National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting
Wednesday, 19 April 2023
The session opened with procedural business, the introduction of a Tanzanian defence college delegation and a special motion to appoint a chairperson for the Kenya Fish Marketing Authority. The substantive debate centered on a question to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment about forest management, the ban on maize cultivation in commercial plantations (PELIS), and the legal framework governing community participation and forest conservation. The minister provided detailed statistics on forest areas and explained the role of the Kenya Forest Service in regulating non‑residential cultivation. The speaker highlighted Kenya's limited documentation of heat waves and their growing health and livestock impacts, emphasizing the need for greater public awareness and robust early‑warning systems. Recent KMD research identified specific temperature thresholds for Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa and called for expanded monitoring, adaptation measures and technologies to mitigate the climate‑change‑heat‑drought nexus, especially in ASAL regions. The speaker outlined the massive backlog of unpaid contractor bills—over Ksh90 billion—and explained how limited budgeting has stalled road projects, prompting negotiations with contractors and requests for concessional financing. He highlighted steps being taken, such as accessing the Annuity Fund, leveraging World Bank and African Development Bank support, and prioritising only funded or emergency projects to revive stalled works. Specific project updates, like the delayed Rongo‑University road, were provided to illustrate the broader challenges and remedial actions.
Serjeant-at-Arms, you may ring the Quorum Bell. Order, Hon. Members. We now have quorum. Let us have the Leader of the Majority Party.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table:
Thank you, Deputy Leader of the Majority Party.
Hon. Members, I will go back to Order No.2. I wish to introduce to you a delegation from the National Defence College of the United Republic of Tanzania. The delegation comprises nine Members from United Republic of Tanzania, both faculty and course Members, one faculty Member from the People’s Republic of China, and four course Members each from the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of Namibia, t…
[(Laughter)]
Hon. Members, today we will have two Cabinet Secretaries: the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Hon. Soipan Tuya, and Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works. We will start with Hon. Soipan Tuya who is in the House. Cabinet Secretary, Questions will be asked and you have been in this House so you need no unnecessary tutoring. …
Hon. Speaker, I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry the following Question:
Cabinet Secretary, I want you to take less than 10 minutes on this. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry : Most obliged, Hon. Speaker. Once, again, this is a very pertinent question in the wake of the climate change crisis. I want to tell Members that climate action is of priority to the Government through the Ministry. The President chairs the African Union Committ…
[(Hon. Soipan Tuya)]
peruse through the annexure to my response, they will see a tabulation of projected risks and impacts of climate change on human life and the risks appertaining to health, food security and animals. With regard to the issues raised by the Member, in Kenya, like many other Sub-Saharan African countries, extreme heat events and attributed impacts such as emergency room visits, hospitalisation, huma…
studied in Kenya. However, it is feasible to state that livestock deaths associated with long drought were spurred by extreme heat stress on the animals brought out by heat extremes, high evaporative demand that result in low soil moisture and decreased surface water availability. The need to understand the compounding risk posed by the combined effects of droughts and extreme heat events, especia…
You have taken too long. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry : Hon. Speaker, I am about to finish. There is immediate need or measures to be put into place to cushion Kenya from heat waves; one of which is to support the modernisation of the KMD. This information needs to go out to our hospital managers and medical practitioners to pay particular attention to the e…
[(Hon. Soipan Tuya)]
Hon. Haro, you are the one who asked the Question. Are you satisfied?
Thank you. I think I am satisfied. Thank you, Hon. Cabinet Secretary…
Thank you, Hon. Members. If you are satisfied, the story ends there. Cabinet Secretary, thank you very much. I will now release you.
(The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry (Hon. Soipan Tuya) left the Chamber) Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly escort the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry and bring in the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Public Transport. Hon. Members, meanwhile, allow me to acknowledge visitors in the Speaker's Gallery. They are: Taita Mau…
Hon. Members, the first Question is by Hon. Joyce Kamene. Is she here? She seems to be in. Kindly, ask your Question.
