National Assembly Hansard: Thursday, 8th October, 2026

Hon. Members, there is no quorum. Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell. (The Quorum Bell was rung)

Hon. Members, we now have a quorum to transact business. Clerk-at- the-Table, you may proceed.

Hon. John Bwire, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I, the undersigned, on behalf of the farmers and residents of Sir Ramson Lumi and Irrigation villages in Taveta Constituency, draw the attention of the House to the following:

THAT, Article 62 of the Constitution classifies rivers and other water bodies as public land that is held in trust for the people of Kenya, and no individual or private entity can lawfully exercise exclusive ownership or control over them to the exclusion of the public. THAT, Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees every person the right to clean and safe water in adequate quantities and to adequate food, while Article 60 requires natural resources to be managed equitably and sustainably. THAT, since time immemorial, the residents of Sir Ramson Lumi and Irrigation villages have depended on the Tsavo River for domestic use and irrigation, and maintained irrigation canals and channels that are drawing water from the river to their farms and homesteads. THAT, in 2018, residents along the Tsavo River were evicted by Gicheha Farms Limited from the land that they had historically occupied and cultivated. The land was fenced off and access to the river denied, and the irrigation canals serving the affected farms were blocked, destroyed, or rendered unusable, while the water was diverted primarily for the benefit of Gicheha Farms Limited to the exclusion of the surrounding communities. THAT, as a consequence, agricultural production in the affected villages has declined significantly, perpetuating poverty, unemployment and food insecurity, even

Thank you, Hon. Bwire. Hon. Haika Mizighi, you have asked to joyride on that. Go ahead.

Mhe. Spika, nasimama kuungana na Mhe. Bwire, Mjumbe wa Taveta, kwa Ombi hili kuhusu hayo maji ya Mto Tsavo. Mto huo ulikuwa wa faida sana kwa wananchi ambao wako karibu pale. Walikuwa wanatumia maji hayo kwa ukulima, ufugaji na maji ya kunywa. Ghafla bin vuu, mto ule ulifungwa. Maji hayo yanatumika kwa boma moja ya Gicheha Farm. Wale wananchi wengine wamebaki wakihangaika na wakipata shida. Imekuwa pigo kwa sababu wana shida hata ya chakula kwa sababu kilimo kikubwa kilikuwa kinafanyika pale wakitumia mto ule.

Kwa hivyo, ninamuunga mkono Mhe. Bwire kwa Ombi hili. Uchunguzi ufanywe na ijulikane ni vipi yale maji yanaweza kufunguliwa tena. Maji ni natural resource. Yanafaa kutumika kama vile Mwenyezi Mungu aliweka ule mto pale. Umepitia sehemu tofauti ili watu wafaidike. Mtu mmoja asifaidike peke yake kwa sababu, pengine, ana nguvu fulani. Asiwanyanyase watu wengine kwa kuwanyima maji na kupeleka kwa boma yake ayatumie peke yake.

Naunga mkono ndugu yangu, Mhe. Bwire. Naomba Ombi lake lisikizwe. Ahsante.

Commissioner Makau.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Allow me to join Hon. Bwire who represents a sensible number of persons from my community. It is true that I was in his constituency recently and that river has been closed solely for commercial use. This

There is no shortage of laws in this country. We are fighting impunity.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I join him in making sure that the laws in place are fully implemented, and that people with selfish interests are put in their place.

I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Rindikiri.

Hon. Speaker, you have put it correctly: There is impunity. I will give an example in my Buuri Constituency, where a very powerful company has closed an access road that leads to a river in the community. They are also trying to annex the land that was left for those people for 50 years. So, I can feel the pain Hon. Bwire is going through. There are very rich people who are totally endowed, but they have no sense of service. They do not have feelings.

As you said, we must fight impunity by all means. Imagine people closing a road that is under the National Land Commission (NLC). Students go to Kangaita Mixed Senior School and Nkando Primary School, but they cannot access them. They have to take an 8-kilometre diversion. I can feel for Hon. Bwire. We should ask the NLC, the custodian of public lands, to take stern action against such people who close access roads and rivers.

I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Nguna. Ongea kwa dakika moja.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I share the same sentiments. I support my colleague, Hon. Bwire. I know what those people are going through. It is high time we end impunity. We cannot tolerate selfish individuals who violate human rights. Let us act promptly and ensure justice for the people of Taveta.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Mwalimu Kombe.

Ahsante sana, Mhe. Spika, kwa kuniruhusu nami nidandie suala hili la Mhe. Bwire. Si vyema mtu mmoja au kampuni moja kukatiza riziki ya maelfu ya watu.

Mambo haya hayatendeki kwa watu wa Taveta peke yao. Hata ukiingia Magarini, kuna sehemu moja ya Chakama ambayo bwenyenye mmoja kwa jina, Mombasa Cement Limited, amechukua sehemu kubwa. Amekata Mto wa Galana kuelekea kwa hilo shamba na kuwakatia watu mashimo wasiweze hata kupita na kuingia katika maeneo yao ya mji. Naomba suala hili liangaliwe kwa undani. Watu kama hao wawekwe sehemu wanayostahili kuwa.

Ahsante sana, Mhe. Spika.

Thank you. We will stop there. The Chairperson of the Public Petitions Committee. Who is the new Chair? Is it Hon. Karemba?

Hon. Baya, inform the Chair of the Committee to bring a report to the House on this Petition within 45 days. Remind them that our Constitution, international conventions and riparian rights give everyone the right to access water for human use, animal use and agriculture. Nobody has the right to take possession of a natural resource like a river to the exclusion of others. As a leader in this House, you have a duty to engage the Committee and make sure that they bring a fair and just finding.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I am well guided.

Hon. Members, allow me to acknowledge, in the Speaker’s Gallery, the students from Jabali Christian School, Embakasi South Constituency, Nairobi City County; and Prestigious Vineyard Academy, Embakasi East Constituency, Nairobi City County.

Hon. Members, you should welcome your children.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. This afternoon, I am pleased to welcome all our students and other visitors to the National Assembly which makes laws. Feel comfortable being here, particularly the students from Kiamariga Primary and Junior School in my constituency. I welcome you.

It is a great honour to be in this House to witness what happens. When I was your age, I could not even dream of coming here because I went to school barefoot. Therefore, I welcome you.

Thank you.

Are you saying you cannot come to Parliament without shoes?

Hon. Speaker, I came from a place with many problems. I could not even dream of coming to Parliament. Firstly, I had to look for shoes.

Very good. Times are changing. Next Order.

Deputy Whip of the Majority Party.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table:

Thank you. Clerk-at-the-Table, go to the next Order.

Hon. (Dr) Mutunga.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion:

THAT, aware that, Article 43(1)(c) of the Constitution of Kenya guarantees every person the right to be free from hunger and to have adequate food of acceptable quality; cognisant of the fact that, aflatoxin contamination caused by toxic substances produced by certain fungi, remains a significant public health, food safety and economic threat in Kenya, with exposure associated with acute poisoning, chronic liver damage, cellular DNA damage and an increased risk of liver cancer; noting that, surveillance data has demonstrated widespread aflatoxin contamination in Kenya’s staple foods, particularly maize and maize products, as well as animal feeds and other food products, with some samples recording aflatoxin levels substantially above the national permissible threshold of 10 parts per billion; acknowledging that biological control technology, particularly Aflasafe KE01, developed locally by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), using safe and non-toxic indigenous fungal strains provides a scientifically validated and field-proven pre- harvest intervention for the prevention and control of aflatoxin contamination; further acknowledging that field applications of Aflasafe KE01, including large-scale demonstrations at the Galana-Kulalu Irrigation Scheme and in Meru County, have substantially reduced aflatoxin contamination in harvested maize; concerned that, despite the local manufacture of Aflasafe KE01 at KALRO Katumani, the application cost, estimated at approximately Ksh1,000 per acre, remains a significant barrier to adoption by smallholder farmers, who constitute the majority of Kenya’s agricultural producers; recognising the need for a preventive and integrated approach to food safety that addresses aflatoxin contamination at the farm level while strengthening public awareness, agricultural extension, food surveillance and health monitoring; NOW THEREFORE, this House resolves that the National Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, incorporates Aflasafe KE01 as a subsidised biological agricultural input under the National Agricultural Input Subsidy Programme,

Thank you, Hon. (Dr) Mutunga. Are you speaking as Member of Parliament for Tigania West or as Chairperson of the Departmental Committee?

As Chairperson of the Departmental Committee.

Okay. Excellent. Next Order. Before we go to Questions and Statements, in the Speaker's Gallery, there is the Public Relations Society of Kenya from Dagoretti North in Nairobi. In the Public Gallery, we have Kang’uutheni Primary and Junior School from Mwingi West, Kitui County. I welcome our visitors to the House.

Yes, KJ, will you join me in welcoming your Dagoretti people?

Hon. Speaker, I thank you. I want to let the House know that the delegation in the Speaker's Gallery is from a neighbouring constituency whose mother constituency is actually the constituency that I serve. The larger Dagoretti was in 2010 divided into two constituencies - Dagoretti South and Dagoretti North.

On behalf of my neighbour, Hon. Beatrice Elachi, and on my behalf, I would like to welcome this delegation to the House of Parliament, where their matters are prosecuted, and they end up as laws and statutes.

I would like to let them know that the profession they are undertaking in PR is of critical importance to our country, especially at a time when there is a lot of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. We want to call upon the practitioners in PR to take it upon themselves to see that there is a patriotic duty to be played by communicators, so that the right information gets to the right audiences through the right channels. As the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, I would like to welcome them to the House.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this very esteemed opportunity to welcome our delegates. Karibuni to Bunge. We prosecute business for the welfare of society and the just Government of the people.

