National Assembly Hansard: Thursday, 15th October, 2026

I order that the Quorum Bell be rung for 10 minutes. (The Quorum Bell was rung) Hon. Members, the House is now properly constituted to transact business.

Hon. Members, I have a Communication concerning the appointment of Members to the Mediation Committee on the Kenya Roads (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 34 of 2025). Hon. Members, you may recall that on Tuesday, 25th August 2026, I reported to this House a Message from the Senate notifying its rejection of the Second Reading of the Kenya Roads (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 34 of 2025). The decision of the Senate effectively remitted the Bill to a mediation committee pursuant to the provisions of Article 112 of the Constitution. Hon. Members, Article 113 of the Constitution requires that whenever a Bill is referred to a mediation committee, the Speakers of the Houses of Parliament shall each appoint an equal number of Members to attempt to develop a version of the Bill for consideration by both Houses. To this end, I wish to inform the House that I have received correspondence from the Senate notifying that the Speaker of the Senate has appointed the following Senators to the Mediation Committee to consider the said Bill:

Deputy Whip of the Majority Party, please proceed.

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

Next Order.

Hon. Members, I would like to give the first opportunity to Hon. Mary Emaase.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 43(1), I rise, with a heavy heart, to pay tribute to the late Senior Police Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Ekirapa, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty along the Saretho – Dadaab road in Garissa County.

The late ASP Stephen Ekirapa dedicated his life to public service through the National Police Service (NPS), where he served with discipline, commitment and compassion. Throughout his career, he rose through the ranks, serving in various capacities, including as Officer Commanding Station (OCS) in Gigiri and Kerugoya, and later as Fafi Sub-County Police Commander in Garissa County. The late officer distinguished himself through his commitment to protecting lives and property, and the welfare of vulnerable members of society. During his service at Kerugoya Police Station, he championed the establishment of a dedicated child protection centre to ensure that children in conflict with the law were handled in a safe and appropriate environment. His efforts demonstrated his understanding that effective policing must be guided by justice, dignity and respect for human rights.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, his death, alongside that of his driver, Corporal David Rotich, following a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack on their police vehicle, is a profound loss to the NPS and the country. Their sacrifice reminds us of the dangers that police officers, particularly those in bandit and terrorist-prone areas face daily as they work to secure our communities and protect the lives of Kenyans.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the deceased, the people of Teso South Constituency and the entire NPS. May the soul of the late Stephen Ekirapa and his driver, Corporal David Rotich, be remembered for their dedication to duty, compassion for others and selfless contribution to the safety and well-being of the communities they served.

Thank you, Hon. Mary Emaase. There is a Member who would like to say something on this Statement. Hon. Umulkher Harun, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute. I appreciate the Hon. Member for raising this Statement and for the passionate message of condolence to the family of ASP Stephen Ekirapa and Corporal David Rotich. I share in the family's pain.

This is not the first time we have lost our officers in the line of duty. I took the initiative to research how many officers we have lost this year in the North Eastern region: Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera. We have lost 37 officers. There have been 22 IED attacks in these three counties.

The officers who serve in these areas are also Kenyans from different parts of the country, dedicated to serving and protecting communities there. It is time we looked at how we can fix this problem. Some issues we can address immediately include building community relationships and prioritising roads not only for accessibility but also for national security. IEDs cannot be planted on tarmacked roads.

This has to stop. As leaders from this region, this causes us a lot of pain because our officers keep falling. It is painful because we cannot keep on losing them. We have to compensate the families who lose their loved ones in such heinous attacks and ensure the attackers are brought to book. As a House, we have to prioritise this matter.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Beatrice Adagala.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I would also like to send condolences to the families of the officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. This is very unfortunate. We keep losing officers while they are safeguarding our nation. It is very painful for those families who have lost their loved ones.

We should take measures, especially in areas prone to such attacks. Officers' vehicles can be fitted with special gadgets that detect IEDs. They protect Kenyans in those areas. They protect us and the country. We should look into those gadgets so that they can be fitted on these vehicles to avoid a repeat of such cases. Families lose their loved ones. Wives lose their husbands. Mothers lose their sons. Therefore, that action should be looked into.

On behalf of the people of Vihiga County and Western Region, I send condolences to the families of the officers who lost their lives while protecting us.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

May their souls rest in peace. Deputy Whip of the Majority Party, you may go ahead and present your Statement.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(a), I rise to present the following Statement on behalf of the House Business Committee, which met on Tuesday, 13th October 2026, to prioritise business for consideration during the week.

As Members are aware, next Tuesday, 20th October 2026, will be a public holiday to commemorate Mashujaa Day. The House will therefore next convene on Wednesday, 21st October 2026. I believe every Member will go to their constituencies to celebrate Mashujaa

Thank you very much. Hon. Members, I would like to recognise guests. Seated in the Speaker’s Gallery this afternoon are students from Athi River Comprehensive School, Mavoko Constituency, Machakos County. Hon. Members, let us welcome them as usual.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I wish to welcome guests visiting the Houses of Parliament and, in particular, the National Assembly. More specifically, I want to welcome my visitors from Ichuni Ward, Wokimotwe Shine Group, Nyaribari Masaba Constituency. I welcome you to observe the proceedings of the House. Thank you.

Additionally, in the Public Gallery this afternoon, we have Kenya Icon Primary School from Kamukunji Constituency, Nairobi County and Red Soil School from Kajiado North Constituency, Kajiado County.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(C), I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on

Thank you. That Statement is referred to the Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation. Is the Hon. Chairperson in the House? Any Hon. Member of that Committee or Vice-Chair? Leader of the Majority Party, when can we get a Response to this Statement?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am sure immediately after the recess, the Committee should be able to avail a report. We also have a Hon. Member, Umi.

Now that you have already committed, we stop at that. Hon. Joseph Gitari, you had made a request. You may proceed with your statement. Clerks-at-the-Table, please trace the Member.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding road rehabilitation and road safety measures.

Roads in Kigumo town, particularly in the Gitwe and Trojan areas, experience heavy traffic due to tea transportation and access to health facilities and market centres. Their poor condition and inadequate pedestrian safety infrastructure pose risks to residents and other road users and hinder economic activities.

