National Assembly Hansard: Wednesday, 4th November, 2026 - Afternoon Sitting

Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell. (The Quorum Bell was rung) Okay. Members, we have a quorum to transact business. Clerk-at-the-Table.

The Deputy Whip of the Majority Party.

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

The Chairperson of the Mediation Committee, Hon. Marianne Kitany. I hope you are ready today.

Yes, Hon. Speaker.

Go ahead.

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

Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Sports and Culture, Hon. Daniel Wanyama. Give him the microphone.

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

Report of the Departmental Committee on Sports and Culture on the consideration of the Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No.66 of 2026).

Chairman of the Committee on Members' Services and Facilities, Hon. Karani.

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

Reports of the Committee on Members' Services and Facilities on its inspection visits to:

Next Order.

Chairperson of the Mediation Committee on the Co-operatives Bill, Hon. Marianne.

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

THAT, pursuant to the provisions of Article 113(2) of the Constitution and Standing Order 150(3), this House adopts the Report of the Mediation Committee on the Co-operatives Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 7 of 2024), laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 4th November 2026, and approves the

Thank you, Hon. Marianne. Hon. Karani, Chairman of the Committee on Members' Services and Facilities.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Committee on Members’ Services and Facilities on its inspection visits to the constituency offices in Embu and Kirinyaga counties, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 4th November 2026.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Committee on Members' Services and Facilities on its inspection visits to the constituency offices in Migori and Homa Bay counties, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 4th November 2026. I thank you.

Next Order.

Are Hon. Gitonga Mukunji and Geoffrey Wandeto in the House? Hon. Dawood. Leader of the Majority Party, we are expecting the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration. Ascertain his presence in the precincts of Parliament and his readiness to appear before the House in the next couple of minutes.

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding alleged irregularities in the management, finances, governance, operations and development of Nkabune Technical Training Institute in North Imenti Constituency, Meru County.

For many years, the institution has offered technical and vocational education which has supported employment, businesses and other enterprises, serving students and staff.

Hon. Melly, when can you respond to that request for statement?

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I will respond in two weeks.

Two weeks. For the second time, is Hon. Gitonga Mukunji in the House? The request for a statement is dropped. Is Hon. Geoffrey Wandeto in the House? The request for a statement is dropped.

(Requests for statements by Hon. Mukunji and Hon. Wandeto dropped)

Hon. Members on your feet, take your seats. Obviously, Hon. Nguna, your ears have taken leave today.

Hon. Members, I have a very short Communication to make. As you may be aware, our colleague from the Senate, Sen. (Dr) Oburu Oginga, CBS, MP, Senator of Siaya, has been unwell for some time. Senator Oburu, who is also the Party Leader of the Orange Democratic Party (ODM), has been receiving treatment both locally and abroad, to which he has responded well.

Hon. Members, I wish to inform the House and the general public that Senator Oburu Odinga has now been discharged from hospital and is recuperating at his residence. Indeed, this morning, the Speaker of the Senate and ‘yours truly’ had the opportunity to visit him, and I am delighted to report that he is well and in good spirits.

Hon. Members, despite the illness, Senator Oburu has not abdicated his parliamentary duties and is working from home. We wish him a quick recovery so that he can resume his normal duties from the office.

The House is accordingly informed. I also thank the Members who accompanied me. They are Hon. Millie Odhiambo, Hon. Commissioner Mishi Mboko and Senators Dan Maanzo, Wafula Wakoli, Kisang’, and one or two other Members. Who else? The Member of Rangwe Constituency, Hon. Lillian Gogo, and several other Members. We are happy to inform the House that our colleague, the youth leader, Oburu Odinga, is well and in very good spirits.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. That is great news. You will remember there was a lot of speculation, and some bloggers wrote stories, when Hon. Senator Oburu was admitted in hospital. These stories created unnecessary tension across the country. It is time this House raised serious concerns about how some people misuse social media, send wrong signals about others' health without regard for their families and, at times, create unnecessary political tension.

