Thursday, 26th March, 2026

Order, Senators. When there is any procession, you must be very attentive and respect the Chair.

Clerk, do we have quorum?

Serjeant-at-Arms, kindly ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.

Sen. Maanzo and Sen. Mutinda, approach the Chair.

Hon. Senators, we have quorum. Let us start the business of the day. Clerk, please, read out the first Order.

There is a notice of Motion from Sen. Karungo Thang’wa. Is he in the House?

Okay, then we defer that business.

Next Order.

Hon. Senators, we have several statements under Standing Order No.53 (1) . We will start with the Senator for Tana River County, Sen. (Dr.) Danson Mungatana.

Sen. Mundigi, I can see you are preparing yourself. Is it the Statement for the Senator from Tana River that you want to give?

The statement is deferred.

Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to request for a Statement on the implementation, county coverage and sustainability of the NYOTA project.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on a matter of national concern regarding the Implementation, County Coverage, Sustainability and Policy Framework on the NYOTA Project.

The NYOTA Project aims to enhance employment opportunities, foster enterprise development, advance skills and promote economic inclusion for the youth in Kenya. In light of the significant levels of youth unemployment throughout the nation, it is essential for the Senate to be informed about the degree of implementation of the project across the counties, the criteria employed in its rollout, the long-term sustainability of the project and the policy framework that govern its execution.

In the statement, the committee should address the following –

Statement by Sen. Hamida Kibwana is also deferred.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Labor and Social Welfare on a matter of countrywide concern regarding the grievances presented by nurses in Laikipia County, which have culminated in the issuance of strike notice effective 23rd March, 2026.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the persistent challenges facing nurses, including stalled recruitment, unlawful contractual engagements, delayed promotions, salary arrears and inadequate working conditions have eroded morale and compromised service provision. Unless addressed, these unresolved labor issues risk prolonged disruption of health services with dire consequences for the people of Laikipia County.

In the statement, the committee should address the following-

Our technical team should improve on the sound system.

Yes, Sen. Sigei.

Similarly, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as you direct on improvement of the sound system, this gadget is also not updated. We decided to go paperless, but unfortunately, the Order Paper that I have in my gadget indicates 25th. The clerks do not have any printout. This means I am still in yesterday’s session.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you might also need to give further directive to that effect, so that we are all up to date in what we are doing.

What is it, Sen. Cherarkey?

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, yesterday, we raised a point of order under Article 118 of the Constitution and Standing Order No.1. We had similar problems and the Temporary Speaker, Sen. Veronica Maina, gave direction on usage of these gadgets because they have become inefficient. It is like we are going back to pre- industrial era before technology came in.

We raised issues of disruption of the sound system, television screens, live coverage and usage of these gadgets that do not even have the interface. If you check the HANSARD, you will see that yesterday in the evening, we went ahead to request that an internal Information Technology (IT) audit should be done on these machines when we go on recess, so that they address the issue of efficiency. Even if you open them, by the time you access a document in these gadgets, it is like a husband hiding a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the wife. It takes time for you to access.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you need to make a pronouncement. Let the Commission return the iPads. When we come back after Easter Holiday, we should get the latest iPads. Sen. Osotsi is an expert and I know he was willing to volunteer in terms of assisting this House to do that.

Sen. Wamatinga and Sen. Joyce should be held accountable for this inefficiency that we are experiencing in the House. I know that Sen. Joyce has really worked hard. It is Sen. Wamatinga---

Order, Sen. Cherarkey. I am happy that you have mentioned that my colleague, who was the Chair yesterday, gave some direction and we stand by that. Personally, I could not hear Sen. Kinyua very well and I stated so because he was straining to read his Statement. If there is some direction that was given by the Chair yesterday evening, then we should go by that. The most important thing is to make sure that our gadgets---

Order, Sen. Cherarkey. Do you think I cannot see what you are seeing? This is what I would like to say as the Chair of this sitting. Senators should be facilitated to get all the documents that have been uploaded to the system because we are here to transact important business for Kenyans. Let the technical team work on the gadgets and make sure that the Order Paper and any other information that Senators---

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would have felt bad if you did not give me an opportunity to seek clarification because this is a question that we--- You have been my neighbour and we have suffered with you here.

Even before this matter is addressed as Sen. Cherarkey has mentioned, there is something that I would like your immediate intervention, especially on this particular gadget because we struggled with you here. If I am given the microphone to seek, for example, a clarification or point of order or even if I was on the queue to make a contribution on the Motion, once I am given the microphone, I can no longer remain on the queue. You know we have struggled with this question.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, even before this matter is addressed, at your level, because you are the person who gives people the Floor, if I was ahead of other Senators and I am about to speak, you should use that latitude to allow me.

As the Chair, as we improve this system, there is also something that must be done. If the list is here, I should know that the next person to speak is, for example, Sen. Maanzo or Sen. Nyutu. How can you say that I cannot catch your eye when I am the next person? It does not give you the latitude as the Chair of the session to say it is so-and-so to speak.

The clarification I wanted to seek and the support that I wanted is---

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, please, protect me.

Could you conclude your issue? Do not listen to any other Senator.

I am just surprised that it is your Member of the Speaker’s Panel that is disrupting me. If it were Sen. Wamatinga, that could have been another issue.

This is what I wanted to say. Once I have been given the Floor to, for example, seek a clarification or raise a point of order, you should not disrupt the queue for me to make a contribution either on a Motion or a Bill.

I am told that the system is being improved every day. Therefore, issues that you are raising are on record.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to inform Sen. Methu that notwithstanding the queue which you can see from your end as well as a Member, it is upon the Speaker to pick from that pool who to allow to speak.

If one is allowed to make an intervention or a point of order, it means they exit from the queue because an opportunity has already been given to the Member to speak. In that case, they will be required to queue afresh for purposes of contributing to any other business being transacted. Otherwise, we, definitely, need to improve on this system.

Fair enough, Sen. Sigei. Commissioner Wamatinga, you have been mentioned by Sen. Cherarkey.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me this opportunity to further inform the House what we have is a highly advanced system.

Did you hear what he said about me?

Wait for the Commissioner to finish because we are seeking for a solution.

Who has given you the Floor? Please, sit down. Sen. Cherarkey, you know I have a lot of respect for you as my good friend and counsel at some point.

Have your seat, kindly. Resume your seat, Sen. Cherarkey.

Sen. Wamatinga, please conclude.

Thank you. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. As a software engineer and Sen. Osotsi can testify to this, our system must be adaptable moving forward. We can

upgrade as we move ahead, including the queue and the intervention. You must not have a button for everything. It allows creation of icons. Of course, we need also to take time and train the Senators on how to use this system.

Hon. Senators, I have categorically said that we need this system to be improved. While I am here as the Chair, if you have this display with you, this is not giving the Chair latitude to manage the House.

So, as you work on this system, Commissioner Sen. Wamatinga, make sure that the request list is blind to the Members. That is how the Chair can manage the House without any chaos and interference from the Members. This should be checked on.

Let us go to the next Statement by Sen. Alexander Mundigi.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, tell Sen. Cherarkey to keep quiet.

Order. Still, the system is not okay. The mic is not--- Can you use the Dispatch box?

Or we move to the National Assembly Chamber.

Hon. Senators, I want to reorganize the business appearing on our Order Paper. We will be coming back to the comments on statements, but first, I want us to do Order No.9.

Hon. Senators, we will go back to a session of 20 minutes on the comments on statements. Sen. Maanzo Daniel Kitonga, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to support the Statement by Sen. Methu. The NYOTA programme is clearly meant to assist Kenyans. This is money borrowed from the World Bank, which should be used for start-ups, especially for young people.

We are familiar with similar initiatives in the past, particularly during the Kibaki regime, where there was the Youth Enterprise Fund, which is still in existence. These monies are to be refunded after certain days. However, I take issue with how the monies were distributed and how they became politicised.

In some places, young people were required to wear the colours of a certain party before receiving the money. When it comes to national duty, everybody should be free. Those who did not support that party or did not want to wear those colours were discriminated against and excluded from the funds.

The second issue is how equitably the money was distributed. In my ward, Mavindini, in Makueni County, 51 young people were identified. They were transported to Machakos County, where the money was sent to their phones. Most of them since I know them, never went home with any money. In fact, the next day, they were calling people at home to send them fare to return.

I am sure Kshs20,000 can start a small business and grow it to a big business. We need to manage and have a way of identifying small existing businesses. Even if someone is roasting maize on the roadside, they should be developed and followed up by Government officers, the way it used to be done with the Youth Enterprise Fund.

We have many officers in the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry even up to the sub-county level. These young people can be managed properly. This will ensure that the money does not just disappear like part of the Hustler Fund. When we want to pay it back or account for it, there is no benefit that comes from it.

When small businesses start, in my opinion, they should grow so that they can pay taxes and refund the money to the public. To me, it has come out as a grant. I even engaged the Principal Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary in charge of this programme because I wanted to be satisfied with the answers at that time. The answers were not satisfactory. I look forward, when the Cabinet Secretary comes to answer this question on the Floor of the House, accompanied by the Principal Secretary. We should make it better for the future and not simply make it a campaign tool.

I thank you. I support the Statement.

Thank you, Sen. Maanzo. I did not make my position that you should take three minutes, but you have used exactly that. Any other Senator getting a chance to comment should use three minutes.

Proceed, Sen. Joe Nyutu.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to support the Statement by Sen. John Methu on NYOTA Fund. While we appreciate what this funding to youths is doing, we must ask ourselves important questions.

The first issue we must address is the cost-benefit analysis. Youths are being gathered from about three counties into one particular gathering held in one county. This makes the youths, sometimes accompanied by their parents and guardians, spend huge amounts of money on transportation.

The President has also been attending these functions where the monies are distributed, thereby incurring a lot of expenses, he does not have to attend these. We must ask ourselves, after a cost-benefit analysis, is it worth doing it the way we are doing it, or can we just disburse this money directly to the youths? Since we are doing it through their phones, can it not be coordinated by the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Cooperatives and MSMEs Development?

