National Assembly · Morning Sitting
Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Members debated the Supplementary Budget II, commending the Budget and Appropriations Committee for realigning expenditures, funding NG‑CDF projects and addressing debt repayments, while criticizing previous administrations for mismanagement and highlighting procedural concerns. The discussion also touched on the need to regularise spending under Article 223 of the Constitution and featured points of order regarding parliamentary procedure. The session was dominated by procedural clashes, with the Temporary Speaker reprimanding members for being out of order and enforcing strict speaking rules. Amid the tension, Hon. Ndindi Nyoro highlighted concerns over the national deficit and appropriations, while other members called for more equitable speaking opportunities. The debate reflected both substantive budget discussion and notable discord over parliamentary conduct. Hon. Ndindi Nyoro highlighted the under‑estimation of A‑in‑A revenues in the 2023/24 budget and warned that reliance on supplementary estimates risks larger deficits. He advocated for stronger tax collection, investment in primary and secondary sectors, and the lifting of moratoria on mining and forestry to broaden revenue bases, while also correcting public misinformation about national debt.
I order that the Quorum Bell be rung for 10 minutes. Hon. Members, kindly note that it is the practice that when the Quorum Bell rings, you should not leave the Chamber. You only allow those who need to come in to do so. Thank you. Order Members! You may now stop the Quorum Bell.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Leader of the Majority Party.
Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the House:
On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.
What is your point of order, Leader of Minority Party?
I am sorry, Hon. Deputy Speaker, I was at the Clerks Table. I wish I was here early. I rise to raise an issue that may perhaps require the intervention of the substantive Speaker. However, since you are on the Chair, I am sure you are equal to the task. Yesterday afternoon – perhaps this has come to the attention of some members – not so desirable occurrences happened within and outside the precin…
[(Laughter)]
What is out of order? Have you completed?
Let me conclude.
Yes.
Hon. Members, let us be tolerant. We have been in this House with my friend, Kimani Ichung’wah and others. Today you are there shouting to please people in the Executive. Tomorrow you will be here crying. I am telling you because we have seen it all. Hon. Deputy Speaker, let us not be people who curtail the freedoms and rights of Kenyans as enshrined in the very progressive Bill of Rights in our …
Thank you, Leader of the Minority Party. Next is the Leader of the Majority Party.
Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I agree with the Leader of the Minority Party; that, it is good for us to conduct ourselves with decorum and allow each other to be heard. As he rightly said, today you may be here celebrating and next time you will be on the other side crying, like he is doing today. Nine months ago, he used to sit where Hon. John Mbadi is seated because he liked that corner. He wo…
[(Laughter)]
here to do their work, however you feel about the Finance Bill or any other business. You may as well protest in the constituencies or anywhere else but do so peacefully and in line with the provisions of the Public Order Act. I do not think there is any sinister move in excluding people who the Inspector-General of Police feels are a threat to the security of Members of Parliament. Above anythin…
[(Laughter)]
[(Loud consultations)]
Order, Members! I will give a chance for response to Hon. Nabii Nabwera. You have the microphone.
Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I want to raise two critical things. We have a duty to protect the Constitution and the integrity of this House. The most important thing that Hon. Opiyo Wandayi raised is the issue of throwing tear gas in the precincts of Parliament, where there was no threat at all. Secondly, I was out there when police were blocking people. Those people were not armed. In fact, …
On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.
What is your point of order, Hon. John Mbadi?
Hon. Deputy Speaker I want to appeal for sober debate in this matter. The question before us is about the right of Kenyans to picket and express themselves vis-a-vis what the Leader of the Majority Party has said about the security of Members of Parliament. Those are two issues we need to deal with as a House. I agree that Parliament, as an institution, must be protected from any kind of harm, th…
[(Several Members spoke off record)]
Hon. Member, you cannot impute improper motive on the character of others. Hon. Members, we have other business to transact. Hon. Jared Okello, you do not have the microphone. Hon. Members, the issue has been raised by Hon. Opiyo Wandayi and responded to by various Members, who have given their views. As we know, the happenings of yesterday…
[(Loud consultations)]
Hon. Babu Owino, you do not have the microphone. You are out of order. You have risen without permission. For you to rise and shout from your chair is in fact disrespectful. This matter has been well ventilated on. Everyone who has spoken has given their views on it. Unfortunately, I am unable to make any decision on it now because I do not have the facts. I have not investigated what transpired y…
[(Hon. (Dr) Robert Pukose spoke off record)]
Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee on its consideration of the following Bills:
Next Order.
Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move the following Procedural Motion: THAT, this House resolves to exempt the business appearing as Order Nos.9, 10, and 11 in today’s Order Paper from the provisions of Standing Order 40 (3) , being a Wednesday Morning, a day allocated for business not sponsored by the Majority or Minority Parties or business sponsored by a committee. Hon. Deputy Speaker, this is ju…
of Standing Order 40(3) to allow us to transact them this morning. Therefore, we will stand down Private Members’ Motions and Bills until we finish with Order Nos.9, 10, and 11. Hon. Deputy Speaker, should we finish them in time, since we have slightly less than three hours to transact them, there are also other Motions lined up for debate. However, looking at the clock, we may not have enough ti…
[(Laughter)]
Please, proceed with the Motion.
Hon. Deputy Speaker, even as I say it as it is, I will ask that he bears with me. It is obvious that at times a student becomes better than his or her teacher, which causes problems. Hon. Deputy Speaker, allow me to ask my good Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party, Hon. Naomi Waqo, the Member for Marsabit County, to second.
[(Laughter)]
Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to second. Thank you.
On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.
What is your point of order, Hon. Makali? Let me propose the Question first. Hon. Makali, please state your point of order after I propose the Question. The Motion has been seconded. Hon. Member, I politely requested you to take your seat so that I propose the Question.
[(Hon. Makali Mulu spoke off record)]
[(Question proposed)]
Put the Question!
Hon. Makali, what is your point of order?
You know, Hon. Deputy Speaker, with all due respect to Hon. Members, you must realise that this is a House of rules and procedures. A point of order is allowed under the Standing Orders. You cannot deny a Member the right to raise a point of order.
What is your point of order? Go ahead with your point of order.
Hon. Deputy Speaker, yesterday, when the Speaker of the National Assembly gave guidance before we went into the Committee of the whole House, he said that if we would not have completed the Finance Bill by midnight, we would move a Procedural Motion this morning to continue with it. The Leader of the Majority Party has not moved a Motion for this House to debate the Finance Bill, but has moved
a Procedural Motion for us to discuss other Bills, when the Speaker of this House directed that Members would debate the Finance Bill this morning if we would not have completed it by midnight last night. We are very much aware that we did not complete the Finance Bill. How I wish that you, as the Speaker in the Chair, would have guided the House to that effect before we consider any other busines…
The Speaker did not make any such ruling. Is it the mood of the House that I put the Question?
Yes!
In any case, the Leaders of the Minority and Majority Parties sit in the House Business Committee and know what transpired there.
[(Loud consultations)]
Next Order.
Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move the following…
Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, just hold on for one second before you move the Motion. Hon. Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, you may now proceed.
Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I will move this Motion in an amended form, especially in the Schedules, where we have an increase of Ksh189,000,000 under Vote 1052, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs; and a reduction of Ksh189, 000, 000 under Vote 1053, State Department for Foreign Affairs. This is basically a re-arrangement.
Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Budget and Appropriations
Hon. Members, please be upstanding. The time being 1.13 p.m., this House stands adjourned until this afternoon at 2.30