National Assembly · Morning Sitting
Wednesday, 1 March 2023
Members highlighted that many elderly citizens remain unregistered for the cash‑transfer programme, urging continuous and automatic registration at age 65+. They called for higher, timely payments and suggested allocating part of the grant to NHIF coverage, while also raising concerns about security and fraud against beneficiaries. The motion received broad support, with calls for the budget committee to allocate funds promptly. Hon. Samuel Atandi alleged that the government’s failure to provide basic services to the elderly amounts to a form of killing, prompting the Temporary Speaker to repeatedly demand that he substantiate the claim or withdraw it. Hon. Wanjiku Muhia and the Speaker urged more diplomatic language, leading to a heated exchange over parliamentary decorum and accountability. The debate centered on the welfare of older Kenyans and the government's responsibility for their health and safety. Members highlighted shortcomings in Kenya's elderly cash‑transfer scheme and urged the House to raise the eligibility age to 70, increase the stipend and allocate sufficient budget. They called for a single digital registry and streamlined, technology‑driven disbursement to avoid duplication and fingerprint failures. The debate was constructive but underscored significant implementation challenges.
Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the bell for 10 minutes. I order the bell to be stopped. I confirm that we have quorum. Order, Members! Let us proceed with business.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: First half, National Government Budget Implementation Review Report for the Financial Year 2022/2023 from the Office of the Controller of Budget. Report of the Auditor-General and Financial Statements in respect of the following institutions for the year ended 2022 and the certificates therein:
Next Order!
I hope those who have their Questions listed on the Order Paper are in the House. The first chance goes to Hon. Umul Kheir Kassim from Mandera County. Give the microphone to the Member. Is she in the House?
Yes.
Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development the following Question:
Thank you, Hon. Umul Kheir. The Question that you have just asked shall be replied to before the Departmental Committee on Regional Development. I hope the Chairman is in the House.
As for the Question asked in the last Session, you are probably aware that Questions lapse. They are not like Bills and Motions. Therefore, you will have to ask it again so that it is lined up for reply in the usual manner. The next Question is to be asked by Hon. Peter Lochakapong, Member for Sigor. Is he in the House? Yes, he is in. Give him the microphone. Hon. Lochakapong, move to the microp…
Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration the following Question:
This Question shall be replied to before the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs. Is the Chairperson or the Vice Chairperson in the House? Hon. Peter Lochakapong, are you aware that the Question that was asked earlier is directed to your Committee? I hope you can handle it. I did not know you were in the House when the first Question was asked. It is advised that Chairper…
Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education the following Question:
This Question shall be replied to before the Departmental Committee on Education. I hope Hon. Millie will be informed that this is urgent and important as the Member has indicated. Next Order!
Hon. Members, this Motion has a balance of 16 minutes. As the House rose last time, there was no one on the Floor as the person who was contributing had finished his time. Are there any Members who want to contribute to the Motion? Hon. Nyikal!
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this Motion. This Motion is extremely important to our education system. The first question that one would ask is whether we need uniforms in schools or whether children can go to school without uniform. In my view, the answer is “Yes.” There are two important issues on having uniform. One of the issues is indiscipline…
Secondly, in a country where people live in very different backgrounds socially but the children go to the same school, uniform gives a sense of social equity. When children are in uniform, they feel equal and their economic background is not apparent just by looking at them, and that is extremely important. If you left students to attend school with whatever clothes they have, it will be apparent…
Order, Hon. Nyikal. You are now a ranking Member. You cannot anticipate debate. We are debating Order No.8.
I have seen it. So, Hon. Temporary Speaker, as I conclude, I support the Motion. However, the business on the Order Paper for this morning indicates that there is a deficiency in policy and governance. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.
Thank you very much, Hon. Nyikal. If there were no deficiencies in all those areas, there would be no need for Parliament in the first place. There will always be deficiency in one place or the other. Hon. Members, the time allocated for this particular Motion has lapsed. I now call upon the Mover of this Motion, Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba, to reply.
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to thank this honourable House for the support that I have received on this Motion and the debate that has followed on the standardisation of uniforms through Government policy. Before I continue, because I have some time I would like to donate two minutes to Hon. Gitonga Mukunji, Member of Parliament for Manyatta. Thank you.
Hon. Mukunji.
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Thank you, Hon. Wamuchomba, for the two minutes. This country is currently experiencing a lot of economic downturn. There are unwritten fees that are coming from our day secondary schools in the name of school uniforms. It has become a challenge because while the Government subsidises school fees, school uniforms are left to the principals of those schools and m…
Your two minutes are over.
Thank you very much.
Hon. Wamuchomba.
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Before I give my submission on what I have heard from Members in the House, I would like to donate another two minutes to the youngest Member of Parliament. This is the young and aggressive nominated or specially elected lady, Hon. Harun Umul Kheir.
Very well. Hon. Wamuchomba, next time, mention all the Members you want to donate your time to at once so that you do not need to keep coming back to mention other Members. Proceed, Hon. Harun.
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I would like to contribute to Order No.8. I definitely support the policy on standardisation of school uniforms because while addressing the issue of school uniforms, we will also address the issue of Muslim students wearing the hijab in schools. Many institutions have a policy on that issue and the matter has also gone to court. With this new policy, we will be …
I went to a school where we were not allowed to wear the hijab, and that policy affected me negatively. Many Muslim children are withdrawing from top national schools because of that issue. This will allow standardisation across the board for all students, whether Muslim, Christian or any other religion. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As said during the introduction of my submissions, I cannot take for granted the weighty contributions that I have received from the Members of this House on the Motion that I introduced on standardising school uniforms and coming up with a Government policy so that we can bring some soberness in the industry. This Motion was introduced because of the many compl…
Thank you very much, Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba. I really share your sentiments. Hon. Members, I order that the Question on this Motion be put during the next Sitting for the reason indicated under Standing Order 53 (3) .
Hon. Members, the time being