The other issue we must ask ourselves is the sustainability of this programme. This is funding from the World Bank. How will we continue providing these funds to the youth? I like what Sen. Methu wants the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare to do. How much more is the Government willing to set aside once the World Bank funds are depleted?

Finally, how do we identify the youths who benefit from this funding? Some counties have not received it.

Before my time elapses, I also want to support the Statement by the Senator for Laikipia County, Sen. John Kinyua, on police brutality. Police cannot just open fire on rioting students. They are trained to deal with riots and opening fire is not one of the ways they should act.

We forgive them because they have been given directives by the President to shoot youths in the legs. That is why we are seeing escalation, with police shooting even students. We must tell the President to withdraw his directive to the police to shoot at the legs because this is what is leading to irresponsible behaviour by---

This system is now on your gadgets. Sen. Olekina is not present. Sen. Beth Syengo is not present.

Sen. Osotsi Godfrey, you have the Floor.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me make my contribution on the Statement by Sen. John Methu on the NYOTA programme. This statement is very timely and well drafted by Sen. Methu, to address the concerns of many Kenyans, who would like to understand the sustainability of this fund. We appreciate that the money is being given to our youths, but how sustainable is it?

This fund is not given only to the Kenyan Government. Other countries have also received this money. Systems have been established by those countries and the World Bank to identify youths and seamlessly give them the funds required. However, we have been seeing a lot of drama in our counties, where this process has been politicised. Youth are carried from all parts of the county, put in a dome tent and then told how the Government is going to give them funds.

Another question that should have been raised by Sen. Methu is the glorification of NYOTA funds. However, we are forgetting that the Government put Kshs50 billion in a fund called Hustler Fund. No one is talking about the Hustler Fund. No one knows what is happening in that Hustler Fund. All we are told is that there are problems with recovery of the money.

Even as the Committee looks at the NYOTA issue, it is important that it also asks itself questions. NYOTA is a small fund compared to the billions put in the Hustler Fund. What is happening with the Hustler Fund? Where are the funds? Are they serving the purpose? How many youths have been given the money? How much has been loaned out? How much has been recovered? These are questions we expect the Government to answer, not to joyride on a World Bank project while their own project, Hustler Fund, has failed.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we need answers because you have not been able to recover the money. The other day I heard CS Oparanya saying he needs budgetary allocation, so that he can recover the money that has been lent out to the youth. This is a shame---

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you very much. Let me comment on the crisis in the health sector. I am disappointed. I want to agree with Sen. Kinyua on the issue of unresolved labour issues in Laikipia. I always say, what defines devolution is the issue of health. If health is dysfunctional, it will never--- I was shocked that in Kericho, the Government pathologist yesterday said they do not have much of the equipment to do the postmortem of the 33 bodies that were recovered. When you go to Nandi, they are being overworked, understaffed and underpaid. There were 2,000 staff and majority that were fired were from the health sector.

When you go to Elgeyo-Marakwet County, health workers have been on strike for 21 days, which is affecting health provision in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. Of course, Nairobi is also a growing concern. For the last 70 days, the health workers in this city have been on strike. The governor has decided not to give an ear to them. I hope on Monday, the Inspector General of Police will ensure he is frog-matched before the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) to answer to some of these issues.

Finally, on the NYOTA issue, I feel disappointed. I hope the Kenyan youth are watching that our colleagues from the Minority side are stating that the issues of youth

are so trivial that the President cannot give personal attention. It is embarrassing. This is because most of these people who are shouting use youth to mobilise them for political issues.

When the President gives the personal attention of ensuring that he gives them these grants through the NYOTA programme and the Hustler Fund, people like Sen. Osotsi want to hire youth to use them for mobilisation or political issues. We cannot allow--- The young people of this country are at the centre of the attention of the President. This issue of NYOTA---

Just a minute, Sen. Cherarkey. There is a point of order from Sen. Osotsi.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise under Standing Order No.105. The Senator for Nandi has made very serious allegations against me that I have been using youth for my own politics. Is he in order? Can he substantiate?

I never said that the President is not doing anything about the youth. I only questioned why a whole President is involved in merely distributing money by the World Bank. We have other presidents who have also received money for their countries, but we do not see these shenanigans around in those other countries.

So, what is your point of order? You know you cannot execute and debate your point of order.

Sen. Osotsi, you have been around for some time, so your point of order should be very clear and to the point.

Sen. Cherarkey, there is a point of order raised, so that you can substantiate the allegations that you have made against Sen. Osotsi.

There are many Osotsis in this country. I never said Sen. Osotsi. I have said the Osotsis of this world. They are saying the President’s personal attention to the youth does not matter. This is embarrassing and the young people---

Those are statements you can say on Sunday 29th, in Mombasa, not today. This is a House where we discuss.

I want to tell the young people, see your leaders, the Osotsis of this world who are taking advantage of young people. They feel jealous that the President is empowering young people.

Sen. Cherarkey, let me reason with Sen. Osotsi again. You have all the time. You are not in a hurry today.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you know, it is not fair to this House that even after I had risen on a point of order under Standing Order No.105, on statement of fact on what Sen. Cherarkey had said, he has continued to make further references to me. You know very well there is only one Osotsi in this House. He cannot avoid that by starting to mention the other Osotsis. The only Osotsi who is in Senate of the Republic of Kenya is one Godfrey Osotsi. Can he respond to my Standing Order No.105 request that he has to provide evidence in this House? He has to substantiate that Godfrey Osotsi has been---

Sen. Osotsi, let me help you further. Sen. Cherarkey, you know after I gave Sen. Osotsi an opportunity to contribute or to make

maybe a comment on the Statement, I immediately gave you the opportunity to make your comment on the Statement. Therefore, to me as the Chair, the Osotsi you are referring to is Sen. Osotsi and not any other Osotsi

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will request your guidance. Under Standing Order No. 101 (6) a Senator shall refer to another Senator by the title ‘Senator,’ then the name. I said ‘Osotsi,’ so I will need to be guided under the context of Standing Order No.101 (6) .

Then you are completely out of order if you referred to Sen. Osotsi as ‘Osotsi.’

I said ‘Osotsis of this world.’

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Cherarkey, the next thing I will do is to request the HANSARD immediately, which will be printed and brought before this House.

In fact, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I conclude my submissions, I would request that the HANSARD be produced because I said ‘Osotsis of this world.’ I am aware of Standing Order No.101 (6) that says a Senator shall be referred by the title ‘Senator.’ So maybe---

I have guided you that immediately I gave Sen. Osotsi the opportunity, I gave you the mic.

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Sifuna, just a moment. So, please, either substantiate or withdraw, or I will need the HANSARD before the end of this session.

I will need guidance under Standing Order No.101 (6) . I said ‘Osotsi;’ I did not say ‘Sen. Osotsi.’

You have been given guidance, Sen. Cherarkey. If you have finished your three minutes, I need the HANSARD produced.

Let me conclude by saying, because the light is still there, that this issue of using the Floor of the House to attack the President must stop. If these gentlemen want to discuss the President, they should bring a substantive Motion.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, why are you ignoring me? I had requested a point of order, but you are pretending that you cannot hear me. I know your ears are working.

Are you addressing the Chair? Do you have the mic?

I do not need the mic. I have a point of order.

Who is on the Floor? What do you want?

Proceed.

Bwana, we were all elected to this House. There is nobody who can threaten us here. Under the rules of this House, once you, as a Speaker, have given direction, if somebody does not comply with that direction, they are out of order, and there are consequences. You have asked the Senator from Nandi to withdraw or substantiate what he has made. He has not done that. Why are you pretending like you do not know what the consequences are, or you want me to read it for you?

I said Sen. Sifuna.

Just a minute. We are all subject to the same rules, the same laws. It upsets some of us when we see unequal application of the law. If it was Sifuna, if it was me, who had failed to comply with the directive of the Chair, I would already have been thrown out. We want fairness in the application of the law. We are saying there are specific consequences for refusal to listen to the directive of the Chair. Can those consequences now follow? Do not pretend you do not know the law.

What I request the Table to assist me to do is to get the HANSARD right away. I said that. Sen. Sifuna, I gave my direction as the Chair.

The Deputy Speaker (Sen. Kathuri) : Sen. Sifuna, have your seat and just relax.

before I leave this Chair, so that I can discipline Sen. Cherarkey squarely for that misconduct. I am on his case, so just relax. Give me the next 15 minutes.

I will also not tolerate snide remarks from the Chair, but what I am saying is this, we are all adults here, we know when games are being played. You are asking for a HANSARD when you know Sen. Cherarkey is playing games. There is only one Osotsi in this House. You have given the direction that he spoke after Osotsi spoke, so you know there are games being played. Why do you need the HANSARD? You have given a directive; let him follow the directive. I spend more time in this House than you, do not make it seem like I am in a hurry.

Sen. Sifuna, I have given my directive.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to contribute. I also want to start by contributing to the Statement by Sen. Kinyua from Laikipia. Indeed, the role of the nurses in this country, in any part of the world, is so essential that we cannot afford to take it lightly.

Therefore, I would want to put it before this House and to everyone in Kenya that we must look at the pride of the nurses in any part of the world. That becomes even more important, noting that health is devolved and, therefore, the services that we offer to our people at the grassroots level can only be promoted by us handling the issues of nurses’ rights and ensuring that they are treated well and they are given the life compensation, including listening to them.

Aside from that, I also want to contribute to the Statement read by the Senator of Nyandarua County, Sen. John Methu. Indeed, I want to start by quoting a Nigerian writer. When you see Kingsmen meet in a compound, it is not because the moon does not shine in their home. When you see the President calling the youth to dispense the money, it is not because that it cannot be done electronically. It is because it is important to walk with the youth, to tell them the journey that we walked, and most importantly, to encourage them.