There is, therefore, need to rehabilitate these roads and install speed bumps and zebra crossings. Makutano, along the Kenol-Marua Road, is also a critical crossing point for

Thank you. I refer the statement to the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. I do not see the Chairperson. Is the Vice-Chairperson in the House? Is there a Committee Member who can commit to a timeline for when we will receive a response? Yes, proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, we undertake to respond in the first week after recess.

First week after recess. Is that okay with you, Hon. Joseph Gitari?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, this is an emergency. I do not think we should allow that much time, as some measures can be implemented immediately. How many people must die on that road before the Committee responds and action is taken? I believe the Committee can respond next week.

Hon. Komingoi.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, we will be on a retreat next week. I had hoped that we could respond to the Member before then. However, we can table the formal statement only after the recess. Nevertheless, we can work with the Hon. Member to meet officials from the Ministry and the relevant agency to obtain the necessary information and a response before then. The Committee will present the formal response to the House in the first week after the recess.

That makes sense. The Committee will take action, and the report will be presented as Hon. Komingoi has indicated. Thank you. Hon. Abdi Ali, Member for Ijara.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to seek for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security regarding the disappearance of Mr Siyat Abdi Omar of ID No. 32xxxx91.

Mr Omar, a resident of Hulugho Sub-County, Ijara Constituency, was abducted on 27th September 2026 in Sarirah Location, Hulugho Sub-County, by persons believed to be members of the security forces. He has been missing since then. Despite extensive efforts by his family and the community to trace him, his whereabouts remain unknown. The incident was reported

Thank you. The statement request is referred to the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Chairperson, are you present?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. We will respond on the first Thursday after the recess.

Thank you. Hon. Abdi, is the first week okay with you?

Yes, it is okay with me. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Hon. Gitonga Mukunji, Member for Manyatta.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security regarding reported killings in Ishiara and Nembure, located in Evurore and Gaturi wards respectively, in Embu County.

On 12th September 2026, Mr Moses Munene and Mr Mike Lewis Macharia were reportedly shot dead following violence at a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Pasua Mlima political meeting at Nembure Stadium. On 14th April 2026, Mr Morris Mugo Njoka and Mr Patrick Munene Kariuki were reportedly fatally shot during demonstrations over the poor state of services at Ishiara Level 4 Hospital. These incidents remain unresolved and have raised concerns about the alleged excessive use of lethal force by police officers resulting in death.

Further, Article 239(3)(b) of the Constitution prohibits national security organs, in the performance of their functions, from furthering any interest of a political party or cause, underscoring the requirement for political neutrality in policing.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is against this background that I request a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on the following:

Thank you. This request for a Statement is also referred to the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Chairman, when can we get a response?

I will respond on the same day as my other colleagues.

Hon. Gitonga, is that acceptable to you?

Yes, it is acceptable. I want the Chair to take note of the seriousness of this matter, considering that we have an incident from April that has not even resulted in one police officer being questioned or arrested.

The Chair has already committed to respond in the first week.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Next is the Hon. Doctor. What is out of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am not the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, but I have listened very keenly to the request for a Statement raised by my brother, Hon. Mukunji.

What is out of order?

I am trying to visualise a situation where somebody is shot at in a public rally. That would cause the greatest pandemonium you would have ever seen since you were born. It would also attract a lot of media attention if somebody were shot at in a public rally. There is something that may have escaped my attention.

What is out of order? You have not even bothered to say what is out of order. There is nothing out of order. He has requested for a Statement, and the Chair has already undertaken to respond in the first week. That is good enough. There is nothing out of order. You may take your seat. Take your seat, Member.

The Hon. (Dr) Daniel Manduku, Member for Nyaribari Masaba, you may now proceed with your Statement.

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 Administration and Internal Security regarding the unauthorised operation of a roadblock at Ichuni Shopping Centre in Nyaribari Masaba Constituency.

Thank you. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, you have very many matters. A lot of work is coming to your Committee.

Yes. I am happy, Hon. Temporary Speaker, to report that by the time we went on recess, we had about 23 matters, and we are clearing all of them today.

On this matter, let me also request two weeks, since roadblocks may not be as urgent as missing persons. Give me two weeks.

Hon. (Dr) Manduku, is that agreeable?

(Inaudible)

You are not audible. Please move to the next microphone.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have no doubt that the Chairperson will respond within two weeks. I want to raise a concern that this is not the first time this matter has been brought to his attention. I hope that, when he responds, he will treat it with the seriousness it deserves so that my people in Ichuni can feel comfortable.

Thank you. The Chair will do as he has indicated. We had gone through the fifth request, so I will proceed to the sixth, by Hon. Timothy Wanyonyi, Member of Parliament for Westlands.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding the planned recruitment of teachers by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in the 2026/2027 Financial Year and measures to ensure disability-inclusive recruitment.

The Teachers Service Commission recently announced plans to recruit 20,000 teachers in the current financial year. Article 232(1) of the Constitution requires that persons with disabilities be accorded adequate and equal opportunities for appointment to public service.

Further, the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2025, provides for the progressive attainment of at least 5 per cent representation of persons with disabilities in employment.

The recruitment exercise presents an opportunity for the Commission to advance inclusion of persons with disabilities in the teaching profession, as well as ensure the equitable distribution of teachers trained in special needs education across the country.

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

The Request for Statement is referred to the Departmental Committee on Education. I can see the Chairman of the Committee is not in the House. Is any Member of that Committee in the House? In the absence of a Member of the Committee, Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Naomi, when can we get a response?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I believe that the Chairperson should be able to issue a response one week after recess. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Westlands, is that agreeable?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am okay with that.

Thank you. Hon. Linet Chepkorir, Member for Bomet County.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security regarding the ongoing cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in Bomet County.

Bomet County continues to experience several cases of domestic and sexual violence, defilement and killing of women, despite concerns and interventions raised in the past. Between January and June 2026, more than 40 cases of GBV were reportedly recorded in the county, including 26 involving direct threats to the lives of survivors.