Thank you, Hon. KJ. Is Hon. Cynthia Muge in the House? Not present. Statement stayed. Hon. Faisal Bader.

Hon. 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 Environment, Forestry and Mining regarding the disbursement of mining royalties to the local communities in Msambweni Constituency.

The Mining Act, 2016 (CAP 306) provides a clear framework for the sharing of royalties accruing from mineral exploitation. Specifically, the law stipulates that 70 per cent of royalties are allocated to the National Government, 20 per cent to the county governments in which the mining operations are undertaken, and 10 per cent to the local community where the

Chairperson of the Departmental Committee in Charge of Environment, Forestry and Mining. Do we have anybody from that Committee? Yes. That is Hon. Masito.

Ahsante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Nataka pia mimi niongeze pondo kwa maneno au kwa swala ambalo Mhe. Faisal Bader, Mbunge wa Msambweni, ameleta hapa.

Kwa kweli, Kwale ina madini mengi. Lakini kwa sababu madini hayo yaliyochimbwa katika sehemu hii ya Msambweni hayakuonekana kuwa na faida kwa wananchi, na iwapo pesa zao zinazidi kuchelewa kufika, watu wa Kwale wanazidi kukosa imani, wakijiuliza kama kweli madini yanayochimbwa yataweza kubadilisha maisha yao na kama Kwale, tutaweza kubadilisha mandhari ya Kwale vile ilivyo.

Ningependa, kwa kweli, Statement hii itiliwe maanani sana. Itiliwe maanani na hizo pesa ziweze kuachiliwa, ziweze kufika kwa watu wa Kwale, miradi ipatikane na yale mazuri ambayo watu wa Kwale wameyapangia juu ya pesa hii yaweze kutiririka na kupatikana. Isiwavunje moyo, kama tunavyojua, tuna Mrima Hills. Mrima Hills inatarajiwa kutoa madini mengi sana. Lakini watu wa Kwale hawana imani kwa sababu hawajaona yale mazuri ya madini yaliyoko Ni kama hayo ambayo yamekuwa katika Eneo Bunge la Mhe. Faisal.

Ahsante sana. Na mimi naunga mkono kuweza kuachiliwa kwa pesa hizo.

Thank you. Any Member in the Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining? Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I undertake to have this dealt with in the next two weeks. I will inform the Chairperson of the Committee to do that on time.

Hon. Faisal, the response to the Statement will come in two weeks. Next, is the request for statement by Hon. (Dr) Charles Onchoke.

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 Communication, Information and Innovation regarding the regulation of the rapid development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is advancing at an unprecedented pace and is increasingly transforming how people learn, work, communicate and access essential services. Despite presenting opportunities for innovation and efficiency in various sectors, the speed at which AI is evolving and being adopted presents a significant governance challenge. There is a growing risk that existing policies, regulatory frameworks and institutional safeguards may not evolve at a corresponding pace, thereby leaving the emerging risks of AI inadequately addressed. For instance, in the education sector, the unregulated use of AI raises concerns on its impact on the development of critical thinking, creativity and other cognitive abilities among learners who are increasingly becoming dependent on it for performing learning and writing tasks. Additionally, the increasing use of generative AI has implications for the healthcare, security and public administration sectors, and requires appropriate safeguards to be put in place to regulate it.

It is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation on the following:

Measures that are being taken by the Government to ensure that the country's policy and regulatory frameworks keep pace with the rapid advancement, adoption and changing applications of Artificial Intelligence, including mechanisms for continuous review and adaptation of existing frameworks as new Artificial Intelligence capabilities and risks emerge.

The Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Communication Information and Innovation.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, being a lawyer, you understand the import of the Question by Hon. Onchoke. What we shall do and in the interest of time, we shall commit to present our response in 14 days because what he raises is very critical for the country and it cuts across all sectors. We shall engage the Ministry to give a quick response. When I will give the response to the House, I shall also state some of the things that this House is doing in reaction to the developments that are happening in that sector that have to do with emerging technology, Artificial Intelligence, and what bearing it has for governance.

I do thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

I saw an Executive Order being signed somewhere in the United States acknowledging what Hon. Onchoke is dealing with. They now call it Artificial Super-Intelligence (ASI). Give the Chairperson the microphone.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you being a student of law with a good bias in technology, I would like to let you know that the philosophy of Kenya on technology has been that we neither look East nor West. We actually look within,

Thank you very much, Hon. Chairman. Hon. (Dr) Charles Onchoke, the response to your request for a Statement will be delivered before the House in two weeks.

Hon. Cynthia Muge, with the special leave of the Temporary Speaker, we will go back to your statement request.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding career progression structure for teachers in Junior Secondary Schools, popularly known as JSS and the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE) that is domiciled in JSS within primary school institutions. Consequently, the JSS teachers are currently serving alongside teachers in the primary school section, notwithstanding the differences in their academic qualifications, professional training, teaching responsibilities and career expectations.

Notably, nearly all JSS teachers hold university degrees and have been trained as subject specialists in secondary school teaching. Their placement within the primary school institutions without a clear guideline on career progression continues to limit the opportunities for advancement. In many of those institutions, JSS teachers, who are degree holders, serve under headteachers or administrators who, in some instances, only possess diploma qualification. This arrangement has created concerns regarding the recognition of the qualification of JSS teachers, their professional experience and responsibilities within the institutional hierarchy. That uncertainty may result in career stagnation, diminished motivation and limited professional growth among the JSS teachers.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education on the following issues:

Where is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education? Any ranking Member of the Committee present? Is

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the Hon. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education is my worthy competitor in the race for governor of Nandi County.

No wonder. I will request the Leader of the Majority Party to give directions on the matter on his behalf.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I will inform the Chairperson, Hon. Melly, who is competing for governor of Nandi County alongside Hon. Cynthia. In the meantime, they are both Members of Parliament from Nandi County and, therefore, they must transact their business in the National Assembly as Members of Parliament.

The Chairperson will give a report just before we break for recess in about two weeks. The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Peter Kaluma): Hon. Leader of the Majority Party, I have not seen our brand-new Member of Parliament for Ol Kalou. I wanted to inform him on why you have precedence on matters of the House. You will get him and remind him of that.

Hon. Cynthia Muge, the response to your request for statement will be delivered as directed by the Leader of the Majority Party.

The response to the Statement that was requested by Hon. Dorice Donya shall now be made on behalf of the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives by Hon. Marianne Kitany.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.44(2)(c), Hon. Dorice Donya requested for a statement on 30th September 2026 regarding the promotion and support of foreign direct investments in the country.

Below is a summary of the response submitted by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Investments and Industry on the issues raised in the request for a statement. A detailed report has already been shared with Hon. Donya.

The first issue was on measures that the Government has put in place to promote foreign direct investment and protect foreign investors from undue interference, as well as measures to address procedural and administrative bottlenecks. Public investments to finance and the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to achieve its intended objectives are strained, hence the need for the private sector investments to supplement. A conducive business environment is a major priority to attract private sector investments. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investments promotes and attracts foreign and domestic direct investments by:

Hon. Dorice Donya.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am smiling because, for the first time, I have received a very good response to my request for statement.

I requested for the statement because of what the President did in Lamu. Our youth will get jobs through the oil refinery in Lamu, courtesy of the President and Mr Dangote. Oil products will curb scarcity of utilities like electricity as Kenyans frequently complain about lack of electricity. Marriages will also be stable because couples will not squabble because the spouses will have jobs. Without money, people are always furious and do not want to answer the questions correctly. Even when your partner tells you: “I love you”, you think he is telling you: “I hate you”. The President has promoted marriages in this country, which is very good.

The response to the request for statement has been timely. Tell the Chairperson of the Committee that the Response has made me very proud. I will sleep tutam.

Thank you.

Thank you, Hon. Dorice Donya. Thank you, Hon. Marianne Kitany, for giving us a satisfactory Response to a request for statement. Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I join Hon. Dorice Donya in congratulating the Vice-Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives for that very comprehensive Response.

I listened to the measures the Government has put in place to promote foreign direct investment and protect foreign investors from undue interference. The policy interventions that have been put in place and incentives such as the SEZs, the EPZs, and the one-stop centres are all very good. She enumerated them very well. However, the greatest risk, which I did not hear the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives speak to, is political interference regarding foreign direct investors. Case in point is Mr Aliko Dangote and the Lamu Oil Refinery that Hon. Donya has pointed to.

Two Members of Parliament, one from this House and another one from the Senate, who are largely driven by extortionist behaviour, have attempted to raise issues during public rallies, instead of using proper channels and platforms like the National Assembly and the Senate to get the information they seek. They have been speaking in public rallies, demanding that the President reveals the shareholders of the Dangote Lamu Oil Refinery. William Ruto is not the registrar of the business registration service in this country. You know where you ought to get the list of shareholders if you want it. However, since you want to posture politically to your ethnic cocoon in your village meetings, you act as if you are demanding for information. You are just asking for what your sponsor has told you.

When Mr Dangote sought to invest in a cement factory in our country, one family used State capture to ensure that he did not invest, unless the sponsor’s family got 50 per cent shareholding in the factory. Nobody says these things. I heard Mr Dangote say that he will not name names, but we can name them here. ‘Mr Sponsor’, you and your brother are known.

Leader of the Majority Party, I gave you all that time because I have also been asking myself why the President is being asked to provide the documents of the companies. I did not know it was just posturing. The Leader of the Minority Party takes precedence after the Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I could not agree more with the Leader of the Majority Party. What is happening in Lamu can create envy among many people and countries. Attracting US$16 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) is not a joke. We must thank His Excellency the President for championing and spearheading the efforts to attract that kind of investment to our country. Many countries on this Continent would have wished to host that refinery.