We drive our kids to school. It is not that we do not have drivers or matatus that can drive them. Why we take that opportunity is because we want to interact with and guide them. I wonder why any leader in this House would stand up and say you cannot give the youth the priority, guidance, time and mentoring that they need.

In what the President does, I see a caring father who would want to work with the kids, with the young ones. For those who are saying this is little money, some of us started our lives with less than Kshs20,000, and we have made it as far as we are. Therefore, I would want to encourage, even those sitting on the opposition side, that let us not trivialise the issue of the youth. We know this is the next generation that will live in this country. Let us walk and invest time with them. They are not trivial even for the President. How I wish that he would get two or three hours every day, to talk with the next generation that will take this country forward.

It is regrettable that a leader, nominated, elected, or whatever they say, can stand up and say that the youth of this country do not matter. We are talking about the future of our country. They matter.

Mr. President, continue, even if it is 10 cents that you are dispensing. Talk to them as a father figure, because that is what the moral obligation and political responsibility that we owe to them.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity.

Sen. Boni Khalwale, please proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The issue raised by the Senator of Nyandarua County speaks to the important issue of equity. It speaks to the important issue of transparency in handling monies that will eventually require repayment by the taxpayers of Kenya, majority of whom, in excess of millions of people, will not have benefited. This is because this fund is a five-year fund meant to reach out to only 820,000 people.

The statement should be clear, whether the repayment will be with the rest of the taxpayers or just like the way we treat our university students. Only those who get loans are the ones who repay. If we can apply that to university students, why do we not design it, so that the youth who actually receive this money are the ones who will eventually repay from those businesses? You would not be asking for too much.

Secondly, the statement should bring out the selection criteria. The fact that the children apply online and then they are invited to come and collect the money does not guarantee that it is free and fair. It is quite possible that behind the screens, we could be having people manipulating, so that the people who benefit, benefit selectively.

Finally, on this point, I want to join all those who believe that doing politics with this money is wrong. It is wrong to do politics with this money because we know that in some of the rallies, millions of shillings are used on that day just to bring the politicians and their escorts. Those choppers that go to those functions, they are funded by taxpayers' money. Therefore, when we say we should not do politics with this, we are spot on.

There is no difficulty in this money being transferred digitally without all this hullabaloo that we all see that have no returns. Since I do not have the time, colleagues, you will be interested to know if you open the website that the money has gone to counties and there is a specification of how much money went where. The issue of equity demands that there be an explanation why certain counties receive less money and other counties get more money. It is all here on the website. We will insist, on behalf of the people of Kenya, that all Kenyan youth---

Sen. Mutinda, please, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. Let me start by commenting on the Statement by the Senator of Laikipia County, Sen. Kinyua, on the issue of nurses.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I sit in the Senate Committee on Health and I can attest that nurses in this country are doing a great job. The level of motivation should be the highest among the other departments and professionals. The issues that have been raised here should be immediately addressed because without nurses in our health sector, then we do not have a future as far as a healthy nation is concerned. So, it is a matter that should be quickly addressed by the leadership of that particular county.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, allow me to also give my input as far as the great NYOTA programme is concerned. I would like to appreciate the Senator of Nyandarua County, Sen. Methu, because in his Statement, he clearly indicates that the NYOTA Programme aims to enhance employment opportunities. Thank you, Sen. Methu, for realizing that this programme led by the President, Dr. William Ruto, has focused on enhancement of employment and fostering enterprise development. Sen. Methu realizes and acknowledges that this programme does foster this development, advances skills and promotes economic inclusion for the youth in Kenya.

I am glad that Sen. Methu appreciates that NYOTA Programme had high levels of importance and significance for the youth and was addressing youth unemployment throughout the nation. This is positive acknowledgement, although he has questioned on some of the nitty-gritties.

I would like to comment on the matter that has been raised on equitability. NYOTA Programme ensured that each ward had 70 youths who had an opportunity of fairness. There was no single corruption case on the beneficiary for the young people. It was a fair programme that you just needed to log in and you are able to be recruited. This programme ensured that they were given the entrepreneurial skills.

Which leader in this country, for Christ's sake, would not want to see the youth of this country getting transformed by none other than Dr. William Ruto? He has led that programme in each and every county. We, as leaders---

Hon. Senators, we had agreed on--- I know there is a queue, but I want to proceed in this manner: There is a Statement that was to be read by Sen. Hamida Kibwana, which I received a communication that Sen. Mutinda can do that in less than one minute.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. On behalf of my sister and good friend, Sen. Hamida Kibwana, allow me to prosecute her agenda on contamination of the Nairobi River with antibiotics and pharmaceutical waste.

I rise under Standing Order 53 (1) to seek a Statement on a matter of countywide concern from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources

regarding contamination of the Nairobi River and its tributaries with antibiotics and other pharmaceutical waste, which threaten human life, the environment and food safety.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, antibiotics and other pharmaceutical residues from hospitals, households and industries and other sources are finding their way into the Nairobi River system due to improper disposal practices and inadequate wastewater treatment.

In the statement, the committee should address the following-

Okay. Let us get the Statement under Standing Order 57 (1) .

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on behalf of the Leader of Majority, pursuant to Standing Order 57 (1) , I hereby present to the Senate, the Business for the Week commencing Tuesday, 31st March, 2026.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the legislative Business before the Senate is as follows- A total sum of 61 Bills are pending conclusion, of which 42 are at Second Reading, four of them have been listed in today's Order Paper for Division, 16 are at Committee of the Whole and three are awaiting First Reading, one of which is listed in today's Order Paper.

Twelve Motions are pending conclusion, seventeen Petitions are pending conclusion by respective Standing Committees of these Petitions and sixteen are due for reporting. A total sum of 485 Statements pursuant to Standing Order 53 (1) are under consideration by the Standing Committees.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, from the foregoing, Hon. Senators will observe that the business pending before the Senate remains quite high, with a number of Bills and Motions having been continuously listed in the Order Paper for some time without conclusion. This calls for Hon. Senators to prioritize attendance on the chambers so as to facilitate the consideration and conclusion of the pending Business.

I further implore Movers to be present to prosecute their business as scheduled in the Order Paper. The same applies to attendance at committee sittings in order to expedite the consideration of business pending before them.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, at the next sitting of the Senate on Tuesday, 31st March, 2026, the tentative business for the day will include business not concluded from today's Order Paper, as well as the business indicated in the Notice page. The tentative business for the Morning Sitting on Wednesday, 1st April, 2026, will include Questions to Cabinet Secretaries as approved by the Senate Business Committee, as well as Motions.

The Questions scheduled include-

Thank you. At this juncture, I will allow the Vice-Chairperson of the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) to lay a paper on the Table of the Senate and consequently, give notice of the same.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of the Senate today, Thursday, 26th March, 2026-

Volume one of the report of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee on the consideration of the reports of the Auditor-General on the financial statements of the following county executives for the year ended 30th June, 2025 - Vihiga, Kitui, Bungoma, Embu, Nyandarua, Mandera, Laikipia, Kwale, Meru, Bomet, West Pokot, Nyeri, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Narok and Machakos.

I thank you.

Proceed and give notice of motion.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, sir, I beg to give notice of the following Motion-

THAT, the Senate adopts volume one of the report of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee on consideration of the reports of the Auditor-General on the financial statements of the following county

executives for the year ended 30th June, 2025 laid on the Table of the Senate on Thursday, 26th March, 2026 - Vihiga, Kitui, Bungoma, Embu, Nyandarua, Mandera, Laikipia, Kwale, Meru, Bomet, West Pokot, Nyeri, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Narok, Machakos. I thank you.

Yes, Sen. Osotsi.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. That is CPAC tabling their papers. I just wanted to get clarification from you because 31st, next Tuesday, is the constitutional deadline for the Senate to consider, examine and take appropriate action on the audit report. I am concerned because today is Thursday and we will be breaking for the weekend. My committee has processed a number of reports, which I am told the Clerk presented for processing, and up to now, they are not ready. We seem to be running out of time.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, can you direct that the officers involved in processing the report to take into account that 31st is the last date, the same date that we are supposed to be presenting here a Motion on those reports. Today, I have sat here waiting to table the reports, which are nowhere. What is happening? Can you direct them to take their work seriously?

Chairperson County Public Investment and Special Funds Committee (CPISFC) , I will be consulting with the Clerk's office. I think they are also well informed that we have constitutional deadlines. So, we will be giving a way forward during this Session.

Clerk, let us have the next Order.

Sen. Boni, proceed.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, my concern is small, even almost looking like it is trivial, but very important. When children are brought to Parliament by their schools, their parents do it at great expense to sponsor those children. A pattern has formed in this House where, when children from private schools come here, they are readily acknowledged to plenary. From yesterday, three schools came and they were not acknowledged. Today, this is the third school in the House, which has not been acknowledged and yet, this is a big day in these children’s lives.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, would you clarify the criteria used to make a decision on which school will be introduced to the plenary and which one will not?

Thank you.

Well noted, Sen. (Dr.) Boni Khalwale, Senator for Kakamega County. Yes, that should be addressed. You have made a good observation. As much as we welcome our students, they really want to be appreciated, but I am handling with the relevant office.

So, hon. Senators, we will go back to Order No. 8.

Very well. Hon. Senators, looking at our order of business, from Order No.10 to Order No.22, I re-organise, so that we go to Order No.23.

Sen. Hezena had a balance of eight minutes to make her contribution, but using my good eyes, I do not see her in this House. So, this debate is open to whoever is interested to make his or her contribution.

Hon. Senators, you know when you want to catch the eyes of the Speaker, there is nothing called procedure in our Standing Orders, unless you are very clear on what you intend to do. I gave Sen. Boni Khalwale a chance because he mentioned procedure, but I gave him the opportunity because of his seniority. However, any other Senator---

Clarification, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Okay, proceed.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, my clarification is based on the system that is running in the House. You might notice that I was on the dashboard for quite some time on a point of intervention, but I could not catch your eye, or at least, I was not registered on your gadget because maybe the gadget is not configured to specify which intervention we are making. Maybe the gadgets are just there to---

Sen. Eddy Oketch, you know the former system better.