Notably, in April 2026, a 39-year-old man in Konoin allegedly killed his 27-year-old wife before taking his own life. Further, in June 2026, two girls aged six and 10 were reportedly sexually assaulted in Bomet East, resulting in the arrest of a suspect. Most recently, in October 2026, a woman identified as Viola Kirui, was reportedly killed in Chepalungu in an incident involving her husband, who was subsequently found dead. These incidents, alongside other cases being reported across the county, show that GBV remains an ongoing threat to women, girls and other vulnerable persons. Sadly, the reported use of informal mechanisms to settle cases of sexual and gender-based violence may deny survivors access to justice and allow perpetrators to evade accountability.

It is against this background that I seek a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on the following:

We are back to you, Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. When will she get a response?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. We will respond in two weeks' time. Nevertheless, some time back, about two or so months ago, a Statement akin to this was presented before the House. It was worrying that the indicators showed that Bomet is leading in matters of GBV. It is my honest opinion that we should go beyond the issuance of a statement and dig deeper into the rising GBV cases in Bomet. Therefore, I will need your indulgence. Besides issuing a statement, we should do more, including summoning the Cabinet Secretary, interrogating the matter and possibly undertaking at a multisectoral approach or intervention to address GBV in Bomet. It is very worrying.

I direct that you first respond to the request for Statement. However, as a Committee, you can engage the County Member for Bomet, so that you dig deeper and establish what could be causing this. I believe that the matter will not be handled by one Committee. You may want to consult further, so that there is a multisectoral approach. Is that okay with you, Member for Bomet County?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. That is okay. Let the Chairperson first bring us the Statement. After that, we will engage the relevant authorities.

Thank you. Hon. Samuel Gachobe, Member for Subukia, you may proceed.

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 Tourism and Wildlife regarding human-wildlife conflict arising from the invasion of elephants in Mbogoini Village, Subukia Constituency.

The continued movement of elephants into human settlements and agricultural areas has resulted in loss of human life, injuries and destruction of crops, posing a serious threat to the safety, livelihoods and food security of the affected residents. On 3rd October 2026, an elephant attack resulted in the death of Mr Jackson Wainaina Kariuki and left another person seriously injured and receiving medical treatment in hospital. The incident was reported at Mumoi Police Post under OB No. 3/6/10/2026.

The situation has heightened fear and anxiety among residents, who remain apprehensive of further attacks due to the continued presence of elephants within their communities and farmlands. The destruction of crops has further compounded the plight of affected households, many of whom depend on farming for their livelihoods. The recurring incidents underscore the urgent need for effective and sustainable measures to prevent further loss of life, protect property and provide relief to affected families.

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

Thank you, Hon. Gachobe. The Statement is referred to the Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife. Is the Chairman, Vice-Chairman or any Member of that Committee in the House? The Leader of the Majority Party has stepped out. The Vice-Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, when can we get a response? You are a senior Member of this House and part of the House leadership.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I will pass the same to the Chairman so that they can respond in the first week after the recess.

Thank you very much. Is that agreeable to you, Hon. Gachobe, Member for Subukia?

I am okay. Thank you.

Hon. Members, we will start with the response to a Statement raised by Hon. Ahmed Hassan, Member for Banissa. Please proceed, Vice-Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Member of Parliament for Banissa Constituency, Hon. Ahmed Hassan, requested to be apprised of the following: The measures being taken to identify, investigate and prosecute the individuals and criminal networks involved in the recruitment, exploitation and trafficking of Kenyan nationals, including the Magafe criminal network.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order?

The Member for Banissa is not in the House.

You may take your seat. In the absence of the Member, I request the Vice-Chairperson to table the response.

Most obliged, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Thank you very much, Hon. Member, for raising that.

Vice-Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, you may proceed with the response to a Statement sought by Hon. Farah Yussuf, Member for Wajir West, who is in the House.

Thank you very much.

Order. Hon. Raso, please take your seat. I would like to recognise guests from Mombasa Aviation Institute, Mvita Constituency in Mombasa County who are seated in the Public Gallery this afternoon. You may stand to be recognised. On behalf of the House, I would like to ask Hon. Mishi Mboko, Commissioner, to kindly welcome the students to the House of Parliament.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I wish to welcome the students from Mombasa Aviation Institute to the Parliament of Kenya. This is where laws are made and amended, and where we represent the people who elected us. Hon. Machele is not with us today as he is attending to other duties. On his behalf, I wish to tell you that it is good to experience Parliament and understand the work we do. Parliament has three cardinal roles: representation, legislation and oversight. As you have seen, Members ask questions and raise statements, to which responses are provided. All these issues come from the constituencies we represent.

I welcome you to learn about the work of Parliament. One day, you may become Members of Parliament, whether in the Senate or the National Assembly. Through your visit, you will gain experience and know what happens in Parliament. You may sometimes think that when we are in Parliament, we are just sitting. However, we are legislating, formulating policies and putting in place regulations. Karibuni sana. I know you have worked hard in your courses and are ready to take up jobs. As a country, we are working to ensure that we have more jobs and opportunities for our young generation.

Thank you and welcome to the Parliament of Kenya.

Thank you, Commissioner Mishi Mboko. The Vice-Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, you may continue with the response.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. This is a Statement regarding the disappearance of Mr Hassan Bash Omar, a resident of Wajir West Constituency. The Member of Parliament for Wajir West Constituency, Hon. Yussuf Farah, has requested to be apprised of the following regarding the disappearance of Mr Hassan Bash Omar:

Thank you very much Hon. Chairman. Hon. Member for Wajir West.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity. The Vice-Chair has given us a very shallow and incorrect information about what has happened. Whatever happened to Mr Hassan Omar was in broad daylight. He was kidnapped in front of the General Hospital of Wajir County by three vehicles. It is unfortunate that the Cabinet Secretary concerned is trying to take this House in circles by giving us a very shallow response.

I expected the Cabinet Secretary to tell us exactly where Mr Hassan is. Today, I can assure you before this House that Mr Hassan was not abducted by local people. It must be security agents. Mr Hassan was kidnapped from the General Hospital of Wajir County at the headquarters, just five metres opposite or where Wajir Central Police Station is located.

Number two, this person has been missing for about six months now. This response took around three to four months for the Cabinet Secretary to respond. This clearly shows there is more to it. I am not satisfied with this response and I want the Chair to go back and get us facts about Mr Hassan. If the Cabinet Secretary concerned cannot explain the disappearance of this person, whom are we going to ask? Where is Mr Hassan? Who abducted him? And where is he as we speak today? This is because they are the ones who are supposed to take care of the security of each and every person in this country. I am not satisfied with this response.

