National Assembly · Morning Sitting

I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, this House resolves to exempt the business appearing as Orders No.9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 in today's Order Paper from the provisions of Standing Order 43, being a Wednesday morning, a day allocated for business not sponsored by the Majority or the Minority Party, or business sponsored by a committee. As you and Members are aware, Wednesdays are preserved …

Hon. Chepkong’a.

I thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to second what the Whip of the Majority Party has moved. It is a very important Motion in the sense that we will lose certain businesses if we do not agree. On Friday, precisely at 12 O'clock, we have the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train journey. That is the Speaker's Special Train. We must dispense of this business so that we can go with the Speaker'…

[(Laughter)]

Hon. Chepkong’a, I hope the performance will be as good as the facilities.

[(Question proposed)]

Put the Question. Next Order.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

Hon. Members, for the convenience of the House, we shall defer putting of Question under Order No.12. We will revert back to Questions and Statements under Order No. 7. Before that, I have a Communication to make under Order No.2.

[(Putting of the Question deferred)]

Hon. Members, this is a Communication regarding the withdrawal of specific provisions contained in the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No.49 of 2024) , which we will consider shortly in the Committee of the whole House. As you may be aware, the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No.49 of 2024) , was published vide Kenya Gazette Supplement No.195 of 1st…

the Majority Party, was read a First Time on 13th November 2024. Thereafter, the Bill was referred to the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives and the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning for consideration of relevant provisions in accordance with their respective mandates, with the lead Committee being the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Pl…

The first request for statement will be by the Member for Dagoretti North as annexed in the Order Paper, Hon. Beatrice Elachi. If she is not in the House, it is dropped. The next request for statement is by Hon. Wanjiku Muhia.

[(Request for statement dropped)]

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy regarding the connection of a transformer delivered to Kipipiri Technical and Vocational College in Kipipiri Constituency. In February 2024, the Kenya Power delivered a transformer to Kipipiri Technical and Vocational Colle…

I can see the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy in the House. Can he give an undertaking?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, if you allow me, I have the answer to this Question. I can give the response. The response from the Ministry will just be procedural because I have had a discussion with the Ministry as well as the Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC) on the same issue. Currently, the technical college is served by a 200kVA transformer that also serves the community. The KPLC has made …

Hon. Kawaya, Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy, do you have a written response?

No. But, Hon. Temporary Speaker, you remember the substantive Speaker ruled that we do not have to wait for a written response if we have the answer. We must really understand our Ministry. I do not need to have a written response for me to comfortably respond to this particular request for statement. I want to confirm to the Member that the transformer will be installed on Friday, which is the d…

Hon. Wanjiku, is that satisfactory enough?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I appreciate the Chairman. I beg other chairpersons to work promptly as Hon. Kawaya.

They should be equally efficient.

They should be as efficient as such. I know the residents of Kipipiri, especially those within Mawingu, will go for the Christmas season feeling very happy.

Thank you. That is very well done. Member for Noth Horr, Hon. Wario.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding the status of construction of the Segel-Maikona Road that is connecting Saku and North Horr constituencies. Hon. Temporary Speaker, on 17th August 2022, the construction of the Segel-Maikona Road c…

[(Loud consultations)]

Order, Hon. Members. Hold on, Hon. Wario. The consultations are too loud. Kindly, let us maintain some decorum. Continue, Hon. Wario.

Thank you. This 74.3-kilometre infrastructure project was initiated to improve road connectivity in North Horr Constituency. However, in October 2023, the construction works were discontinued, with the contractor reducing operations and finally relocating equipment to other construction sites within the country. North Horr Constituency is the largest constituency in Kenya and yet, it lacks a pave…

After recess.

Hon. Wario.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, this issue has been raised severally. We also had discussions with His Excellency the President and the Ministry. Therefore, I really need this issue to be sorted out and probably be responded to by tomorrow. It is a factor that affects the people of North Horr Constituency.

I will commit it to the Committee. Hon. GK, you realise we are taking a long recess. If you can do it before, the better. But it has to be satisfactory.

We only have a day, Hon. Temporary Speaker. However, if he requires the response within one day, we will do our best. We can give some little information on the same.