When operational, that refinery alone will, over time, contribute not less than 10 per cent to our GDP. The investment will create more than 60,000 jobs. That is 60,000, not 6,000, 600 or 60 people. In today’s newspapers, the World Bank has confirmed that the country’s GDP is projected to grow by between 4.6 and 5 per cent in the current financial year. It is in the news now. This growth is driven by the solid economic policies that this administration, under the Broad-Based Government, is championing.

When you have been in a previous regime and in power for 10 years, and you are asked to account for your achievements, you start looking for small things to present as accomplishments. It is like a chicken picking maize grain by grain, pausing between each one. That is how they are now counting their achievements of over 10 years.

They are wondering how the Mau Summit Road is being implemented in less than five years, after being stuck for 10 years. The biggest refinery in Sub-Saharan Africa has been launched and is under development. A new airport has been commissioned. Major projects include the Raila Odinga International Stadium and the Bomas conference facility, which is expected to attract international conferences from across Africa. We are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) next year. Let us give credit where it is due.

I know ‘the sponsor’ told us at a meeting at the Maasai Lodge, where you were present, Hon. Temporary Speaker, that he was giving this regime three months and it would collapse. It is now four years, and it has not collapsed. So, it was a complete lie. The man did not know what he was talking about.

We cannot reduce the conversation on affordable housing in this country to whether a chicken can go to the 13th or the 2nd floor. We cannot reduce the conversation on development to building bridges, the Mau Summit Road and airports, or to a discussion about shiny things. As a broad-based Government, we are above that. We cannot lower the national conversation to that level.

I know that even if I had been in the previous regime, led by ‘the sponsor’, I would feel bad about what is happening in this country. Honestly, I would feel bad. You have wasted 10 valuable years of this country. Now, when you see somebody’s achievements in four years, you will obviously become jealous. You will feel bad. That is the truth. We are all human beings. However, the worst thing is that you will never get those 10 years back. They are gone. So, if you did not use them properly, do not blame anybody. Allow the other person to do the work and support him.

Leader of the Minority Party, jealousy is allowed but you can still be patriotic.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you know patriotism is personal. It is like the Holy Spirit; not everybody gets it. Some of the people I know can never be patriotic. They believe that this country belongs to them. I remember a case that I want to share with the House. Qatar Airways wanted to come and partner with KQ, but they have since gone to Kigali, Rwanda. They were told: “You must give us 45 per cent shareholding before you come here.” They took a flight and told them: ‘‘If we give you that

Leader of the Minority Party, do you want to be informed by Hon. John Kiarie?

I do not mind because he understands ‘the sponsor’ better than I do.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, more than understanding ‘the sponsor’, I understand the history of Kenya better. I would like to inform the Leader of the Minority Party that what we are doing is righting historical wrongs. Decisions were made in this country to invest in a very small part of Kenya, which was termed productive, while other parts of the country were said to be economically unviable. Whatever is happening in our generation, and the move being made by this Parliament and the leadership, is to right the wrongs, including those arising from Sessional Paper No.10 of 1965, which agreed to put and invest national resources in a very small part of Kenya at the expense of the other parts of the country.

I support what the Leader of the Minority Party is saying because it is supported by some of the business that we are prosecuting, and we are doing what ought to be done to equalise the country.

The Leader of the Minority Party will now conclude.

Let me conclude. I want to pick up from where Hon. Kiarie has stopped. This is the first regime to build a road from Isiolo all the way to Mandera. I know ‘the sponsor’ is not aware that there is a part of this country that needed such a road because for him, life begins in Gatundu and ends in Nairobi. That is how he knew Kenya. A highway is now being built all the way to Mandera. The game has changed. I want those people who are wondering what is happening to up their game. Every Kenyan now feels part and parcel of this country. There is a reason why I am going to pay taxes and allow the country to borrow on my behalf. It is because I can see what my money is doing. Kenyans are now asking what the previous regime was doing with their money. That question cannot be answered because a majority of the villagers in this country never saw anything for the last 10 years.

This country has been borrowing for the last 50 years, but Kenyans have been paying the debt collectively without seeing any development. When President Moi left power, he left a debt of Ksh600 billion. Kibaki took over and increased it to Ksh1.8 trillion, an increment of 300 per cent. When Kibaki left power, Uhuru took over and increased the debt to Ksh10 trillion, an increment of 600 per cent. In the last four years, this Government has increased the debt by only 27 per cent, with all the development that you are seeing. These facts are stubborn. A man who increased our debt by 600 per cent is lecturing us on what to do and what not to do. Really? Give us a break. This Government has increased the national debt by only 27 per cent in four years. Look at all the development that you are seeing, the things we are counting and the roads we are talking about. What prudent management of our economy could that be? And look at the 10 years we lost with ‘the sponsor’.

In conclusion, this is politics. Out of experience, I can tell anyone who is relying on that ‘sponsor’ to capture political power that ataona kwa Viusasa. They should not say that I

We want to transact other business, Hon. Members. Is it because this matter is from the Ministry of Trade and Industry? I will indulge not more than two more Members. Hon. Lillian Siyoi, what do you want to say?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I congratulate Hon. Marianne for the satisfactory answer she has given us.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this country to create more job opportunities and grow economically, we need investors. For investors to invest in Kenya, we must protect them. First of all, I want to thank the President for executing his mandate so well because he knows that one of the things he needs to do as President is to create more job opportunities. That is exactly what he has done.

I also want to warn those leaders who come here to politic when we are talking about development. It is very wrong because every leader should want the best for his or her people. Whether we are reading from the same page or not, anything that is good and beneficial to the country should be supported. Anybody who is sitting somewhere and derailing this process is an enemy of the country and should not call himself or herself a leader. From what we have seen, we want to encourage the President to bring more investors into the country, so that we can grow. We need investors to come to other counties as well.

I know it is now Lamu, but I am so sure that the 60,000 jobs that will be created will not go to the Lamu people alone. I am sure that other Kenyans will also get jobs from there. We want to encourage the President to continue negotiating and networking so that we get more investors in the country, improve our economy and make sure that our people get the best.

The Deputy Whip of the Majority Party. Briefly.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I want to say a few things as I complement my leader on his strong remarks on why this country must move forward and stop relying on people who failed in their regime. In doing so, I want to point out a few things, Hon. Temporary Speaker. First, the refinery is at the Coast and we are proud that it is there. The people of the Coast are very happy with the leadership of President William Ruto. This is because, for the first time, key investment portfolios and major investments are being undertaken at the Coast - an area that was completely neglected. We felt under-served but now we feel that we are being served by this Government. If you go to Vipingo, the biggest Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is being developed there. In fact, when you pass through that area, you wonder whether this is the Coast that you knew, courtesy of the leadership of President William Ruto. We have one of the biggest investment portfolios that is coming up at the Coast of Kenya, where Centum has its land. We have one of the biggest investment opportunities through the SEZ.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, we saw the President this week sign a multi-billion-shilling deal with an electric vehicle company. This is an investment that for many years, people have wished to bring into this country. That is the electric vehicle industry. But they have not had the opportunity. President William Ruto has opened the door for anyone who wants to come and invest in this country. I know that one of the areas that are most likely to benefit from such investments is the Coast and we are happy about it. The Dongo Kundu Project which was previously a pipe dream and which we thought would never happen is now happening under this regime.

Hon. Members this is not the main business. We should wind up. I will only allow Hon. Jared Okello and Hon. Rindikiri and then we go to the next business.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. First, let me congratulate the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives for coming up with this very important report which touches on investment as a driving force for economic well-being. It is important to note that the private sector creates jobs; it is not the Government. I read President Obama's Book. He said that when he occupied the White House as President of the United States of America, he could only employ approximately 1,000 people in the government. That was the only room he had in the entire Continent of the United States of America. Therefore, that means jobs are not primarily created by the Government. They are created by the private sector.

Even though we hear a lot of noise around governance from people who previously failed in the discharge of their mandate, it is important to note that the United Nations is moving some of its major offices to Nairobi. They have already established a complex worth US$340 million in Gigiri. The United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) is moving its headquarters from New York to Nairobi. We also have UN Women moving offices here as well as the United

On a point of information, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Jared Okello, do you want to be informed by Hon. Chepkong’a?

I would like to be informed by him because he is my senior and my Chairman.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have been listening with a lot of interest to the very stimulating contribution of Hon. Jared Okello. He has contextualised what is happening in this country. In fact, what he has just said is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, if he were to reveal everything that he heard this morning, we would have to write a book about what is happening in Kenya.

The Prime Cabinet Secretary appeared before our Committee this morning, and what he told us is what no eye has seen and no ear has heard. We were told that the number of international institutions that are seeking to relocate to this country is mind-boggling. We will

That says something about what the President is doing on the diplomatic front. That is an accolade the President has not received enough. Can you conclude? We want to go to other business.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank my Chair for putting more beef to the bone. All that cannot happen in an environment that is not conducive to doing business. That has been created by none other than President William Samoei Ruto.

Many of our young people are still jobless. When efforts are being made to bring in industries that can create jobs, other people are fighting so that our young people can remain as idle as they wish so that they can use them to engage in goonism and other acts of lawlessness for their own selfish aggrandisement. Therefore, we must collectively support this country, support all the programmes that are being undertaken by the Government of the day, not for us, but for posterity.

I thank you for giving me the opportunity.

Thank you. Hon. Rindikiri Mugambi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. What we are seeing from the ‘sponyo’ is jealousy. There is nothing as bad for a leader as to be jealous of other leaders.

We have a President by the name of William Samoei Ruto who has given hope for the future. We should not forget that the Sovereign Wealth Fund that we passed in this Parliament will address the future. The Bible says that we shall leave wealth for the fourth generation of the people that we have given birth to. The Sovereign Wealth Fund, that we passed here, emanated from the wise counsel and leadership of His Excellency the President. The ‘sponyo’ never thought that this man would think about the future. He left us with debt, but a man came who is now thinking about how the fourth generation from today is going to exist.

