Senate Hansard: Wednesday, 23rd September, 2026 - Morning Sitting

THIRTEENTH PARLIAMENT

Fifth Session

Wednesday, 23rd September, 2026 at 9.30 a.m.

PARLIAMENT OF KENYA

The House met at the Kilifi County Assembly Chamber, Kilifi County, at 9.31 a.m.

PRAYER

DETERMINATION OF QUORUM AT COMMENCEMENT OF SITTING

QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

QUESTIONS

Question No.010

STATUS OF BLUE ECONOMY PROGRAMMES UNDERTAKEN BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IN KISUMU COUNTY

Question No.077

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN THE BLUE ECONOMY IN KILIFI COUNTY

Question No.065

CIRCULATION OF FALSE EMERGENCY INFORMATION, DIGITALLY MANIPULATED CONTENT AND IMPERSONATION OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OR OFFICIALS ONLINE

Question No.081

PREVENTION OF ONLINE GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports is the one who will be appearing before us this morning. However, he did not get an early morning flight out of Nairobi. He will be landing here in Malindi at about 10.30 a.m. Therefore, we expect him to be in the Chamber earliest at 11.00 a.m.

With this, we have prepared a Supplementary Order Paper, which is being circulated in the next few minutes, so that we transact other business as we wait for the CS in charge of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, who will come to respond to four Questions. This is Question No.053 by the Senator for Nyandarua, Sen. John Methu; Question No.069 by Sen. Hamida Kibwana and Question No.078 by the Senator for Kilifi County.

So, once the CS is here, we will be alerted and we will come back to Order No.7. For now, we will switch to the Supplementary Order Paper.

Clerk, can you confirm that the same has now been circulated to the honourable Senators?

(The Speaker consulted with the Clerk-at-the-Table)

POINT OF ORDER

NON-APPEARANCE OF CABINET SECRETARIES BEFORE THE SENATE

Yes, Senator for Kakamega.

Yes, the UNGA, I know is maize meal. I do not know how long it will last, but we hope that we can be directed to the earliest possible date that we can have those conversations with CS.

I thank you, hon. Speaker.

BILL

Second Reading

THE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT BILL (NATIONAL ASSEMBLY BILL NO.29 OF 2003)

(Sen. Cheruiyot on 22.9.2026)

Mr. Speaker, Sir, it helps during debate for us to broaden the knowledge of Members. Fish can be found in an ocean, a lake, rivers like in the River Nzoia in Western; the River Isiukhu in Kakamega, River Rukose in Kakamega, and the River Ekoha in Ikolomani. Fish can be found in ponds, and for the information of the Member who needs this useful knowledge, you can also do fish farming, as many farmers are doing. I, therefore, want to support this Bill. However, the biggest contribution I want to make is based on the experience I gained yesterday from the Beach Management Unit (BMU) at the Kilifi Central Fish Landing Site; a very ambitious project, which we all must be proud of.

money which this House passed as additional allocation and built the project? That Principal Secretary (PS) knows me because I have worked with him. Shame on you! What is going on in this country? People in senior positions cannot stop the temptation of wanting to jump and hijack a project for personal gain. It is just that there are remaining only nine or 10 months. Otherwise, these are people who should have been removed from office, and they should be found to have fallen short of the Leadership and Integrity Act.

The Governor of Kilifi is now going to start facing pending bills when he will want to be constructing. What is more, at these projects, we talked to villagers and fishermen, and they told us that when these guys came from Nairobi - Senator for Bomet, you know them, but you do not know their names - they came to site the project. So, they came during a season when the sea water had moved---

Bay still leads at about 75 per cent. This can be verified through the Ministry. In terms of inland aquaculture, Homa Bay also leads because it hosts some of the largest fish farms.

The biggest fish farm currently operating in Kenya is Victory Farms. It is an investment that I am well versed in because I have engaged with it a number of times. I believe it is also among the leading fish farms in the region and on the continent. It competes with a farm in Ghana. The second fish farm that is also doing very well, which is very close to my heart because it is home-grown, is Rio Fish, which is in Suba South and it has a plant based in---

venture culture. This requires an institution capable of developing rules and regulations, establishing standards, defining contractual obligations and ensuring that contracts between farmers and the potential venture capitalist in these markets are honoured.

We cannot depend solely on the Government for financing, assistance and inputs to develop farms. Therefore, the Bill is right in proposing a strengthened Kenya Fisheries Service that can enhance investor confidence. The Bill also talks about monitoring, control and surveillance in these planting units. If you have ever visited some of these farms, one of their greatest challenges is ensuring proper surveillance in the lake where the farms are. People steal fish in areas where major investments have been made.

Victory Farms, for example, directly employs about 1,000 people and supports about 700 others through fish distribution depots across the country. Today, its presence can be seen in Nairobi, across Western Kenya and in many other regions. Without proper monitoring, control and surveillance, such farms cannot perform effectively. This is exactly what the Bill seeks to address.

Mr Speaker, Sir, although I have stated that Homa Bay is the largest producer of fish, the success of inland fish farming is dependent on the availability of quality fish feed. On this point, I wish to credit Kakamega County because it has some of the best fish feed plants in the country. These are major contributors to the fisheries sector. Many of the companies producing feed for fish farmers across the country are based in Kakamega. Even so, they continue to face challenges arising from lack of standards and surveillance. So, this is one thing that is essential in this Bill. We must support it because it will help build the supply and demand of fish.

Lastly, because of time, I want to stress that in as much as I support this Bill, if you look at all these agencies that have been created, my only worry, and I will submit some amendments to it, is that they are heavily focused on the national infrastructure. If you look at the way the board of the Kenya Fisheries Service (KFS) is structured, it is heavily put on the national Government--

synchronised what is being done in the United States of America (USA) and what we are doing here.

We have discussed these fishing matters in the coast region from yesterday afternoon. Today, I still see that Senators are interested in discussing them. I remember during the former President Kibaki’s regime, there were economic stimulus projects. Some of them involved fishing factories in the constituencies at that time, because counties were not in peace.

Where I represented as a Member of Parliament (MP), we have a fish factory which was constructed during that time. However, to date, no fish has ever been processed. So, as we engage this Bill, noting that it has come from the National Assembly, it is also important for the Chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to check the counties that the National Assembly visited to get views from the stakeholders.

I perused a bit while seated here. For sure, the Committee only visited the coastal counties and the others with lakes like Turkana and Baringo, but they did not visit rural countries like Kakamega, which is leading in inland fish farming. Counties like Meru and Nyeri also have a lot of good rivers which produce very specific type of fish.

Sen. Kinyua talked about the exploitation of savannas. So, I wish that the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries will check what was done by the Committee of the National Assembly and do more value addition to us and to the farmers who are interested in fish farming.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, some of the concerns that have been raised include the license framework. That is what farmers and stakeholders in the fishing industry are asking for. That is whether this multiple licensing can be harmonised, so that it can be a bit flexible and cheap. This is because currently, it is not possible to know exactly where to go for these licences.

They are also arguing about revenue sharing. This Bill is trying to manage how our fisheries will be done. I want to thank His Excellency the President for coming up with a State Department of Blue Economy and Fisheries. This is because in Kenya, we are far from exploiting what we have in our rivers, lakes and oceans. Those in charge, the Cabinet Secretary (CS) and Principal Secretary (PS), who is a good and working lady, should make sure that we have stock of fish in all the rivers that we have.

Since the Senate is in charge of devolution, I wish the Committee would be interested to meet with the Council of Governors (CoG), so that they can also give their input on this Bill. Agriculture is devolved. Therefore, there is nothing much that can be done in the management and farming of fish without the involvement of the county governments. So, there is a lot that the Committee, led by the able Chairperson and active Members can do. I wish they will be able to get to the bottom of this matter. Devolution can only be supported and encouraged by the Senate. There is nobody else who can know whether the governors exist, except the Senate. We have had fights with the National Assembly in sharing of revenue because they do not want more money to go to the counties. So, there is no way they will be advocates.

COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE CHAIR

VISITING DELEGATION OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FROM SIR ALI BIN SALIM COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL IN KILIFI COUNTY

Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence of a visiting delegation of five teachers and 51 students from Sir Ali Bin Salim Comprehensive School in Kilifi County, who are seated in the public gallery. That school actually shares a fence with this County Assembly. The delegation is visiting the Senate for an academic exposition.

On behalf of the Senate and on my own behalf, I extend a warm welcome to the delegation and wish them a fruitful visit.

VISITING DELEGATION OF STUDENTS FROM ACK BISHOP KALU SECONDARY SCHOOL IN KILIFI COUNTY

I would also like to acknowledge the presence of a visiting delegation of one teacher and 11 students from ACK Bishop Kalu Secondary School in Kilifi County, who are also seated in the public gallery. The delegation is visiting the Senate for an academic exposition.

On behalf of the Senate and on my own behalf, I extend a warm welcome to the delegation and wish them a fruitful visit.

I will request the Senator for Kilifi County, in under one minute, to extend a warm welcome to both delegations.

The Senate Minority Leader (Sen. Madzayo): Asante, Mstahiki Spika. Kwanza, ninajiunga nawe kuwakaribisha wale walimu watano ambao wamekuja katika Seneti kujionea utaratibu wa kazi. Vile vile, ninasema karibuni kwa wale wanafunzi waliokuja kutembea pamoja na mwalimu wao kutoka shule ya ACK Bishop Kalu.

Tuliweza kusaidia shule hii ya ACK Bishop Kalu Secondary wakati ilikuwa inaanzishwa na Bishop Kalu. Kwa hivyo, ninajivunia shule hii. Kwa walimu pamoja na wanafunzi katika delegations hizi mbili, ninawambia kuwa hawa ndio Maseneta wa Kenya na mmejionea wenyewe kazi inavyoendelea. Kazi yetu hapa ni kujadiliana na kutetea hali za kaunti zetu kokote kule ambako Maseneta hawa walikochaguliwa.

Asante sana, Bw. Spika.

Now, we have three Questions and I want to believe that the hon. Senator from Nyandarua is present; I can see him. Sen. Hamida Kibwana; I can see her and the Senator for Kilifi County.

[The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports (Hon. Salim Mvurya) was ushered into the Chamber] Hon. Cabinet Secretary, welcome back to the Senate. Of course, we expected you early in the morning, but you had called yesterday that you would be slightly late. You are before the Senate Plenary for purposes of responding to three questions, one by the Senator for Nyandarua, another one by Sen. Hamida Kibwana and the third by the host, Sen. Madzayo.

We will start with Question No.053 by the Senator for Nyandarua County, Sen. John Methu.

Hon. Senator, you may now proceed to pose your Question.

QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

QUESTIONS

Question No.053

COORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES

1. (a) Could the Cabinet Secretary outline the policy and institutional framework guiding the coordination of youth empowerment interventions and indicate the mechanisms in place to ensure that eligible youth are adequately informed of these opportunities?
2. (b) Could the Cabinet Secretary explain the measures in place to avoid duplication and ensure coherence among youth empowerment funds, credit schemes, enterprise programmes and employment initiatives implemented by the national Government, State agencies and county governments and provide the number of beneficiaries reached under each programme in Nyandarua County and across the other counties?

1. (c) Could the Cabinet Secretary provide a breakdown of the annual budgetary allocation for each of the programmes and initiatives since 2022, along with the amounts disbursed and report on the benefits of the programmes and initiatives in each county where they have been implemented?
2. (d) What policy measures has the Ministry put in place to ensure equitable access to these programmes by youth in rural, marginalised and underserved areas, as well as by young women, youth with disabilities and other vulnerable categories?
3. (e) What measures has the Ministry put in place to ensure effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and long-term sustainability of youth empowerment funds and programmes and what measurable outcomes have been recorded since their implementation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

1. (i) the Constitution of Kenya; (ii) the Kenya National Youth Development Policy 2019; (iii) the Vision 2030 Blueprint, and the Fourth Medium-Term Plan; (iv) the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,
2. (v) the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Legal Order No.63 of 2007, (vi) the Refugees Act 2021 for Refugee and Host Community Programming and NYOTA, (vii) the National Youth Council, Cap. 132, the East Africa Youth Policy, (viii) the African Youth Charter, the World Programme of Action for Youth, (ix) the Technical, Vocational Education and Training Act of 2013.

The State Department has undertaken certain mechanisms to ensure eligible youth are adequately informed of these opportunities which include-

1. (1) Deploying youth development officers to all 47 counties, media engagement through talk shows, media briefs, among others;
2. (2) nationwide sensitisation, awareness validation and rollout campaigns conducted across counties for our programmes;
3. (3) engagement of youth through programmes such as the NYOTA and also Vijana Vuka na Afya (VIVA);

1. (4) engagement of youth during the National Youth Week and International Youth Day between the 6th and 12th August every year;
2. (5) dissemination of information through various social media platforms;
3. (6) distribution of Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials and translating IEC materials into Braille;
4. (7) official Government platforms; and,
5. (8) collaboration with universities, film schools and also industry events and stakeholder engagement.

The measures in place to avoid duplication, ensure coherence with other youth empowerment funds, credit schemes, enterprise programmes and employment initiatives implemented by the national Government, state agencies and governments include-

1. (1) multi and interagency coordination and joint programmes for direct oversight and stronger coordination to prevent overlapping mandates, such as NYOTA, Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) are all anchored under the Ministry to prevent overlapping of mandates;
2. (2) identification of beneficiary systems in programmes like NYOTA, which use the ID as a unique identifier;
3. (3) strategic partnerships and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with county governments, ministries and agencies to ensure alignment of both local and national efforts;
4. (4) synergy among institutions within the Ministry and across projects. For example, the NYOTA and YEDF serving as a scaling partner for other Government projects. For instance, International Youth Opportunities Tour as an advancement project and the YEDF will provide expansion loans specifically for youth who have already received initial start-up grants from the project; and,
5. (5) institutional alignment with national policy to ensure consistency and reduce fragmentation. For example, the Youth Enterprise Development Fund strategic plan is anchored in the National Youth Development Policy 2019 and Vision 2030. This ensures that the mandate of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund complements rather than competes with other state interventions such as the Uwezo Fund and the Women Enterprise Fund (WEF).

The number of beneficiaries reached under the on-the-job experience component of the National Youth Opportunities Tour as advancement in Nyandarua County and across the other 26 counties are as follows-

Lot one cluster has seven counties of Nakuru, Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Nyamira, Homa Bay and Kisii with 14,848 youths. Lot two cluster has seven other counties of Kisumu, Migori, Kakamega, Bungoma Vihiga, Busia and Siaya with 16,549 youths. Lot three counties are Machakos, Kitui, Makueni, Taita Taveta and Kwale with 8,443 youth. Lot four counties are Kirinyaga, Embu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Nyandarua, and Murang’a with 11,764 youths.

This brings the total number of beneficiaries in session to 51,604 out of the targeted 90,000 across the 47 counties. All the 14,848 beneficiaries in Lot one are currently awaiting placement into apprenticeship programmes scheduled to commence. In

fact, it already commenced in April following the successful onboarding of host organisations.

