Senate · Afternoon Sitting

Serjeant-At-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for ten minutes. Hon. Senators, we now have quorum, so we will proceed with the afternoon business. Clerk, kindly call the first Order.

[(The Quorum Bell was rung)]

Hon. Senators, pursuant to Standing Order No. (232) 1 (b) , I hereby present a Petition that has been submitted through the Clerk of the Senate by Mr. Francis Otieno, a resident of Pap Oriang Sub Location, Siaya County, concerning compensation for sugar cane crop damaged by the Department of Public Works, Roads, Energy and Transport. As you are aware, under Article 119 (1) of the Constitution of …

Senate Majority Leader.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to lay the following papers on the Table of the Senate, today, Wednesday the 5th March, 2025 - Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of the County Executive of Murang’a for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of the County Assembly of Murang’a for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Au…

Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of Muriranjas Level 4 Hospital – County government of Murang’a for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of Kangema Level 4 Hospital – County government of Murang’a for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of Kirwara Level 4 Hospital – County gove…

Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of Vihiga County Sports Fund for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements of Climate Change Fund – County government of Vihiga for the year ended 30th June, 2024. Report of the Auditor-General on Financial Statements Vihiga County Referral Hospital – County government of Vihiga for the year ended 3…

Next Order.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This is a request for a Statement on the status of construction of boreholes in Sagante, Lakabaricha, and Kituruni in Marsabit County. I rise pursuant to Standing Order number 53 (1) , to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources regarding the status of construction of boreholes in Sagante, Lakabaricha and Kituruni areas u…

Senator for Taita-Taveta County, Sen. Mwaruma.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity to request for two statements. I would like to read them concurrently. The first one is a statement on statutory deductions in Taita-Taveta County.

Can we hear from the Senator for Nandi County, Sen. Cherarkey? Is there a Senator holding brief for him? Senator for Nairobi City County, are you holding brief for the Senator for Nandi County? If so, you may proceed. He has three Statements.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I hold brief for the Senator for Nandi County. I hope that I will not be denied an opportunity to speak to the Statements because I have read them. This is a request for Statement by Sen. Cherarkey. Pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) , I rise to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Energy on the pending power bills owed by counties to Kenya Power Limited. In the S…

Can we hear from the Senator for Kirinyaga County, Sen. (Dr.) Murango? He has two Statements.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am standing in for the Senator for Kirinyaga County, Sen. (Dr.) Murango. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries regarding the status of purchase of wheat from Kenyan farmers. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Sen. (Dr.) Murango had two Statements. Let us hear Sen. Maanzo in the meantime.

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 the employment status of staff contracted by the national Government under UHC programme during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Statement, the Committee should-

Sen. Mumma, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Education regarding the proposal by the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) to increase school fees for national, extra-county and county secondary schools, and to introduce school fees for public day secondary schools. Mr. Speaker, Sir, KESSHA explains that t…

Sen. Okenyuri proceed.

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 regarding insecurity incidences reported in Bomachoge- Borabu Sub-County in Kisii County. Quite a number of people have been injured following clashes along the Transmara West-Bomachoge-Borabu border in Kisii County over all…

What is Chinkororo?

Sen. Kinyua, proceed.

Hon. Senators, we will come back to those Statements, but allow me to make the following communication. I would like to acknowledge the presence in the public gallery this afternoon of visiting students and teachers from Kiaguthu Comprehensive School and Narumoru Township Comprehensive School, Nyeri County. The delegation comprises 45 students and five teachers who are undertaking a study tour to…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for granting me this opportunity to welcome pupils from my county. Indeed, rural schools do not have the advantage that the urban set-up has. It is indeed such a moment that, at times, shapes the destiny of small children in their learning process. I, therefore, want to take this opportunity to welcome both

Narumoru Township Comprehensive School and Kiaguthu Comprehensive School from the Othaya Sub-County to the Senate. I would want to tell them that it is indeed in their hands, and every dream they have is valid, that some of us started in such schools, and we ended up here. Therefore, I take this opportunity to welcome the students and the teachers, and I want to wish them well in their studies. …

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I join you on behalf of my colleagues to welcome the comrades from Mama Ngina University College. I hope the students have had to follow what's happened in the house thus far. Today is one of those slow days if what they know about Parliament is to be considered. There has not been any significant drama or debate, but it is not to say that that is assured for the rest…

Proceed, Sen. Kavindu Muthama.

[(Resumption of debate on Statements)]

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity. I want to comment on Sen. Mumma’s Statement. I do not agree with this Statement because KESSHA members are having difficulties in running their schools. Parents also have many difficulties because the cost of living in Kenya has gone up and everyone is feeling it. If we increase school fees for secondary schools, what will we be doing to parents …

a Statement requesting for the capitation to be transferred to schools in time, so that teachers can continue doing their work properly without any struggles. We should not add an extra burden to the parents. Therefore, I do not support the Statement. I would also like to comment on Sen. Cherarkey’s Statement on Kenya Power. All counties must be compelled to pay their bills. However, we have been…

Yes, Senator for Nandi.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Statement by Sen. Chute of Mandera. Due to the ongoing drought situation in the country, it is very sad that 60 years down the line, we as a country are still discussing non-access to clean and safe water, yet many millions have been allocated. There is an agency called the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) . That agency and the water works that …

On a point of information, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Senator for Nandi, would you wish to be informed?

Nowadays he is wise. I accept.

Proceed.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, as his senior, he has no option but to listen when I speak. I wanted to inform Sen. Cherarkey that Kenya imports significant power from Ethiopia. What he is asking for is already happening. The only challenge that we have is that to do transmission lines from the sub-station closest to Mandera Town, it is quite a significant investment. That is why that has not been done over th…

Senator for Nandi, you may proceed. You have a point of information? I will give you an opportunity. Senator for Nandi, proceed and conclude.

