National Assembly · Morning Sitting

Hon. Speaker, I rise to present a public petition regarding non-payment of outstanding retirement benefits for the 1997 retired teachers’ group.

I, the undersigned, on behalf of 1997 Retired Teachers’ Group, comprising Mr Samson Mutema and eight others from North Imenti, draw the attention of the House to the following:

Hon. Dorothy Ikiara, then we will come to you, Hon. Kangogo. Make it brief because it is a rider.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I wish to support this Petition by Hon. Rahim Dawood. The teachers who retire in service are among the most patriotic citizens of this country. It is very disheartening that teachers who retired in 1997, and who were duly considered for this award arising from a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiated and concluded in 1997, have not received their dues. Th…

Thank you. Hon. Kangogo, also briefly.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to also comment on the Petition. Hon. Temporary Speaker, from 1997 up to now, we are talking about nearly 30 years. People who retired almost three decades ago may not even live to benefit from their retirement. The issue raised by Hon. Dawood is not peculiar to teachers alone; it cuts across the entire civil

service. Many civil servants retire, and some die without ever enjoying their retirement benefits. As the Petitions Committee looks into this matter, it should extrapolate and come up with policy or legislative recommendations on pensions and retirement, though I think we already have such legislation in place. As a House, we have our own pension and there is a way it is structured that includes …

Hon. Gladys Boss.

Thank you very much, Whip of the Majority Party. That was well done. Next Order.

Hon. Peter Masara. Question 1/2026

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to ask the National Police Service Commission the following Question:

Who is speaking so loudly? That sounds like the Member for Njoro. I cannot see her. Where is she seated? Order, Member for Njoro. Please, consult Hon. Wanjala in a lower tone. And the other group nearby, I can hear your voice but I cannot see where you are seated. Please consult in lower tones. Proceed, Hon. Masara.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, today is rather an unusual day. You know the Member in question and Hon. Wanjala enjoy close ties in many respects. Just allow them two minutes to go to the lounge. They can discuss and agree. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to ask the National Police Service Commission the following Question:

That Question will be replied to before the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. You omitted one issue, but the Question is clearly stated and has been properly recorded. For the orderly conduct of business in the House, you are not permitted to explain the Question.

[(Hon. Peter Masara spoke off the record)]

(Hon. Peter Masara spoke off the record) Yes, please give him the microphone so that we may hear the concern of Hon. Masara.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you for giving me this time once again. My concern is that these Questions need to be answered. As you are aware, what is happening in Migori today, with the bridge almost being swept away and the market closed, is serious. There is a Question I asked about Marindi Market last year, towards the end of the last Session. I expected it to be addressed first, particularly…

Is the Chairman in the House? The Vice-Chair? Do you wish to speak to that issue? May I establish whether the Chair, the Vice-Chair, or any Member of this Committee is present? Prepare yourself, Hon. Baya or Hon. Waqo, to inform us when this will be addressed. Yes, Wakili Mogaka?

[(Hon. Stephen Mogaka spoke off the record)]

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for allowing me to ride on that. The Question touches on my profession. In-house counsels forfeit private practice. They close their law firms and are not permitted to retain clients. In lieu of that, they are entitled to be paid a non-practising allowance. Failure to pay this allowance is a grave violation of professional, human and labour rights. I urge that th…

On behalf of the Leader of the Majority Party, when do we expect a response to this Question, Hon. Baya?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. It is a very good Question from Hon. Masara. I will obtain a date and communicate it this afternoon.

Hon. Baya, this Question is not for the Cabinet Secretary. It is directed to the National Police Service Commission. It will therefore be replied to before the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Kindly give us a date and pass it to the Chairman.

Two weeks.

In two weeks? Let us proceed on that basis. Two weeks. The Member for Ijara, Hon. Abdi Ali Abdi. Question 3/2026

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to ask the Teacher Service Commission the following Question:

I know you are a new Member, and it takes time to understand procedure. I am in my third term and still encounter aspects of the House I have not fully understood, so I do not fault you. When it comes to Questions, there is no debate. Statements allow comments, but Questions do not. Therefore, there will be no comments on this matter. Is the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education in …

[(Hon. Jerusha Momanyi spoke off the record)]

Thank you for this opportunity, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As a Member of the Departmental Committee on Education, we undertake to respond within two weeks.

Hon. Naomi Waqo, I have noted what she said, but for the sake of progress, I will not comment further on the Hon. Temporary Speaker. We shall proceed. It will be done in two weeks. Have you given us a specific date? Is that too long? Sixty teachers have left, including those from Kitui County, due to threats. To avoid debate on this matter and to comply with our rules, I will not open it for disc…

[(Hon. Abdi Ali Abdi spoke off the record)]

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am sorry I called you Mrs Speaker. I will take this matter to the Committee with the utmost seriousness and will respond within one week.

One week is reasonable. Make sure you invite the Hon. Member and the Commission. This is a serious matter which needs to be addressed. I hope it will not only consider the provision of teachers but also their safety, because life is more important than anything. Thank you. Next Order.

