National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting

Hon. Members, I wish to introduce to you a delegation from the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) , who are seated in the Speaker's Gallery. The delegation comprises 13 British Soldiers led by their Regiment Administration Officer, Major David Kalawa. The delegation is on a visit to the National Assembly to acquaint themselves with Kenya's Parliamentary system and observe the House proceedi…

Hon. Members, you will recall that on Wednesday, 17th April 2024, I informed the House of the official opening of the Bunge Tower, which was scheduled for Friday, 19th April 2024. Hon. Members, you will further recall that on Thursday, 18th April 2024, I notified the House and the general public of the postponement of the official opening of the Bunge Tower to Thursday, 25th April 2024, that is, …

that is pitched between Ukulima Co-operative Building and the new Bunge Tower. I encourage all of us to be present by 7.30 a.m. At exactly 8.00 a.m., the President will arrive and we will go through the process of officially opening Bunge Tower. I am sure you have noted the tremendous positive improvement around Parliamentary Square that will now bring some order, beauty, and dignity around the Sq…

[(Applause)]

[(Applause)]

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security regarding the security situation in the area of Ongata Barrikoi in Kilgoris Constituency. Hon. Speaker, Ongata Barrikoi is located along the Kenya/Tanzania border. This area is inhabited by the Kipsigis…

of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on the following issues:

Thank you, Hon. Sunkuli. Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security! Hon. Raso, where is your Chairperson? Are you standing in for him?

Yes.

I give you two weeks to bring the Statement.

Obliged, Hon. Speaker.

The Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Social Protection, Hon. Hilary Kosgei.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. This is the response from the Ministry regarding a request for Statement by Hon. Irene Mayaka on the status report on the campaign to end female genital mutilation by the year 2022.

Is Hon. Irene Mayaka in the House?

Yes.

Oh yes, there you are. Okay.

Hon. Speaker, as a way of introduction, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is defined as the procedure involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or any other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is one of the most severe forms of gender-based violence. Female Genital Mutilation commonly referred to as FGM is detrimental to the physical, social and…

Hon. Hillary, your Statement is unreasonably long.

Hon. Speaker, I am aware of that. So, I will go directly to the responses.

Can you give highlights in the Statement?

Hon. Speaker, I will take you right to the highlights on Page 14 on the initiatives put in place to sustain the gains made beyond 2022 and the programmes put in place to enhance awareness on the effects of FGM, which are listed as:

to end FGM and child marriage to the grassroots levels;

Hon. Hilary.

Yes.

Whose Statement is this?

It is the Ministry’s response to the request for Statement sought by Hon. Irene Mayaka.

Hon. Hillary, please, take your seat. The practice in this House is that when Statements are sought from the Chairpersons of Committees and you correspond with the Ministries, the Statements must come under the hands of the Cabinet Secretaries. This Statement has no heading. It is about an address at Railways. It is not signed by anybody and only has a letter from a Permanent Secretary (PS) forwar…

Thank you, Hon Speaker for actually pointing it out because I also noticed that the response has the letterhead of the Anti-FGM Board. Also, part of the response that they have given is non-committal because the only thing

request for Statement. We are currently at 15 per cent prevalence and the intention was to get us to zero per cent prevalence. Therefore, we need an enhanced campaign not only for the Government’s sake, but also for the sake of all the other stakeholders who really want to assist the affected communities so that we can get to zero per cent prevalence. Hon. Speaker, the reason I speak passionatel…

[(Loud consultations)]

Hon. Hilary.

Hon. Speaker, I agree with the concerns of the Hon. Member and, probably, you can give us direction so that the Cabinet Secretary can work out something and appear before the Committee to address the concerns of the Member.

You are right. Go back to the Ministry that you oversee and tell them to give you a more comprehensive response. If you so wish, you can summon the Cabinet Secretary to your Committee and invite the Member to come and prosecute her case. I repeat: do not bring such Statements here again. Next Order! Sorry, Hon. Members. Before that, I had given Hon. Pukose an opportunity to make a short Statement…

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. On Tuesday last week, we had the Committee of the whole House on the Assisted Reproductive Bill by Hon. Millie Odhiambo and because of the amendments that were being brought by Hon. Mayaka, Hon. Shakeel and Hon. Kaluma, the Speaker referred the Bill to the Committee for winnowing. Yesterday, the Committee sat and we were able to agree with Hon. Mayaka and Hon. Shakeel. We …

Your prayers are granted. You can proceed as you have proposed. Hon. Members, on the request from the Leader of the Majority Party, we will reorganise the business of the House as follows: After putting the Question to Order 8, we will move to Order 10. Thereafter, we will go to Order 13. After Order 13, we will go back to Order 9. Order 10, therefore, becomes Order 9. Order 13 becomes Order 10. …

Second Reading

Order, Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi! Take your seat. Hon. DK, when I tell Hon. Ferdinand to take his seat, it applies to you as well.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

[(The Bill was read a Second Time and Committed to Committee of the whole House)]

Hold on Clerk-at-the-Table. Yes, Hon. Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I wanted to seek your indulgence to reorder the business appearing as Order No. 9 to become No. 11 and the business appearing as Order No. 10 to become Order No. 9…

I have already communicated that.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

I already communicated your request to the House.

Sorry, I got overly engaged with my deputy here. I did not hear that. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Your deputy should not distract you unnecessarily. I direct that Order No. 10 becomes Order No. 9, Order No. 13 becomes Order No. 10 and then Order No. 9 becomes Order No. 11. The rest remain in that order. So, call out Order No. 10, which is now Order No. 9.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion:

Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on its consideration of the ratification of the African Union Convention on Cross Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention), laid on the Table of the House on Thursday, 14th March 2024, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 8(4) of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act of 2012, approves the ratification of the African Union Convention on Cross Border C…

Is that Hon. Bashir?

Hon. Speaker, I beg to second the Motion that this House approves the ratification of the African Union Convention on Cross-Corder Cooperation known as the Niamey Convention. Cross-border cooperation stands as a cornerstone for nurturing peace, stability and sustainable development within our borders. Through fostering collaboration among its neighbouring nations, cross-border cooperation address…

enhanced peace, security and stability along its borders. It seeks to foster socio-economic development in border regions, promote cultural exchange and combat cross-border crime. Moreover, it will encourage information and intelligence sharing that is essential for border security and regional stability. The Convention provides a framework for effective border management and resolution of cross-b…

Yes. Second Reading

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Mover. He is not in the House. The Motion is deferred to the next Sitting. Next Order.

Mover. Similarly, the Mover is not in the House. This Motion is deferred to the next Sitting. Hon. Members, going by what has happened to Order Nos. 10 and 11, and noting that the Movers of the rest of the Orders listed as Nos. 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 are not in the House, I order that we defer them to the next Sitting which is tomorrow at 2.00 p.m.

[(Motions deferred)]

[(Committee of the whole House deferred)]