Do your best to get it before we break for recess. We have some responses from some committees and the first one is the Question by Hon. Aden Wario, which is to be responded to by the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and livestock. Before we go to the responses, there is a request for statement by Hon. Ariko, who is not is the House. He is committed elsewhere, but he has dele…

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Hon. Temporary Speaker, this is request for a statement regarding the settlement and land tenure for squatters in Boma Slums and Ol-Jorai Farm. I am asking it on behalf of Hon. Ariko Namoit, Member of Parliament for Turkana South Constituency. Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a statement from …

Thank you. Let me just notify the House that Ol Jorai Farm is in Gilgil Sub-county. Some Hon. Members, including the Member for Narok East Constituency, have come to me because I had raised the issue yesterday, 3rd December 2024, as a Petition. This is a request for statement that also has its own life. Therefore, it will be committed to the Departmental Committee on Lands. We will now go to the …

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , Hon. Adhe Wario requested for a statement on 18th September 2024, regarding the perpetual food crisis in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development responded as follows to the issues raised in the Statement. First, is on the plan on how the Government intends to lever…

provision of emergency livestock feeds, provision of tracking water communities and human use, strategies supporting the treatment for livestock, improve pasture production, storage sheds and development and rehabilitation of water pans and boreholes. There is also the digital extension service. The Ministry has rolled out the e-extension service to ensure the dissemination of agricultural techno…

Hold on, Hon. Brighton. That is the next Statement. You have finished the first one. Let us hear from Hon. Wario as to whether he is satisfied. Take your seat, Hon. Brighton.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have listened to the response by the Ministry, but the responses are inadequate and not satisfactory. Year-in, year-out, billions of shillings have been allocated for ASAL areas, especially for food security. However, every second year when we experience drought, we lose millions of livestock. People also die. The interventions that have been planned are not re…

Hon. Brighton.

Sorry, there was a mix-up regarding the responses to questions no.3 and no.4. I think he asked for a comprehensive report on food security and drought-resilient projects. My response to…

Are you confirming that you have not responded to question no.3?

Yes, I have not responded to questions no.3 and no.4. I do not have the request for a statement. I only have the response to Questions No.1 and No.2. I do not know if there were Questions No.3 and No.4 in the request for a statement. I can only see a continuation on the sugar issue.

Hon. Wario, the issue of South Nyanza Sugar Company is totally different. It is a request for a statement by Hon. Owino.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is not mine.

Hon. Wario, can you confirm whether all the questions have been responded to? The clarification you sought was on the allocated funds.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, firstly, the issue of sugar was not my question. Secondly, if you look at the allocations over the years, what is implemented on the ground is not commensurate. Most of the projects that have been mentioned in the detailed response do not exist. They have indicated billions of shillings are allocated for food security projects, but people in the ASALs are always facing perp…

We want to make progress. Hon. Brighton, the Member is asking about the strategies the Ministry has put in place.

We requested the Ministry to give us all the ongoing projects and programs in the ASAL region, like the Emergency Locust Response Program (ELRP) . We want to see which constituencies have benefitted and which programs are being implemented. That is why we invited the Ministry because previously, there was a similar question. We will combine both questions and bring a proper response.

Thank you. Going forward, ensure you call the Member who has requested for a statement. Hon. Wario should attend the meeting so that he can seek further clarification. This will help him a lot. Next response to statement.

Let us have the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I stand pursuant to Standing Order 44 (2) (c) to respond to a request for a

Member for Awendo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have gone through the response as read by Hon. Dr Mutunga. However, I am not satisfied, especially with the issue of payment of salary arrears. They indicated they had requested for money from the National Treasury, and are still waiting for it. They have not given us an indication of when that money will likely be released or paid to farmers, considering that …

still waiting for it. On the issue of leasing or rehabilitation of those factories, let us wait for the court ruling, which they said will be coming soon.

Hon. Dr Mutunga, do you know when?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the Ministry said that the money was apportioned but it was not released. So, they do not have the Exchequer. This is a going concern and not something they can give a definite date. I am not defending the Ministry. I will forward the request to the Ministry to expedite the push for the release of the Exchequer so that they can pay the workers. Thank you.

Member for Awendo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I do not know whether it is possible to get an indication of when Hon. (Dr) Mutunga will effect this because without a timeline or a time frame, it is very difficult. I do not know what I will tell the workers who have been waiting for payment of their salary arrears for years - that they are waiting for the Exchequer. We need to know. We are talking about salari…

Chairman, do you have anything more useful to add?

I may not be able to answer that question competitively. Only the Ministry can tell us.