Hon. Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport the following Question: Could he outline the measures that the Ministry has put in place to provide for pedestrian footbridges along an approximately two-kilometre stretch of Mombasa Road, especially the crossing at the Hilton Garden Inn and the Syokimau Railway Station/Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway Terminus (SGR) and the …
Cabinet Secretary you have nine questions and we must be done with you by 6.00 p.m. so, I want you to give us succinct short answers pointed to the questions. There may be supplementary questions that may give you latitude to wander around but give pointed answers to pointed questions. Go ahead and answer the first Question.
All new roads being constructed will have in place footbridges, cycling paths and footpaths. Under the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) already 300 kilometres of footpaths have been done. In the last five years, 12 footbridges have been built, eight of them being in Outering Road in Nairobi and others spread in identified locations across Nairobi City. There is a policy to ensure road furniture…
Hon. Joyce Kamene, are you satisfied? If you are, we move on to the next Question.
Hon. Speaker, I just want some more clarity because if I can remember very well, public participation was done before the Expressway was started. It was agreed that there was need to have five footbridges because of public safety in the stretch from Mlolongo to Hilton Garden Inn. The most critical one is the footbridge around KAPPA because there are too many industries and residential areas so man…
Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport : Hon. Speaker, it is true that during public participation there was request for more than five footbridges but we are working within budgetary constraints. If I got the Member right, she is suggesting there was a request for a footbridge at KAPPA around Nation and Mlolongo area. The truth is that the footbridge in Katani is a few …
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
Let us go to Question 072/2023. I have a letter from Hon. Paul Abuor nominating Hon. Joyce Kamene to ask the Question on his behalf. Question 072/2023
Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Member for Rongo, Hon. Paul Abuor, I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport whether he could:
Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport : Hon. Speaker, I beg your indulgence. The Question by Hon. Abuor is similar to other six Questions which are asking one question: to explain why roads have stalled. In the interest of time, for the benefit of Members and for good order, allow me to address the question raised by Hon. John Njuguna, which is like the mother question …
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
Hold on Cabinet Secretary.
For purposes of parliamentary record, each Question must be asked. The only thing we can do is that on Questions on stalled roads, if you have answers, Members can specifically ask and then you answer. How many Members have Questions on stalled roads? Let me see. Cabinet Secretary, you may take your seat. Hon. Mulyungi, is your Question on stalled roads? You have Question 77/2023.
It is a stalled road.
You may ask the Question and sit to await an answer in combination with the others.
Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to ask Question 78/2023.
77/2023 or 78/2023?
Question 77/2023 is not on stalled roads.
Okay fine.
It is different.
Okay.
The question I want to ask is on stalled project.
Okay. Please ask Question 78/2023. Question 078/2023
Hon. Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport whether he could:
You are talking about the same road and bridge…
No, Hon. Speaker. I have clarified.
Okay.
Yes. The construction of the bridge is ongoing, but the road has stalled. Why has it taken such a long period, and could the Cabinet Secretary state when the projects are expected to be completed? Thank you, Hon. Speaker.
Thank you. Charles Ngusya (CNN) , is your Question also on stalled roads? Question 079/2023
Yes, Hon. Speaker. I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport whether he could:
Hon. Peter Masara, is your Question on a stalled road?
The Question is on stalled Kokendi-Arombe Bridge in Suna West Constituency.
Okay. It is not a stalled road, right?
Yes.
Okay. We will leave it aside. Hon. Gideon Mulyungi.
Hon. Speaker, the other ones are not on stalled roads.
Clerk, how did you allocate Gideon Mulyungi three Questions in one day? In fact, he has four. So, we will leave out Hon. Gideon’s Question 81/2023 and go to Question 83/2023. Another one for Gideon Mulyungi. Is it on a stalled road?
I can answer that, Hon. Speaker. Yes, it is.
