Senate · Morning Sitting
Wednesday, 18 September 2024
The Senate session centered on the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport providing broad background on the road sector’s asset value and a widening maintenance‑fund gap, while Senators pressed for specific answers to their questions. The Temporary Speaker repeatedly reminded the Secretary to adhere to Standing Orders and address each question individually, leading to a procedural back‑and‑forth. The discussion highlighted financing challenges, levy inadequacy, and the expanding road network. Senators voiced strong frustration over prolonged delays by Cabinet Secretaries, particularly the Treasury, and called for mechanisms to censure non‑responsive officials. The Deputy Speaker highlighted the relevant standing order and urged a bipartisan approach to hold the executive accountable. Senator Kavindu Muthama raised concerns about county funding shortfalls and proposed enrolling 1998 embassy bombing victims in the social assistance programme, to which the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection affirmed ongoing efforts. Senators raised concerns over the handling of redundancy payments for former Pan‑Africa Paper Mills workers, questioning the adequacy and delays in the Cabinet Secretary's responses. The Temporary Speaker emphasized procedural rules while the Minister outlined the payment process and budgetary constraints, noting that the issue has now been escalated to the Treasury. The exchange reflected both frustration over unanswered queries and a constructive move toward resolving the outstanding benefits.
Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly, ring the quorum Bell for 10 minutes. We now have quorum and we can transact the business. Clerk, read out the first Order. Proceed, Senate Majority Leader.
[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted the Deputy Speaker)]
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the Senate, today, Wednesday, 18th September 2024 –
Next Order.
Hon. Senators, we are expecting three Cabinet Secretaries this morning. The first one is the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning. The other one is the Cabinet Secretary for Labor and Social Protection and the third one is the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport. I am informed that the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection is around. I suggest we st…
[(Hon. (Dr) Alfred Mutua, EGH) was ushered into the Chamber)]
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.
Yes, Sen. Sifuna, what is your point of order?
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wanted to seek a clarification on whether the other Cabinet Secretaries have given any time indication of when we expect them to be here.
Sen. Sifuna, that is why I said that none of the Cabinet Secretaries has indicated through communication.
[(The Clerk-at-the Table consulted with the Deputy Speaker)]
As we are discussing this, this is a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, requesting for rescheduling of appearance before the Senate. When is this?
(The Clerk-at-the Table consulted with the Deputy Speaker)
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to ask Question No.051 to the Cabinet Secretary for Labor and Social Protection.
Proceed, Cabinet Secretary.
Cabinet Secretary, please, respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Chirchir) : Madam Temporary Speaker, after this session, I will identify a date for a cup of tea with the Senator. He has just asked for a date and I will do that sometime next week.
That is okay. Could we move to the question by Sen. (Dr.) Murango? You have three questions. You will ask one and let it be answered before you go to the next. Question No.066
Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker.
[(Loud consultations)]
Cabinet Secretary, kindly hold on. Hon. Members, please, listen in silence. If you must consult, do not do it in loud tones, please. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Chirchir) : Madam Temporary Speaker, upon issuance of the awards, the Ministry shall prioritise settlement of this compensation at the first available opportunity, subject to availability of funds. I wish to confi…
Let me deal with the first Muthiri-Kagio-Baricho, Geduya segments of that road, where we have a pending bill of Kshs107 million, almost Kshs108 million and where the status of the road is 64 per cent completed today. I did check and should have provided you with this response, that there is a budgetary allocation from the current printed estimates of Kshs67 million. That will help us to expedite …
Sen. (Dr.) Murango, do you want to go to the next question or you have a supplementary question?
Hon. Cabinet Secretary, the people you are talking about are not many. They are limited to only Shitoli, Mukomari, Shitochi, Shivakala, and Shibuname sub locations. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, I am pricking by telling you that the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) of the current Government was developed by you and I, among others. You and I are the founding members of the United Democra…
Cabinet Secretary, please, respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Chirchir) : Madam Temporary Speaker, after this session, I will identify a date for a cup of tea with the Senator. He has just asked for a date and I will do that sometime next week.
That is okay. Could we move to the question by Sen. (Dr.) Murango? You have three questions. You will ask one and let it be answered before you go to the next. Question No.066
Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker.
Cabinet Secretary, you may respond to those questions. The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Roads and Transport (Hon. Chirchir) : Madam Temporary Speaker, I thank Sen. (Dr.) Murango, the Senator for Kirinyaga County, for those questions. Let me go straight to the responses. The two projects are being implemented by the agency in the Ministry and are annexed in my response. The Ministry is aware of…
Let me deal with the first Muthiri-Kagio-Baricho, Geduya segments of that road, where we have a pending bill of Kshs107 million, almost Kshs108 million and where the status of the road is 64 per cent completed today. I did check and should have provided you with this response, that there is a budgetary allocation from the current printed estimates of Kshs67 million. That will help us to expedite …
Sen. (Dr.) Murango, do you want to go to the next question or you have a supplementary question?