I suggest that you consult the National Treasury and get back to the Member as soon as possible, considering that we are going for a long recess by tomorrow afternoon. The next request for statement is about the status of the construction of Cheborge Junction – Kipwasituiya Market Road and the Sotik-Silalo Road by Amb. Sigei. Chairman Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to respond to the statement request by Hon. Sigei. On Thursday, 2nd October 2024, the Member for Sotik, Hon. Sigei Francis arap Kipyegon MP, requested for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding the un- marked bumps along the Cheborge Junction - Kipwasituiya Market Road and Sotik-Silalo Road…

[(Amb.)]

Amb. Sigei, is that satisfactory?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I appreciate the answer from the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Chairman, but it has fallen far short of my satisfaction. Since 2022 is a very long time, and nothing has happened. The people are suffering. People coming from Cheborge area to Sotik have a big problem. We have had breakdowns of vehicles that are passing through that route, and there is…

Chairman.

I agree with the Hon. Member. Here, we are dealing with a crooked contractor who has been paid money to commence the work on the project, but has not done what is expected of him. We will do our best to ensure that, that contractor either pays back the money to KeRRA or does what is expected of him. Thank you.

There are always contractual responsibilities. Hon. Ambassador, the Chairman has committed that it will either be terminated or the person has to come to the ground. I would ask that the Chairman takes it up to expedite from the Ministry so that you can lessen the suffering of Amb. Sigei’s people. Amb. Sigei, do you still have something else to ask?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am satisfied. But I want to know how people can be passing there comfortably. It is in a bad state.

Do you have any mitigation, Chairperson?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is said that Government exists to do the greatest good to the greatest number of its people. We will ensure that the greatest good is done for the great people of Sotik. We will do our best as a Committee to help.

Hon. Members, we are done with Statements. We will go to the next Order.

This Motion will be moved by the Vice-Chair of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, Hon. Eckomas Mutuse.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to move the following Motion: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs in its Report on the vetting of a nominee for appointment as the Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 3rd December 2024 and, pursuant…

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Rahim, what is out of order? Hold on Hon. Mutuse.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I would want the Vice-Chairperson to repeat the name because he has read the wrong name which is not in the Order Paper.

Hon. Mutuse, unlike the other time you were moving a Motion to remove someone from office, this time you are putting someone into office. So, be factual.

I am not sure the Member was listening. I read the name of Mr Abdi Ahmed Mohamud, and that is what is in the Order Paper.

Hon. Rahim, it is not Mohamed. It is Mohamud as in the Order Paper.

In case of any doubt, the nominee who was vetted by the Committee and whose name is in the Order Paper for approval by the House is Mr Abdi Ahmed Mohamud, MBS.

I would like to call upon the Mover. Please, proceed. Please, pass the microphone to the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I beg to move that the Committee do report to the House its consideration of the Senate amendments to the Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No.2 of 2023) , and its approval thereof without amendments. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. The Temporary Chairlady (Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai) : Thank you, Deputy Leader of Majority Party. I now pu…

[(Question proposed)]

[(Question put and agreed to)]

[(Hon. Owen Baya consulted with Hon. Temporary Chairlady)]

Hon. Members, the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning is finalising on some amendments. Clauses 1 to 20 concern his Committee. We have the Vice-Chairlady, Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives who is here. She will be dealing with Clauses 20 to 38. We will hold some consultations, and then make a decision. Hon. Members, the Chairman of the …

Hon. Members, we will start with the Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 2 of 2023) . Chairlady.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to report that the Committee of the whole House has considered the Senate Amendments to the Statutory Instruments (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 2 of 2023) and approved the same without amendments.

Very well. Mover of the Bill.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Committee in the said report. I also request Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah to second this Motion for agreement with the Report of the Committee of the whole House.

I second.

[(Question proposed)]

Hon. Members, I will defer the putting of the Question on that Report. We will then go to the next, which is the Tax Procedures (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 46 of 2024) . Chairlady.

[(Putting of the Question deferred)]

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to report that the Committee of the whole House has considered the Tax Procedures (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 46 of 2024) , and approved the same with amendments.

Mover.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I beg to move that this House do agree with the report of the Committee of the whole House on its consideration of the Tax Procedures (Amendment) (No. 2) ,Bill (National Assembly Bill No.46 of 2024) . I also request Hon. Donya to second this Motion.

Hon. Dorice. Be on record.

[(Hon. Dorice Donya consulted loudly)]

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I must be on record. I second.

[(Question proposed)]

Again, we will defer the putting of the question on this Motion.