Hon. Members, we will start with the request for a statement by Hon. Benard Kitur, Member for Nandi Hills.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning regarding the implementation and management of the Public Procurement Capacity Building Levy. The Public Procurement Capacity Building Levy was established vide Legal Notice No. 206 of 2023 to provide funds…

Thank you very much, Hon. Kitur. In the absence of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, I take it to the leadership. When do we expect a response to this Statement?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, we request that you bear with us. We will respond in two weeks. I will inform the Chair.

Thank you very much, Hon. Baya. Member for Masinga, Hon. Joshua Mwalyo.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to request a Statement on the installation of speed bumps on the Thika-Garissa Highway.

[(Loud consultations)]

Hon. Mwalyo shall be heard in silence. I can hear murmuring on my right, from the users of that road. Please, let us hear him in silence. I would like him to finish without interruption, unless something is completely out of order. You may proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for protecting me. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding the installation of speed bumps along the Kithyoko to Kavenge Market section of the Thika-Garissa Highway in Masinga Constituency. Residents of Masinga Constituency…

Thank you very much, Hon. Mwalyo.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Hon. Ochanda? Many others also have interventions that I believe are for the next business. Is anything out of order, Hon. Ochanda?

Nothing is really out of order. I just need to take a rider on Hon. Mwalyo’s request.

Okay. I allow you one minute.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Mhe. Mwalyo is placing the request correctly in terms of doing bumps for purposes of speed control. However, I generally have a problem with how we keep interfering with the original designs of the roads, to the extent that we sometimes focus only on pedestrians without considering other road users, particularly those using vehicles and other modes of transport. …

Hon. Members, since this question is going to the relevant committee, let us hear from the committee. We love the roads. We like them when they are straight and nice, but the Hon. Member has a right to ask for bumps. Hon. Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure? The Vice-Chairman? I know there is a budget process underway, and maybe most Members of that Committee ar…

Present.

Hon. Dawood, when can Hon. Joshua Mwalyo get a response to this matter?

On behalf of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, I will not say two weeks because in two weeks we will be going for recess. Therefore, we will give an answer after recess, as we will not be available before then. However, regarding what Hon. (Dr) Ochanda has raised, I think it is within the rights of the Members to ask for bumps wherever they want, especially if they are t…

Noted. Hon. Ochanda has a PhD in Economics, but I believe that those with a PhD in Economics also value life. That matter will be responded to as indicated by the Hon. Member of that Committee. I can see an additional Statement by Hon. Abdi Bare, Member for Tarbaj.

Tarbaj.

Tarbaj Constituency. I am

Hon. Abdi Barre, Member for Tarbaj Constituency.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works regarding the status of utilisation of the Housing Levy for the Affordable Housing Programme in the North Eastern Region. Housing remains a fundamental pillar of socio-economic development and…

Thank you very much. Hon. Members, I can see two joyriders, and I will allow them to make their comments. I take this opportunity to welcome the students from Holy Family Basilica School seated in the Public Gallery this morning. The school is in Starehe Constituency, Nairobi County. You are welcome to the National Assembly to observe the proceedings of the House. Hon. Members, I will allow Hon.…

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to welcome the students to the Chamber.

Students, welcome to the National Assembly. This is where the laws of Kenya are made. It is also where most of us, as children, dreamt that one day, one time, we would become legislators. I encourage you to take your studies seriously. The sky is the limit. With education, you can become anything in this country. You can even go beyond this House and become the president of the Republic of Kenya. …

Thank you very much, Hon. Ng’elechei. Hon. Ibrahim Saney, Member for Wajir North. Joyriders, you have one minute each.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The allocation of the Housing Programme has been unfair, discriminatory, haphazard and unresponsive to the locals of Northern Kenya. There are probably assumptions that, since we are nomads, the entire land is void and uninhabitable, and so we may not be deserving of the Affordable Housing Programme. We have been tagged “the affordable MPs” because we could not …

That is noted. Hon. Members, I think the Chairman has done justice with the Statement. I cannot see your name on the screen. Please press the Intervention Button. Hon. Farah Yakub, I saw your intention, but I was trying to trace you, and I could not see you. You have one minute.

[(Hon. Farah Yakub raised his hand)]

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Mine is also a rejoinder to that Statement. As a Member of Parliament from Fafi Constituency and Secretary General of the North Eastern Province Parliamentary Group (NEPG) , the Statement is not only coming from Hon. Hussein Barre but from all the Members of Parliament from Northern Kenya, specifically the North Eastern Province. We sought this Statement because…

find that a project in Lafey is the same as one in Embakasi, which does not correlate to the contractor's pricing. We sought this Statement with the aim of receiving a prompt, responsive, and acceptable answer from the Ministry.

Those are valid concerns from that region. Vice- Chairman, when can we get a response to this important Statement? Hon. Baya.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I will talk to the Chairman to bring the response in two weeks.

Thank you. Hon. Hussein Barre, is that okay with you?

Two weeks are okay, but by then we might be on recess. That may not suffice.

Hon. Baya.

It suffices in the sense that the response will be ready, but it will probably be tabled after recess. However, in two weeks, we will have the response ready.

Very well then.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next Order.