Preparations for the rollout of the remaining lots have been finalized, including the execution of contracts with service providers. The remaining rollout is, in fact, already taking place. The remaining lots that have also made good progress are Lot five, Lot six, Lot seven and Lot eight, bringing together counties of Isiolo, Samburu, Marsabit, Turkana, Laikipia, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Baringo, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Trans Nzoia, Mombasa, Kilifi, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Tana River, Lamu, Nairobi, Kajiado and Kiambu.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, basically, we have now made a tabulation of all counties and the numbers that accrue to each of the counties for the on-the-job experience. Nyandarua County has 1,750 youths in this programme.

This list is very long; I beg that we make reference to it. Part two of that list is the business startup capital disbursement by county where we have given the number of beneficiaries the startup capital and the savings. Further, you will also find that Nyandarua County has 1,607 beneficiaries who have been given Kshs35 million for startup with Kshs4.8 million as savings. This list runs through all the 47 counties. For the benefit of all Senators, it is a list that can be referenced, so that we can see where we are in that programme.

Under part (c) of the Question, we have also been asked to provide a breakdown of the programmes and their budgets and we have done a tabulation. We have provided the programme on NYOTA, where we did not have a budget in the Financial Year 2022/2023 and also Financial Year 2023/2024. However, we had a budget in the Financial Year 2024/2025, and Financial Year 2025/2026 which we have provided.

We have also provided the Vijana Vuka na Afya (VIVA) budgetary allocation and the amount that has been disbursed. Programme number three is for highlighting youth talent, which did not happen for three consecutive financial years but it had a small budget in Financial Year 2025/2026.

We have the youth empowerment centres, with itemised budgetary allocation and what has been disbursed so far. Then, we have the President's Award Kenya, which also has a budget and an indication of what has been disbursed.

Going to the other issues of marginalisation and the vulnerable categories, these are what we have put in place to ensure equity-

1. (1) Decentralised services operating through youth development offices to reach youth in rural and remote areas, thus reducing the need for expensive travel to seek services in Nairobi.
2. (2) Targeted products like the Youth Enterprise Development Fund offering specialised products like the VUKA, Talanta loans and group-based lending that are youth-targeted and NYOTA reaching out to youth with education levels below Form Four. The disbursement of NYOTA is through the phone and, therefore, it provides a good platform for equity.
3. (3) Reservation targets of 50 per cent for women and five per cent for youth with disabilities in the Project Appraisal Document, with the age extended to 35 years for persons with disabilities.

1. (4) Childcare support facilities for lactating mothers, flexible schedules and transport proximity support, where feasible, being implemented during the socio- economic skills development training component of NYOTA; transparent eligibility and selection criteria for a programme that is online; use of mobile digital submissions to reach remote areas; collaboration with county governments, universities and training institutions across the country; gender-specific modules, thus making our programmes gender-responsive; flexible collateral requirements for our loan products, utilising soft collateral such as group guarantees, household business assets and flexible repayment terms; conventional securities like land title deeds; dedicated inclusion of refugees and host community youth in Garissa and Turkana for the NYOTA Project; regional quotas or representation targets to ensure realisation of non-discrimination and protection of the marginalised and partnerships with local organisations to identify vulnerable youth to benefit from the youth programmes.

Part (e) of the Question is asking us to provide measures for effective monitoring. The measures in place to ensure effective monitoring, evaluation, accountability and long-term sustainability of youth empowerment programmes are as follows-

1. (1) Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system linked to its Strategic Plan with clearly defined indicators, targets and reporting protocols to track performance and outcomes;
2. (2) development of long-term plans with clear implementation matrices;
3. (3) implementation progress is tracked through quarterly and annual reporting cycles supported by performance contracts and annual work plans, thereby strengthening institutional accountability and transparency;
4. (4) loan monitoring and credit risk management. A structured loan monitoring, supervision and recovery framework is in place, including beneficiary follow-ups to ensure proper utilisation of funds and compliance with repayment obligations. Struggling youth-owned or youth-run enterprises are supported with capacity building and financial restructuring by the Youth Enterprise Development Fund to enhance sustainability;
5. (5) capacity building for enterprise sustainability. Mandatory pre-financing training and continuous entrepreneurship development programmes equip beneficiaries with essential business management skills, improving enterprise viability and resilience;
6. (6) sustainability through partnerships, sponsorship packages and linkages; and,
7. (7) proposed establishment of a National Youth Talent Award Scheme, as indicated in our draft Youth Bill, 2025.

Measurable outcomes have been recorded since their implementation. Here we have a schedule where we have outlined each programme and the measurable outcomes-

1. (1) NYOTA implementation outputs so far include nationwide business support investment of US$2.5 billion to 101,721 youth in the first tranche; nationwide Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) awareness and screening across all 47 counties; towards certification of 20,000 youth; and successful completion of the 20-day induction training across 14 counties, with training ongoing in 13 more.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, you will note that this statement was sent earlier, so these numbers are now revised because we have moved forward with this programme. The latest World Bank review dated 4th August rated progress towards achieving the Project

Development Objective (PDO) as satisfactory and the overall implementation progress as moderately satisfactory, while several long-term outcome indicators are still maturing because full intervention cycles are not yet complete.

1. (2) On the programme of Vijana Vuka na Afya (VIVA), over 201 health professionals from public health facilities were trained on youth-friendly services. The measurable result is improved youth engagement in health outcomes, equity and inclusiveness. The project also builds capacity among youth by training 183 peer educators and 330 community advocates, equipping them with leadership and communication skills.
2. (3) The project onboarded 40 public health facilities to enhance access to sexual and reproductive health services and over time, these interventions contribute to reduced rates of preventable diseases, improved health-seeking behaviour and increased awareness of personal and public health issues. Economically, healthier youth are more productive and better positioned to pursue education and employment opportunities, thereby contributing to community development.
3. (4) Currently, there is ongoing training for 4,500 youth in ICT, Ajira and digital literacy in the VIVA implementation counties. It is envisaged that this will provide youth with digital income opportunities in the long run. The Who's Next Talent Search Programme benefits 1,000 youth in the pilot counties.

On the Youth Enterprise Development Fund-

1. (1) Enterprise creation and expansion: Over 1.3 million youth have accessed financial support to start and expand businesses, contributing to increased entrepreneurial activity nationwide.
2. (2) Employment generation: The Fund's interventions have facilitated the creation of over 2.1 million jobs, both through self-employment and additional employment opportunities within supported enterprises.
3. (3) Enhanced access to finance: The Fund has disbursed approximately Kshs15.27 billion in loans, significantly improving access to affordable credit for youth who were previously excluded from the formal financial system.
4. (4) Skills development and capacity building: More than 2.5 million youth have been trained in entrepreneurship, financial literacy and business management, strengthening their ability to establish and sustain viable enterprises.
5. (5) Improved livelihoods and economic empowerment: Beneficiaries have reported increased incomes and improved living standards as a result of access to finance and business support services.
6. (6) Strengthened youth groups and social capital: The Fund has supported the formation and growth of youth groups engaged in collective economic activities.
7. (7) The Kenya Film School trained and graduated 266 students. Directorate of Film Services: Increased youth participation in film production projects, training and mentorship of young creatives, production and dissemination of documentaries supporting Government programmes. This Strengthen national audio- visual documentation and preservation, The National Youth Council-

1. (i) Over 10,000 youth leaders are trained on leadership and governance, civic responsibility and national values.

(ii) Five thousand youth engaged in promoting patriotism, peace building and community service.

(iii) Over 20,000 youth engaged in leadership dialogue forum. (iv) Over 5,000 youth engaged in environmental conservation initiatives.

1. (v) Ten thousand youth mobilised to commemorate the International Youth Day.
2. (8) The Youth Empowerment Centers: A total of 7.5 million youths have access to youth-friendly services such as access to ICT, guidance and counselling on drugs and substance abuse, harnessing talents of youths and innovations and HIV prevention, among others, through the Youth Empowerment Centers since the Financial Year 2009/2010.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, with that statement, I so submit to the Senate. Thank you very much.