Thank you very much.

Hon. Chairman, I know that you are not the author of the response, but would you like to make a comment before I give a chance to the Hon. Umulkher who also wanted to joyride on this?

Hon Dido Raso: Thank you very much. The good Member who raised the question is loud and clear. I think as far as we are concerned, for any missing persons, the Government must make all the necessary effort to establish their whereabouts and the families must know if they are dead or alive and we have heard him. The Cabinet Secretary confirms that the matter is under active investigation. So, ours as a committee is to pursue so that the Cabinet Secretary does not stop at just giving a statement by telling us the whereabouts of the citizen.

Thank you.

Hon. Umulkher Harun.

Thank you Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to joyride on this. I have brought similar statements before this House several times of cases where someone is arrested and bundled in unmarked vehicles. Most of the time, they end up being police officers. The arrested persons will go missing for several months or years, including cases that are still pending in Garissa County, Wajir and across the region to date. For example, in Liboi, there are two young men who are missing, who were arrested in a manner that depicts abduction.

If you observe the statements raised in the House today, Mr Siyad Abdi Omar comes from Ijara Constituency and the Hon. Member raised it. Now we have the case of Mr Hassan Omar. The Prevention of Terrorism Act, Cap 59 (b), Section 31 states about the powers of arrest. Section 32 states about the rights of the person to be released and Section 33 states about the remand by court. Article 49 also states clearly about the rights of an arrested person.

Police officers have every right to conduct security investigations, arrest someone and arraign them in court. What is not happening, and through the Chair, is that whenever these arrests are done, police officers use unmarked vehicles and forcefully arresting them, some of them in front of their families. Once they are arrested, they do not tell the family that they are

Thank you. The Hon. Guyo Jaldesa Member for Moyale Constituency. You want to add your voice into this?

Yes. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As you acknowledged, it is not the Vice-Chair who wrote the statement, but it is quite disturbing that many of our citizens are picked by the security agencies and there is no trace of them. It is not one, two or three, there are many. It is quite disturbing that people are disappearing in the hands of security agencies. Instead of security agencies protecting us, they are our cause of suffering. There are many statements being asked to the committee to say where this and this person is and we are not getting the response.

My plea to the Committee is that whenever questions are raised, they should get to the bottom of them and get us the answers. Thank you.

Thank you. Hon. Members, I direct that this matter is handled by inviting the Cabinet Secretary to the Committee and having the matter prosecuted because the matter is weighty. On this day, inform the other Hon. Members who have raised similar statements and questions so that they can be consolidated and so that you can see whether you can handle the matter in a more conclusive manner. Thank you.

Next Order.

The Chairperson, Committee on Delegated Legislation, Hon. Chepkonga you may proceed.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Committee on Delegated Legislation on its consideration of…

Order, Hon. Chepkonga. Just take your seat.

Hon. Jayne Kihara, do you have a point of order?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I request for your direction. On 30th July 2026, I made a request for a Statement regarding the upgrading of Kinungi-Maraigushu Road to bitumen standards to the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Roads and Transport and he said that he would give me an answer in two weeks. Up to now, I have not received any response. On Tuesday, I raised this issue with the Temporary Speaker,

Thank you, Hon. Jayne Kihara. There was a commitment already made that this was going to be responded to today. So, I direct that it be responded to next week. The Leader of the Majority Party or his representative, kindly let this information be passed to the Chair.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I was left behind to hold brief for all of them, including the Whips and the Leader of the Majority Party. So, I take note and I will communicate to the Chair, Hon. George Kariuki (GK).

Thank you. Now you may proceed with your Motion.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Committee on Delegated Legislation on its consideration of the Draft Privileges and Immunities (Africa Finance Corporation) Order, 2026, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 13th October 2026, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 17 of the Privileges and Immunities Act, Cap 179, approves the Draft Privileges and Immunities (Africa Finance Corporation) Order, 2026. This Order was forwarded to the Committee on Delegated Legislation and it is in draft form as required by the law. Every Order that seeks to give immunities to anybody, corporate or otherwise, must be tabled in this House and approved by the House in a draft form.

This draft Order was then forwarded to the Committee on Delegated Legislation to consider its contents and we invited the responsible regulatory making authority, the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Musalia Mudavadi who appeared before the Committee to present the draft Order to grant immunities to Africa Finance Corporation.

The Order is seeking to grant immunities to Africa Finance Corporation pursuant to Section 17 of the Privileges and Immunities Act, Cap 179. The Africa Finance Corporation was established in 2007 by African States to close the infrastructure gap financing in the African continent. It now operates in over 49 African countries and has invested more than US$18 billion – part of it in Kenya – in energy, transport, telecommunication and industry. The most famous one is the current investment ongoing in the East African Refineries that the Africa Finance Corporation has taken the lead. They are also financing and collating finances for the construction of the new airport at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. This is a very important institution.

Kenya became a member of the Africa Finance Corporation on 7th June 2017 and this House approved the ratification of the establishment agreement on 8th April 2025. Today, Kenya holds 6 per cent shareholding in the Corporation. We are an interested party in the Africa Finance Corporation.

On the 23rd April 2026, the Government and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) signed a host country agreement for the establishment of the regional office in Nairobi. It may be of interest to this House that this will be the first regional office to be established by AFC outside Lagos, Nigeria where it is headquartered at the moment. Although we have 49 countries as members, they have chosen Nairobi as their regional hub for Eastern and Central Africa.

The Africa Finance Corporation informed the Committee that it is targeting to raise about 260 billion in additional investment through the Nairobi office. So, this office is extremely important and significant for Kenya. As you know, in Sessional Paper No.9 of 2025, the Government deliberately decided that it will encourage a number of institutions to establish

Proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. With that elaborate summation by the Chair of the Committee, I have very little to add. It is worth noting that an agreement between Kenya and AFC has already been entered into, and it is a requirement of the law, as a formality, that an Order be extracted pursuant to that Agreement. That is why, because we are now obligated to follow the law in terms of privileges and immunities, as provided for under the Privileges and Immunities Act, we are before this House. I believe the immense advantages that will come with the kind of investments that will take place in this country will largely benefit Kenyans.