Being a president or a leader is not just a matter of attending meetings. It is putting into perspective how the economy, politics, culture and everything are to be managed for the future. If there is anybody who has shown our youth hope for tomorrow, it is His Excellence the President. He is doing small things like supporting football, supporting technology and supporting building of institutions that help such as ICT hubs.

Surely, when a man who spent 10 years in State House with brown eyes can address us telling us that we need to go in another direction so that we will not lose it. This is a President who has gone to the international arena to talk about climate change. Are we becoming blind? Are we not seeing what the future holds if we do not address issues of climate change? Our President is a champion of climate change in the world. Then we see a man whose interest is only to acquire land. He cannot even plant trees. He only planted trees along Thika Road and the Southern Bypass because that is where his farm is located.

Order. Hon. Jematiah, do you hear the point Hon. Rindikiri Mugambi is making?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am going to repeat. This is a President who has sat down with the President of America and he has been listened to. This is a President that the President of China, Xi Jinping, has listened to and this is a President who the Prime Ministers of serious countries like Japan, the Netherlands and others have been listening to. This is a President who the entire Africa is listening to. Then we have a ‘sponsor’ here going for funerals and telling us that this President must go.

There is God in heaven. Even the Opposition has acknowledged that God is speaking to him. I want to tell Kenyans today that the future is bright with His Excellency President William Samoei Ruto. What we are seeing today is a sign of good things to come. We should walk with confidence. I want to give Kenyans a guarantee that the sure bet is William Samoei Ruto.

I thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Leader of the Majority Party, I know you want to urgently lay some Papers, but I will have problems with two women leaders as we have given men a lot of time to comment on this matter. Let us have Hon. Fatuma and then the Member for Laikipia County.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to congratulate Hon. Donya, the Member for Kisii County, for her statement request. Equally, I want to congratulate my sister, Hon. Marianne, for that comprehensive response. However, Kenyans should know what is happening in this country. Between 2014 and 2022, 18 companies shut down in Kenya. I will mention a few; namely, Sameer Africa, Athi River Mining Limited, TSS Grain Millers Limited, Flora Printers, Packaging Manufacturers, Avon Rubber Company, Spring Industries, Marsh Builders, Flower City Kenya Limited, Softa Bottling Company and Shiv Enterprises, among others.

I also have good news for Kenyans. In the four years that His Excellency President Ruto has been in power, Jesus came down and the following companies opened; namely, Laticrete Kenya, TwyFord Ceramics, MAS Intimates, Matunwa Tea Factory, Devki Steel Mills Limited, Toyota Fortuner, East Africa Device Assembly Kenya Limited, CHINT Kenya, among others. Dangote has just opened another one. In four years, 14 new massive companies have opened. What does that mean? Investments in a country demonstrate confidence in the country’s leadership.

When 22 companies close down, the answer is the same. It means they have no confidence in the country’s leadership. Just imagine how many companies we lost in the years that President Ruto was not in power. Within a span of four years since he came into power, all these miracles have happened. One might think that Jesus came from Sugoi, but he came from Nazareth. This is just President Ruto doing his thing. I must congratulate him. This is the

Hon. Fatuma, do you need information from Hon. Wamumbi?

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Yes, grandson of Mumbi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to inform Hon. Fatuma that Wamunyoro Construction Limited was closed between 2017 and

Hon. Fatuma will now conclude her contribution.

Thank you, Hon. Eric, for that information. In conclusion, this is not about politics. It is about a manager doing his job. President Ruto is not a politician. He is a manager. We want more people like Dangote to come to our country and inform the chicken boy that they are not jokers. I liked Dangote’s statement. He should speak more of that language, which Kenyans understand. When you smile and dance with Kenyans, they take you for granted and start asking you for shares. Put your foot down. As the women of this country whose sons and daughters will be employed in Dangote’s factory, we will massively protect him.

Fellow Kenyans, let us put politics aside and support the manager, President William Samoei Ruto.

Yes, Hon. Kagiri. She will be the last Member to comment on this.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this very important national matter. I will start by congratulating Hon. Donya for tabling the request for statement. This is a great time to be a Kenyan and an even a greater time to be alive. For very long, only some parts of this country were assumed to be Kenyan enough compared to other parts of the country. Listening to the conversations we are having in this country, I challenge every Kenyan to listen to the people who are speaking at the moment. They are telling us to ask about Dangote. They are the same people who told us that His Excellency President William Ruto would not build a stadium. Today, we have Talanta Stadium. They told us that there would be no wheelbarrow on the Rironi-Mau Summit Road. Today, tarmac is being laid on that road. They told us that the Bomas of Kenya had been sold. Today, a very great facility has been put up at the Bomas of Kenya, which will assist our country. Going down memory lane, many parents used to

Thank you very much. Is Hon. Daniel Manduku in the House? The Chairperson of the Committee or his representative should read the response to his statement request. Who is doing that?

It is okay, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As per normal procedure, I will lay the Response on the Table, so that the Member can get the information from the Table Office.

Hon. Daniel Manduku should be informed to get it. Hon. Members, we are moving very fast. Order, Hon. Members. (Hon. Makali Mulu spoke off the record) Hon. David Makali, I am presiding over the House. I know when he is going to speak.

Hon. Makali Mulu, never talk at the Speaker when he is on his feet. You are already recognised. Hon. Members, I am interrupting very briefly our proceedings. In the Speaker's Gallery are some gallant ladies who had been welcomed to the House. On behalf of the House, I want to register our regret for keeping them for too long.

However, we did that to honour them and so that they can see the proceedings in the House better. These ladies are from Githunguri Constituency. They are not just here simply because they are from Githunguri. They are warriors of a disease affecting very many of our female persons called Endometriosis. When that was mentioned to me as the Temporary Speaker, I said we needed to allow them more time to watch what we are doing here because of the good they are doing for the nation in that delicate area concerning family health. So, as I welcome them after the substantive Speaker did so, and in addition to what he mentioned, it will be remiss for us, as a House, to let these gallant ladies of Kenya leave the Speaker's Gallery and return home without being formally welcomed by their Member of Parliament, who is very strong and passionate about this condition, and the Leader of the Majority Party, and then we transact the other businesses.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Two weeks ago, I joined those wonderful, beautiful-looking ladies of Githunguri in a very emotional endometriosis awareness walk for about seven kilometres. These are ladies who have carried their sisters on their back who are victims of this very big menace that attacks women of all ages. They suffer painful menstrual periods and undergo surgeries to remove the endometriosis tissue that is caused by cells growing that affects women during their menstrual period. It was very emotional for me to join the ladies and even to listen to the stories of the victims who were young girls in Form II and III who suffer this pain. I felt it was important to support these gallant women in amplifying the issue.

I do not know whether you know – and I want to inform you and inform Members of this House – that this problem of endometriosis is affecting two million women in Kenya. That is about 10 per cent of the population. Most of those two million women do not speak about it and they die silently. Most of them lose their livelihoods because some lose jobs, others drop out of schools and colleges and others drop from marriages that break because of the constant pain and expenditures that are associated with the condition. So, I am very happy that this issue has been picked up by the Senate of Kenya and I am looking forward to the day that the whole matter of endometriosis will be brought to this House.

I want to beseech every one of us – both men and women Members – to give this matter the attention it deserves when it comes to this House. I am so proud to be associated with the gallant ladies from Githunguri. I thank them for showing the world that Githunguri can do it. They have already started the campaign. I believe the campaign is going to spread to all over the country so that we raise awareness around this issue.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak as they listen. That is why they came - to see whether we can join together with them and lobby together.

Thank you, Hon. Wamuchomba, for your passion in that area. The Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity. First, I welcome the great Endo Warriors from Githunguri. This condition can be a barrier to normal living for many ladies. I want to encourage them to consider joining others from other places in the country to form an Endo Society like what we saw here with the Haemophilia Society. It is much easier when you come together as people who suffer the same condition to create better awareness. I say so because when the Haemophilia Society came to see me in my Office sometime last year, they brought a Petition that I brought to this House and we considered it. We have seen very many positive things and great strides in the treatment and care of haemophilia patients in the country. It has brought awareness of the suffering of haemophilia patients to the fore at policy level and at the ministerial level for clinical care. The same can happen for endometriosis if all these people can come together and form a society. It will be much easier for them to advocate for treatment regimes in our public hospitals. Endometriosis is one condition where many ladies walk to our healthcare facilities and many of our healthcare workers are not able to diagnose it properly.

Hon. Leader of the Majority Party, you can now lay your papers.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. To my usual Thursday Statement on behalf of the House Business Committee, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(a), I rise to give the following Statement, which is coming from the House Business Committee that met on Tuesday, 6th October to prioritise business for consideration during the week.

Thank you, Leader of the Majority Party. Next Order.

Leader of the Majority Party.

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

THAT, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 120, this House resolves to reduce the publication period of the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 65 of 2026), from 14 days to 10 days. This is because we intend to conclude consideration of this tax law before the end of next week, given the timelines. This is just a procedural Motion to reduce the publication period from 14 to 10 days. I beg to move and request Hon. Owen Baya to second.

Hon. Owen Baya.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I second the Leader of the Majority Party on the procedural Motion. It is important that we finish the tax laws in good time and, therefore, reduction of time is something we request Parliament to do.

Thank you. (Question proposed)

Put the Question.

Is it the mood of the House that I put the Question?

Yes. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order.