Exactly.

This is because it could---

Yes, it is good you acknowledge---

It could capture interventions and when Senators want to speak. Interventions were very clear. So, this system should be reconfigured.

I was seeking your attention on a point of intervention. In fact, I realise that when Sen. Boni Khalwale raised the issue that he raised, the students are actually behind you and you cannot see them because maybe there is no system for you to see them. The students will soon be leaving the House.

So, I would humbly request on that same point that, perhaps in courtesy that was extended by Sen. Boni Khalwale, you get to recognise them before they leave. I can observe up there that the Serjeant-at-Arms are moving in a way likely suggest that they will be sending those students out of the House soon.

I thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Yes, this afternoon, hon. Senators are really concerned about communication when our students visit. So, I request my assistants here to make sure that we have that communication to make. Also in future, as you have rightly observed, from the Chair, you cannot know what is happening behind me. So, maybe we also need, as they reconfigure this system, to make sure that there is a screen in front of the Chair, so that also he or she can observe what is happening at the Public Gallery.

Sen. Methu, proceed and make your clarification.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, I know that we have made a comment on this system and as we go out--- By the way, first, I must also inform this House that since I was sworn-in in September, 2022, today is the first time that I have been cautioned. I have never been disorderly in this House. Of course, I know why, but before then, I have been very patient because we can see the speaking list on this dashboard. I have been very patient, even when you have allowed other Members to speak and they are behind me, because it is your latitude. However, we are now at a point that I thought it was important that I raise this clarification from yourself, because you allowed Sen. Cherarkey to comment on the statements that have been sought.

I have been here, I have been queuing to make a statement, to give my comment on the other statements that have been sought. You did not allow me. You allowed other Senators who came after me. So, the clarification that I require from you, because you have now allowed Sen. Cherarkey to make a comment on the report, do I continue sitting and waiting or do these requests to speak make any sense to you? Do they make any sense to you? Do we need to actually queue---

You can make as much noise?

Sen. Methu, I can see you really want to engage the Chair. I gave you the last warning this afternoon, but I can see you still want to really be active on TikTok this evening. What I am saying is that we are done with that Order. We have really made a lot of progress.

So, whatever you are asking - can you sit down? You know, the Chair is never scared by the looks. We proceed with the next Order.

Sen. Hezena, can you utilise your eight minutes? We are doing serious business in this House.

Indeed, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

You will be heard uninterrupted for the next eight minutes.

You are right, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I was contributing on the report of the proceedings of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) conference on the role of parliaments in shaping the future of responsible AI held from 28th to 30th November, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

As I was saying before I was cut off, it is very sad that this very important conference did not take into consideration members of the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Committee of the Senate. None of us was even involved; neither was any of us who also sit in the committee for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) involved. It would have been important because at least we would

have come back with very substantive input for the legislative work that we have been prosecuting.

I reiterate that there are many advantages of AI compared to the disadvantages of the same. For example, AI automates repetitive tasks. That means they will reduce the errors that are usually caused by human beings when carrying out the same tasks.

You are well protected by the Chair. Sen. Kajwang’ and Sen. Cherarkey, I thought you were sitting together. How are you interrupting the hon. Senator from where you are sitting?

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, they are conversing so loudly across the Floor.

Apart from the reduction in human error, we also have the reliability of the fact that with the automotive operation of AI, we have 24-hour services in offices, for example, where you need customer care services. We have seen a revolution in the healthcare sector, where patients ask direct questions and receive immediate, proactive answers right there. Therefore, it also leads to cost efficiency.

The operational cost is also reduced. When it comes to employment, if a firm, for example, has to employ 20 people, AI can take care of that task in a matter of minutes. The downside of that is that it will lead to very few people having jobs. That will limit my fellow youth in job attainment.

The other advantage of AI is in handling dangerous tasks. For example, when it comes to factories that operate in very hazardous environments, we are able to employ AI. That reduces the risk to human beings. However, it will be very important, like I said yesterday, that we first ensure that our counties are very aggressive in having coverage across the whole country. We should also ensure that we have adequate internet accessibility and electricity connectivity across the whole country, so that those of us from very remote parts of this country are not disadvantaged. When the world is moving way ahead, we are left behind because, first of all, we do not even have phones because our areas are not connected. We also do not have power and internet services to ensure efficient communication across the globe and to catch up with the rest of the world.

incorporate AI in the medical, business, education and every other sector that will ensure rapid empowerment of our people.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Senators, I have a Communication to make.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity to welcome the gracious ladies from Uruku Girls Secondary School in South Imenti Constituency in Nkuene Ward, Meru County.

This is a school that I know very well. I served them as a Member of Parliament for 10 years and we worked in close partnership with the principal. So, I am really grateful that they are here.

I did not know that they were in the public gallery. I learned this through the communication as I was earlier chairing the session. So, I want to welcome you to the Senate. This is the Senate of the Republic of Kenya, where I serve as your Senator and also have a responsibility as the Deputy Speaker of the Senate.

I am very glad that you have been here when I was presiding over the House. When you go back to Meru, tell the Meru community that Sen. Kathuri Murungi is a good manager, a good speaker, who is never intimidated when he is doing his duty. For the 10 years that I served you, I strongly supported your school. We did so many projects there and I am glad that you are here. I will find an opportunity to visit you again.

Even though I left the constituency, I work closely with the Member of Parliament, Dr. Shadrack Mwiti. I will come to visit you personally during the next term, the second term, so that we can interact, mingle and have a good time there.

Before you leave, I want to see you behind this House, on the other side. I will be coming there to see you, appreciate you and thank the two or three teachers and the

students who are here. Please, work hard. Katika lugha ya Kiswahili huwa tunasema “Bidii yako ndiyo itakusaidia” So, work hard. Do not follow the mob psychology when you are in school. Just do your personal commitment to get the best grades that will make you to become Senators and very great people in this Republic.

Thank you very much. May God bless you as you pursue your career paths. Honestly---

Sen. M. Kajwang’, what is your point of order?

Just give him the mic.

Madam Temporary Speaker, the Deputy Speaker is a custodian of rules and procedures in this House. He is aware that when you are speaking in this House, you address the Chair; you do not address the gallery.

Is the Deputy Speaker in order to address the gallery to the point of pointing at the young students? In as much as he is passionate about their coming to the Senate, they must also go back knowing that this is a House of rules, this is a House of procedure, this is a House of order and the custodian is none other than the Senator for Meru, as the Deputy Speaker.

Should the Deputy Speaker address the Chair in as much as he is welcoming the delegation?

Madam Temporary Speaker, Sen. M. Kajwang’---

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I have not given you an opportunity to speak yet.

Hon. Kajwang’---

I need to ask you to respond to the point of order. Actually, he addressed me in the point of order that you are out of order and I am speaking before you to come to your aid.

Hon. Sen. M. Kajwang’, there is some level of acceptable excitement, given that the school is from his place.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, in the remainder of your speech, which you should finalise in 30 seconds, please, address the Chair.

Madam Temporary Speaker, when you gave me the mic, I really recognised you and said, “Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity.” However, you know that I am passionate about this school. That is why I am looking at the eyes of these girls, because I want them to become the best models at school.

These girls and the teachers have not complained. I know when they travel back to Meru, they will not be complaining in that bus or the van they are using because I am passionately speaking to them and encouraging them to be the best in this country.

So, Sen. M. Kajwang’, instead of even seeking time---

Order, Deputy Speaker. Do not address Sen. M. Kajwang’. You have made your point. Finalise your address today.

Madam Temporary Speaker, what Sen. M. Kajwang’ should do is to request for one minute to encourage these girls, instead of interrupting the flow of thought by the Senator for Meru, who is speaking on behalf of these girls.

Please, finalise because you are on overtime.

Could you give him one minute to encourage them?

You may encourage the students for one minute.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I want to thank the Deputy Speaker for lobbying on my behalf. It has become habitual that when students come from a certain county, it is only the Senator for that county who welcomes them. We must encourage students that they belong to a country called Kenya. Students from Kirinyaga can be welcomed by the Senator for Migori, while students from Samburu can be welcomed by the Senator for Kisii. That way, they go back having known who the Senators for other areas are.

Nonetheless, Madam Temporary Speaker, I would like to welcome the delegation of young ladies. I encourage them because if you look at the photos of some of the ladies sitting in this House when they were young, they were worse off than the girls that are there. Therefore, they can also shine and rise to become Senators, sit on the Speaker’s Chair or be great leaders in this Republic.

I would also like to remind the young ladies that political leadership is not the only leadership available. You can be a leader in a profession, church, business or many other facets. Let it not be taken that if you are not elected, then you are not a leader.

I want to encourage the delegation and also to affirm that one of the most diligent and orderly Senators in this House happens to be the Senator for Meru, the distinguished Deputy Speaker. I hope they can emulate the Chair and some of the female Members of this House such as Sen. Asige, Sen. Miraj, Sen. Hezena, our mum from Machakos, our mum from Bungoma and our big sister, Sen. Veronica.

Sorry, Sen. Kavindu has said that we should not refer to her as mum, but we take her as such. She is still a Gen Z.

Back to Order No.23. Let us have Sen. John Kinyua.

Senator, you are listed to contribute, but you do not have to. If you are not ready, I can go to the next.

Madam Temporary Speaker, that is the concern that was raised by Sen. Methu regarding him and I. We were not given opportunity to comment on what we wanted to comment on.

We have now moved to Order No.23. I am calling those who want to contribute to the Motion.

What is your issue, Sen. Kavindu?

Madam Temporary Speaker, some of the statements are crucial like the one about the pollution of Nairobi River. The river pours its water into Athi River, which flows all the way to Thwake Dam whose water is used by the people of Makueni, Kitui and other places. We wanted to comment on that because the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) should take charge---

Sen. Kavindu, the House is organised by the Order Paper and I would like to request that Senators respect that. We have already moved from the statements and now we are on Order No.23.