My question is closely related to what Sen. Methu has asked. When I read the document, I felt that there is intention by the Ministry to develop a number of follow-up mechanisms by employing youth development officers in the counties. Their work is to note and follow up the successes of these businesses. However, the fact is that it is not there. My question is, in the absence of this and in the current implementation metrics, what mechanism is the Ministry using to ensure the success rate of these businesses?

Could the Cabinet Secretary give us an eye-view position in terms of the success rate so far in terms of establishing these businesses? Where none exists, what is the intention in the near future? I ask this because some of these businesses should be established in the soonest way possible. They are actually micro-businesses and small and medium businesses. Therefore, starting them should not take too long. What is his projection so far in terms of the success rate that we are going to have with these businesses?

football, au mchezo wa kandanda wa beach. Jambo la kusikitisha ni kwamba, mwaka jana, kuna team ambayo ilikuwa iende ikawakilishe nchi katika mashindano ya beach football.

Hawakuweza kwenda huko kwa sababu ya upungufu wa fedha. Mwaka huu, mwezi huu wa tisa, kulikuwa na timu ambayo ilitakikana kuenda Libya kwa michezo hiyo ya beach football, lakini hawakuweza kuenda kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa fedha. Sasa, Sports Fund ambayo ilianzishwa inafanya kazi gani na inasaidia michezo gani? Tumeona kwamba mambo ya beach football mara nyingi yanafanyika katika ufuo wa Bahari wa Kenya. Kisumu pia wanazo fuo za kucheza beach football.

Beach football imebobea zaidi hapa katika eneo la Pwani. Je, Waziri, unafanya nini kuhusu kujenga viwanja vya beach football? Pili, kwa nini hizi timu mbili hazikuweza kusafiri kuenda kuonyesha mchezo wao wa beach football katika hayo maeneo manne niliyoyataja?

Asante, Bw. Spika.

has been built for four years is not near completion. It will go on into probably the next Government or governor. What measures are you taking, as a Ministry, to coordinate the activities on the ground?

It will be important as a stakeholder to seek direction. When you have a court issuing this order today, another one in another place saying a different thing, of course, you will seek direction and we have done that before.

I will remind members that the 17 Senators representing Sugarcane growing areas wrote to the Chief Justice because of various injunctions that were coming in the implementation of the Sugar Act and she acted on our letter. The cases were consolidated and there is now progress. That is not undue influence.

(Interruption of debate on Questions)

COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

VISITING DELEGATION OF COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS FROM KILIFI COUNTY

Honourable Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence, in the Speaker's gallery this morning, of a visiting delegation of County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) from Kilifi County.

I request each member of the delegation to stand when called out, so that you may be acknowledged in the Senate tradition-

1. (1) Hon. Raymond Ngala - CECM, Trade, Tourism, Promotion, Culture, and Heritage, and Cooperative Development.
2. (2) Ms. Lynn Farah - CECM, Trade and Investments.
3. (3) Ms. Selina Martha - Advisor, Trade Department. On behalf of the Senate, and on my own behalf, I extend a warm welcome to you and wish you a fruitful visit.

I will call upon the Senator for Kilifi County, in under one minute, to extend a warm welcome.

Kiongozi wa Walio Wachache (Sen. Madzayo): Bw. Spika, ninajiunga na wewe kuwakaribisha hawa Kilifi County Executive Members katika kikao hiki cha Bunge la Seneti. Ninajua wanaelewa na wanajua sababu ambayo tuko hapa na yote tunayofanya wanayaona. Hii ndio kazi ya Seneti, kutetea na kuangalia maslahi ya watu katika kaunti waliochaguliwa. Kwa hivyo, ninawakaribisha, wajionee na wajue vile tunatenda kazi zetu na wapate experience.

(Resumption of Questions)

The Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports (Hon. Salim Mvurya): Mr. Speaker, Sir, they are many questions but we will respectively address the issues that have been raised.

Question one was asked by Sen. Methu on how we are working with other agencies of the Government on the NYOTA programme where Kshs2.5 billion has already been disbursed.

In phase one, we also bring in other agencies. For example, we work with the Micro and Small Enterprises Department and many others as it relates to the specific technical area. We, therefore, have a multi-agency approach and it is not just the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports that handles this matter.

If you listen to the multi-agency approach, Sen. Eddy, we also have a mentorship programme. Once we disburse funds or even before disbursing, we take them through a mentorship programme which is handled by professionals. That is why for the business support, we did phase one and then phase two. The success rate is around 90 per cent of the businesses because we have a comprehensive monitoring and evaluating programme where we go to the ground and monitor the projects.

On the other question by Sen. Nyutu is about sensitisation where he had talked about talk shows. When we are approaching matters of youth, we use different forums to sensitise young people. Talk shows are part of that but we also have other programmes like the Kikao where we do dialogue conferences with the youth to sensitise on some of these matters.

We also use our grassroots networks through the youth affairs. A demonstration of knowledge is where in business support we only require 124,000 youths. The applicants were over two million meaning that many youths had the knowledge about the programme but the opportunities were only for 124,000. We are currently using a databank to place the youth in other programmes. For example, the OJE - Only Job Experience has benefited from this offshoot.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other issue is by Sen. Miraj on the Little Theatre Club. I am aware that in Mombasa, we have that club which gives opportunities to the youth. However, the club sits on Government land owned by the Kenya Railways and, therefore, we have no direct ownership. We have, however, engaged the Kenya Railways, our Principal Secretary and the one for State Department for ICT and Digital Economy, who have also visited in order to see how we can collaborate and make it useful for youth participation.

There is the other observation by Sen. Wambua where you will find in that statement, most of the information is about April. This question was forwarded in March, 2026 and we were to appear earlier. However, the session was cancelled. That is why there is April in that report. However, we have more information to update and which reflects the current situation.

There was the other issue raised by Sen. Khalwale. The NYOTA programme is looking at Form IV and below but we also have other programmes beyond NYOTA which provide opportunities for the youth. There is the Kazi Majuu programme which provides opportunities for those who have graduated or those with specific skills. We also have the Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) which gives the youth

opportunities to be interns in different Government ministries. Already, His Excellency the President has directed that the Public Service Commission (PSC) should consider interns even after their successful internship programmes.

We also have private sector internships where we are working to place youths in that sector. There are other opportunities in the Affordable Housing Programme for the skilled and the non-skilled youth. Therefore, we have a plethora of programmes that work around many other Government agencies which provide opportunities to the youth. Matters of the youth are not domiciled in this Ministry but we find opportunities across the board. There are many agencies that also place the youth in different programmes.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other issue is a collective responsibility on our case because matters of goonism are beyond our Ministry. They are general and they transcend the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports. However, as it can be seen from the statement, there are many programmes we are doing to engage the youth. These include, talent development in sports and many others. However, this matter is our collective responsibility and as a Ministry, we would be happy to work with leaders across the board and ministries, to ensure that we arrest this vice in our society.

Kuna swali lililoulizwa na Seneta Mungatana na amekuwa na umaalumu kwa sababu amezungumzia kijana maalum anayeitwa Salim Mbarak. Sijui pengine aliona ni namesake lakini ni sawa.

(Laughter) Kuna tofauti kidogo na mambo ya sanaa yaliyo chini ya wizara nyingine. Mambo ya arts yako katika State Department for Culture.

As a Ministry, we also have a responsibility to provide opportunities to benefit our artists. First, we have reviewed the licensing for matters of copyright and we have developed draft tariffs that ensure that artists do not become poor. When they compose songs, they benefit from them. These draft guidelines have been shared with a committee of Parliament. However, we have not concluded with them. From our observation, we will streamline this area.