[(An hon. Senator spoke off record)]

Mr. Speaker, Sir, what the Senate Majority Leader has said is happening on paper. It is only yesterday that the residents of Mandera demonstrated because Kenya Power has not added them a generator. In fact, Kenya Power should have added them another generator at the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadhan but they have not done so. I am speaking from a point of information. When we went there, we…

green energy. We must zero-rate solar accessories and panels, so that Kenyans who cannot access electricity--- Mr. Speaker, Sir, in fact in your area, which is Kilifi, and Northern Kenya, people should be using solar energy because apparently there is a lot of sun and wind. Look at Garissa. There is no water, yet the river passes in the town. As we call upon the Ministry of Energy to provide elec…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I support. I wish to weigh in on th Statement that has been shared by the Senate Majority Leader and Sen. Cherarkey. I was honoured to have the company of Sen. Cherarkey in Mandera. The problem that is being discussed has been ongoing for the last three years. The Government has been making promise after another. When the President visited Mandera County, two generato…

counties in this country is without power and perennially, every year we are discussing this. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is about time for our President, His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto to take the bull by the horn. The noble intent of connecting us from across the border, which is about 78 kilometers from Ethiopia, has been in discussion, but realization of the same is not happening. The …

Next Order.

Hon. Senators, I will proceed to put the question. Next Order.

[(Question put and agreed to)]

We will defer that particular Order. We do not have the requisite delegates to carry out a Division. Next Order. Second Reading

Similarly, we will defer that particular order for the same reasons. Next Order. Second Reading

For the same reasons, we will defer that Order. Next Order.

(Division)

So, for the same reasons, we are going to defer Order No.14. Next Order, clerk.

The Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to move- THAT the Senate adopts a report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries on a petition to the Senate regarding the catastrophic maize disease that farmers in Bomet County have endured for the last 12 years, laid on the table of the Senate on Thursday, 5th December, 2024. This matter affected many farmers in the North Rift. It af…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I want to congratulate the newly elected Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Sen. Wafula, who is the Senator of Bungoma County. I expected him to move the Report in Kiswahili. He has started with new energy. In Tanzania, they refer to such energy as nguvu mpya ama nguvu kazi. I also want to congratulate the Committee on Agriculture, Li…

We should make agriculture attractive by introducing incentives and safeguards. The County Government of Bomet through the agricultural department, the Kenya Seed Company Limited and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development must compensate the farmers of Bomet who were affected by the maize lethal necrosis disease. That will be one of the safeguards. There is drought and the National…

[[The Speaker (Hon. Kingi) left the Chair] [The Deputy Speaker (Sen. Kathuri) in the Chair]]

[[The Speaker (Hon. Kingi) left the Chair] [The Deputy Speaker (Sen. Kathuri) in the Chair]]

propagate seeds of high quality so that we do not come up with MLND that will undermine and threaten the life of a farmer. I can tell you today, many farmers in the North Rift cannot farm because there are no resources. Even in Narok County, it is a big challenge. We must rise up to the occasion. Let us support all farmers of wheat, maize and tea, so that we ensure food security. I am happy with …

I can see a few Senators want to contribute to this Motion. All the Members here are not on my screen. Sen. Cheruiyot, proceed.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not know---

[(Interruption of debate on Motion)]

Just one minute. Before I give the Floor to the members, I have a communication to make.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also take this opportunity to join you to thank the PCEA, Ngong’ Hills school for finding time to be with us today. I

know this school and understand its’ performance. Ngong’ has been a long historical town in our county and in the entire nation. We thank you for finding time to be with us this afternoon. Senate is a renowned. It is the Upper House which legislates issues of education in national and county levels. I know you will learn much more as you continue to have this great time with us. You are most welc…

Senate Majority Leader, proceed.

[(An Hon. Senator rose on a point of order)]

He is not replying, but---

I thought the Senate Majority Leader moved.

We are still debating.

Okay.

You know Sen. Mungatana

That is the problem.

I guess that is the problem. I suspect he did not get enough sleep while there. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to support this report and reply to a Petition by Mr. Kerich Kiprono, Hillary, a resident of Bomet County. I do not know exactly where in Bomet. However, as a House, we must continue to show appreciation to citizens who believe in the power of this House to resolve issues that affect them. Whe…

farmer who woke up very early in the morning, ploughed their farm, prepared it, and has to sell that maize to a miller who will prepare unga, then they can buy from the supermarket. We must continue to respond to the issues that are raised by our farmers because this country is sustained by a working agricultural economy. I am not certain of the exact percentage, but I know that there is no emplo…

The PCPB is also being urged to ensure the availability of effective and safe pest control products for managing various vectors of this disease. They should ensure that the national and county governments provide farmers with training and agricultural extension services. I know there are challenges with funds and resources in many county governments. However, rarely do you find county government…

about a few minutes ago, it is on account that we have supported our farmers to produce sufficiently. That we celebrate. Now, we must do the next step which is to ensure that we secure and lock the market for them, then we will have completed the equation. Our farmers will be happy and they will go home celebrating that their leaders have responded to their needs. If you see the production in al…

[[The Deputy Speaker (Sen. Kathuri) left the Chair] [The Temporary Speaker (Sen. Mumma) in the Chair]]

[[The Deputy Speaker (Sen. Kathuri) left the Chair] [The Temporary Speaker (Sen. Mumma) in the Chair]]

Thank you. Hon. Senators, it is now