If you had logged-in, but you do not want to speak to the report on the AI conference, please log out. Could all Senators who do not wish to speak and had logged- in log out, so that I pick the ones who need to speak?

Proceed, Sen. Osotsi.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I wish to contribute to this crucial Motion on the Report of the proceedings of the AI Conference on the role of parliament in shaping the future of responsible AI held from 28th to 30th November, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is an important Motion because AI is an important area as far as our human development is concerned. Therefore, Parliament must perform its role as a driving force.

In the mid 1990s or thereabouts, I was among the lucky few because we were the first cohort of students to do a Bachelor of Computer Science course. We were taught about AI related subjects like expert systems, natural language processing and all that. That time, it was theoretical. By then, AI had not advanced, but we were being told that in future, AI was going to control a lot of our life processes.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that it never took long. In less than 20 years---

Sen. Osotsi, it is Madam Speaker.

Sorry, Madam Temporary Speaker. I respect you a lot. Let me recognise you as Madam Temporary Speaker.

I was explaining that then, those things looked futuristic, but now it has become a reality and the world has to catch up with the innovations and technology around AI. We have no choice.

I have heard some people saying that we need to stop the use of AI, but we cannot stop using AI. We can only regulate AI. The faster we understand that the better. The

primary bodies that will ensure that countries benefit from AI in an appropriate manner are parliaments.

I know that a lot of initiatives have been undertaken, including the Kenya National AI Strategy 2025-2030 that was launched last year. That was a good initiative. What is needed is now the strategy to be implemented.

We have a challenge in this country because most of ICT-related strategies and plans are merely done on paper, but nothing happens after that. If we dilly-dally or do little about AI in this country, AI is going to catch up with us. Maybe it will catch up with us in the wrong way or negatively. This is because AI has both positive benefits, but if it is not utilised well, there are also negatives.

It is important that we put in place appropriate laws and regulations to drive this. I know that there are initiatives to bring the AI Bill before this House. I think that this Parliament is very keen to help in addressing AI issues.

One of the Bills that needs to be fast tracked by this House is the Artificial Intelligence Bill. Most importantly, even as we approach elections, if we are not careful, AI will be a major factor in our election. It happened in the USA and other countries that have been affected by misapplication of AI in politics. Already, you can begin to see that some of those applications are now being undertaken on social media. We really need to fast-track this Bill not just in politics, but in all aspects of life. Artificial Intelligence is going to either affect us negatively or positively.

Madam Temporary Speaker, even as we talk about AI, there are basics that need to be done. One of the basics that this country is lagging behind in doing is data management. In this technology-driven world, a country that does not invest in data will blame itself. The next big investment, global investment after oil, is data which is why you see serious countries such USA are investing a lot of resources in acquiring data.

You saw the other day when someone came and was taking people’s personal details and there was a lot of noise around. That is the way the world is going. People are fighting to access data. People are fighting to protect data. The issue of data sovereignty is very important. I am concerned that this country does not take the matter of data seriously. We must organise our data otherwise other people will use our data and apply AI to our disadvantage.

In this world, we should not be struggling to generate data. For example, we are now doing voter registration. Why do we need to go through all that tedious process yet, we are capturing data for our students when they are in primary, secondary; when people are born and when they die? We are capturing all manner of data. Why can we not have an integrated infrastructure to manage for us that data? When we want to get a voter register, we do not have to spend billions of shillings to generate a voter list, which ends up being faulty; having dead and even underage people. Data management should be one of the prerequisites of our efforts and investment around AI.

The other thing is, of course, the regulations which we have talked about. We need to have proper laws and regulations around AI. Investing in people is important. I talked about that yesterday, that investing in skilled workforce will be one of the prerequisites of us benefiting from AI. We need appropriate innovation and infrastructure

in this country. We have been told many stories about what is going to be done to have a data super highway and it is taking ages. We are not seeing that infrastructure. We want to have a proper ICT infrastructure in all our counties, so that we take advantage of the benefits that come with AI.

If I may venture a little bit, when we talk about AI, there are other things that also come with it. When I was in the computer science class, we were taught something called natural language processing, where machines are going to behave like, generate and understand human language such as Kiswahili, Kiluhyia, English and others. That is where we are heading to.

Madam Temporary Speaker, we had a discussion in this House about the gadgets that we are having here. Allow me to talk about them. These gadgets that we are having here should not really be in a modern-day parliament. They have no internet access and are not connected to any network. We want a scenario where a Member seated here can access the library; can read reports that will enrich my contribution. This gadget here is just a voting machine. This is not what we called for. This is not what we wanted; something has to be done. It is not AI compliant. We want a gadget that we can speak to in any language and it will translate. Many of our friends here, such as Sen. Mundigi, will understand that better.

Sen. M. Kajwang’: On a point of order, Madam Temporary Speaker.

Sen. M. Kajwang, what is the point of order?

Sen. M. Kajwang’: Madam Temporary Speaker, imputing improper motive on the part of Members of this House, particularly the commissioners who are responsible for the procurement of these gadgets, is disorderly conduct. Is my good friend, Sen. Osotsi, in order to impute improper motive and go further to try and demand that these gadgets do things that his phone can do?

If he cannot afford a phone with internet access and AI assistance, he should tell us. There is no need for us to procure equipment or gadgets, and yet, our phones are already doing that. Let it not go on record that we feel our commissioners have let us down on this particular one.

Sen. Kajwang, I do not think Sen. Osotsi mentioned any commissioner. I think he made a fair point about the capabilities of the equipment that we have. I will rule that point of order out of order itself.

Sen. Osotsi: I know Sen. Kajwang is my friend and also an expert in this industry.

No, just proceed.

We need better equipment than this because what we had was even better than what we have now. I wonder why the replacement had to be done. This is a call we are making.

Before you came on the seat, Madam Temporary Speaker, this debate had been in this House. My good friend, Sen. Cherarkey and many other members raised the matter. We want to get value for money for what we invest in.

On a point of information. The best infrastructure we would have here is what is called Unified Communication Equipment, where I can even access my email, connect to my phone and do many other things. There is a lot that needs to be done.

I was just explaining that in the context of AI, that even this Parliament must be AI compliant. Otherwise, if we are not, one day, someone standing here called AI Osotsi will make a presentation.

Let me allow my friend, Eddy, to inform me.

I have not even asked for it. You wait for the Speaker to speak and then you--- do you want to be informed by Sen. Eddy?

I want to be informed by Sen. Eddy Oketch.

Madam Temporary Speaker, my point of information is regarding the gadgets we are currently using. I have conducted a quick audit of the system and I am disappointed that the Senator for Homa Bay County was questioning my good friend, Sen. Osotsi, on its functionality.

If you look at this system, first, it does not have a simple word processor. I wanted to inform the Senator that this system lacks basic word-processing capabilities, even for note taking. A Senator cannot write directly into the system.

In this House, we have had situations where Senators travel abroad and are invited to vote and engage online. This system does not demonstrate the e-Parliament software capabilities that we demanded. I am simply informing Sen. Osotsi of this.

Furthermore, regarding the conferencing and voting facilities, only the voting system has been provided. The conferencing facility, which should allow for an interface during Committee of the Whole meetings is absent. I am just providing this information to Sen. Osotsi.

Sen. Eddy, I will now call you out of order. Please, take your seat. You are no longer providing information, as Sen. Osotsi has already presented the fact that this system does not perform the functions you are describing. While he may not have addressed them in as much detail as you have, it can be inferred from his statement that the gadget lacks those capabilities. Therefore, please, resume your seat.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I am just requesting you to allow---

Please, sit down. Ask to speak on it later.

I am just concluding---

Okay, do it quickly. Please, give him one minute. Let it be a point of information; do not expound on what he has told us.

I am just informing the speaker on the Floor, who is the Chairperson of the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPISFC) , that he may request a further audit of this system for the benefit of our understanding. He may also call the Commission to order if the system is found to be inadequate.

Thank you.

The Temporary Speaker (Sen. Mumma): That is also not information. You are adding to the confirmation.

Sen. Osotsi, proceed, please.

Madam Temporary Speaker, we must prepare for Artificial Intelligence (AI) . If we do not, it will prepare us negatively. That is why I am calling upon the Government to take this matter seriously. It does not start with the government alone; it starts with us here. Can we first fast-track the Artificial Intelligence Bill in this House, so that we have it in law? We must develop the appropriate regulations and also look at other factors that may affect AI, such as data sovereignty, infrastructural issues and related laws.

The law on Computer Misuse and Cybercrime remains one of the laws that has not been well implemented in this country. The Data Protection Act also remains largely unimplemented. I believe a lot can be done by the relevant offices, including the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy.

This is a wake-up call. I hope that many such conferences can be held to educate our parliamentarians on the need to fast-track policies, programmes and laws around Artificial Intelligence. AI is going to determine the success or failure of nations. The next big wars will not be fought militarily; they will be fought through ventures like AI.

Every country must be on the watch and prepare. My concern is that developing countries like Kenya must take into account this need and prepare adequately for this innovation push through AI. This will protect our citizens from the dangers that come with AI, while also enabling them to benefit from the opportunities that AI technology provides.

Sen. Crystal Asige.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to comment on the report of the conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, that discussed in detail the importance of responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) . I would like to focus my submission on the juncture between AI and the safety of women, particularly Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) .

Madam Temporary Speaker, I hope this will be useful for the House and the public to hear, particularly following the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) conference. You and others in this House attended, alongside many other women stakeholders across Kenya and the CSW community in New York last week.

For me, technology has been almost equal to giving me sight itself. It has been very useful. I also see that technology is causing more problems than ever before, especially for women. Sexual harassment, defamation, hate speech, cyberbullying, cyber violence, abductions through location tracking and any online behaviour that demeans, frightens or causes harm is abusive and is being facilitated through AI.