I beg to second. (Question proposed)

Yes, the Member for Bondo?

Nyando.

Nyando?

Yes. And our deal remains undisturbed.

Yes.

I thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. My very able Chair and his Deputy have both done justice to this Report. I support the privileges and immunities that the AFC is seeking. This is going to be one of, probably the only, Pan-African banks that will address the plight of Africans.

Firstly, it will be the second office after its headquarters in Nigeria, and this is the one that will handle Eastern and Central Africa. You can only imagine the countries that will be trooping into this country in a bid to persuade this bank either to lend them money or to undertake business transactions with them within the Republic of Kenya.

I have walked this journey alongside members of the Committee on Delegated Legislation, from the Host Country Agreement to the negotiations with the bank itself through

Hon. Julius Sunkuli.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thought I was going to speak to the next one.

I see your name here.

That is right. As a member of the Committee on Delegated Legislation, I support the Motion for adoption of this Report. The AFC is going to play a very important role in the development of Kenya. As already stated, they are going to play a role in the establishment of the East African refineries. It will be a corporation which a lot of finances will be deposited into when it comes to development of our infrastructure. The privileges they are requesting for are pursuant to an agreement we already entered into. The Kenyan Parliament has already approved the agreement between Kenya and the Africa Finance Corporation, rendering it a treaty that has now been domesticated. Bringing into effect of Section 9 of the Privileges and Immunities Act is actually a way of implementing the treaty. This country will not be the first to do that. Nigeria and several other countries have already done it. I think 49 countries in Africa have already done it. We do not want to be left behind.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to support.

Hon. Bashir.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. At the outset, let me say that I support this Motion, which is basically asking that we approve the minimum privileges to be accorded to the AFC. The AFC is currently based in Nigeria. They are now planning to open the second largest regional office in Kenya. It will become the second regional office after Nigeria. There are a number of advantages that come with such a body operating or opening offices in Kenya. Remember, we signed the host agreement with AFC. This House even ratified the initial agreement.

The host country agreement?

Yes. Initially, this House also approved the ratification of the agreement. Kenya joined in 2017. What we are asking for is not something new. Remember, we have multinational organizations like the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the United Nations, hosted in Kenya. All those institutions enjoy certain privileges and immunities, which is nothing different from the Africa Finance Corporation.

In fact, this is so African that it will assess the requirements and necessities of African countries. Most importantly, we have often said that we should buy from Africa and produce for Africa. Here is an institution that says, "I have come here to establish a headquarters so that I can lend to private entities and governments to build infrastructure." The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) is now the biggest lender for the oil refinery in Lamu, which is a huge project. Their presence here, and having the oil refinery underway, matters a great deal. As a country, we own six per cent of the shares. Therefore, this institution is Kenyan and African- owned. Thus extending certain privileges and immunities is not just a favour; it is them saying, "We are part of you as a country and as Africa."

The advantages of having this institution here are many. We will have employment opportunities in certain sectors. This will lead to businesses, rentals, and many other economic activities. Above all, we are witnessing the largest infrastructure development in Lamu, valued at Ksh2.2 trillion, supported by the AFC. We do not have the latitude or the luxury to afford not to grant them the privileges and immunities that they are requesting. We are part of the AFC. It is an African entity that supports Africa. Therefore, I urge this House to approve the

Is Hon. Paul Mwirigi in the House? Where is he?

Proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Motion regarding the draft of privileges and immunities for the AFC. The AFC wants to establish its headquarters in Nairobi. The establishment of a regional headquarters in Nairobi will bring many privileges for the people of Kenya, including employment.

His Excellency the President has been heard across the globe advocating for Kenya, specifically for Nairobi to be the hub of finance. The privileges that the AFC is requesting will not hinder the operation of the law of the Republic of Kenya. If traffic offences occur, they will be treated like Kenyans. When it comes to paying taxes, they will be treated as Kenyans. All they are requesting is the approval of the treaty we signed with them.

We have heard that they are currently financing many projects in Kenya, such as the ongoing construction of the oil refinery in Lamu. They will partner with the private sector where when the private sector seeks a loan, they will offer it at a reasonable rate.

This is a good Motion. It will encourage Kenya to host more financing entities within the country because the funding that will flow through this bank will also contribute to the growth of the economy of the Republic.

With those few remarks, I beg to support.

Very well. There does not seem to be much more interest in this debate. Under the circumstances, I have no option but to call upon the Mover to reply.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to sincerely thank those Members who have ably contributed to this Motion. All that has been said is relevant to the Motion. It has enriched the discussion. As it has been pointed out, the establishment of the AFC in Kenya is one of the most significant milestones in this country in terms of attracting multilateral financial institutions to our nation.

With those remarks, I beg to reply.

Fair enough. (Question put and agreed to)

Hon. Chairperson, proceed and move the Motion.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Committee on Delegated Legislation on its consideration of the Draft Privileges and Immunities (Ford Foundation) Order, 2026, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 13th October 2026, and pursuant to the provisions of section 17 of the Privileges and Immunities Act, Cap 179, approves the Draft Privileges and Immunities (Ford Foundation) Order, 2026.

For the benefit of the Chair, do you have a list of those ten regional offices?

No, I do not have. We were told, but owing to the passage of time, I lost my memory. However, my colleagues will contribute to this debate, particularly Hon. Jared Okello, who has lived in the United States of America (USA) for many years. He is more acquainted with the Ford Foundation. I will request him to second, and while at it, he will provide that information.

The Committee considered the Draft Privileges and Immunities Order submitted to this House and referred to it. In doing so, it examined the various issues contained in the Order. The Order is only about seven paragraphs granting immunities to the Ford Foundation. It seeks to extend the privileges contained in Part I of the Fourth Schedule of the Act to the Foundation.

The Order also seeks to extend to the Foundation's officials the privileges contained in Part III of the Schedule. I am certain that Members are asking themselves, and rightly so; how Kenya gains from this relationship with the Ford Foundation and what protection Kenya has in respect of the activities that the Foundation undertakes. As you are aware, there were numerous allegations made against this institution, including allegations that it sponsored the Gen-Z protests in 2024, during which, unfortunately, they invaded Parliament.

