Senate · Morning Sitting
Wednesday, 20 November 2024
The debate focused on the chronic squatter problem in Kilifi County, with the Cabinet Secretary outlining land settlement schemes, funding constraints and legal challenges around land transfer. Senators raised concerns about alleged corruption in the Kilifi Land Control Board and broader issues of land titling, compensation, and disputed administrative boundaries between counties. Procedural interruptions highlighted the tension between seeking solutions and managing political sensitivities. Senators raised long‑standing land ownership disputes along the Tharaka Nithi–Meru county boundary, seeking a status update on title adjudication for several locations. The Cabinet Secretary explained that the process is delayed because the administrative boundary remains contested and emphasized the need for political and community dialogue before titles can be issued. Senators Olekina and Asige questioned the Cabinet Secretary on land identification for the planned 1,320 houses in Narok County and on the incorporation of universal design principles for persons with disabilities in the new housing projects. The Cabinet Secretary responded that land is being identified with county leaders, that higher‑rise units will include lifts and accessible amenities, and that allocation will follow legal quotas to ensure affordability and non‑discrimination for vulnerable groups.
Clerk, do we have quorum? Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly, ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.
[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted the Speaker)]
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Hon. Senators, kindly take your seats. We do have quorum now. Clerk, you may proceed to call the first Order.
Question No.071 is by the Senator for Kirinyaga County, Sen. (Dr.) Murango. I do not see him in the House. We also have Question No.082 by the Senator for Tharaka- Nithi County, but I do not see him in the House. There is also Question No.094 by the Senator for Turkana County. He is present. The next is Question No. 098 by the Senator for Nairobi City County who is present. The last question dir…
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Before I ask my question, I would like to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to this Senate and thank her for coming to answer these questions. Question No.053
Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, first of all, the question has been extensively answered. Mine is just a small clarification because the concern for Kenyans was more on the title deeds. However, it is good to acknowledge that, even though the Ministry did the clarification by way of Gazette Notice. Nonetheless, the information that was given through the Gazette Notice really brought out title 367. So…
Cabinet Secretary, proceed to respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development : Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as a lawyer, you know that you are only a suspect until proven guilty. Cartels are suspects. However, whenever we come face to face with them, the DCI brings out or gets sufficient evidence and we take them to court. Courts are public arenas. I have s…
[(Hon. Alice Wahome)]
have had a conversation with them at our meetings. If they are caught, they are on their own. We will release them to law enforcement agencies. It is as simple as that. That is why you also need to take measures against corruption within our departments and every Government officer is aware of that. We have changed our documentation to make it difficult. We serialise so that we make it difficult …
Whereas the Ministry picks documents from the Government Press, they are all serialized. Each document is accounted for at the stores in the Ministry. For any documents picked from the Government Press, there is also a corresponding record by the Ministry and the Government Press. We have a dispatch book at the Government Press where all title documents are recorded and signed for by our officers.…
Thank You, Cabinet Secretary. We will only take one supplementary question because of time, which I will give to the owner of the question.
Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker. Sir, on behalf of the distinguished Senator from Kisii, I rise to ask Question No.125, which has about three parts. The Questions read as follows –
Cabinet Secretary, proceed to respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development : Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, as a lawyer, you know that you are only a suspect until proven guilty. Cartels are suspects. However, whenever we come face to face with them, the DCI brings out or gets sufficient evidence and we take them to court. Courts are public arenas. I have s…
[(Hon. Alice Wahome)]
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Sen. Olekina, do you have a supplementary question?
Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. The supplementary question is per the instruction by the distinguished Senator who put the question. I will go specifically to the issue. The Cabinet Secretary, in his response, has alluded to a cancellation of one tender which has already been partially paid, that is Kipchoge Keino Stadium, where a sum of Kshs338 million has been paid. There is a pending bi…
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, please proceed to respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports : Sorry, I did not get the last one.
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker. Sir, on behalf of the distinguished Senator from Kisii, I rise to ask Question No.125, which has about three parts. The Questions read as follows –
Hon. Senators, it is now 1.00 p.m., time to adjourn the Senate. The Senate, therefore, stands adjourned until today, Wednesday, 20th November, 2024, at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 1.00 p.m.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Sen. Olekina, do you have a supplementary question?
Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. The supplementary question is per the instruction by the distinguished Senator who put the question. I will go specifically to the issue. The Cabinet Secretary, in his response, has alluded to a cancellation of one tender which has already been partially paid, that is Kipchoge Keino Stadium, where a sum of Kshs338 million has been paid. There is a pending bi…
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, please proceed to respond. The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports : Sorry, I did not get the last one.
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
It is on the pending Kshs1 million bill. Please, go ahead and answer, Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports : Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. On the question of the Kipchoge Keino Stadium, it is true the question raised by Hon. Senator is valid. Once Kipchoge Keino Stadium was chosen for Africa Cup of Nations matches---
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen)]
[(Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen’s microphone went off)]
Hon. Senators, it is now 1.00 p.m., time to adjourn the Senate. The Senate, therefore, stands adjourned until today, Wednesday, 20th November, 2024, at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 1.00 p.m.