The Chairperson of the Delegated Legislation Committee to move.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to move the following Motion:

THAT, pursuant to the provisions of section 15(3) of the Statutory Instruments Act, Cap. 2A, this House resolves to extend the period for consideration of the Energy (Electricity Market, Bulk Supply and Open Access) Regulations, 2026, (Legal Notice No. 79 of 2026), by a period of twenty-one (21) days, excluding the recess period, with effect from 8th October 2026. The reason we are seeking an extension is that the Cabinet Secretary who was to present these regulations has been unavailable due to various exigencies requiring him to be outside Nairobi, particularly on days when the Committee was scheduled to sit, either on Tuesdays or Thursdays. We, therefore, seek this extension to allow proper consideration of these important regulations that will regulate a number of matters within the power sector.

I request Hon. Lenguris, a member of the Committee, to second.

Hon. Lenguris.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Having been told the reasons why the Committee seeks an extension, I second.

Thank you. (Question proposed)

Put the Question.

Is it the mood of the House that I put the Question? (Hon. Geoffrey Wandeto spoke off the record) Hon. Wandeto?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. These regulations on open access are very important. As a country, we face serious challenges with power supply. Many of us have always held the opinion that the quicker we allow multiple

Do we have any more contributions? The Mover can reply now that Hon. Wandeto has contributed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank Hon. Wandeto for his keen eye in seeing the importance of these regulations. It is going to be very bad manners to allow regulations to come into operation by effluxion of time. That this House did not consider regulations and give its input, as required by the Statutory Instruments Act. Parliament cannot abdicate its supervisory and oversight role. We have delegated authority, but we must ensure that regulations comply with the Constitution, the enabling Act, and other laws. That is the reason we do not want to give to people who are not Members of this Parliament the power to pass laws.

Hon. Members, I now put the Question. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order.

Next Order.

Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu, do you want to contribute to this? Member for Rangwe, Hon. (Dr) Lillian Gogo, do you want to contribute to this? There being no more interest to contribute to this Motion, the Mover shall now reply. Mover from the Public Petitions Committee? Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, are you replying on behalf of the Mover?

Yes.

Please, proceed.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. In replying to this Motion on the Public Petition No.2 of 2026 regarding production, distribution and consumption of illegal alcoholic brews in the country, we would like to state that proliferation of alcoholic drinks is a dangerous thing for the country. This country needs to find all ways and means possible to control alcoholic drinks so that they do not get into the wrong hands. The Report, as tabled and laid, attests to that. The sentiments echoed in these hallowed Chambers also attest to the fact that our country needs to be careful about alcoholic drinks. We, therefore, request this Parliament to pass this Report as fast as possible so that our country can make progress.

I beg to reply.

Thank you very much. (Question put and agreed to) Next Order.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I beg to move that the Committee do report to the House its consideration of the County Assembly Services

(Amendment)

Bill,

(Senate Bill No. 34 of 2023),

and its approval thereof without amendments.

(Question put and agreed)

Chairperson.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to report that the Committee of the whole House has considered the County Assembly Services (Amendment) Bill, (Senate Bill No. 34 of 2023), and approved the same without amendments.

Mover to move agreement with the report.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the House do agree with the Report of the Committee of the whole House on its consideration of the County Assembly Services (Amendment) Bill, (Senate Bill No. 34 of 2023). I also request Hon. Harrison Kombe to second the Motion.

Member for Magarini.

I second. (Question proposed)

Is it the mood of the House that I put the Question?

Hon. Members: Yes! (Question put and agreed to)

Mover to move Third Reading.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the County Assembly Services (Amendment) Bill, (Senate Bill No. 34 of 2023), be now read a Third Time. I also request Hon. Harrison Kombe to second.

Hon. Harrison Kombe, the Member for Magarini.

Thank you so much. I second. (Question proposed) Hon. Members: Put the question!

Hon. Members, I have confirmed that we have quorum in the House. (Question put and agreed to) (The Bill was accordingly read a Third Time and passed)

Mover, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. The Chairperson had requested that this particular one be deferred. The request has been granted. The consideration of this particular Motion is deferred to such future date as it will be enlisted for the consideration of the House by the House Business Committee. (Bill deferred)

Hon. Members, I have received a request from the Chairperson of the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity. He is engaged in other duties. I accordingly defer the consideration of the matter appearing under Order No. 14 to a future date.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Yes. What is out of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, with all due respect, I acknowledge that you have stood down the Public Transport (Motorcycle Regulation) Bill (Senate Bill No. 38 of 2023). However, I would like to seek your indulgence and, with your approval, request leave from the House. I am not certain if that is the appropriate term to use. I notice that the Chairperson of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee has just arrived. He had indicated earlier that he may not be present, but circumstances have allowed him to attend. May we permit him to move his Bill? Please allow us to return to Order No.13.

I thank you.

Under my inherent powers as your Speaker, and invoking the provisions of Standing Order 1, I will allow us to revert to the matter under Order No. 13 which I had deferred for consideration in future, now that the Chairperson of the relevant Committee and the Mover has stepped in from what he was previously engaged in.

Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Indeed, I appreciate the support from the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party because I had indicated that I would be held up elsewhere. Thank you for indulging us.

I beg to move that the Public Transport (Motorcycle Regulation) Bill, (Senate Bill No. 38 of 2023), be now read a Second Time.

In preparing the Report on the Bill, the Committee thoroughly reviewed the provisions of the Bill and engaged the relevant stakeholders to gather their insights.

The Public Transport (Motorcycle Regulation) Bill, (Senate Bill No. 38 of 2023), seeks to establish a framework for the regulation of the boda boda sector, including registration, licensing, safety and oversight of commercial motorcycles at the county level.

The Bill was passed by the Senate and referred to the National Assembly for consideration. However, in a letter dated 7th March 2025, the Speaker of the Senate conveyed the Sponsor's request for its withdrawal, citing widespread public outcry over its provisions. Despite the appeal, the Speaker of the National Assembly ruled that the Bill would proceed after a majority vote rejected the withdrawal request.

The Committee observes that the Bill substantially duplicates the existing National Transport and Safety Authority Operations of Motorcycles Regulations 2015, with its main additional proposal being the establishment of county transport and safety boards in all the 47 counties.

The Committee further notes that the Bill proposes the repeal of Sections 21 and 22 of the National Transport and Safety Authority Act, which provide for county transport and safety committees (CTSCs). The Committee finds this proposal unnecessary and undesirable, as the mandate of the CTSCs extends beyond motorcycles to include the broader transport sector, including public service, vehicles and commercial transport.

Hon. John Paul Mwirigi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I stand to second. We already have a law that regulates that sector, and we do not see the need to introduce other laws to regulate it.

I support that we reject it.

Did I hear your last sentence well?

I second.

No, what had you said before? Did I hear you say: “I support that we reject?”

Yes. I support the Chairperson's remarks that we implement the existing law and reject this one. We already have a law in place which can regulate the sector.

I second.

Mover, you are moving this Bill so that it is rejected?

Yes. I have indicated that my Committee has engaged the stakeholders. We have also looked at the existing legal and regulatory framework, and we are satisfied that the laws in place are enough to support and regulate the sector.

The main gap in this sector is actually not the setting up of new laws. We do not need to come up with new laws. The laws that exist are sufficient. The gap we have is in the enforcement of the existing laws. So, even if we come up with new laws… (The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Peter Kaluma) stood up on his feet) I see you are on your feet, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Peter Kaluma): Hon. Chair, I have now gotten the clarity I needed. When I saw the Chairperson as the Mover, I had the wrong idea that the Bill was under his name. I was wondering how he could bring a Bill before the House under his name only to request its rejection, but I am now duly informed that it is a Senate Bill. With that clarity, let me now propose the question so that the matter can proceed to debate. (Question proposed) Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. We, too, became worried just as you did, when we heard the Chair propose that he is recommending that the House reject this Bill. However, I think this situation also raises some fundamental questions. Even as we agree with the Chair in terms of what he has proposed, there are a number of things we need to ask ourselves.

Normally, when we have a legislative proposal, the procedure would be that, what informs that legislative proposal is an existing gap. So, somebody must have sat somewhere, looked at all the existing laws and regulations, and identified a gap that prompted that proposal. Once a proposal is introduced, our legal team is also expected to have a look at it before it is even cleared for publication. So, it clearly shows that there is someone who did not do their work as expected, thus using resources and time in a manner that is not the most effective.

Even as we agree with the Chair, the lesson for the future is that there will be need to have a more detailed scrutiny of a legislative proposal so that we do not get to this level where, as a House, we have been urged to reject a Bill which is already in our Order Paper. That is what I want to point out. However, I totally agree with him because if there is no gap that is being addressed by this proposed Bill, then this is a waste of our time to have it in this House.

I submit.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Sunkuli, what is out of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I want us to understand the order that we are following here. In our parliamentary system, you cannot move a Bill that you do not agree with. If the Bill is not agreed to and is not seconded, how do you become the mover?

I think the procedure has been, when we consider Senate Bills, that the Motion should be, “that this House do consider this Bill” rather than for him to say: “I am moving this Bill, but I am not supporting it.” I do not know how that comes into our parliamentary practice.

The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Peter Kaluma): Hon. Julius Sunkuli, I am informed that there are some developments, which I believe the Mover, in this respect, will clarify when he replies. Some of those are even coming from the Senate itself, which informs this decision.

Hon. (Dr) James Nyikal, I had recognised you to speak, or are you on a different one?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me also start by saying that this situation actually puts into scrutiny the value of pre-publication scrutiny. It is at that point that it should have been realised that we do not need this Bill and that there are laws that would cover the gap. If there is nothing that the law is going to cure, and the fact that this was missed, allowing the Bill to move all through the Senate and come up to here, it is then important that we look at all our procedures that bring Bills to the Floor.