We saw one blogger, who is far away from this country, saying that Senator Oburu had passed on. It was very unfortunate. It is time this House reviews cyber laws so that we can put such characters to book. It is completely wrong, especially during periods of political tension. Above all, we appreciate your visit to Hon. Senator Oburu. We pray that he eventually gets out of the house to proceed with his duties as the Party Leader of ODM.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Indeed, Hon. Osoro. In fact, I spoke to Hon. (Dr) Oburu when he was in Cromwell Hospital in London. I saw a blogger posting that he was dead a minute after speaking to him and yet, I had just spoken to him and he was well and in good spirits. That is the Kenya we have.

Yes, Member of Kathiani, Hon. Robert Mbui.

Thank you for your Statement. That is excellent news. I think it is important to note that the Senator of Siaya has been our very long-time ally and a good friend. In fact, I remember my Party Leader attended, as a chief guest of honour, to commemorate his 80th birthday. It is very good news. I think Kenyans need to learn from this. The speculation we see on social media all the time is bad. You know, talking about somebody and even sending them to their grave is very unfortunate. As a country, we must be humane and have the moral aptitude to do the right thing. For somebody to write that someone is dead

Yes, Member of Nyando Constituency, Hon. Jared Okello.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity. I was, indeed, in your office when you called Dr Oburu Odinga. Within two minutes, I came back to you. I told you that some people were spreading certain speculations about the person you had just spoken with. That did not really merit the stature and position of our dear Party Leader.

The Party Leader stayed home for a few days after he jetted back into the country, then went for additional reviews at Nairobi Hospital. I was with him at Nairobi Hospital when someone called and told me: "Poleni sana for having lost your dear Party Leader." I was present with the Party Leader at his hospital bed. I do not know who benefits from those kinds of misinformation. In the end, the Party Leader himself came out and addressed the nation in good health.

Our people tend to abuse gadgets. Gadgets were not meant to subvert our laws, but to facilitate communication. Let us be responsible even as we communicate. Let us remember that those people have people who depend upon them. Therefore, we should not abuse gadgets that are meant only to share information with the world.

We also understand that such challenges come as the world advances. It is important and incumbent upon us all to always review. Just ask whether the information you are about to send is factual. Otherwise, it puts people in a very bad light. People have ended up in court over these matters, and the courts have pronounced themselves. People have been jailed and fined for sending false information.

We thank you for this guidance and for always putting this country on the right path, even when things become so difficult. You have been the voice of reason in this country. We hope and pray for you as we enter the next round of elections. We hope to elect you again as our Speaker when we return in September 2027, because we must!

Thank you. Yes, Hon. KJ

Thank you very much. We must thank you for issuing this Communication and for the clarity that you have brought to the House and to the country. One of the bigger issues at play here is how Kenya is communicating today. We have to admit that the Government, and even Parliament, might never be able to oversee everything that is happening on social media.

Therefore, Kenyans are called upon to be responsible even in how they use the gadgets that they carry. As it were, families should be the ones to break the news on what is happening

Hon. Melly.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. Social media is a very important means of communication. However, it has also been characterised by irresponsibility and poor communication practices.

In today's society, we rely on social media to get facts, information, and ideas about what is happening around us. Unfortunately, social media has become a den of misinformation and bad-mouthing. More importantly, it misleads the public. Even when a death occurs, I have seen very disturbing pictures of accident victims being posted carelessly on social media. An accident may have occurred, and someone may have lost their life, but the parents or relatives may not yet have been informed. Yet, irresponsibly, individuals post it on social media.

This sector needs to be regulated. We need to establish clear rules for how we use social media. On some occasions, people have even announced that someone has died when, in fact, no such thing has happened. This sector needs responsible communication and clear regulations on how we use it. It is an important sector that we cannot do without, but we must ensure that it is properly regulated.

Hon. Mandazi, do you also wish to speak to this? (Hon. Victor Koech spoke off the record) Yes, Hon. Mandazi.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker, for the good news that you have brought to this House. Growing up and to date, for our children, it is unacceptable and the last thing to wish a living person is death. It is one of the worst things one can wish another person. We may be speaking about young people, but bad behaviour is not confined to them. Older people also use social media irresponsibly. It is time this House took charge and enacted laws to regulate social media use.