Msanii akiimba wimbo mzuri na kusifika, kama vile Salim Mbarak, anaweza kupata hela ambayo zinamtosha. Kwa hivyo, tumejaribu kutengeneza sera au kanuni zinazoweza kuwasaidia vijana. Hizo ziko mbele ya kamati ya Bunge na zitawasaidia vijana wengi ambao ni watunzi wa nyimbo. Kuna vijana wengi wamekuwa na umaarufu sana, wametunga nyimbo, zimesifika lakini hawajapata uwezo wa kifedha. Hilo ndilo suala ambalo limetufikisha mahali tukaona kwamba tutengeneze kanuni ambazo zitapeana mwelekeo.

Ukiimba wimbo na mtu autake, lazima alipe kima fulani. Tuko katika majadiliano na kamati husika ili kuhakikisha kwamba tunapeana faida kwa wasanii. Masuala ya usanii yako chini ya wizara nyingine lakini tunashirikiana ili kuboresha utendakazi. Vilevile tuta-link the licensing process also with e-Citizen, so that they can benefit. In fact, benefits should go directly through e-Citizen. Those are the processes we are trying to streamline.

Kuna swali ambalo liliulizwa na Seneta Faki. Japo halikuwa katika taarifa ya leo, ningependa kujulisha Bunge hili kwamba ni kweli we should promote beach football. I am aware that Kilifi is the leading county on matters beach football. I have engaged players and leaders of beach football. I want to give general guidelines that even though we have the Sports Fund, it is not a Fund that you can come today and get money because we do not have money to give.

We encourage federations to provide a programme and a plan, so that we know in advance the requirements and set a budget to support them. If somebody walks in three days to an international event, they are not likely to succeed. We have advised all federations in the country to make sure that they develop a plan of their tournaments and events, so that we also manage funds in a prudent manner and not on a Walk-In Walk- Out (WIWO) basis.

Another issue was about equitable access and there was a mention of stadia. That was asked by the Senator for Trans Nzoia. This is the first time we are doing sports facilities across the country. Trans Nzoia is in the list because right now, we are doing 33 and we should be through by February next year. Trans Nzoia is in the list of our implementation programme but we had a bit of a challenge with issues of land. It is a matter that we are still engaging the county government, so that we get clearance and see how to work together.

For the sake of this question, I want to assure all Kenyans that we are focusing on enhancing and inspiring talents across the country. That is why His Excellency the President, for the first time, has directed that we do 33 stadia across the country. Therefore, we have stadia outside Nairobi. All this effort is to make sure that we provide opportunities for equitable access and spaces for youth engagement across Kenya.

Sen. Abass asked a question about the academies. Sports infrastructure is spread across the country. There are academies which we are setting up together with the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS). Our wish was to do academies in all the constituencies across the country. However, you are aware that we cannot achieve all these without adequate resources. The aim is to cover the entire country. As we appropriate resources, we will continue to admit every part because the policy is to make sure that we cover the entire country.

The Senator for West Pokot also asked a question. In fact, West Pokot is in our list of stadia. If there is something that has stalled, we will resolve it. My Principal Secretary has been to West Pokot many times even during the Karamoja Youth Programme in Kapenguria because we also want to bring on board all the youth of our country. We will strengthen our engagement with the local leadership, so that we move in the same direction.

There was also a question about whether the challenges of placement have been resolved. I want to assure the Senator who inquired about Lot 14 that those challenges have now been resolved and placement is going on. In fact, this week we had quite a number of youth who have been placed in the different programmes.

Sen. Catherine Mumma, it is correct that 75 per cent of our population are youth. Currently, youth programmes are spread in many agencies and Ministries. You will find them in agriculture, agribusiness and other programmes. We have just concluded a youth

mainstreaming policy which will give us an opportunity to consolidate the numbers and know what is happening where and the kind of support required. That is part of what we will do to streamline that.

Hon. Consolata, we have a comprehensive programme on Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO). We are now targeting 600,000 youth in our country who will access training and financing to enable them access Government tenders.

Mheshimiwa Edwin Sifuna aliuliza swali japo alikubali kwamba halihusu Wizara hii moja kwa moja. Hata hivyo, kuna mpango wa kuhakikisha jinsi Serikali itasaidia jamii pamoja na mashirika kuhusu mambo ya elimu. We have a comprehensive programme and a comprehensive multi-agency team, including development partners that is looking at the matter of El Niño.

Since matters of blue economy and fisheries are so specific, we will provide necessary input because we are aware that when there is El Niño, we are likely to see rising sea levels and a lot of waves along the ocean. Part of the advisory around that time is to minimise fishing activities. That will definitely have an implication on livelihoods. Therefore, as part of multi-agency and Government support, we will incorporate this in the contingency plan for El Niño.

The Senate Majority Leader wanted to know about the thin line between the Fourth Schedule and what the national Government is doing. The nexus here is that we have an intergovernmental arrangement where we have sectors that also involve the Council of Governors (CoG). That is how we work with the counties. Therefore, if an issue requires consultation between the two levels of government, the Government has now concluded a framework for consultation between sectors in the national Government and county governments, guided by the existing intergovernmental arrangements.

This is how we are able to resolve these issues. That is why you will find governors and their respective ministries signing partnership agreements in many programmes. For example, in the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) programme, the management of stadiums and many others, we sign agreements because we know that we have a responsibility in managing them together.

Finally, there is the issue of the Premier League. The honourable Member made the correct observation that, at the moment, the Premier League has been delayed. It was supposed to start on Saturday, but a court order was issued on Friday evening and it has now been stopped. In fact, one of the reasons we had agreed that it should start last Saturday is because I had a meeting with all the clubs and the FKF. Subsequently, an agreement was reached to commence the league on 19th September, 2026. However, our country has a good democratic space. Someone went to court and obtained orders to stop the league on Friday evening.

As we think about other processes of engaging the Judiciary, let me state here in the Senate that I will be engaging the key stakeholders to ensure that we arrive at an amicable solution to this matter. I believe that was the final question on that statement.

Mr. Speaker, Sir and Hon. Members, I wish to thank you for the opportunity to make this presentation.

The Senate Minority Leader (Sen. Madzayo): Asante Mstahiki Spika kwa uamuzi huo.

Waziri wa mambo ya Vijana na Mchezo, tunajua ya kwamba kuna watu ambao wanatalanta mbalimbali, kama vile kuimba na mbio. Kwa mfano, nchi yetu inajulikana sana kwa mbio. Lakini, walio na talanta kama hizi wanajitoa uhai---

DATABASE ON SUICIDE CASES AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR CREATIVES

The Senate Minority Leader (Sen. Madzayo): Asante, Bw. Naibu Spika. Katika hali yangu ya kutafakari na kuweka interpretation ningefaulu kwa sababu ninaleta mambo ya creatives ambao wanapatikana wamejiua kwa sababu zisizojulikana. Wengine ni kwa sababu wanakunywa zile vitu.