When the focus is on someone else, people may laugh it off as harmless fun. However, one day, the internet might turn on you as well. TF-GBV through AI is absolutely everyone’s problem. When we see it, we must ensure that we do not support it and put a stop to it by saying something.

I had a very good conversation during our travel to New York for the CSW Conference with the Country Director of UN Women, Ms. Antonia Sodono. She gave me very rich information and data that I believe would be extremely useful for the House to consider when reading this report.

She told us that, globally, at least one in three women experience emotional, sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. The data reveals the widespread nature of violence against women, which continues to be under-reported across Kenya and the world because not all forms of violence are captured. Digitalisation has exacerbated existing forms of violence and led to the proliferation of new forms, including image- based abuse, deep fakes, gender disinformation and coordinated harassment of women on the internet and through technology.

Gender-based violence is not only a grave violation of human rights. It is immeasurable and has a substantial economic drain on Kenya’s development. The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) conducted a study t10 years ago, in

Order, Senators who are speaking at the back. Please, let us hear Sen. Asige in silence.

Thank you Madam Temporary Speaker, for protecting me. This is extremely important information. I hope and beseech Members, especially the men who may not be privy to these kinds of statistics, to listen keenly. This evidence is clear that GBV prevention, as well as TF-GBV is not charity. It is risk mitigation. It is workforce stability and it is market resilience across the country.

Ending violence against women, digitally or otherwise, therefore, is not only a social justice obligation, it is also sound macroeconomic policy and business strategy. This is why access to justice must remain central to our national response.

That is why we are saying AI needs to be safe. When we use it safely to access support from courts, as well as survivor-centred support, we do more than uphold rights. We will stabilise families, protect livelihoods, mental health and strengthen institutions across our country. Kenya has already laid very strong foundations through its constitutional legislative reforms as well as national gender frameworks.

The task before us is implementation now at scale. If we reduce GBV and TF- GBV, which is online through AI, we reduce suffering. We also release billions of shillings back into productive sectors. We strengthen our workforce. We also build investor confidence across the country, accelerate inclusive growth and so much more.

In conclusion, Kenya's progress in electoral reform towards AI is commendable. However, democratic maturity lies in the meaningful participation in public life. That means safe AI, especially now that we are approaching the 2027 elections. Strengthening all of what I have said and what we have in this report on AI will be essential to safeguarding women's leadership and public trust.

Artificial Intelligence, as has been said, is a double-edged sword. It can be used for or against the growth and governance of this country. Inclusive democracy is stronger democracy. I hope that we consider this report seriously and take it upon ourselves to look through the policies and legislations that it can support and strengthen, so that AI is responsible, safe, affordable and does what it was meant to do, which was to support the human race and the growth of all of our jurisdictions.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, and through you, thank you, Sen. Crystal Asige. That was very deep, concise and precise. As men, I want to assure her, we have learned a lot. Some of us are gender champions. So, you will always have our support.

As the Liaison Committee, we went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which is a very good city. I am happy with the Report that has been presented by Sen. Enock Wambua on the AI Conference that was convened by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

The issue of AI is now becoming a serious concern. There was Agrarian Revolution, Industrial age, information age and we are now in the digital age and we cannot run away from AI. Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. I want to agree with my

colleagues who have indicated that AI plays a critical role in gender, Parliament, democracy and elections.

You remember the case of Cambridge Analytica in 2017. The evolution of AI has been very steady. It has to be noted that AI is also being used in the ongoing war between Iran and America. So, AI will become part and parcel of our lives.

Last year, when I was presenting my LLM thesis before a panel at the University of Nairobi, I was impressed by the panelist who allowed me to use AI. I remember when I was in my undergraduate, AI or internet was considered mwakenya. You could not use it and it was not allowed. However, now even in academics, you are allowed to use AI. I want to appeal to colleagues to research and draft Bills using AI.

This meeting in Kuala Lumpur on AI in parliaments means that as a Parliament, we must take leadership. However, it is premature to come up with a Bill on AI. We should just restrict ourselves to the AI policy, as my colleague has referred to, because AI is evolutionary and it will continue to be going into the future.

As a country, we lead in internet usage followed by Nigeria and South Africa in the continent. This is very significant because AI must be used to address issues in Parliament, leadership, public participation, elections and gender issues.

In this Report, my sister, Sen. Crystal, has captured heavily on the role of AI and gender, oversight and democracy. I heard my colleague allude that the Kenyan Government has done something. I want to inform the House that the projection is by 2027, we would have laid 100,000 kilometres worth of fibre cable across the country. That means there will be internet connectivity that will spur and allow the usage of AI.

It has to come to the attention of this House that under the broad-based government, we have been able to have ICT hubs across 290 constituencies. The future is that we must have ICT hubs in 1,150 wards across the country, so that the young people can have opportunity. I agree that as a country, we do not have enough job opportunities for the young people.

We had a very hot discussion on the usage of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme and the Hustler Fund. We want to create opportunities for young people. Not all young people can get NYOTA funds or hustler funds. Not all young people can go for kazi majuu. Not all young people can be employed. That is a fact.

Madam Temporary Speaker, yesterday, when you were contributing, I heard you talk about during your time in the university, and those times were very interesting that you used to eat sausages, eggs and buttered bread and you used to get allowances. I am surprised. You lived like ‘cerelac children’ in your time at the university. You were even buying a boombox radio. I know Sen. Veronica Maina can inform me because she was in that era of enjoying good things. We did not have such advantages.

As you finish school, and you join what we call Kenya Tarmac Network--- During your era, you used to do interviews before being employed. You knew where you were going to work. However, because of baby boom and an increase in population, we have to live with the reality.

I rarely give accolades, but I want to thank the County Government of Nairobi City. They have allowed young people to do their content creation and videos on the streets of Nairobi. I was going somewhere with the Minority Leader yesterday, and young people are allowed to do their TikTok videos, content creation and their films. I want to appeal to all counties to give young people a chance to use the cities and towns to shoot their content without charging them anything because the future is in internet. We need to create more opportunities for the youth.

I know this proposal might not sit well with a number of people. Allow me with the indulgence, that even me, Cherarkey, niko kadi. I want to appeal to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to also consider the possibility of using AI. That is why there was a proposal that when you are born in this country, you must be issued with a security number. It would have been easy to register our children in school for national identity card and for elections. I am aware for a couple of almost 10 years,

Sen. Okiya Okoiti Andrew Omtatah, Senator for Busia County, please proceed.

Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to contribute in support of this report.

AI has been with us for a very long time. I remember the first time I encountered a mathematical calculator. It mesmerised me how a machine could be adding figures and giving answers. All along, we have positioned ourselves as consumers.

My pitch would be that we think of moving Kenya from being the Silicon Savannah to being the AI capital of Africa. Kenya is associated with innovations like M- Pesa. We have a young dynamic population. Recently, the Government launched the Kenya Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2030. That was in March 2025 last year. We must now develop a vision to become Africa's leading hub for AI model innovation, research and development, and commercialisation, while driving inclusive growth. We must begin looking at emerging technologies like advanced generative AI and edge computing, so that we position ourselves in that space that has opened up in solution provision.

We missed out on the heavy industry that took place. Countries like the Asian Tigers seized the moment in the 1960s, became global factories for the world, made money, and the populations became rich. We cannot compare ourselves to countries in Asia. We were richer than them when they embraced the developmental model, whereby the state collects taxes to provide goods and services that improve the livelihoods of the people.

The state is not just a taxing agency. So, as we move forward, we must execute the national AI strategy with urgency and accountability. We need an AI council with clear takeaways and targets that we can invest in to make sure that this country becomes a smart nation.

There is no point in looking at only the negative side, that AI is likely to do this or the other. AI leadership is impossible without massive and affordable computational

power. Currently, Kenya's high-performance computing capacity is underdeveloped and expensive, leading to a reliance on foreign hyper-scalers that compromise sovereignty and innovation speed. This is why Kenya's unique advantage, a grid powered by over 80 per cent renewable energy- geothermal, wind and hydro - becomes a critical asset. We must fast track the public-private partnerships that can help us unlock the high potential the Tier 4 AI already facilitates.

Madam Temporary Speaker, AI is an application, but it requires a talent pipeline and a reverse to the brain drain. The concept of taking our young, strong and able people out in the name of exporting work force should be curbed by creating conditions at home where that labour can be used to produce goods and services.

Talent is a major bottleneck in the development of an AI hub in this country. Despite our having a savvy youth bulge, Kenya faces a serious shortage of specialised AI experts, and without a critical mass of researchers; engineers and architects, the nation will remain a consumer of AI, not a creator. This is because, AI basically relies on the data that is fed into the system. We must come up with innovations like creating apprenticeships in industry, whereby you can create a bridging between industry and academia, to develop the local capacity to generate homegrown solutions or AI products. We should also encourage Kenyans who have acquired these skills elsewhere to come back home. Perhaps, they can be given some incentives to make them come back home. We must identify the critical areas that feed into this pipeline in the education system, and perhaps incentivize the areas by sponsoring Government scholarships being offered to the most creative and brainy Kenyans to venture into this area.

Madam Temporary Speaker, ultimately, we must cease being consumers of what others have produced. AI is an industry where we can become producers. Beyond that, we have issues of designing chips that are required to run these AI programmes. We should also look at that sector of chip making and heavy computing. All these are within our grasp. So, as a nation, we must begin planning for the future. Beyond dropping attractive phrases, let us shift this planning. People are equipped to plan, and organize the technocrats we have in this country. Let us have less politics about it, and have things happening; things that we need to move ourselves forward.

We must supercharge localised research and development, innovation and commercialisation of the products that we shall be innovating. We must build proprietary models and products, not just using tools. Kenya has a vibrant startup scene, but it suffers from what they call a value of death. That is between seed, funding and growth stage.

Capital for deep tech AI is not available. What do we do to create that capital or make it available to innovators to come up with these products that we need? Is it possible to have an AI innovator's programme created in this country, one that will combine government-backed research grants, regulatory sandboxes and procurement preferences for local solutions? The Government, as the largest buyer of services, can act as an anchor customer by mandating the public sector challenges.