Having said that, I support the rejection if, as they have mentioned, the laws are in place. However, it raises a very important issue. Somebody saw a problem, and we know what is happening with boda bodas. We see it in this town. So, somebody felt that there must be no law, and that is why this is going on. Then, when we scrutinise, we find that there are actually adequate laws. What it brings out, therefore, is the need for enforcement of the laws that we have.

I agree with them that the laws on transport with regard to boda boda are not being enforced. In my view, this failure is more hurtful to the riders and users. The political reality is that we do not want to confront the boda boda issue because we do not want to regulate them. We see how they move in the streets, but we refuse to act. In reality, it is them we are hurting, and this is discrimination. In fact, if citizens are excluded, or the people who are implementing the law exclude you from enforcement, that is also discrimination. In this particular case, I am talking in medical terms. The number of injuries suffered by people who use boda boda, including the riders themselves, is alarming. There are hospitals which have boda boda

Thank you, Hon. Nyikal. Hon. Owen Baya.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I concur with the Chairperson of the Committee on why he is rejecting this Bill. I am looking at the development. It is stated that the Speaker of the Senate conveyed the Sponsor’s request for the withdrawal of this Bill. That is what the Speaker of the Senate said. However, there has been widespread support for this Bill, despite the fact that, probably, there would be a backlash from boda boda riders if it were withdrawn at that level. That is why it came to the National Assembly.

I wish to state as follows: If these two Houses stuck to their lanes, we would not get to this level. The Senate would not be so quick to want to create a law without having checked whether the National Assembly has deliberated on the same matter. The Senate has a lot of work to do in supporting counties, making regulations, and handling everything else about counties. The transport sector, and many aspects of transport and its legislation, is a preserve of the National Assembly. Yes, there could be enthusiasm for making laws in the Senate because they probably do not have enough work, but they need to do more research. It is obvious that this law is a duplication of the National Transport and Safety Authority (Operations of Motorcycles) Regulations, 2015.

Somebody needed to have checked this. However, the enthusiasm that is in the Senate on how they must be seen to be doing something is why we get ourselves into a position like this. While I concur with Hon. Nyikal, pre-publication scrutiny is very important, and the National Assembly does that diligently. Bills that come to this Chamber have gone through proper pre-publication scrutiny. You do not see duplication of Bills or Bills that come here and are superfluous, overarching or that over-legislating. We do not have things like this. I am on record as having said in this Chamber that, because of the laws that are there, everything that comes from the Senate sometimes takes precedence over what happens in the National Assembly. There are many Members of the National Assembly who have worked tirelessly to bring Bills to the Floor of the House, but they cannot because the Standing Orders are such that when something comes from the Senate, it is fast-tracked. Those who sit on the Procedure and House Rules Committee need to re-look at that, because Members' Bills get delayed here because we have to deal with matters from the Senate.

Sen. Bonny Khalwale, who is the sponsor of this Bill, should have checked and known. He has been a legislator of many years. He should have put his best cap on instead of going to fight bulls. He should be doing good work on legislation instead of making the kind of noise he is making. He should have checked whether this Bill was necessary. However, probably, he wants to get popularity since he wants to be the governor of Kakamega, and he thinks that if he brings a Bill like this, he will get the support of boda boda operators. It has become a cropper.

I concur with the Hon. Chairperson. If you read a part of the Report, the Committee said: “The Committee supported these proposals and noted that most of the proposals are already being implemented by the Ministry of Roads and Transport following the Committee's

There being no more interest, the Mover will now reply.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to appreciate the contributions made by Members. I will re-emphasise the importance of this House and the Senate cooperating rather than engaging in unnecessary conflicts where a Member or Senator comes up with proposals that he knows very well, are covered by existing laws.

As a Committee, we were able to research and found out that there is a lot of duplication in the proposals that Hon. Boni Khalwale had come up with. Therefore, we were not persuaded that there is a need to come up with any new laws, and we remain un-persuaded.

I appreciate the support of the House in emphasising that position, and we urge the Senate to work with this House. Again, we ask the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to be firm in dealing with law offenders, especially traffic law offenders, including motorcycle riders. Everyone must live and operate within the established laws of this country. The rule of law must be emphasised and observed by all of us citizens; whether you are a boda boda rider, a motor vehicle driver or a cyclist. We need to observe the laws of our country. With that, I beg to reply. Thank you.

Hon. Members, with all that information coming from the Mover, the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, and the Members who have contributed, and given that even the Mover of the Bill in the Senate signified the need for its withdrawal, I will now proceed to put the question. (The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Peter Kaluma) stops midway while putting the Question)

I will put the Question again but let me guide the House as follows: When you say aye, it means this Bill is going for Second Reading and then the Committee of the whole House. It is being approved. When you say nay, it means the Bill is being rejected. Now because there was no voice call on the nay, I will once again put the question. I request Members to be alert. (Question put and negatived)

The Order which has been called is Order No.15. Members, remember we had transacted the matter under Order No.14 when it was called and then we deferred it. Could the Mover, the Leader of Delegation in respect of the Motion appearing under Order No.15 move?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I would like to beg your indulgence and move you, if you allow me to, that we go back to Order No.14. Let it be called again so that we give the opportunity to the elderly Statesman, who has been on other duties, but has fought so hard to come to this Chamber. So, we do not want to disappoint an old man. This is the exception that I am requesting of you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow him to move that Report because it is an important one. Despite the fact that you had already called it, I request that it be called again so that the Hon. Member can table it.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, your request is under consideration and a decision on it will be made after we deal with the matter which has been called out, that is Order No.15. Do we have the Mover, the Leader of the Delegation in the matter appearing under Order No.15?

Do we have the Mover in respect of the matter appearing under Order No.16? The Deputy Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Owen Baya (Kilifi North, UDA): Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the East African Development Bank (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No.33 of 2026), be now read a Second Time.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the Bill was published in the Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 137 on 5th June 2026. It seeks to amend the East African Development Bank Act, Cap 493A, which gives force of law in Kenya to the charter of the bank annexed to the treaty of 1980. Parliament adopts treaties that have been signed, especially in this area. But it is very specific that the East African Development Bank requires a Bill to be passed so that we can actually continue with the business. The Bill is very short. It has three clauses and does two things:

Firstly, it strengthens parliamentary oversight which is very important. It strengthens parliamentary oversight over public money that is paid to the bank. As a country, we make contributions to the bank. We have an obligation. Kenya is one of the highest contributors to the East African Development Bank. Because we are using Kenyan taxpayers' money, Parliament must come in to oversight that bank. Therefore, one of the things this Bill does is strengthening parliamentary oversight over public money that is paid to the bank.

Secondly, it reinforces the protection of the bank's assets and legal status in member States. I know you must have been a young man then when the East African Community collapsed. We had that back and forth of where the assets would go. But now we are bringing a law that strengthens that.

The objectives of the Bill are: Firstly, to amend Section 2 of the principal Act so that payments to the bank from the Consolidated Fund are subject to appropriations by Parliament and approval of the Controller of Budget. I want to take that again for the benefit of the nation. To amend section two of the Principal Act so that payments to the bank from the Consolidated Fund are subject to appropriation by Parliament. This means that this Parliament will actually appropriate the funds that go to the bank and there will be approval by the Controller of Budget. With the new Constitution, when we appropriate funds and those funds are being transferred to the East African Development Bank, the Controller of Budget needs to have power to ensure that it is done properly.

Secondly, to require the Cabinet Secretary to report to the National Assembly within three months after the end of each financial year, on all payments that are made to the bank. This is bringing Parliamentary oversight. That the Cabinet Secretary in charge of the National Treasury and Economic Planning must report to the National Assembly within three months after the end of each financial year on all payments that are made to the bank. Being the robust democracy that Kenya is, we must ensure that we report everything to this House. Therefore, the Cabinet Secretary is required to do that, three months after the end of each financial year.

The third function requires the National Assembly's approval before the Cabinet Secretary raises loans or issues securities to finance payments to the bank. These are very important accountability measures. The fourth function is to amend the Schedule to the Act to safeguard the assets of the bank and the East African Community (EAC) and its institutions. The last function is to enhance legislative oversight and accountability in line with the principle of Public Finance Management Act in the Constitution.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to now look at the core contents of the Bill and what it amends. Clause 1 provides the Short Title, which I need not belabour. Clause 2 deletes Section 2 of the principal Act and substitutes a new section on financial provisions. Under the current Section 2, the Treaty requires payments to be charged to the Consolidated Fund without further appropriation.

Your Grace, Hon. Fatuma ‘Full Network’.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I second.

Hon. Members, I did not know Hon. Fatuma enjoys a title we reserve for cardinals in the Catholic Church. (Question proposed) Is that Hon. Wanjiku Muhia? You are recognised.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. It is good for me to speak on a Bill of this nature because the EADB is one of the many East African institutions.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, when I was in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), we attempted several times to oversee this bank, but we were never successful. We attempted to find out who the shareholders were other than the East Africans. We heard that some percentage was from the Netherlands, and this never came out clearly. So, I am not sure when the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning and his team visited, or when the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning received information that led the Chair to respond, I would be interested in more information on this. By all means, this is a very good Bill. I do not know if you have similar Bills in other assemblies, but I have two or three things to comment on.

We need to strengthen the four pillars of East Africa, particularly the monetary union. This is because this bank lends money in United States Dollars (USD). If an industry wants to get loans from the EADB today, it will be lent in USD. If we had an East African shilling, it would make sense, as many East African citizens would borrow, because constant exchange- rate fluctuations make them hesitant to borrow from that bank.