The Committee was keen to establish the veracity of those allegations. We, therefore, put the Ford Foundation and the Prime Cabinet Secretary to task. We reminded the Prime Cabinet Secretary that “his government” had alleged that the Ford Foundation had contributed significantly to the Gen-Z movement in 2024. Hon. Jared Okello was particularly firm in putting pointed questions to the Prime Cabinet Secretary regarding the Foundation’s role in the Gen-Z uprising of 2024.

As we are aware, the furniture in this House was extensively destroyed. If one went to the restaurant, they would hardly recognise it as the same institution they were having lunch only a few minutes earlier. We amended the Finance Act and removed all the contentious provisions. However, Kenyans remained unconvinced that we had done the right thing. They did not want to hear anything about that Finance Bill.

I recall that after working hard in this House to remove all the contentious clauses from the Bill, I left the Chamber to have my lunch. As I was eating, I suddenly turned and saw people

Hon. Jared Okello, you are reputed to be an expert in bilateral and multilateral organizations having lived in the West in your former years in the university and afterwards. I request that you tell us the benefits that Kenyans are currently enjoying with the Ford Foundation. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also lend to the government and have presence here, including regional offices. Tell us the benefits of these organizations to Kenya. It would be fair that you enumerate on all those benefits.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank you once again for giving me an opportunity. The issues are actually cross-cutting. If you look at what is enshrined in the agreement of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), in terms of requests, and juxtapose that with the requests of the Ford Foundation, the issues are similar in nature. It is, however, important to note that the Ford Foundation is exactly 90 years since it was created in the United States of America. Henry Ford, the maker of Ford vehicles, together with his son, Edsel, came together and contributed their first US$25,000 to address issues of human needs. So, the Ford Foundation has been a philanthropic organization since 1936. To date, it is exactly 90 years. I wonder why it has taken this long for Kenya to grant immunities and privileges to the Ford Foundation, something that we ought to have done at the outset.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I know you know that in the United Kingdom, only the House of Lords would sit to determine the destiny of Great Britain. That is why it is called the House of Lords. However, the commoners said that they would not pay taxes without representation. That created the House of Commons, which is now a House that talks about issues of commoners because the Lords were considered to be those who were elites—the oligarchs of their societies. Therefore, if you were to tinker with any element around taxation, it has to refer back to representation. That is why the Ford Foundation, for example, as they seek these immunities, the matter must come before us to make that determination because we represent the taxpayers and the people whose taxes are used to provide services to them as citizenry.

The Ford Foundation has existed in this country for too long. Firstly, the present American Administration has walked back on its funding to philanthropic organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). A lot of our health facilities were being funded in terms of programmes through USAID. When President Trump came into office, he said that he would scrap all the responsibilities that were being undertaken by USAID and cut back on funding and dealing directly with governments. You remember that one of the seven first African countries to be expended monies through health fund from the United States of America was Kenya. So, Kenya has remained a beneficiary of direct funding from the American Government when they cut back on USAID. However, the USAID also had other donors apart from the government funding.

There are philanthropists who have a lot of money, which they want to make it available to help human needs across the globe. That is how the Ford Foundation comes into play at this critical juncture when USAID and other organizations that were funded by government have been rendered, I would say, useless by the American Government. The Ford Foundation works with government organizations and the private sector. There are many organizations they have

Give him two more minutes.

I thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Ford Foundation will work with a lot of organizations within our country to ensure that we have people who are enlightened on matters elections as we get into the year 2027. We have had two organizations here representing political parties in the United States of America - the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the Republican Institute (RI). These organizations have worked with our political parties but they have also suffered funding deficits because of the new rule as advanced by President Donald Trump. So, these are areas where the Ford Foundation will come in to fill the gap so that all these important activities are never taken away because at the end of the day, we need them.

Apart from civic education, they also fund certain development programs within our country, including water and healthcare projects, which are very important. They also sponsor students to study at various universities across the globe. The advantages accruing out of the Ford Foundation cannot be underscored. Therefore, if the immunities we have just granted to the Africa Finance Corporation can as well be extended to the Ford Foundation, the gap left by bigger players like USAID, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and others will now be filled by Ford Foundation, to address the plight of our citizens.

Thank you for the opportunity. I second.

Okay. Your Chairperson was very confident that you were going to give a list of the countries you will be visiting when you... Fair enough. (Question proposed) Hon. Jaldesa, is your intervention on another matter or do you wish to contribute to this? (Hon. (Prof) Guyo Jaldesa spoke off the record) Okay, fair enough. Hon. Julius Sunkuli.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, in supporting the Motion, I wish to state that I also sit in the Committee on Delegated Legislation. When these regulations were brought before us, I can guarantee you that we did not complete working on them in one day. The most important question we asked ourselves was the same one you are asking. We were being asked to grant privileges and immunities to the Ford Foundation, and we wanted to know what for. What have they achieved in Kenya?

We are also doing this against the backdrop of the reputation that the Ford Foundation has. The Ford Foundation presents itself as a philanthropic organisation that looks after justice, inequalities, and the democratic space in the Republic of Kenya and worldwide. Its profile includes support for civil society bodies and other organisations that are pro-democracy. They address the intangible contributions to the development of our societies, which do not necessarily impact on Government projects. They operate on the side of civic education. However, this has presented a number of problems in the past.

As I stated, the Ford Foundation has a reputation of trying as much as possible not to align itself with positions taken by the Government. After Kenya African National Union (KANU) was defeated in the elections, I wanted to go to New Orleans to study legislative drafting. I applied to the Ford Foundation for a scholarship, and there was an indication that I would receive it. However, perhaps, because of my former ministerial position…

Political persuasion at the time. You were a diehard.

Yes. I think there was also a perception that Ministers make money. I wanted to go and study, but that was the alignment and reputation the Foundation had acquired. As the Chairperson of our Committee, Hon. Chepkonga, has just stated, there were many issues we thought about when the Gen Z situation arose in our country. We asked the Prime Cabinet Secretary what exactly the Ford Foundation does and why it should be granted these privileges. We were eventually convinced and we supported it, for two reasons.