For example, you have seen the e-Citizen. I am proud to say that e-Citizen was developed by young people from Busia. When you strip it of the trappings of

corruption that have really captured it, it was a very innovative way to go. It is a homegrown solution that has been borrowed in countries such as Zimbabwe.

We have this young capacity; let us see how we can invest in them. Ensure that they are able to produce products that will put this country on a global scale such as the west where companies are many times richer than geographical states. They are richer like that because they are engaging in cutting-edge, futuristic technologies.

We cannot outspend the United States of America (U.S.A) or China but we can out-specialise them by focusing AI deployment on sectors where it has a natural advantage. Kenya can solve existential local problems that have global relevance.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I really request this House and other aspects of Government to see that we come up with a proper legal policy and financial framework for ensuring that AI in Kenya is not a cut phrase- words that we drop - but a future industry for this country. It is an area where we focus on with the same energy we use when we are looking for political offices and ensure that we deliver this.

An interesting aspect with Kenya is that we are very successful on the continent, not because we export diamond or gold, no. We just export tea and coffee beans mainly and a bit of tourism. The main export for Kenya has been human resource. So, let us look at our schools. Let us come up with a curriculum that enables our schools to produce people who will be future citizens of the global village. Let us avoid embracing systems that build bridges back to the stone ages. Let us have our eyes focused on the stars and the digital world and ensure that this country carries its weight. Our vision has the people all it requires is protection from Government.

I urge the Government to invest in this emerging area and make sure we are not left behind by other countries. Make sure, we are, first of all, able to carry our own weight, but most importantly, we can punch above our weight because the current world is one where we are on our own. The emerging world order is such that we must be able to stand on our feet, innovate for ourselves and produce for ourselves. We cannot afford to just be mere consumers. We have consumed enough of other people's products, thoughts and researches. It is time we now invested in ourselves as people who can create, innovate, research, design and launch products that other people are interested in. That way, we will conquer the global economy.

We should be able to invest in basic infrastructure. We need a lot of power to power the AI revolution. We have a lot of green energy in this country and geothermal power. Let us eliminate the corruption that is denying us access to the potential that the energy in this country gives us so that we have the capital we require to move forward. Let us deal with the people who steal from public assets. Let taxes work for us. Anybody stealing from public taxes must suffer dire consequences. Let us enforce the law. Let us transform the war from being the war on corruption to the war on corrupt---

Sen. Karungo Thangw’a, welcome back to the House. Once more, on behalf of the House, we condole with you on the loss of your mother. We know that is a profound loss. Karibu sana.

You may now contribute.

Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Speaker for this opportunity. From the onset, I take this opportunity to also thank you, the Senate and the National Assembly Members for the support they accorded me and my family during that difficult period when we were mourning our mother. The Senate and the Members of the National Assembly never left me and our family during that whole period until the day we laid our mother to rest on 16th March, 2026.

I also take this opportunity to thank the people of Kiambu and Kenya at large and especially, the people of Mitahato Community, where I come from. We will live to remember the generosity, the support and the prayers that we got as a family. We went through this process very peacefully because we were comforted by each and every person whom we came across or who came to us or even sent their messages.

Madam Temporary Speaker, having said that, I want to comment on the issue of AI and of course, the issue of this report, by the IPU, and the Members of this Senate because AI is so dear to my heart. Actually, sometimes people call me the AI Senator because I support the idea that, as a House and as a country, we need to support AI.

Sometimes people do not understand what AI is. People think that it is this big thing that is creating images and videos that people are using to make fun of others. AI has been there for a long time. It has only been enhanced by inputting one important parameter that is, reasoning. If you think of it, a calculator is AI. The only thing that a calculator does not have is reasoning. It has been fed data and told that 1 plus 1 is 2. Even if you put 1 plus 1 on a calculator, it will never give you any other figure.

The AI that we are talking about now has the ability to reason. You can ask it what 1 plus 1 is in a certain scenario. It will then give an answer as per the data that it has been provided with. In weddings and churches, we have always been saying that that 1 plus 1 is 1 when people get married. In mathematics, we know, 1 plus 1 is 2, but in some scenarios, we know 1 plus 1 is 1, such as marriage.

Madam Temporary Speaker, what I am trying to say is that AI is that computer programme that is able to learn, think and reason just like a human being or even better. With just a millisecond, the computer can give you answers but also, it is good to remember that this information that you get from AI is data that has been fed to it. Just like we give a robot some commands and they can only execute that command as per the data they have been given.

Now, having understood that, I think it is a high time as a country, we should not rush to regulate AI. Instead, we should rush to enhance it so that people can understand it. This is because there is no need of regulating something that we do not understand or so many people do not understand. If you ask people now, and especially the political class, someone might think AI is a bad thing because of the images that have been shared online. We have seen images of some people in coffins. Some people have been taken to court because they have generated images of someone in a coffin. That is creativity because you are not in it, it is creativity just like an artist who can do some of these things.

However, in this essence, we should not regulate it because somebody generated an image that somebody might think is an insult to someone. What we should think

about, as a country, is what we should do we do to enhance AI in our hospitals and in our education curriculum. I have a Motion in the pipeline. I think it will be slotted someday but it was there in the previous session, the Fourth Session. The Motion that I have is to request the Ministry of Education and that of ICT and Digital Economy to put AI education in our curriculum. This is because if we do not bring up children who understand what AI is, if we tell them AI is for generation of images, that is what they will learn because that is what they are seeing online. However, we should tell them that AI can be used to solve problems; from research, health issues, education and in everything especially when it comes to running this Government.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I always ask, and I believe you will agree with me: Why is education not free, completely free in this country? I was trying to do some math to understand the cost for education. This is because in education; you need a learner. That is a person who is supposed to be in class, you need a teacher, you need a classroom and books. You need four things or the tools that are required. In our case, as a country, the learners are there, free of charge. The teachers are there. We can say free of charge because they are already paid by the Government. So, the teachers are available. The classrooms, we could say are there. Almost 80 to 90 percent of the classrooms are there. They have been built using the CDF. So, we have the learner who is there, we have the teacher who is paid by Government and we have the classroom. So why do we pay school fees?

According to the current Government, we pay school fees because of books or the equipment that are needed. With AI, these books are supposed to be available for free because what I learned in primary school so many years ago, is that one plus one has always been one plus one. It has never changed. So, why do I need three, four, five books from different publishers to tell me one plus one is two? This Government of ours is the owner of the curriculum, is the owner of the syllabus, it is the owner of the exams that are administered to the candidates. Why do we need private publishers in between? Why can the Government not issue these books for free? This is because they know what you are supposed to learn, they know how you are supposed to learn it and they know what they are going to examine you in. So, why can they not do what they used to do before the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) or the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF) printed this or that book or provided the textbook in PDF? If you want your child to learn the same thing in a different manner, then, you are free to buy an extra book from a private publisher. But for now, we should not be forcing our pupils and parents to buy this book from certain publishers because that is how they make money. I have given that example because with AI, the solution is there.

The Government of Kenya can take all the data of all the textbooks and feed it into the systems. Any child who wants a book in Mathematics should request for and have it generated by AI because there is available data. I was actually trying to explain the concept why education in Kenya is expensive. It is because the Government is doing business with the people's monies by buying these books from private publishers.

Sen. Thang’wa, I would not like to interrupt you. However, I need to bring to your attention the fact that this is a timed Motion. The timing was three hours. When we started the session, we had one hour 43 minutes. We are now close to the time for the Mover to reply, that is, 15 minutes. So, I will give you one minute to conclude your sentence. I will give the two Senators two minutes each because there is no more time for this Motion. So, just take one minute to conclude the sentence and set ground for the other.

Yes, thank you very much. I am kind enough because I want to hear what the other Senators will have to say.

With AI, we can solve the issue of textbooks in our primary schools and secondary schools and make education free without any cost because the data that we already have in our textbooks and in our schools can be fed into the AI and then be distributed to anyone who is willing to use AI and to learn.

I support.

Thank you, Sen. Thang’wa. Sen. Wakwabubi, ideally, we have no time. So, I will give you two minutes to make your contribution.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute towards this AI concept. I want to also participate in talking about these AI-generated challenges, majorly meted upon female politicians. This is because in the recent past, I have personally experienced some misogyny and political harassment that is amplified through AI. Mostly women are disproportionately targeted due to unequal power dynamics. There are a lot of digital attacks, gender-based violence and digital undressing tools, all meted upon women politicians.

Madam Temporary Speaker, there is a lot of effects of AI that are out to intimidate or blackmail women. People are now coming up with fabricated stories that are out to tarnish the names of women who have political ambitions.

As a House of legislation together with other authorities, we need to deeply look at these things.

Sen. Wakwabubi, you know that we do not have much time. Finish the sentence in 30 seconds.

Clerk, can you give her the mic, please?

Thank you for the 30 seconds, Madam Temporary Speaker.

We want to look at this by looking at what the positives are for implementation or absorption of AI. We should look at the positives as well as the negatives, then look for an equilibrium, a point of common ground, to assess what is fit for its implementation and what can be enhanced by having legal structures in place to contain it.

For instance, recently in Bungoma County, we, as female politicians, faced a lot of harassment, especially from our male counterparts. So, on behalf of the rest of the female politicians, kindly develop a thick skin because we are destined for greatness.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for allowing me to contribute.

Sen. Wakili Hilary Sigei, you have the Floor.

Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. I am struggling to figure out how to appreciate the Motion and the role of Parliament in AI. That is the report that we were taking note of due to time constraints.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I will also support the creation and the development of the creative policy that this report seeks to speak to. As we speak, the future is AI; the future of our education, our health sector and even Parliament itself is AI.

Remember, earlier on, we were asking the Hon. Speaker to facilitate us as Members of this House in the---

What happened to the microphone?

Please give him the microphone. I do not think he has even finished one minute.