Has the Committee report on this Bill been tabled? I ask because of the important issues that Hon. Wanjiku Muhia is raising. Mover, do we know whether the committee report has been tabled? This ought to have been before the Committee in charge of Finance and National Planning. Do we have the committee report?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg your indulgence on this. I would request that this Bill be… I do not know the right word. I do not want to use a word that closes it because the committee report…

The Temporary Speaker he (Hon. Peter Kaluma): Order! Order! I know it is not a requirement that the committee report be before the House for the House to engage in business. I was asking for information. Otherwise, we will proceed normally. It is not mandatory that the

Hon. Temporary Speaker, this is a very important matter for all of us to debate. I am standing under Order No.96 so that the debate can be adjourned.

Hon. Members, Hon. Naomi Waqo, standing at her place, has moved under Standing Order No.96 that the debate on the matter appearing under Order No.16 in today's Order Paper be adjourned. (Question, that debate be now adjourned, put and agreed to) (Debate on the Bill adjourned) The Temporary Speaker (Hon. Peter Kaluma): That means the debate will continue possibly next week, or at such time as the House Business Committee schedules it. I want to thank you, Hon. Naomi Waqo, for that intervention. The point made by Hon. Wanjiku Muhia, who served in the EALA and in the leadership of the Regional Integration Committee, about shareholding and those oversight issues is critical. I urge all Members to review this Bill and consider the nation's interest in the matters that have already been mentioned, especially those that she has raised. Hopefully, the committee report will also be before the House, and Members are encouraged to access it so we that can deal with this matter as a critical issue when it next comes before us.

Next Order.

The Chairperson, Special Funds Accounts Committee, are you ready to move?

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

THAT, this House adopts the report of the Special Funds Accounts Committee on its consideration of the Report of the Auditor General on the financial statement for the Agricultural Information Resource Centre revolving fund for the financial year 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, laid on the table of the House on Wednesday 14th August

The Hon. Canon (Dr) Naomi Waqo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I second this, and I also congratulate Hon. Fatuma because she has always been diligent in her work. I congratulate her for that. I second. Thank you. (Question proposed)

It appears this has been moved so clearly that Members have nothing useful to add.

There is nothing procedural. I have proposed the Question for contribution, and Members are satisfied with the contributions made by the honourable Chairperson of the Special Funds Accounts Committee, Hon. Fatuma Mohammed aka ‘Full Network’. I congratulate her for being so detailed.

Hon. Members, we have been to so many jurisdictions where, if you have a motion as clearly presented as this one and you want to contribute, you register. If you do not, it is automatically passed. That being the case, and there being no contributions to debate after this was moved and seconded, I now proceed to put the Question. (Question put and agreed to) Next Order.

The Chairperson of the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee to move.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Fifteenth Report of the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee on its consideration of the audited accounts for the National Government Constituencies Development Fund for constituencies in Meru, Tharaka- Nithi and Embu counties for the Financial Years 2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017, 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 30th June 2026. Hon. Temporary Speaker, this Fifteenth Report represents an examination of audited accounts covering 10 financial years from 2013 to 2023, leaving only two financial years, that is, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, to bring the examination of the accounts up to date. The Committee is currently considering the two financial years, and we intend to conclude before this Parliament's term expires. The Committee examined a total of 140 reports of the Auditor- General accounts across 14 constituencies drawn from three counties, namely Igembe South, Igembe Central, Igembe North, Tigania West, Tigania East, North Imenti, Buuri, Central Imenti and South Imenti in Meru County; Maara, Chuka/Igamba-Ng’ombe and Tharaka in Tharaka-Nithi County; and Manyatta and Runyenjes in Embu County.

In examining these accounts, the Committee invited the fund account managers of the stated constituencies who are the designated Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) holders at the constituency level. The Fund has continued to make a significant impact on the lives of the people across the 14 constituencies examined through infrastructure and social development, including the construction and renovation of schools, security projects and other community facilities, as well as the issuance of bursaries to needy students.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, during our examination, we appreciated the impact NG-CDF has had on communities and villages at the grassroots level across Kenya, as opposed to some other funds. NG-CDF is a Fund that will be celebrated now and, in many years, to come. Despite this impact, the Committee's examination identified several cross-cutting issues that require panel-beating to straighten them out. Allow me to highlight the cross-cutting issues the Committee observed during the examination.

First, the National Treasury delays Exchequer releases. The Committee observed that delays in Exchequer releases from the National Treasury lead to under-expenditure and delays in project implementation. The Committee recommends that the National Treasury ensure timely and adequate disbursement of funds to the NG-CDF Board for immediate release to the constituencies to implement approved and budgeted projects within the financial year.

Second, outstanding land issues remain. The Committee observed that six constituencies in Meru County have outstanding land matters relating to transfer, succession and acquisition of title deeds for land purchased using NG-CDF. The Committee recommends that, within three months of adoption of this Report, the Accounting Officer guide the Fund Account Managers and Project Management Committees (PMCs) on succession and transfer processes. The Fund should purchase land only after ownership documents are verified and obtained.

Third, the Fund failed to submit documents for audit and showed capacity gaps. The Committee observed that the Fund Account Managers did not avail complete and reconciled records in time for audit. When they appeared before the Committee, some of them were ill- prepared. If the documents had been provided during the audit cycle, most audit queries would have been resolved.

That is the Member for Samburu East.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I am the Member for Samburu East. I beg to second the Motion.

The NG-CDF, as we have said many times, has made a mark almost in every corner of Kenya. We, as the Decentralised Funds Accounts Committee, thank our Chairperson. We have considered many reports, and before this Parliament concludes its term, we intend to cover almost all constituencies.

Our review of several constituencies has revealed recurring issues. Fund managers face challenges that may not always feature prominently in the audits. In some constituencies, fund managers do not even label their projects. This may seem like a small matter, but it is important for tracking those projects. Many fund managers and Project Management Committees (PMCs) also face challenges with procurement procedures. They need training and guidance so that procurement issues do not continue to affect the NG-CDF.

As the Chairperson mentioned, delays in providing funds to constituencies affect their effectiveness. On many occasions, the National Treasury delays sending funds to the Board, which in turn affects the constituencies. We have realised that some projects are carried over to another financial year instead of being implemented in the year the funds were allocated.

That said, those funds have improved the learning environment and infrastructure in many institutions. Classrooms and other infrastructure have been constructed, giving our children and institutions a better environment.

I agree with the recommendations that our Committee has made. We need qualified staff, particularly accountants and those working with those funds, to guide the process. Many

Hon. Harrison Kombe, do you want to contribute on this?

Ahsante, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Kwanza nachukua nafasi hii kupongeza Kamati kwa mapendekezo yake kuwa NG-CDF iweze pia kuchukua hatua ya kulipia ardhi ambazo ni za kufanyiwa miradi.

Kwa upande wangu, naona nitakuwa nimefaidika kiasi. Hii ni kwa sababu jinsi ilivyokuwa mwanzoni, hungeweza kutumia hizo hela kununua kiwanja ndiyo ufanye mradi. Wakati mwingine ilinibidi kununua kipande cha ardhi na kujenga kituo cha polisi. Vile vile, nilinunua kipande cha ardhi nikajenga shule ya sekondari ya wasichana pale Galana. Nimenunua viwanja vingi. Lakini sasa, kwa mapendekezo yao, naona pia nitasaidika.

Kwa hakika, aliyoyasema Mwenyekiti ni ya kweli. Ukitembelea sehemu yoyote ya Kenya, utaona kazi ambayo hazina hii imefanya. Haina haja hata uchukue ndege uende hewani huko uangalie. Unapotembea kutoka sehemu moja hadi sehemu nyingine, utaona kabisa unaelekezwa kwa mradi fulani. Ukifika hapo mahali, hakika kweli utapata huo mradi upo. Si kama hazina zingine ambazo wanaweka kibao cha kuonyesha hapo mbele kuna Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE), lakini ukifika hapo kwa hiyo ECDE yenyewe hakuna ardhi wala msingi wowote umechimbwa. Naiunga mkono Ripoti ya Kamati.

There being no more interest, let us have the Mover to reply.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I encourage Mheshimiwa Kombe to move as quickly as possible to buy any land that he had not been able to because our Report has no problem with that. It only encourages you to ensure that you have proper documentation and that you obtain a title deed for the land.

With those few remarks, I beg to reply. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order.

Hon. Members, I acceded to the request by the Chairperson of the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education to defer the consideration of this matter. So, it shall stand deferred to such a time as the House Business Committee shall reschedule it for consideration by the House.

Next Order.

The Mover, who is the Chairperson of the National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity Committee, shall move the Motion with the leave and indulgence of the Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the Report contains a record of the Committee’s proceedings following its review of submissions from the

Order! Hon. Chairperson, I am told that there is a problem with the digital system. We would like to transfer you to a different microphone because I am told that the one you are using is vibrating so much and Hansard is not able to clearly capture your speech as you move.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, let me continue.

I would request that you start by moving from the beginning.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity on the Fourth Report on Employment Audit in Public Institutions, which was laid on the Table of the House on 4th December

Hon. Lekuton.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to second the Motion.

Thank you. (Question proposed)

Hon. Mulyungi is recognised to contribute.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to rise and support this very important Motion on employment diversity audit in public institutions. If there is an animal that eats Kenya, it is marginalisation. Since Independence, certain communities have benefitted from employment opportunities in Kenya more than others, specifically communities that are represented in Government. They are the ones that benefit most. I had the opportunity to sit in this Committee in the last Parliament as a Vice-Chair. I came across such anomalies in the recruitment processes in many institutions in Kenya. Therefore, I support the recommendation of the Committee that every agency and ministry in Kenya, including the disciplined forces, must comply with the law on cohesion and regional balance in terms of employment opportunities.