1. (a) Ni hatua gani mmeweka kuhakikisha kuna database au ratiba katika sehemu zote za Kenya ya kufuatilia wenye talanta kama hizo ili wasiwe na akili punguani? Ni hatua gani umechukua kama Waziri kuona kwamba vijana wetu hawaingii kwa mitego ya kutumia madawa ya kulevya ama kutenda vitendo ambavyo haviwezi kuwaendeleza kimaisha na kuangusha talanta zao?
2. (b) Wizara imechukua hatua gani kusaidia wanaoathirika kwa kutumia madawa ya kulevya? Kwa mfano, wakimbiaji wetu hukimbia katika nchi mbalimbali na kulipwa Ksh40 million per race. Lakini, baada ya muda, wanakuwa maskini kwa sababu ya kutumia pesa kwa njia isiyo ya kisawasawa. Umechukua hatua gani kuwaeleza vizuri na kuwapa advice ili wajikinge na mambo kama hayo?
3. (c) La mwisho, nataka kujua tu kuna hii stadium ya Kilifi ambayo Mheshimiwa Rais mwenyewe alikuja akaweka jiwe kuianzisha. Kufikia hivi sasa, hiyo stadium imefika wapi? Unaweza kutueleza na kulingana na pale ilipofika, ni lini unafikiria hiyo stadium ambayo Rais amekuwa akifuatilia itaisha?
4. (d) Kuna zile sports academy, zile ambazo watoto wetu wanajifundisha mambo ya sports. Kilifi County haina hata sports academy moja. Ni lini unafikiria utaweza kuifanya maana yake talanta za sports ziko pia hapa? Talanta za mpira ama vitu vingine vyovyote ambavyo viko na vinahusiana na talanta. Ni lini utaanza kujenga sports academy kwa vijana wetu ndani ya Kilifi kuona kwamba, hawa watu ambao wana talanta wamepata hiyo nafasi ya kuenda katika hiyo academy?

Asante, Bw. Spika wa Muda.

DATABASE AND WELFARE OF KENYAN SPORTS HEROES AND HEROINES

Mr. Deputy Speaker, I rise to ask Question No.069 to the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports-

1. (a) Does the Government maintain a database of Kenyan sportsmen and women who win medals in regional, continental and international competitions and, if so, could the Cabinet Secretary provide the current list?
2. (b) What is the Government doing to respond to the plight of retired sports heroes and heroines who, despite their contribution to the nation, are living in poverty and suffering poor health?
3. (c) Could the Government consider rolling out a welfare programme to provide financial, medical, housing and other social protection benefits to retired sports heroes and heroines, including coaches and other sports officials who have served the nation with distinction?
4. (d) What measures are in place to also ensure that the legacy of Kenyan sports heroes and heroines is preserved and documented as part of the nation’s heritage?

I thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

economic and socio-social support as essential infrastructure for this sector and its sustainability.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, at present, the national Government does not maintain a disaggregated data registry tracking annual suicide rates, attempted suicide or specific mental health diagnosis exclusively by profession or by sector. There is no data available on occupational categorisation with sector-specific tracking. However, national baseline and general national health Indicators record approximately 400 to 500 reported suicide deaths annually across the total population. Standard mortality reporting frameworks utilised by law enforcement and public healthcare facilities do not record occupational background as a mandatory variable.

Consequently, sector-isolated figures for artists and content creators do not exist currently in our public national database. I wish to state that the legal, ethical and institutional data constitutes under data protection and confidentiality provided by the Data Protection Act, 2019 and Health Sector Ethics; a citizen's mental health assessment, psychiatric diagnosis, substance use treatment or suicidal behaviour constitute highly protected personal data. Such records cannot be collected, synchronised or disclosed without explicit lawful consent or standard statutory exemption.

Further historically, suicide and self-harm have been underreported due to deep- seated socio-cultural stigma while the High Court in January, 2025 declared Section 226 of the Penal Code and Constitution a significant step toward treating self-harm as a health crisis rather than a crime framework for reporting self-harm without fear of social rippling and remain a challenge across local communities. The Government is currently working toward a unified national suicide registry under the Ministry of Health until fully operationalised.

Existing figures rely on fragmented reporting across police records, civil registration and healthcare facilities. While formal disaggregated data remains absent, the Ministry acknowledges the troubling trend of public mental health crisis and premature deaths among artists, musicians and digital creators reported in news media and community circles since 2023.

The Ministry therefore recognises that the creative operates in a unique high- stress environment characterised by financial vulnerability and irregular income streams, intense social media scrutiny, cyber bullying and loss of privacy and high rejection rates, and public pressure to sustain relevance. These occupational stresses frequently create an interconnected risk pathway. Chronic stress leads to depression or anxiety, which can spur problematic substance use as a coping mechanism, ultimately heightening vulnerability during emotional stress.

Bw. Naibu Spika wa Muda, kwa hili swali la kwanza la waheshimiwa ni kwamba, kwa hivi sasa, hakuna takwimu rasmi za wasanii ambao wamejitia kitanzi zinazowekwa na serikali. Ingawaje Serikali ina nia ya kuangalia vile tunaweza kuwa na umaalum wa

habari kama hizi ambazo pia ni muhimu. Tuseme kwamba ni ya kibinafsi. Kwa hivyo, ni lazima tujue kwamba wakati tunafanya hivyo, tuzingatie sheria ambayo pia inalinda maslahi ya watu binafsi.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, and hon. Senators, on the second question, the Ministry addresses creative sector mental health through a two-pronged strategy; economic risk mitigation, where we are tracking financial stressors or root causes and direct psychosocial intervention, ensuring that youth have access to confidential care. We have interventions around economic safety nets and root cause interventions. Financial instability remains the primary systemic trigger for mental distress among artists.

The Ministry has instituted the following structural mechanisms:

1. (1) The Talanta Hela Initiative where we monetise creative talents by streamlining royalty collections, enforcing copyright protection and securing commercial opportunities to guarantee predictable earnings for young artists. This is where I was talking about draft regulations to ensure that we monetise artistic talents.
2. (2) The Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF). We have a tailored financial product offering affordable credit to young creatives to fund projects, start businesses and escape debt-driven emotional trauma.
3. (3) The programme on Vijana Vuka na Afya (VIVA), implemented by the State Department for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy. This initiative merges health, education, digital literacy and entrepreneurship training to diversify revenue streams for vulnerable young creatives.
4. (4) Institutional alignment, strengthening governance across statutory bodies, including the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) and industry associations like the Kenya Association of Music Producers, to protect creators' rights and commercial earnings.
5. (5) Specialised youth and creative mental health programmes. To lower the barrier to seeking help, the Ministry leverages many youth-friendly confidential platforms, including the following-
6. (i) Digital and tele-counselling innovations: Partnering with youth innovators to roll out mobile-based tele-counselling applications, for example, platforms led by youth innovators, providing confidential, low-cost, on-demand psychological support directly to smartphones.

(ii) Kikao Medical Mental Health Clinic: Conducting grassroots community outreach where mobile health teams provide mental health screening, counselling and referral alongside creative activities.

(iii) Mindset and Wellness Academies: Partnering with the International Youth Fellowship. Through this programme, we have free weekend academies, which happen at Kasarani and also at the regional level, where we integrate psychological first aid and mindset transformation into youth programmes. This programme is away from Nairobi. It has also been held in Kilifi, Mombasa and many other parts of our country.

(iv) Institutional referral networks: Establishing structured referral pathways, linking collegiate and freelance creators with specialised institutions, such as Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital (MNTRH), for clinical treatment.

1. (v) Internal employee and sector wellness: Deploying Ministry wellness officers to provide immediate psychological guidance and referral pathways for young artists visiting Ministry offices, alongside organising webinars on youth mental health. The running today between 7.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. is on the topic, Effects of Drugs and Substance Use on Youth Mental Wellness. This programme is running on a number of days, so it is part of the programme to sensitise.

(vi) Multi-agency and cross-sectoral frameworks: The Ministry actively connects creatives to broader national health support structures, including one, wellness and crisis response, basically linking more youth to a free helpline number, which is 1192.

It is a free helpline for people who would wish to access support through the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA). We also have number 1190 which is a helpline for immediate health support.