You can answer that.
The reason I have all these Questions is because I gave them at the beginning of this Session.
No problem. Just proceed and ask. I did not ask you anything. Question 077/2023
Hon. Speaker, I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport whether he could:
Move on to Question 81/2023. Question 081/2023
Hon. Speaker, I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport whether he could:
That is slightly different, Hon. Gideon. You can hold on that. Hon. Gideon Mulyungi : Okay. Thank you.
[(Mwingi Central, WDM)]
Let us move on to Question 83/2023. Ask Question 83/2023. Question 083/2023
Hon. Speaker, I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport whether he could:
The last one is by Hon. John. Njuguna, Member for Kiambaa. Question 115/2023
Hon. Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport whether he could:
Cabinet Secretary, from where I sit, I want you to answer all the other Questions, and then you will come to this very broad one by Hon. John Njuguna. It is likely to attract a supplementary from everybody because when he says a list of all stalled roads projects, I am sure every Member has a story to tell about stalled road projects. So, answer all the others and then we will finish with Kawanjik…
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
Go ahead. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport : It is like the mother Question is Hon. Njuguna’s Question. I will start with Question 10, and then I will come to the rest. The State Department of Roads, through its three implementing agencies, has an ongoing roads portfolio of over 800 projects with an outstanding cost of approximately Ksh763 billion as at 28th February 2023. I am putt…
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
pending bills amounting to Ksh35 billion is owing to matters related to land acquisition. The actions we are taking are as follows. In line with the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto, we have committed ourselves to complete all ongoing projects. We are negotiating with contractors. Within the last six months, we were able to secure some amount of money. Given the magnitude of pending bills, this amount was …
I thank some banks that, as a result of our interventions, they have been kind to contractors because a number of them could easily have lost their properties through auctions. This is because of non-payment of facilities that they have received. The same information will be tabled and each Member of this House will have an opportunity, through your kind Office, Hon. Speaker, to see the projects i…
M/s Simora Group Limited and commenced on 16th August 2021.The contract sum for Phase II of the Kalisasi-Mumbuni Road (Kalisasi-Ikime section) is Ksh38,172,976.95. The contract for the construction of the 1-kilometre road was awarded to M/s M & J Holding Limited and commenced on 30th September 2022. The contract period for Phase I was 18 months and the works were expected to be completed by16th Fe…
Hon. Speaker, you stopped me before I asked that Question. So, the Cabinet Secretary is answering before asking. For purposes of the HANSARD…
Question No.083 on Mwingi Slaughter House Road. That is the one he was answering?
Yes, Thank you. I have seen it. It is Question No. 81 of 2023.
He was answering Question No. 83.
No, he has answered that one.
Okay.
Yes. Provide a status report on the use of Nairobi Expressway since its inauguration. That is what he was answering.
Just hold on. He had not reached there. He was answering your Question 083 on Mwingi-Slaughter House Road.
Which he has answered.
He was answering.
Okay. Let him proceed.
If you are so far satisfied with the answer, I can stop him there. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works : Hon. Speaker, I have not answered the Question. It would be good for good record to proceed and respond to the Question by the Hon. Member. I sympathise with the situation because I think there was an earlier Question that perhaps he did not really ask for the HANSARD, …
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
Go on and answer Question No. 83. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works : Hon. Speaker, I will proceed with Question No. 83 The construction of Mwingi-Slaughter House Road was done as part of the project for the construction of upgrading to bitumen standards of 3.7 kilometres KCB-Slaughter House Road in Mwingi, Kitui County, whose employer was the Department of Slum Upgradin…
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
: Thank you,
‘When the money is available’. First, let me delve into the main question on the Expressway by
[(Applause)]
to fill the gap. For that reason, if we eliminate this bone of contention, we will build the road between Rironi and Mau Summit. Thankfully, there are other investors who are already coming in. If the current investor is not ready, they are ready to invest in this road, even if it means to carry the burden of not requiring the Government to guarantee the volume of traffic. This conversation is imp…
[[The Deputy Speaker (Hon. Gladys Boss) left the Chair] [The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Martha Wangari) took the Chair)]]
On the question by my friend, Hon. Maurice Kakai Bisau, concerning Trans Nzoia County, it is true that we have a big problem there. It is actually a paradox that since the Jubilee Administration came in place in 2013, the inlands of Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu counties, which are the bread baskets of our country, were completely ignored. A lot has been done but a lot still needs to be done. I appr…
Hon. Cabinet Secretary, we are getting to a close and we are past our time. So, I will ask that you kindly wind up. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works : I will gladly wind up, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The boda boda motor cycles should not be used on highways. We are not supposed to see them on Kitale-Bungoma Road or Kitale-Eldoret Road, but they are there. We must work wi…
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
On a point of order!
