Senate · Morning Sitting
Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Senator Kibwana moved a motion to note the Senate delegation’s report on the 2024 UN High‑Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, highlighting the agenda, SDG reviews and voluntary national reviews. Senator Cherarkey praised the report but shifted to critique protectionist tariffs, US policies such as USAID suspension, and raised contentious social issues, reflecting both support for development goals and strong negative views on external influences. Senators debated Kenya’s progress on Sustainable Development Goals, praising the fertilizer subsidy and food‑security gains while highlighting persistent poverty and shortcomings in school‑feeding programmes and transparency. They called for stronger parliamentary oversight of initiatives such as NACONEK and the NG‑CDF, questioning their constitutionality and implementation. The discussion also touched on Africa’s connectivity challenges and the need for coordinated development. Senators highlighted persistent gaps in mobile and broadband coverage across remote and even urban pockets, linking poor connectivity to security incidents and everyday hardships. They criticised the opaque use of the Universal Service Fund and demanded detailed disclosures and accelerated rollout beyond the planning stage. The Speaker managed the questioning and urged the ICT Cabinet Secretary to respond with concrete data.
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 proceed with today’s business. Clerk, proceed to call the first Order.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Hon. Senators, we expected to have two Cabinet Secretaries this morning for purposes of responding to questions from hon. Senators; that is, the Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication and Digital Economy who had one Question to respond to and the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, who had 12 Questions to respond to. We will not have the Cabinet Secretary in char…
discuss matters security between the two countries. It is a meeting that had been scheduled prior to these Questions being scheduled for today. This information was relayed to me yesterday after the Senate Business Committee (SBC) sat to deliberate on this matter. Those are details that we did not have when we sat as the SBC. Therefore, I found it to be a valid reason when the Cabinet Secretary i…
Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for that communique. However, it would be nice for you to indicate when we will get the answers because some of the Questions on the Order Paper marked to the Ministry of Interior and National Administration are urgent. Could you direct that he comes in the next sitting given that we are going on recess?
Well, that is the work of the SBC, Sen. (Dr.) Boni. As a Speaker, I do not have those powers to allot time for purposes of responding to these Questions. However, I hear you and I know the urgency of these Questions. You are a member of SBC. So, once we sit as SBC, we will consider your concerns and certainly give it the next available slot. Clerk, can you confirm that the Cabinet Secretary, Hon.…
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I was under the impression that we were also expecting the Cabinet Secretary for Education today. Maybe you can clarify what happened because communication from the secretariat had indicated as much and there were questions that were directed at the Cabinet Secretary.
Senator for Nairobi City, that is the problem of not attending your committee meetings. You are a member of SBC and this is a matter that was discussed at the SBC.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am not a Member of the SBC, please. I attend committee meetings. Do not soil my reputation. You know that I left the SBC after serving for two sessions.
Okay, if you left the SBC, then let me update you on what transpired.
Mr. Speaker, Sir, you have to withdraw that remark that I do not attend committee meetings.
[(Laughter)]
Senator for Nairobi City, do not go on overreact, please. I understand that you served in the SBC and it is only recently that you left that particular Committee. Therefore, you may not have the advantage of knowing what transpired yesterday at SBC. Just to inform you that when SBC sat yesterday, it considered a letter that was written by the Cabinet Secretary for Education. It is true, what you …
Sen. Kajwang’ is not around, so we shall defer that Order. Next Order.
Hon. Senators, there being no other business on the Order Paper, the Senate stands adjourned until later today, Wednesday, 16th April 2025, at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 1.00 p.m.