Senate · Afternoon Sitting

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, we do have quorum now. So, we will start the afternoon's business. Clerk, proceed to call the first Order.

Hon. Senators, on Monday, 19th May, 2025, by a letter dated 19th May, 2025, Ref: UDA/1/SEN/05/2025, the Secretary-General of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party wrote to the Speaker of the Senate, notifying the Speaker of the Senate that Nominated Sen. Gloria Orwoba has been expelled from the Party. By the same letter, the Secretary-General of UDA further notified the Speaker of the Senate …

In the same letter, the Secretary-General also requested the Speaker of the Senate to issue a declaration of vacancy of the seat being held by Sen. Gloria Orwoba. Hon. Senators, on 21st May, 2025, I also received a letter Ref: RPP/FRP/015 VOL. VI (36), dated 20th May, 2025 from the Registrar of Political Parties communicating the decision of the Disciplinary Committee of the UDA on the expulsion …

Hon. Senators, as you will recall, the Motion on the consideration of the Report of the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget on the Fourth Basis for allocating the share of national revenue among counties was scheduled for consideration on 8th May, 2025. However, before the Motion was moved, several Senators rose on points of order, highlighting the need for more time to interrogate the conte…

be held in the Senate Chamber, Main Parliament Buildings on Thursday, 22nd May, 2025, at 9.00 a.m., that is, tomorrow. I thank you.

Hon. Senators, as you are aware, the National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event in the Calendar of Parliament. It is an interdenominational prayer meeting sponsored by Members from both Houses of Parliament. The event is coordinated by an Organizing Committee which has been working closely with the Kenya National Prayer Breakfast Coordination Team. The Organizing Committee is co-chaired by Sen.…

Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Public Gallery this afternoon of visiting teachers and students from Kijabe Girls High School in Kiambu County. The delegation comprises six teachers and 126 students who are in the Senate for a one-day academic exposition. Hon. Senators, in our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming visitors to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome…

Mr. Speaker, Speaker, Sir, as a punishment for interrupting a very solemn moment when students visit our institution, I will be requesting that we move the House that Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale be compelled to meet with the students and buy them lunch. Otherwise, I welcome these students that have joined us this afternoon to follow proceedings here in the Senate. Welcome to the Senate of the Republic of …

There is nothing much that has happened yet, but like I always say, things always boil from zero to 100 in a span of a second in this House. So, do not be in a hurry. Enjoy the debate. Get to interact with the Members, those who will have the time to. I wish you well in your studies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

What is your point of clarification, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale?

I sit on the Senate Committee on Finance and Budget and in our last sitting, the Vice Chairperson who was chairing then, advised us that during tomorrow's breakfast meeting, one of the leaders of the Republic will address the Senate. The clarification I seek is that in that meeting, I was in the minority. I would prefer that if such a thing should take place, it should be pursuant to Standing Ord…

Sen. Boni, indeed, it has been indicated to me by both the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader that the former Hon. Prime Minister and Party Leader for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will be coming for purposes of consulting with Members of the Senate on the Division Allocation Formula (DAF) . He is not coming pursuant to the Standing Order that you have just invoked. He is coming in a …

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I need your guidance on further interpretation of Standing Order No.29. While I appreciate that we can caucus and that parliamentary caucuses and consultations are allowed, the interpretation of Standing Order No.29 says there can be modification. We want to know the modification that your Office and the Clerk’s Office will apply because this is a distinguished visiting dignitar…

Hon. Senators, our Standing Orders can only be invoked when the Senate is officially sitting. The meeting that will take place tomorrow is not an official sitting of the Senate, but a consultative forum. In fact, we had chosen some hotel somewhere in the outskirts of Nairobi to hold this meeting, but because of logistics challenges, we decided to have it within the precincts of Parliament. So, it…

the Governor of Mombasa County, the Speaker of the County Assembly of Mombasa, and the National Gender Equality Commission, all of which have yielded unsuccessful results; Consequently, the Petitioner prays that the Senate intervenes by doing the following-

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I had requested to comment on that Petition. I do not know whether it is allowable.

Sen. Joe Nyutu, I called you so that you give notice.

Sorry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to give Notice of the following Motions- THAT AWARE THAT a Certificate of Good Conduct is a major requirement for Kenyan citizens in accessing employment, business opportunities, and, in some instances, financial engagements with financial institutions in Kenya, with the certificate having a validity period of one year; CONCERNED THAT many Kenyans are co…

NOW THEREFORE, the Senate resolves that the National Police Service Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to:

Sen. Nyutu, you were to give notice of the implementation of the automated and decentralised Certificate of Good Conduct.

Sorry; I went all the way to number---

You are reading the entire Order Paper.

Sorry, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for that particular mishap. I beg to give Notice of that Motion that I had read before.

Thank you. Let us have Sen. Karungo Thangw’a.

(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted the Speaker) Sen. Nyutu, to neaten the record, you may have to give notice of Motion afresh because we are going to disregard all that you have said.

Sorry for that, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to give notice of the following Motion- THAT AWARE THAT a Certificate of Good Conduct is a major requirement for Kenyan citizens in accessing employment, business opportunities, and, in some instances, financial engagements with financial institutions in Kenya, with the certificate having a validity period of one year; CONCERNED THAT many Kenyans are compe…

Since Sen. Karungo Thang’wa is not present, this Notice of Motion is deferred.

[(Notice of Motion deferred)]

Clerk, let us go to the next Order.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on a matter of national concern regarding the state of affairs at the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) . In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Senator for Kajiado County, the Hon. Sen. Seki Lenku Olekana, you may have the Floor.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources on a matter of national concern regarding the ongoing construction of a hotel within Ngong Road Forest adjacent to the sanctuary area. Mr. Speaker, Sir, civil societies organisations including the Green Belt Movement and the general …

The Senator for Taita-Taveta County, the Hon. Sen. Mwaruma.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity to request for a Statement on non-remittance of staff deductions by Taita-Taveta County Government. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations on a matter of countywide concern, regarding the non-remittance of staff Savings and Credit Cooperative Organiz…

In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Sen. Tabitha Mutinda, proceed. That Statement is dropped.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations on a matter of countywide concern regarding the ongoing harassment, abuse and violent eviction of hawkers in the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) by the Nairobi City County Enforcement Officers. Recent events in the CBD…

Sen. Hamida, please, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) , to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee of Land, Environment, and Natural Resources on a matter of national concern, namely, the status of housing facilities for forest rangers under the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) . Forest rangers play a vital role in protecting forests, which are essential for biodiversity, water …

Thank you. Hon. Hezena, you may proceed to make your Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.52. Thereafter, we will move to comments.

[(Loud consultations)]

Hon. Members, this is resumption of debate that was interrupted on Thursday, 15th May, 2025. This Bill is sponsored by Sen. Eddy Oketch, who is not present in the House. ) Hon. Members, equally, Order No.14 has no interested Members to contribute. Therefore, we shall defer the reply by the Mover to the next sitting of the House, which is tomorrow.

[(The Clerk-at-the-Table consulted with the Temporary Speaker (Wakili Sigei)]