First, the Prime Cabinet Secretary informed us, and I believe this is now the Government's policy, that many organisations will seek these privileges. Instead of us in future dealing with these applications a la carte, the Government intends to introduce a Bill on privileges and immunities that will dictate the parameters for granting them, so that not every organisation comes and asks for privileges. The proposed Act will specify the exact requirements an organisation must meet to qualify for these privileges and the do not dos. If this country is to become a hub, as we intend, attracting people from Geneva and New York to Africa, because Kenya is taking that space, then the regulations we make should not discourage these organisations but instead encourage them. The Ford Foundation stands to benefit from us because we do not want to make regulations that will chase away organisations that we perceive are not necessarily in our favour. That is the first parameter.

The second parameter is that if we grant the Ford Foundation some of these privileges, we will now be in a position to ask it to become more transparent and make its results more measurable. As things stand, we are not quite sure whether we can call it transparent or whether its results can be measured. However, once we bring them into our own purview of privileges and immunities, we will be better placed to engage them on matters that can be for the better of this country. Because we want to govern justly, let us allow the Ford Foundation to enjoy these immunities but demand of them in the future, to become more productive and transparent. The organisations it supports should also be more accountable to the citizens of Kenya.

There is no question that this will open the floodgates to applications. The moment you open this avenue, we can expect the Heritage Foundation, the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and numerous British organisations to seek the same. There are also privileges that come with host country agreements for organisations that are neither bilateral nor multilateral bodies. Nonetheless, you must have done your work very well. Let us address those when the appropriate time comes. I talk about these things because, in addition to chairing this Sitting, I am also the Member of Parliament for Dadaab, and I would clearly have loved to be on the other side so that I could expound on a lot of my reservations.

However, I want to believe that Hon. Chepkonga and his Committee have conducted an exhaustive review, and we will see the Bill again. I get the feeling that… Hon. Mwirigi, are you interested in contributing on the same? (Hon. John Paul Mwirigi shook his head) Okay. Under the circumstances, I will call upon the Mover to reply.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I would like to thank the Hon. Members who have contributed to this Motion. It is very important to our country as we will get some benefits from hosting the Ford Foundation in Nairobi and enable it to establish its regional headquarters for Eastern Africa.

You requested to know where the other 10 Ford Foundation offices are located, including their headquarter. The headquarter is based in New York. This brings the total to 11 offices, although it also has other offices outside New York.

Ten in other locations all over the world.

Ten to be precise. The first office is in Bogotá, Colombia. The next is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, followed by Beijing, China. The next one is ours. Nairobi represents the Eastern Africa Region. Then we have Nepal in India; Jakarta in Indonesia; Mexico City in Mexico, for Central America; Cairo in Egypt representing, the Middle East and North Africa; Johannesburg in South Africa, representing the Southern Africa Region; and, finally, Lagos in Nigeria, representing West Africa. So, you can see how important Kenya is in the triangle for Africa. The four important centres in Africa are Cairo, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Nairobi. Without Nairobi, they would not have been in good standing. It was, therefore, important for them to be here.

As you know, we are hosting the other United Nations agency outside New York, that is, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The other one is in Geneva. There have been frequent attempts from developed countries to take UNEP to their own countries. The last one was by Germany. After the unification of East and West Germany, there were many buildings which remained empty. So, they said, ‘why do you want to struggle with the infrastructure of Nairobi? Bring it to Bonn, where we have good infrastructure’. The African countries put up a brave defence to defend the presence of UNEP in Nairobi as the only other United Nations agency. You know there are three arms. This was the second one and the other is in Geneva. They would have taken from a developing country and had all of them in developed countries. It is, therefore, important that we continue to support the establishment of headquarters by such institutions.

With those remarks, I beg to reply.

It is not headquarters. You are just basically extending privileges to the staff who are in this regional office.

Absolutely, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I know you are very conversant with some of these matters.

Thank you.

You sat in the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs. Thank you. I beg to reply. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order.

Hon. Members, I am informed that the Chairperson and critical Members of that Committee are not in the House, so I direct… (Hon. Umulkher Harun spoke off the record) Yes. Are you moving this one?

Yes.

You are a Member of that Committee?

She is the Vice-Chair.

Oh, she is the Vice-Chair. Okay. Fair enough. The information I was given from the Clerks-at-the-Table was different. Proceed and move it. Do you have a Member to second you?

Yes.

Okay, proceed.

We are a very organised Committee.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Fourth Report of the Constitutional Oversight Committee, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 19th November 2025, on the Status of Implementation of the Constitution by –

Hon. Prof Guyo Jaldesa.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I wish to second this Motion.The Report arises from the IEBC and ODPC between September and October 2025 to assess the status of implementations of the constitutional mandates and the impediments faced.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the enquiry revealed that there were critical funding shortfalls at the IEBC for the 2027 General Election and pending bills. There is an overdue boundary delimitation following the lapse of Article 89 of the Constitution window and limited diaspora registration.

There is also the law compliance by the political parties with ODPC registration requirement and capacity gaps in both institutions, thereby threatening electoral integrity and data privacy. The Committee, deeply concerned by these findings, recommended a suit of legislative, administrative, and resource actions. Key among them being adequate and prioritised budgetary allocation to the IEBC and the ODPC together with operationalisation of the IEBC Fund.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, there is also urgent legislative alignment of election laws with the Data Protection Act in cooperation with mutual legal assistance provisions and expedited registration and full compliance by political parties and the IEBC with ODPC requirement ahead of 2027. There is also expansion of the diaspora voter registration and realisation of inclusive voting rights, including for persons with disabilities and inmates, investment in technical capacity, updated guidance, and public awareness by the ODPC with a 12-month review of implementation progress.

The Report is not anti-institution but pro-accountability and pro-implementation. Kenya’s electoral democracy and the constitutional right to privacy is dependent on well- resourced, independent, and compliant institutions. Partnership with these bodies must be anchored in timely resource, clear legal framework, and respect for their mandates.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. (Question proposed)

I do not see any interest in this Motion. Hon. Members, this being a Motion, the Mover can choose not to reply. (Question put and agreed to)

I am made to understand that the relevant Chairperson of this Committee is not in the House. I, therefore, direct that this matter be placed in the Order Paper at a future date when the Hon. Chairlady and her Committee Members can prosecute the Motion.