I was worried because I have not even done a minute. Madam Temporary Speaker, I was indicating the fact that this House, which is a legislative arm of the Government, part of governance, is also headed towards AI in terms of the gadgets we are using and of course, by extension, supporting a policy that looks into the future.

Though we support this, there are quite a number of challenges that we must---- I want to disagree to some extent with Sen. Thang’wa as regards the desire to regulate. The support I want to look into is to ensure that even as we support the AI, the technology that is ahead of us for future is AI.

I am aware that the national strategy, in terms of how to regulate, has created a roadmap for the purposes of ensuring that we develop a mechanism that will support the Government now and in future in the development of AI and related regulations, so that

we do not misuse it. We also need to nurture proper ethics on how we utilise it to enhance the support that the young ones, who are growing, will utilise and avoid creating a lazy society where every other time they want to do something, they just log on to some AI system, ask questions and get answers.

We will run the risk if we do not regulate the creation or growth of creating or growing a future that does not think, that does not go out of their way to research, that does not go out of their way to manage. Therefore, even though we support such a policy that gives us the opportunity to open up for the future and also technology that comes our way, we need to---

Please, add him 30 seconds to finish the sentence.

Madam Temporary Speaker, we need to put in place mechanisms that will regulate it. As we speak right now, the Data Protection Act that governs this does not speak to the developing technology, and therefore, the desire to develop the law.

I know there is a Bill that is currently pending for legislation, which will guide the Government and the future of AI in Kenya. Largely, this is a development that we cannot run away from. This is something that we must, as a country, support because that is the direction the world is headed.

Madam Temporary Speaker, because of time, I will stop there and appreciate the time that you have extended to my contribution.

Thank you, Sen. Wakili Sigei. Sen. Cathy Muyeka Mumma, you may proceed.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute. I will be quick because it is only a few minutes.

First, I want to thank those who went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and to inform the House that last year and the previous year, I, through the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance, attended the Global Internet Governance Forum in Riyadh and the one in Oslo.

We need to congratulate ourselves as Kenyans to a certain level because our digital literacy levels are a bit higher than those of others in the continent. There is an effort to invest in this but we must be cognisant of the fact that even as the future will be guided largely by tech and AI in particular, we need to be aware of the digital divide that is happening because we are not facilitating digital literacy in all our schools.

We do not have infrastructure in all places, so the rural areas are not particularly facilitated. We need to know that digital issues are expensive and unaffordable for many of our poor families. As a result of this, the divide is becoming bigger between the poor and the rich.

As a House, I hope that we can focus on getting the executive or the state to invest in public digital infrastructure to facilitate access to the internet in every part of the country. I also hope that our schools can increasingly facilitate digital literacy. The Government can provide the necessary gadgets and affordable and fast internet access in all our schools so that every child in every location will have the opportunity.

Please, give Sen. Mumma a minute, so that she can conclude her contribution.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary speaker, for allowing me extra time. As we do so, we need to know that as regulators, we must infuse ethical practices and protection of human rights as we provide enabling environment for innovation. All of that is to ensure that human rights violations or the negative side of AI and tech is curbed.

Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I am a member of the Working Group on Science and Technology (WGST) of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) . We developed a charter that is supposed to bring ethics in science and technology so that as science and technology develops, ethical standards are applied and human rights protection is ensured. This is something that we all need to learn and work towards protecting those who suffer because of the mischief of those who abuse technology and those who use AI to the detriment of other members of the society.

I thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you, Sen. Catherine Mumma. That brings us to the end of our contribution to the report of the proceedings of the AI conference on the role of parliament in shaping the future of responsible AI that was tabled in the House.

Hon. Senators, in the absence of the Mover, I will defer the reply to a later sitting.

Clerk, you may call the next Order.

This Bill was to be moved by the Senate Majority Leader, who is not present in the Chamber. Therefore, we shall, therefore, defer the Bill to the next sitting. For the same reason, we will also defer Order Nos. 25, 26, 27. Order No.27 is a Bill by Sen. Crystal Asige who is also not present. We will also defer Order No.28, which is Sen. Karen Nyamu’s Bill because she is also not present in the Chamber.

For the same reason, we will also defer Order Nos.29 and 30 by the Senate Majority Leader to the next sitting. We are also going to defer Order No.31 by Sen. Mumma despite her being in the Chamber.

Sen. Veronica Maina, this is your Motion. You may proceed to move it.

Thank you so much, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity.

Sen. Veronica, take your seat first because there is a communication that I would like to make. This is a communication regarding Sen. Cherarkey.

Sen. Cherarkey, you remember there was a tiff earlier between yourself and Sen. Osotsi. I now have the HANSARD, on the proceedings, that led to the Speaker making a determination on availing the HANSARD before the Chair.

As I have said, I now have the HANSARD. Unfortunately, Sen. Osotsi is not present in the Chamber. It would be neater to have that determination made in the presence of Sen. Osotsi, but for purposes of neatness of the process, Sen. Cherarkey, the HANSARD makes reference to the statement you made. I will proceed to read so that you prepare yourself with a response. This is what you said in Paragraph 4-

“Finally, on the NYOTA issue, I feel disappointed. I hope the Kenyan youth are watching. Our colleagues from the minority side are saying that the issues of the youth are so trivial that the President cannot give personal attention. It is embarrassing. This is because most of these people, who are shouting, mobilise the youth and use them for political issues. Now, the President wants to give them personal attention by ensuring that he gives them grants through the NYOTA Programme. On the Hustler Fund, people like Sen. Osotsi, want to hire youth to use them for mobilisation or political issues. ” That was the statement you said, and which you needed to deal with. “We cannot allow the young people of this country who are at the centre of the attention of the President, this issue of NYOTA.” That is when Sen. Osotsi sought an intervention because we need to have him present, you will deal with this issue in his presence.

Can I withdraw and apologise?

That is exactly what will be required of you to do. However, in the absence of Sen. Osotsi, I believe it is neat to do such when he is present in the Chamber. Prepare yourself to deal with that.

Sen. Veronica Maina, I will alert you when it is your time to proceed. Hon. Members, there is a timeline which we are required to table certain reports for the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC) . I direct that on behalf of the Chairperson of that Committee, Sen. Cherarkey proceeds to table them and give notice of motion so that we are working within the law, this being a House of record.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to table on behalf of our sister committee.

I beg to lay the following papers on the Table of the Senate today, Thursday, 26th May, 2026-

4. Embu County -

5. Mandera County -

6. Marsabit County -

7. Murang’a County -

8. Tharaka-Nithi County -

9. Nyamira County -

10. Vihiga County -

11. Lamu County -

12. Makueni County -

Thank you, Sen. Cherarkey, for holding forth for the Chairperson of your sister committee, as you well put.

Now, Sen. Veronica, you will bear with me because of the timeline. Sen. Cherarkey, you are required to give Notice of Motion after tabling the reports.

Mr. Temporary Speaker Sir, I beg to give Notice of the following Motion: -

THAT, the Senate adopts the Report of the Select Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds on the consideration of the Audit Reports of the following County entities for the year ended 30th June, 2025, laid on the Table of the Senate on Thursday, 26th March, 2026 -

4. Embu County -

5. Mandera County -

6. Marsabit County -

7. Murang’a County -

8. Tharaka-Nithi County -

9. Nyamira County -

10. Vihiga County -

11. Lamu County -

12. Makueni County -

Thank you, Sen. Cherarkey, for giving out the notice on behalf of the Chairperson, CPIC, Sen. Osotsi. I will get back to Sen. Veronica. You may proceed to move your Motion.

Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity. Finally, I can move this Motion. I cannot thank you enough for the opportunity that you have given me.

Though I note that this is 6.10 p.m, and I wish this Motion was given prime time in the course of the day, before most of the Senators stepped out. This is because one of the risks in gender perspectives, gender work and gender equality is the fact that many times matters dealing with gender are usually overlooked or put on the side. I would assume that it is the business of the House that has outweighed this Motion and left us with few minutes. I will try to do justice.

Sen. Veronica, I would like that you move the Motion fast before you make your contribution.

Mr. Temporary Speaker Sir, I beg to move the following Motion -

AWARE that Article 27 of the Constitution of Kenya guarantees the right to equality and freedom from discrimination with Article 27 (3) providing that women and men have the right to equal treatment including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural, and social spheres. FURTHER AWARE that Article 27 (8) obligates the state to take legislative and other measures to redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups as a result of past discrimination and to ensure that no more than two-thirds of the members of the elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender. COGNISANT THAT mainstreaming gender perspectives in all aspects of governance is essential to achieving inclusive development and safeguarding the rights and welfare of all citizens, particularly women, girls, and other marginalised groups. Concerned that the integration of gender considerations remain inconsistent across the two levels of government and that legislative processes have often resorted to policies that do not adequately address gender-specific needs and realities. NOW THEREFORE, the Senate: -

Sen. Cherarkey, you have a few seconds. I will allow you to respond, but I just want to clarify something that Sen. Veronica raised in the course of her contribution. You know you are a member of the Senate Business Committee (SBC) . It is the SBC that schedules the business of the House and not the Secretariat. So, it is not the Secretariat that delayed this Motion. I wanted that to be clarified.

Sen. Cherarkey, just say---

I agree, honourable Speaker. Yes, the agenda of the House - I concede that the agenda of the House is handled by the SBC.

Very well, thank you.

Give him the microphone so that he can---

Linda is tired or something. Mr. Temporary Speaker, as I rise to second this historic and momentous Motion, I would like to say that the issue of gender is very emotive.

I yield back, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Cherarkey, we may rise. Sen. Cherarkey, when the House resumes, you will actually have 14 minutes and 45 seconds to second this very historical Motion, as you have said.

Hon. Senators, it is now 6.30 p.m., time to adjourn the Senate. The Senate, therefore, stands adjourned until Tuesday, 31st March, 2026, at 2.30 p.m.

The Senate rose at 6.31 p.m.