Primary care, decentralisation, utilising Level 3 and Level 4 public health hospitals, networks across counties to provide integrated outpatient mental health counselling. Finally, we have civil society partnership where we collaborate with organisations like Mental 360 and many others who champion peer mental health issues and work with the Art Therapy Initiative like Afrikala to create safe spaces for processing and managing trauma.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir and Members of the Senate, moving forward, the Ministry commits to the following action points to strengthen mental health protection for our creative sector-

1. (1) Interagency data framework: Collaborating with the Ministry of Health and the National Registration Bureau (NRB) to explore safe and anonymised mechanisms for capturing occupational data in national health statistics strictly in compliance with the Data Protection Act, 2019.
2. (2) Creative sector wellness policy: Formulating workplace health and safety guidelines tailored for entertainment companies, production houses and talent agencies. This will include mandatory psychological first aid, clear harassment reporting mechanisms and employer-supported counselling.
3. (3) Expansion of helplines and peer support: Scaling up funding for dedicated creative industry, mental health peer support networks to ensure early detection and intervention before distress becomes fatal.

Kwa ufupi, tunajua ya kwamba kuna mambo mengi ambayo yanaathiri vijana haswa wale ambao ni wasanii. Nilivyosema awali, hatukuwa na mfumo mzuri wa kuwa na takwimu lakini sasa tuko na mipango. Tunafanya kazi na mashirika ambayo yana ujuzi wa kufundisha na kuzungumza na vijana kuhusu mambo ya saikolojia. Tuko pia na mbinu nyingi ambazo tunatumia kuhakikisha ya kwamba tunasaidia vijana wetu kiuchumi ikiwemo hii mradi ambayo inalenga vijana.

Tunapoenda mbele, tutakuwa na mpango maalum ambao utapatia vijana nafasi ya kuwa na mfumo wa kuheshimika kisheria na pia itawasaidia katika mambo ya kisaikolojia na kumudu changamoto za kimaisha.

Swali la mwisho ambalo nilikuwa nimeulizwa katika muktadha huu ni kuhusu mambo ya stadium ya Kilifi.

DATABASE AND WELFARE OF KENYAN SPORTS HEROES AND HEROINES

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I wish to thank the nominated Senator for also raising this important concern because matters of our sports men and women are also matters of legacy.

So, the Ministry, in collaboration with the National Sports Federation (NSF) and other stakeholders, is currently developing a comprehensive and centralised database of Kenyan athletes who have won medals at regional, continental and international competitions. This initiative is aimed at properly documenting the achievements of our sportsmen and women, facilitating better talent tracking, policy planning and recognition of excellence.

Significant progress has been made in conceptualising the structure of the database, including data collection protocols, verification mechanisms, and digital infrastructure requirements. Therefore, currently, we are working with federations like Athletics Kenya (AK) and other agencies to strengthen this record.

Secondly, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports fully recognises and deeply appreciates the immense contributions of Kenya's retired sports heroes and heroines who have elevated the nation's profile globally and inspired generations. The Government has undertaken various interventions through stakeholder collaboration with sports federations and county governments, the Retired Athletes Welfare Association, and many others, to bring forward the following measures-

1. (i) Employment and career transition opportunities, that is retired athletes are prioritised for roles in sports officiating, coaching, administration, and talent management. In that statement, I have an example of those who have benefited from that programme.

(ii) We also appoint them as live champions, goodwill ambassadors and other official appointments. For example, Paul Tergat is a goodwill ambasaddor for the World Food Programme (WFP), Tecla Lorupe is a UN goodwill ambassador, David Rudisha is a World Athletics ambassador and we have many more in that category.

(iii) Institutional support for exceptional performers often receiving formal placement and careers within the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) and other public institutions. For example, Ms. Catherine Ndereba is now Assistant Commisioner in the Kenya Prisons, and there are many others.

These efforts aim to provide sustainable livelihoods and continued contribution to national development while adressing post-career challenges faced by many retired athletes.

Thirdly, the Ministry has significantly enhanced support for athletes with focus on both active, competitors and longterm welfare. His Excellency President Ruto announced improvements to the reward scheme for medal winners at global competitions. The updated reward structure includes the following-

1. (i) The athletes at global competitions have their awards raised from Kshs750,000 - for gold medalists - to Kshs3 million; silver medalists from Kshs500,000 to Kshs2 million; and bronze medalists from Kshs350,000 to Kshs1million. (ii) Commonwealth games gold medal has now moved to Kshs2.5 million, silver to Kshs1.5 milion and bronze to Kshs1miliion.

(iii) If one breaks a record in an international competition, we add Kshs5 million.

(iv) The daily allowances abroad have also been raised from US$60 to US$200 per athlete/player and for the officials from US$80 to US$300.

1. (v) Beyond immediate rewards, broader welfare initiatives are being advanced which include: stakeholder consultation towards comprehensive programmes covering financial support, medical care, housing and social protection for retired athletes. Past efforts have featured seed money for endowment and pension initiatives for example, there have been much efforts in that area.

These efforts aim to create structured post career transition pathways, ensuring athletes bringing glory to Kenya, receive sustained dignity and security. The Ministry, therefore, is coming up with a national sports gratuity and athlete financial security framework through collaboration with the Local Authorities Provident Fund (LAPFUND) and many other organisations and betting firms aimed at educating athletes on the importance of long-term investments, savings and welfare management.

Fourth, Kenya has a robust legal and institutional framework for preserving the legacy of its icons. The Kenya and Heroes Act of 2014 is central to these efforts. It establishes the National Heroes Council (NHC), identifies, vets and recommends individuals, including sports personnel for official declaration as national heroes and heroines.

The Council therefore evaluates the criteria and they can award. The measures include documentation in national archives, public honours, integration in curriculum and sports tourism initiatives. The Ministry, the National Heroes Council and Cultural heritage are responsible for making this happen.

The Government remains fully committed to supporting our sportsmen and women throughout their careers and beyond. Through enhanced reward scheme, improved stakeholder coordination, the development of athletes database and structured welfare intervention, we are working to ensure that our athletes receive due recognition.

The Ministry therefore requests Parliament to accelerate and review the passage of the amendments to the Sports Act, 2013 to legally institutionalise a mandatory contributory scheme for all active national athletes and take care of many other welfare issues we have consolidated into this policy.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have tried to be brief in this question but I will add that, our sportsmen and women have done us proud. Therefore, our Ministry wants to elevate them and that is why, putting it in our policy and legislation is very critical. This is because, it is through the sportsmen and women, our legends, that we are going to host the World Athletics Championships in 2029. This is something that is very unique and historical. We have beaten the odds and this is because of our sportsmen and women who have been shining globally. It is in that regard that we want to elevate them by making sure we have a good policy and legal framework that protects their welfare.

Kenya is progressively becoming a global powerhouse. We are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 where we have a legacy, the Raila Odinga International Stadium, which is at 94 percent and we are doing 32 others across Kenya. All this confirms that sports is no longer entertainment. It is a matter of livelihood; it is a unifier and is also an inspiration for our economic ecosystem; tourism, investments and many others.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I submit.

katika Kaunti ya Embu. Tunaomba utujengee rehabilitations centres katika maeneo bunge hayo manne. Je, utatusaidia namna gani na mradi huo utaanza na kumalizika lini?

Pili, katika Kaunti ya Embu, tungependa utujengee stadium kubwa ambayo uliahidi. Kila wakati nimekuwa nikiuliza swali hili. Ulijenga stadium ingawa ilikuwa ya kwanza katika mfumo wa uongozi wa Rais William Ruto. Kwa vile ni ndogo, ilisemekana utatujengea stadium kubwa ya Njukiri. Je, utatujengea wakati gani? Ukifanya hivyo, watu wa Kaunti ya Embu watafurahia.

Mwisho, asante kwa kufanya kazi nzuri.

kuhakikisha Serikali ya Kenya ina takwimu kuhusu wananchi wetu ili tuweze kuwasaidia jinsi ambavyo Mheshimiwa Hamida na Stewart Madzayo walivyotarajia? Kwamba tujue wale ambao wamekumbwa na matatizo na tuweze kutoa usaidizi wa Serikali kwao.

