shaukat kutoka Pwani. Leo tumeona kijana wetu Michael kutoka Samburu. Sasa hivi tuko na kijana Abdi. Jamani, lazima chen…

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity. I have known him for about 30 years. We were schoolmates and I was one year ahead of him in high school. When he was in Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) I was in the University of Nairobi. Our history is intertwined. He is a person of integrity and experience. Professionally, he is someone who has worke…

Hon. Member for Kwanza Constituency.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say that I know Mr. Abdi very well. When he was in NTSA, I met him personally. I think he is up to the task. I, therefore, want to ask this House to give him this opportunity so that he can work. He is somebody I know; a person of very good integrity. I met him at NTSA and I find him very capable. Let us give him a chance, and if th…

Hon. Members, I hear voices that I call upon the mover to reply. I would like to find out whether that is the mood of the House that I call upon the mover to reply.

[(Question, that the Mover be now called upon to reply, put and agreed to)]

Mover.

I thank you for the discussions, comments, and ideas with regard to the approval of Aden Abdi Millah. I beg to reply.

Hon. Members, for convenience of the House, I defer putting of the question to a time that will be scheduled by the House Business Committee. Next Order.

[(Putting of the Question deferred)]

Hon. Members, in the interest of time, I defer order No. 18 to a time that it will be scheduled by the House Business Committee.