Senate · Morning Sitting
Wednesday, 4 December 2024
Senators expressed deep concern over the current state of Kenya’s education system, highlighting gaps in curriculum implementation, inadequate funding, and widespread mismanagement of bursary resources. They called for a comprehensive student census, stronger accountability mechanisms, and cited the Equity Bank "Wings to Fly" programme as a model for effective student support. The debate underscored the need for systemic reforms to ensure equitable access to quality education. Senators moved several amendment motions to various clauses of a Bill (clauses 37, 38, 39, 42, 46 and 47) and laid the County Government Equitable Share Cash Disbursement Schedule, referring it to the Finance and Budget Committee for prompt consideration. The House also introduced the Kenya Health Products and Technologies Regulatory Authority Bill for its first reading and resumed a previously interrupted debate. The proceedings were largely procedural and collaborative. Senators criticised the current capitation of Ksh 1,400 per pupil as insufficient to deliver free quality primary and secondary education and called for a realistic costing of education needs. They urged increased budget allocation, better teacher recruitment and remuneration, and adoption of internationally benchmarked curricula, while highlighting the role of diaspora‑trained professionals and the shortcomings of NG‑CDF bursary administration. The debate also noted procedural progress on the Cotton Industry Bill.
Clerk, do we have a quorum? Serjeant-at- Arms, Kindly ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
[(Sen. Cheruiyot moved to the Dispatch Box and picked up the Mace)]
Senate Majority Leader, you are out of order. That is unusual. I will throw you out. The session is still on until we adjourn if we do not achieve the quorum. The Mace is the symbol of authority.
[(Sen. Cheruiyot placed the Mace back to its place)]
Serjeant-at-Arms, Kindly ring the Quorum Bell for another 10 minutes. We have quorum now. Clerk, read the first Order.
[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]
Senate Majority Leader, proceed to lay the Papers.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the Senate, today, Wednesday, 4th December, 2024 - The Pest Control Products Regulations, Legal Notice No. 190 of 2024. The Pest Control Products (Disposal) Regulations, Legal Notice No. 191 of 2024. The Pest Control Products Regulations, Legal Notice No. 192 of 2024. The Pest Control Products Regulations, Legal Not…
[(Import and Export)]
[(Fees and Other Charges)]
[(Inspection and Certification)]
[(Labelling, Advertisement and Packaging)]
[(Sen. Cheruiyot laid the documents on the Table)]
[(Several Senators stood up in their places while Sen. Onyonka, Sen. Mumma and Sen. Wafula remained seated in their places)]
[(Sen. Onyonka, Sen. Mumma and Sen. Wafula stood up in their places)]
Madam Temporary Chairperson, I beg to move- THAT the Bill be amended by deleting the First Schedule and replacing it with the following new Schedule: -
County Government Budget Ceilings on Recurrent Expenditure in Financial Year 2024/25 (Figures in Kenya Shillings) County Assembly Ceilings County Executive Ceilings SN County
Mr. Temporary Chairperson, pursuant to Standing Order No.153, I beg to move- THAT the Committee do report progress on the consideration of County Allocation of Revenue Bill (Senate Bills No.25 of 2024) and seek leave to sit again this afternoon.
[(Question proposed)]
[(Question put and agreed to)]
Mr. Temporary Chairperson, Sir, pursuant to Standing Order No.153 of the Senate Standing Orders, I beg to move- THAT the Committee do report to the Senate on its consideration of the National Assembly Amendments to the Cotton Industry and Development Bill (Senate Bills No.5 of 2023) and seek leave to sit again tomorrow. (Question proposed) (Question put and agreed to) The Temporary Chairperson (
Sen. William Kisang, proceed.
[[The Temporary Speaker (Sen. Wakili Sigei) in the Chair]]
first day you reported to the university. This was until you cleared the third, fourth, or fifth year, depending on the course you were taking. We used to get an automatic scholarship from HELB and were paid a stipend of Kshs5,040. That would take care of us the entire semester. Our parents did not have to struggle to support us in the university. This is what we need to do. We need to go back to…
I call upon the Mover to report. Proceed, Sen. Ali Roba.
Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I beg to move- THAT the House do agree with the Committee on the said report, and I request Sen. Wambua to second.
and it is not a battle with the county governments. This Motion is about the children of this nation. Kenya is a signatory to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG No.4 requires that by 2030, all girls and boys should have access to free quality primary and secondary education. Unfortunately, Kenya is off track to achieving that goal despite having Vision 2030, which has similar aspiratio…
term and the child has to apply for the bursary in the second term. It is as if in the first term he did not have parents and now in the second term he has parents. A child applies for funding in Form one and in Form two, he has to apply again. There are a lot of tools such as artificial intelligence and technology that we can use to map and identify the needy and hold their hands throughout the …
Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I beg to report progress that the Committee of the Whole has considered the National Assembly amendments to the Cotton Industry and Development Bill (Senate Bills No.5 of 2023) and seeks leave to sit again tomorrow.
[(Applause)]
Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I beg to move- THAT the House do agree with the Committee on the said report, and I request the Hon. Sen. Capt. Ali Roba, EGH to second.
[(Applause)]
Proceed, Sen. Abass.
Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I second.
[(Question proposed)]
[(Question put and agreed to)]
Equity Bank is doing a wonderful job and I am impressed. They can access every part of this country. The NG-CDF money is everywhere, but what they do are just procedures. They only look for people who voted for them. Some of the people are their mothers and next of kin. It is not being done by MPs, but by committees. You will find that everybody has a friend and looks for a shortcut for his parent…
Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of the Senate today, 4th December, 2024, the County Government Equitable Share Cash Disbursement Schedule for Financial Year 2024/2025. I beg to lay.
[(Sen. Ali Roba laid the document on the Table)]
Hon. Members, pursuant to Standing Order No.189 (2) that provides for the benefit of Members, I will read that - “Upon being laid before the Senate, the Cash Disbursement Schedule shall be committed to the Standing Committee on Finance and Budget to deliberate upon and table a report containing its recommendations on the Cash Disbursement Schedule, within seven days.” I, therefore, commit the re…
Hon. Senators, I wish to report to the Senate that pursuant to Standing Order No.46(3), I received the following Message from the Speaker of the National Assembly regarding the passage, by the National Assembly, of the Technopolis Bill (National Assembly Bills No.6 of 2024). The Message dated Friday 29th November, 2024, was received in the Office of the Clerk of the Senate on Monday, 2nd December,…
Community Health Promoters and the establishment of the Community Health Promoters Council; WHEREAS the National Assembly considered the said Bill and passed it with amendments on Wednesday, 20th November, 2024, in the form attached hereto; NOW THEREFORE in accordance with the provisions of Article 110(4) of the Constitution and Standing Order Nos. 41 and 142 of the National Assembly Standing Or…