Asante.

Finally, Sen. Hamida is asking about the welfare of our sportsmen and women. What is the policy of your Ministry when it comes to naming of sports facilities? Should sports facilities be named exclusively after statesmen or sportsmen? Of course, Raila Odinga Stadium is named after a statesman who was also a sportsman. He was a senior player in Bunge FC, so that is appropriate. However, the other 37 stadiums, are we going to name them after governors or political figures? What is the policy of your Ministry?

hiyo. Na tulifanya hivyo. Baada ya kupitisha sheria hiyo, kumekuwa na changamoto sana.

Kile kitengo ambacho sheria ile ilituletea kimefanya taifa linaonekane kama halina uwezo wa kudhibiti wakora ambao wanawaandaa wachezaji wetu na kuwaweka katika hali hii ambayo inaharibia taifa letu sifa. Je, kuna chochote ambacho kama Wizara mnafanya kuhakikisha kwamba masuala hayo yameshughulikiwa?

Na pia wale either mameneja ama ma-coach ambao wanawaonesha wanariadha wetu njia hizi potovu, ni njia ipi ama ni vipi mtaweza kuwakabidhi kuhakikisha kwamba wamezuiliwa kwa sababu wengi wao ni raia wa kigeni hata si Wakenya? Lakini maneno hayo yanapotokea, Kenya ndiyo inaharibiwa sifa. Ningependa kujua kama wizara ni nini mnafanya kuhusu mambo hayo.

Asante, Bw. Spika wa Muda.

yeyote unaoharibu maisha yao sio tu kwa Wizara hii ya Vijana, bali, katika vitengo mbali mbali vya Serikali. Nina hakika kwamba kuna juhudi kubwa kutoka kwa Wizara ya Mambo ya Ndani na Utawala ya Kitaifa pamoja na mashirika mengine kama vile National Authority for Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) ili tuzuie uraibu unapotokea. Pia, NACADA imetengeneza rehabilitation centres across the country; tutashirikiana nao ili tuangalie mambo hapo Embu Kaunti.

About Njukiri Stadium, we still have a commitment to do it. In fact, we have a design and we will be embarking on procuring the contractor to do this facility.

Mheshimiwa Tabitha Mutinda, thank you very much for the compliments on what we are doing for artists. In fact, we are working with international partners to establish a studio in Nairobi. We are also looking at the royalty collection process, which has now been concluded. Basically, we are monetising the talent here. However, I also acknowledge that creative economy is a new space that has just arrived. As a country, we have many robust policies and legislation on many matters but creative economy has remained unattended.

I know we are throwing out there several sparse interventions but the Creative Economy Bill, which I thank Hon. Eddy Oketch for spearheading, is in its final stages of public participation. It includes many of the issues relating to the creative economy in the country. In fact, just this week, the public participation team is in Kilifi actually doing the same. We should be able to work with Parliament to conclude this Bill.

On the timeline for having a comprehensive database; we are looking at the next six months, so that we come up with a database that is reliable. I have also noted the issues raised by Sen. Moses Kajwang’ on matters of tax reliefs and naming of sports facilities. Now, we have named Raila Odinga International Stadium. Maybe next year, we should name another. I have noted this gap and we will address it.

On the question by Mheshimiwa Omtatah on the Victor Wanyama facility in Busia; first of all, I thank Victor. He is among the few legends who are investing back in the country to inspire talents. Since this is a private initiative, we will seek to collaborate with him in a framework of Public-Private Partnership (PPP), so that we can have an institution that can provide an opportunity for the young people of our country.

There is a question on whether we have a policy on addressing mothers in sports. Kama Wizara, tunalindwa na sheria moja inayohusu vifo. Hatuna policy maalum lakini nafikiri iko katika sheria za Kenya za kuhakikisha kwamba maisha ya mwananchi yeyote lazima yalindwe kwa namna yoyote. However, as we develop our database, we will be capturing data on specific issues for sportsmen and women and then we will liaise with the other Government agencies.

There was also an issue by Sen. Sifuna, who was basically addressing information and data not necessarily on sports issues but alikuwa anahotubia na kuangalia masuala kwa jumla. Nitasema tu kwamba ni kweli kwamba kuna sehemu zingine zinazokuwa na mapungufu ya habari na kama nilivyosema, sisi sasa tumeweka mpango; tumeweka sera kuhakikisha kwamba zile habari zinazotuhusu za mambo ya michezo tunahakikisha tutakuwa nazo.

Even other Ministries and agencies of Government have data. You know, we have data in the Ministry of Education relating to educational institutions, students and many

others. However, it may not be the session for me to talk on all ministries. I know that the Government has information and I know the relevant data that allows us to make decisions. Kwa swali hilo nitakomea hapo. Mengine kama nilivyoona, yanaweza kuzungumzwa nje ya Bunge. Mengi yalikuwa yanazungumzia wale ambao hawako ndani ya kikao hiki.

I want to finally respond on the matters of anti-doping. The Government has committed to clean sports and, therefore, we want our men and women, our athletes, to win with integrity and to observe clean sports. It is in that regard that through the Anti- Doping Act of 2016, the Government of Kenya established the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK). This Agency has been very useful in making sure that we collect intelligence, investigate and also enforce in cases of doping.

We are now amending the 2016 Act because the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reviewed its code and will be rolling out its code in January, 2027. Kenya has already made the amendment to conform with the new Code.

The other areas that are of concern to this House are that in 2024, through an audit done by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), they were able to observe 35 issues that they needed us to address. I confirm to this House that all of them have been addressed. Right now, we are in the process of reforming the ADAK because, if you look at our country, we are a global sports powerhouse. So, we also need an institution that can match the profile of Kenya.

We have just recruited a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). We have a new Board and we have agreed on a new road map that will address all the challenges that have been observed before. We have assured continuous financing, which will ensure that they work with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on very special projects that will enhance our intelligence, enforcement and investigation. I want to assure the country that on matters of anti-doping, we are in a good space. We will host the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency from Monday as part of our international network, and as part of the support that we are providing to the anti-doping agents of Kenya.

So, we want to say it is normal to have naysayers like those who are wishing Kenya did not win the bid for 2029. When one loses in any competition, they will always find something to complain, but Kenya is properly positioned. We have proved across the world. Our athletes have broken records and won gold medals globally. This was the time for Kenya to prove that they can win at home.

The 2029 championship that we are hosting in Nairobi, Kenya is well deserved. The matters of doping should not be used at any level to demean the profile of Kenya and the profile of our athletes. We want to assure everybody that we will soon be rolling out the preparations for World Athletics 2029 and we do not have any worries. We are addressing the matters of doping decisively.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir and Hon. Members for providing this opportunity for engagement. I am sure in the future, we will have more engagement on the matters that we have discussed today and other matters that we look for in the future. We have used futuristic approach in this statement because we are all aware, as Kenyans, that matters sports and youth did not receive attention, previously.

Right now, we have a leadership that is very deliberate to ensure that we invest in sports. That is why you find infrastructure across Kenya and you will also get that matters youth are now being profiled. The Senator from Murang’a asked of where we have the specific entrepreneurship training in Murang’a. I want to assure him that we are doing the entrepreneurship programmes across Kenya. It is not a one-off and it is not an event. It is a programme which we have rolled out across the country.

Thank you very much and God bless you.

ADJOURNMENT

Now, Hon. Senators, you may rise. It is now 1.08 p.m. and having concluded the business for which I extended the hours of sitting pursuant to Standing Order No. 34(2)(a), the Senate stands adjourned until later today, Wednesday, 23rd September, 2026, at 2.30 p.m.

The Senate rose at 1.08 p.m.