Next Order.

I am made to understand that this Motion is supposed to be moved by the same Hon. Chairlady of the Special Funds Accounts Committee. I, therefore, direct that this matter be placed in the Order Paper at a date in future when the Hon. Chairlady and her Committee Members can prosecute the Motion.

Next Order.

Hon. Chairman, move the Motion.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education on its examination of Audited Financial Statements of Institutions of Higher Learning (Eastern Region) for the Financial Years 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 31st March 2026. The Committee examined a total of 57 reports of the Auditor-General which covered about 18 institutions comprising five universities and 13 Technical Training Institutes (TTIs). The universities covered included Tharaka University, Chuka University, University of Eldoret, Machakos University and Southeastern Kenya University (SEKU). Among the TTIs, we looked at Nachu Technical and Vocational College (WTVC), Wote Technical Training Institute (WTTI), Meru National Polytechnic(MNP), Chuka Technical and Vocational College (CTVC), Kaelo Technical Training Institute (KTTI), Tigania East Technical and Vocational

Yes, Hon. Mwenje.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. One of the things that is important to note is that TVETs are the foundation of youth empowerment in this country. We have a lot of youths across the country looking for skills, looking to do short courses and looking to get diplomas. In fact, one of the constituencies that lacks TVETs is my constituency. Currently, we are building one using National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) because we feel it will help our youth going forward by equipping them with skills.

One of the events that is coming up soon that will give an opportunity for our youths is the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia. They will be building a whole new infrastructure like they did in Qatar, only bigger. They will need plumbers, workmen, or what we call fundis and all sorts of people who can do some of these jobs that do not require you to necessarily have a degree. It means there is a whole market that is just going to open here. Saudi Arabia is much closer than even going to Dubai and Qatar. We have an opportunity to equip these young men and women with skills and also other courses that will help them in their future.

In order for these institutions to flourish and in order for them to give value to Kenyans, we need to fund them. One of the things that we noticed was capitation. On capitation across all these institutions, the Auditor-General flags a budgetary control and variances either on receivables or payments that are supposed to go out. And no matter how well they try to balance the budgets, they just cannot get it right because they are just not getting the capitation that is required. One of the things that we really need to sit down as a House is ensure that the funding that we are sending to the education sector really caters for these institutions because it is not everybody who is supposed to go to university. We have got into a trend where we are trying

I like it when you talk about integrating Kenyans so that we have a rainbow wherever we go. You would be surprised that a few days ago, I was somewhere in Laikipia and saw a school named Bungoma Secondary School. Are we establishing enclaves that reproduce our divisions wherever we go, or are we integrating? I think there has to be a new philosophical approach to integration. We have a problem, and I agree with you. (Question proposed)

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order, Hon. Mwenje?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, given the fact that the contributions are already made, I rise pursuant to Standing Order 95 and request that you invite the Mover to reply. Thank you.

We do not need that because, if nobody is interested in contributing, there is no need to invoke the Standing Order. In any case, Prof. Jaldesa is behind you. Proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Educational institutions are the cornerstone of this nation’s future. If we protect our educational institutions, we are protecting the future of the country. The Committee found, many institutions do not have land that has been surveyed, marked or fenced. That means an institution is effectively occupying land whose ownership has not been established in its name. We need to make an effort to ensure that the land on which institutions are based, are registered and surveyed in the name of the respective institution and fenced to protect it from encroachment by other people.

The issue of bringing people together as a nation is also important. The tradition of the old national schools, where students and teachers came from all parts of the country, should be maintained, encouraged and supported. For those reasons, I also support the Motion.

Thank you.

The question may be whether government buildings have title deeds. Does the Office of the President have a title deed? What do we have for government houses? Does the land occupied by the Provincial Commissioner, or rather the Regional Commissioner, in Kiambu, in the former Central Province, have a title deed? Most of those properties do not have one, if not all of them.

I am not sure whether the very old properties have title deeds, but I am not sure about the new ones either. They probably have a register of those government houses, as well as beacons and other records.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, if they do not have a title deed for that property, then the property does not belong to them.

That is why it is easier to dispose of land that is believed to be government land.

That is why, when you go to universities, you find squatters. People have taken over huge portions of land belonging to important universities and are farming on them. There is nobody responsible, and the institutions cannot prove that they own the land.

The problem is bigger than you think. All public institutions must hold title deeds. By public institutions, I mean public buildings including those in Nairobi. For example, the buildings which carry the Ministries of Health and Lands. Does anyone know whether those properties have title deeds? What about the buildings occupied by public officers throughout the country, including police officers, provincial administration staff, and District Commissioners? That is probably a matter for another day. Under the circumstances, I see no one else wishing to contribute to this matter. I will, therefore, put the Question. (Hon. Mark Mwenje spoke off the record) Yes, you had invoked Standing Order 95, which was not necessary. The Mover may now reply.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take note of your observations that most of the land in Kenya, particularly land occupied by government institutions…

That is why it was easy to parcel out land to friends. Kilimani and Kileleshwa, along with many other leafy suburbs, used to accommodate government officers. I grew up in this country when being a District Officer was a significant position; these officers were allocated large plots of more than half an acre in Nairobi and other areas. Those plots have all since been given away to individuals. I know that for a fact.

It is on that basis that my Committee took special note of the fact that most of the land occupied by educational institutions is not titled, and we have made our recommendations.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to reply. Thank you. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order.

I am informed that the Chairperson of this Committee is not in the House. I, therefore, direct that this matter be listed on the Order Paper for an appropriate future date to allow the Chairperson and the Committee to prosecute the Motion

Next Order.

Hon. Members, I also understand that the Chairperson of the Special Funds Accounts Committee is not in the House to prosecute this Motion. So, I direct that this matter be listed on the Order Paper at an appropriate future date for the Chairperson of this Committee and the Members to prosecute this Motion.

Hon. Members, under the circumstances, there being no other business to transact this Afternoon, and the time being 1750 hours, or rather 5.50 p.m., this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, 21st October 2026 at 9.30 a.m. (The House rose at 5.50 p.m.)