Where I come from in Ukambani, the fact that we have been behind Baba for some time and wandered in the opposition for a long time – I wish Baba was alive this time – we have lagged behind as a community in terms of employment opportunities. If this law is complied with, every person in every community would have an equal opportunity to get a job in the Government and in every agency in Kenya, irrespective of where they come from and who they support. The Chair of the Implementation Committee should make sure that this Report is implemented to the letter, so that those people in marginalised communities like North-Eastern, Ukambani region and other areas get equal employment opportunities in every agency in Kenya, including the disciplined forces.

Hon. Mulyungi, the point you have just made is very important. I was looking at the provisions of Article 232 upon which the Committee has anchored this Report. Let me just read it for the convenience of the House. In Sub-Article (1) it says: “The values and principles of public service include –” I want to jump up to paragraph (g), (h) and (i). At sub-article (g), it says:

Subject to paragraphs H and I, fair competition and merit as the basis of appointments and promotions. Meaning fair competition and merit are subject to (h) and (i). What does (h) deal with? Representation of Kenya's diverse communities. And (i): Affording adequate and equal opportunities for appointment, training and advancement at all levels of Public Service.

Chairman, I hope you are listening to this: To all levels of Public Service. To men and women, that is, gender, the members of ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities. Do you get what you are talking about? I hope when you do a report such as this, you are not just telling us in terms of ethnic presentations, the numbers in terms of heads are this. You could be saying the Somalis, for instance, are somewhere, kumbe they are just floor cleaners. Do you get what I am talking about? Is it at all cadres of public service? It means considerations of gender, ethnic, regional balance, integration of minorities and persons with disabilities supersede even merit. The assumption is that there is no part of Kenya, this time after Independence, where we do not have people who merit.

Hon. Harrison Kombe, you must contribute to this now.

Ahsante, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Nasimama na kumuunga mkono Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Umoja wa Kitaifa na Nafasi Sawa katika Jamhuri ya Kenya. Taarifa ambayo Mwenyekiti ametoa inastahili kuzingatiwa na wale ambao ni wakurugenzi katika idara mbalimbali. Wanapofikiria kuajiri wafanyikazi wakaweze kuzingatia taarifa hii ili kuona ya kwamba sehemu zote zinawakilishwa.

Tukija upande wa walemavu, haijamaanisha kwamba hawawezi kufanya kazi kama katika Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen). Bado kuna nafasi ambazo wanaweza kufanya kazi. Na hata baadhi yao ni watu ambao wamesomea maswala ya stima na wana uwezo wa kufanya kazi kama watu wengine ambao hawana upungufu.

Pia vile vile, tukizingatia kwa upande wa gender, hapa jinsia inastahili pia kupewa kipao mbele. Japo kuna wengine wamefanya vizuri zaidi lakini tungesisitiza katika maeneo yote ambayo kuna uhitaji wa kuajiri wafanyikazi, hili swala likazingatiwe vilivyo na ni pande zote. Kwa wakati huu, hakuna kazi ambayo kwamba ni ya wanaume pekee au wanawake. Hata zile kazi ambazo tulikuwa tunadhania kwamba zinaweza kuwa ni za wanaume pekee, siku hizi utapata mwanamke. Ikifika kwa upande wa ujenzi, anakuwekea tofali sawasawa. Anaangalia kabiro sawasawa. Ukienda kuangalia, hutaweza kudhania kwamba nyumba hiyo imejengwa na kusimamiwa na mama kwa sababu ya ile tajiriba ambayo wameipata katika hali hiyo ya kazi.

Bado nasisitiza. Hali hii, na nisisitize pia kwa Kamati, bado kuna sehemu nyingi ambazo yafaa wazifikie na kutathmini wafanyikazi katika kampuni hizo. Tuseme kwa mfano tukifika Kenya Ports Authority, katika Bandari ya Mombasa, ni wafanyikazi wa aina gani wako pale? Ni kina nani? Ni jamii gani zinawasilishwa pale? Wakati mwingine, ni hali ya kutamausha unapopata karatasi ya waajiriwa. Ukiangalia yale majina, utashangaa. Karibu majina yote ni ya eneo moja ilhali watu wengi huwa wameomba hizo kazi. Hali ya kutawanya hizo kazi, inavyohitajika na kitengo cha uwiano, haifanyiki ipasavyo. Unapata kuwa wanaegemea sana upande mmoja, jambo ambalo, wakati mwingine, linatia machungu zaidi. Wakati mwingine wabunge waliambiwa walete watu wao. Tulipeleka majina lakini cha kushangaza, tulipata kuwa hakuna hata mtu mmoja alichukuliwa kutoka Magarini na maeneo

Do you need more time? Mhe. Harrison Kombe (Magarini, ODM): Ahsante, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Ninahitimisha.

Nauliza kwa sababu naona unatamatisha. Ungependa uwe na muda wa kutosha ili umalize?

Mhe. Harrison Kombe (Magarini, ODM): Ahsante, Mhe. Spika wa Muda, kwa nafasi uliyonipatia. Kwa hayo machache, naunga mkono Ripoti ya Kamati.

Ahsante, Mhe. Harry Kombe. Mhe. Canon Daktari Naomi Waqo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this very important Report that has been tabled. I also congratulate the Committee, especially the Chair, who has very ably tabled the Report that has revealed the problem our country has experienced since Independence.

It is true that Kenya is home to 46 ethnic communities. All the 46 ethnic communities should be recognised, given equal opportunity and representation and included in any decision- making in all the appointive and elective positions in this country. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Just as the Report indicates, institutions such as Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), Police Service Commission, Office of the Auditor-General, and many others have not reflected clear inclusivity. They have not demonstrated full representation and reflected diversity of the country.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I happen to come from Marsabit where for many years, we have been marginalised. Thankfully, the current President and Government have shown some effort towards including minorities in decision-making and representation in different offices, but that is not enough. The Report has clearly shown that we are still not doing very well. What needs to happen now that this Report has been tabled? Going forward, we need to make a deliberate move to include those who have been marginalised for many years in any appointment or elective positions. I know that this Report has not covered the diversity percentage of this country in detail, but if that would have been done, we would have seen that many of the pastoralist communities and other people are not well represented.

In fact, when we talk about the big five or the giant ethnic groups in this country, that alone is marginalising and intimidating others. We need to move beyond the problems we have been experiencing and ensure that this country is inclusive for everyone. Today, it is unfortunate that some people in this country feel marginalised when they are the majority, simply because the focus of the President and the current Government is on all Kenyans and not just one individual or the big five groups.

The President has deliberately included and appointed sons and daughters from this country to many ministries and has made them appear important. Depending on their qualifications, he has placed them in different institutions, which is why many people are bitter today. They feel that what belongs to them has been given to others.

When it comes to gender, women have been marginalised. Women are under- represented in both elective and appointive positions, as the Report clearly shows. What do we need to do as a country? We must make deliberate efforts to ensure that women are a part of this nation. In fact, women constitute 50 per cent of the population of this country.

How much more time do you need?

Maybe, just two minutes or three.

I will give you four minutes.

Hon. Naomi Waqo, I will freeze the time for you. Previously, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunities presented a Report concerning the last employment of Kenya Revenue Authority officers, wherein over 1,402 Kenyans were employed, and over 90 per cent were from select ethnic communities. I remember that as a House, in support of the Committee, we decided to nullify that entire appointment and demanded action. This matter went to the High Court, where the court also nullified that appointment. What is the status of the implementation of that Report? In any case, we do not sit here in vain. We debate it here very lightly, but I can tell you that the single reason that is denying Kenya cohesion and integration is how we share resources, including public service appointments. So, if I may ask Hon. Naomi Waqo, do you know the status of the implementation of that Report and the past reports?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I may not be….

If you do not know, the Chairperson may know.

Yes, the Chair can help us.

Yes, I think it went to court, and the High Court quashed it. They appealed, and those people are in employment up to date yet, the appeal has not been finalised.

And so, they did that against Article 232, the resolutions of the House and the decision of the Court. That inequality we are talking about is still being entrenched there. Is the Chairperson of the Committee on Implementation in the House? Or how closely, Chair, do you interact with your counterpart, the Chair of the

Reports on House Resolutions: Within sixty days of a resolution of the House or adoption of a report of a Select Committee, the relevant Cabinet Secretary under whose portfolio the implementation of the resolution falls shall provide a report to the relevant

So, within 60 days, the resolutions of this House must be implemented and a report made to the relevant Committee. Now that we have the other Chair in the House, could you also read Standing Order 209, which establishes the Committee on Implementation?

Committee on Implementation.

Hon. Chairperson, this is your fourth Report. Ordinarily, it may not fall upon you to implement, but you have the Committee on Implementation. I now note that you realise, so that we do not act in vain. Hon. Naomi Wako, we need reports of implementation.

Let me tell you, your Committee is possibly the most important Committee where we are as a nation. When you go to places like Homa Bay, you get teachers, mostly P1 teachers, who are hitting their 45th year before employment. You know how zealous and enthusiastic teachers and people from some of those regions are. You go to other areas, teachers who just graduated the other day, are in employment.

You are dealing with bodies like Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) in this Report. When you go to Homa Bay, no single person, even doing just survey or design, is from the Luo region. Entire regional offices are people from a single community. Even when you send them to survey, they do not do anything. No wonder constituencies like some of these ones, we have never get any allocation in terms of the work that is coming from REREC, or these other bodies you are dealing with. Hon. Naomi Wako, I froze your time, do not worry. You still have your minutes.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for your advice and for guiding and directing the Chairperson, and for the passion that you have demonstrated. The issue of people who seek employment through godfathers, should come to an end in this country because we have qualified people for different jobs, but they are marginalised just because they do not have godfathers. Some of them, and some of our young people, have gone into depression just because we have not…

Order! Hon. Members, let us be upstanding. Hon. Naomi Wako, you will have two minutes when the matter is next scheduled for consideration by the House.