Hon. Gogo, what is your point of order?
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have heard you mention that the Cabinet Secretary’s time is up. I am afraid when I was called to speak, I had moved out …
Order, Hon. Member! Hon. Members, I realise that there is immense interest on this matter. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, I can see that you will be coming back to this House very soon. However, we will follow our Standing Orders. The Question Time is three hours and we have taken three hours and 25 minutes. This matter will be put to rest. We will release the Cabinet Secretary and his team. The follow-u…
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
[(Hon. Lilian Gogo interjected)]
Hon. Gogo, you are totally out of order! You will not shout at the Speaker across the aisle. You know the Standing Orders. Continue Hon. Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works : Hon. Temporary Speaker, I know it is not within my purview, but having served as a Member of Parliament with you in the Senate, I want to suggest – from the experience of the Quest…
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
[(Applause)]
Thank you, Hon. Cabinet Secretary. Hon. Members, if you may indulge me, it is not very popular to be the one to cut this but I have to because of our Standing Orders. I will release the Cabinet Secretary and his team and revert to our business for the rest of the day.
[(Loud consultations)]
Order, Members. We will go back to our Order Paper. The Special Motion under Order No.8 will be deferred for obvious reasons. consulted with the Clerk-at-the-Table) Order No.8.
[(The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Martha Wangari)]
Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.
Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Special Motion: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs in its Report on the vetting of a nominee for the appointment as the Chairperson of the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 18th April 2023 and, pursuant to the provisions of Secti…
Continue, Hon. GG.
Hon. Temporary Speaker, we held sittings regarding the appointment of Dr. David Oginde as the nominee for appointment as Chairperson of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. The matter was referred to the Committee by the Hon. Speaker.
[(Hon. Lilian Gogo spoke off the record)]
Sorry.
Continue, Hon. GG.
Alright. I will get to it. I am sorry about that. The nominee was referred to this House by His Excellency the President, and the matter was referred to the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs by the Hon. Speaker. We held hearings as required by law. Dr. David Adang Oginde appeared before us and we conducted a vetting exercise in the pre-appointment hearing. We have prepared a deta…
So, having evaluated the suitability of Dr. David Adang Oginde, and having made our observations, we concluded that he is suitable to be appointed as the Chairperson of the EACC. Therefore, I urge this House to agree with our Report and approve Dr. David Adang Oginde as the Chairperson of the EACC. I beg to move and request a distinguished Member…
On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.
Order, Member. What is your point of order, Hon. Beatrice Kemei?
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I appreciate the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, who is moving a very important Motion. However, pursuant to Standing Order 35, there is no quorum in the House.
Alright. Hon. Members, I order that the Quorum Bell be rung for 10 minutes.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Order, Hon. Members. Order, Hon. Njeri, Hon. Muge and Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi! The time being 6.30 p.m. This House stands adjourned until Thursday, 20th April 2023 at 2.30 p.m. The House rose at 6.30 p.m.
Published by Clerk of the National Assembly Parliament Buildings Nairobi