As we wish the ODM Party Leader, the ‘youth leader’, good health, we also urge Kenyans to become responsible citizens. They should not wake up every day to post bad news or wish misfortune upon other peoples’ families.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. First, I wish to thank you for that very important Communication. It sets the record straight and puts

Hon. Zamzam.

Ahsante sana, Mhe. Spika. Nami pia nikupongeze kwa Ujumbe uliotuletea leo katika Bunge hili. Ni dhahiri kuwa taifa likichomwa huwa halianzi kwa streets. Huanzia kwenye mitandao ya kijamii. Tumekumbwa na maafa mengi kama taifa kutokana na uchochezi, uongo, propaganda, ufidhuli na hasira zinazopandishwa na watu. (Hon. John Koyi and other Members consulted loudly)

Order, Members. Member for Sirisia, that kamukunji is illegal. Can you disband it? Proceed.

Ahsante, Mhe. Spika. Nilikuwa nikisema kuwa watu huchochewa hasira na kujazwa chuki kupitia mitandao ya kijamii, kisha wanaelekezwa kuamini habari za uongo. Kwa mfano, hivi majuzi, tuliona taarifa zikisambazwa kuwa mzee wetu tunayempenda, ambaye tunaendelea kumuombea afya njema

Thank you, we will stop there. Hon. K.J. Kinyanjui, I will advise you to look at comparable jurisdictions and recent legislative developments in Australia, France, the European Union (EU), Denmark and the United Kingdom (UK). They are mature democracies, but they are dealing with fake news, irresponsible social media, and all manner

Hon. Speaker, I thank you for organising us, as a House, to go and see our Party Leader, Hon. Oburu Odinga. I listened to Members as I came here, and I agree with all that has been said.

We need responsible social media. Often, people do not understand the impact misinformation can have on family members. When one sees that their family member is dead, they can react… It is Hon. Gladys who has said that a family member can react and die as a consequence of fake news on social media. One issue you raised is young people engaging with social media. Sometimes, when you look at people engaging on social media, they look 14, 15, or 16 years old. The fact is that some parents are failing to take care of their children. However, other parents may not do so because they are not conversant with social media. So, as a House, we must find a way to address this issue.

I am especially concerned about - as a child’s rights lawyer – that I cannot mention the name of a young girl who lost her mother, and she is always on social media. One of the things I will be calling on the Children’s Department to do is to look into her case. This case involves a known person in society. The mother of that girl died, and she is always on social media. What she is saying is not good for her. Peoples’ comments about her are not helpful. She may not notice now, but they are not good for her personal development. It is up to us, as a House, to decide how much young people should engage with social media. It may not be popular because young people do not like it when you regulate social media. It may not be a popular thing, but the same way we look at...

What is right does not have to be popular.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. As children rights advocates, we consider children evolving capacities. When courts decide children matters, they consider a child's evolving capacity. It does not look at what a child thinks they want. When we were young, we wanted things that, looking back now, seem stupid, although at the time we thought they were very sensible. More worrisome is when adults misinform and disinform, which can harm others. I know this because, on social media, defamation laws are not enough. You have to prove you were defamed. Some cases involve no defamation, but someone else is still injured. So, there must be criminal consequences for cases like that.

We wish Hon. Oburu Oginga a quick recovery. He is doing very well. That was the third time I saw him since he got unwell. He is doing very well. I was amused by how people were arguing with me when I wrote that I had seen him and he is well. They were saying I am cheating them and he is in the morgue. I saw him, but they say he is in the morgue. You know, people are just...

Tell them we had lunch with him.

Yes, people are utterly ridiculous. So, let us be a bit more humane. You know, social media does not take our utu; it does not take our humanity. Let us be more humane even when we are on social media. The fact that social media obscures our identities does not make us any less human.

Thank you.

Thank you. We will go back to two quick requests for statements. Hon. Mukunji.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to...