Asante sana Bi Spika wa Muda. Ningependa kumuuliza Waziri kama bajeti iliyoko ambayo amesema tayari kuna mgao wa kuweza kumaliza hizi barabara ziko katika ile bajeti ya Kshs17 milioni? Je, hizi barabara zimewekwa katika zile orodha ambazo zitakuwa zikilipiwa ili ziweze kuendelea? Hilo ndilo swali langu la ziada.
Order, Sen. Murango. You will determine whether you want to ask your questions in English or Kiswahili as a supplementary question. That is the rule of the House.
The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transportation (Hon. Chirchir): It commenced on 27th September, 2021 and was completed on 16th December, 2021. The works involved site clearance, topsoil stripping, earthworks involving runway excavation, drainage works and all the works, including cutting of tall trees, relocation of overhead Kenya Power Company (KPC) lines on the final approach of the runway a…
Order, Sen. Cherarkey and Sen. (Prof.) Tom Odhiambo Ojienda. Please, have some respect for the speaker. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transportation (Hon. Chirchir) : However, because we have already started the works, we will pay attention as a Ministry and give priority to ensure that when the limited resources are being shared out, we do allocation and ensure we complete that work. Mada…
One of the key steps includes the allocation of substantial funds for airstrip development. For instance, the Ministry is investing some Kshs785 million to upgrade seven specific airstrips; the Migori Airstrip in Migori, Lanet Airstrip in Nakuru, Kitale Airstrip in Trans Nzoia, Angama Airstrip in Narok County, Isiolo Airstrip in Isiolo County, Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay and Malindi Airstrip in K…
Sen. (Dr.) Murango, do you have a supplementary question on that?
Yes, Madam Temporary Speaker. My next and final Question is-
Hon. Cabinet Secretary, proceed. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transportation (Hon. Chirchir) : Madam Temporary Speaker, Wang’uru Thiba Airstrip is a cold sea aerodrome capable of handling aircrafts with passenger capacity of 13 and has two runways. We will recall that this is the airstrip that was used during the national celebrations last year. The two runways are 12-30 and 07-25, measuri…
[(Sen. Cherarkey consulted loudly)]
The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transportation (Hon. Chirchir): It commenced on 27th September, 2021 and was completed on 16th December, 2021. The works involved site clearance, topsoil stripping, earthworks involving runway excavation, drainage works and all the works, including cutting of tall trees, relocation of overhead Kenya Power Company (KPC) lines on the final approach of the runway a…
Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker.
One of the key steps includes the allocation of substantial funds for airstrip development. For instance, the Ministry is investing some Kshs785 million to upgrade seven specific airstrips; the Migori Airstrip in Migori, Lanet Airstrip in Nakuru, Kitale Airstrip in Trans Nzoia, Angama Airstrip in Narok County, Isiolo Airstrip in Isiolo County, Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay and Malindi Airstrip in K…
Sen. (Dr.) Murango, do you have a supplementary question on that?
This is my final question, Madam Temporary Speaker. I want to ask the Cabinet Secretary what he is doing to make sure that the already constructed roads, which are less than three years old, are well-maintained. This is because some roads like Road 2A Kimande-Kianderi-Kangaita Road is already dilapidated in less than five years after constructing it.
Hon. Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport (Hon. Chirchir) : Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for that supplementary question. Like I said earlier in my opening remarks, as soon as we unlock the challenge of pending bills - that is my priority agenda - we should be able to get all the contractors back on site. More importantly, the Kshs7 under the Act should go more i…
Madam Temporary Speaker, allow me to put my point across.
Question No.074
Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I will proceed to ask Question No. 061 to the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport.
Sen. (Prof.) Tom Ojienda, do you have a supplementary question?
Madam Temporary Speaker, I am satisfied with the response by the Cabinet Secretary. My supplementary questions will follow when I meet him.
Next is Sen. Joe Nyutu.
Question No.080
Madam Temporary Speaker, I just have three short questions for the Cabinet Secretary.
Cabinet Secretary, this session has to end. The session is not over. There were a few more questions, but we could not get Members to ask. So, we will get in touch and reschedule another session with you.
Hon. Senators, it is now 1.15 p.m. Having extended this Sitting by 15 minutes, the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday, 18th September, 2024, at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 1.15 p.m.