Apologise to the House. I called you twice and you were not here!

Hon. Speaker, I apologise. I was handling constituency matters.

That is not true. You told me you were having lunch.

No, Hon. Speaker! I told you I was actually at the Table Office following up on a Motion that was supposed to come in the morning, and it did not come. It was the MSME Development Amendment Bill.

Yes.

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on the implications of the 0.8 per cent tea levy and its effect on tea sales prices and farmers' bonuses.

The 0.8 per cent tea levy is a statutory charge that was introduced under the Tea Levy Regulations, 2026. The Kenya Tea Development Agency KTDA reportedly commenced payments of September 2026 monthly earnings and annual bonuses to smallholder tea farmers on 12th October 2026. However, farmers have expressed concern over reduced bonuses and disparities in payment rates across factories. Reported bonus rates for the Financial Year 2025/2026 range from Ksh12 to Ksh50 per kilogram, with farmers reporting lower returns compared to the previous year.

Tea farming remains a major source of livelihood in Embu County and the wider Mount Kenya region. Reduced earnings have frustrated farmers, with some reportedly uprooting their tea bushes. This threat affects the farmers’ livelihoods, the sustainability of tea production and their earnings from the sector.

It is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on the following:

Thank you, Hon. Mukunji. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock? Is there any Member from that Committee? Deputy Whip of the Majority Party, inform the Chairperson to bring a response in the next two weeks.

I will do so. Thank you.

Hon. Geoffrey Wandeto.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I also profusely apologise to the House. The lunch was sweeter than usual today. I had seen that the matter was listed under Order No.7.

You are more honest. You were having lunch.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning regarding the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Report for Kenya.

The Government of Kenya, as part of its ongoing engagement with the IMF under various economic reform programmes, invited the IMF to undertake a governance and corruption assessment for Kenya. The Governance and Corruption Diagnostic (GCD) Report is a comprehensive review that is intended to identify systemic governance weaknesses, corruption vulnerabilities and institutional gaps that affect the management of public resources.

Following a scoping mission in March 2025, an IMF technical assessment mission undertook the substantive assessment in June 2025. The assessment involved extensive consultations with Government agencies, oversight institutions, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders, making the resulting report significant to the wider national governance and accountability framework.

The Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Report is believed to have been completed and formally handed over to the Government of Kenya around June 2026. However, despite the assessment having been undertaken with extensive public engagement, the Report is yet to be made publicly available, notwithstanding the significance of its subject matter to the management of public resources and public institutions. This raises concerns regarding compliance with the constitutional principles of access to information, transparency and accountability under Articles 35 and 201 of the Constitution.

It is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning on the following:

Thank you, Hon. Wandeto. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. Where is Hon. Kimani Kuria? Is there a Member of that Committee? Deputy Whip of the Majority Party, instruct the Chairperson to bring a response in two weeks.

I will do so. Thank you.

Deputy Whip of the Majority Party, will you now search for and find the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration and bring him to the Chamber?

Are the following Members present: Hon. Martin Owino and Hon. Robert Basil? Hon. Jackson Lentoijoni? You indicated that you are not pursuing your Question. We will drop it.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to ask Question 26 of 2026 to the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration:

Could the Cabinet Secretary provide a progress report on the status of the recognition and remuneration of village elders who are serving under the Nyumba Kumi Framework? Thank you.

Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Once again, I am very happy to be here to undertake a very important constitutional responsibility of accountability, which is the hallmark of our democracy. I know that I have been asked to answer a number of questions that you have presented before this House. However, could you give me three minutes to make an opening statement?

Go ahead. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Thank you, Hon. Speaker. First, let me assure this House that our country remains peaceful and secure and that the Government is firmly committed to safeguarding the progress that we have made. While we acknowledge the security challenges that persist, it is important that public discourse be informed by facts and a balanced appreciation of the situation.

As the country prepares for the 2027 General Election, the Government is taking deliberate measures to ensure that the electoral process is peaceful, secure and all-inclusive. The National Police Service has developed a 16-month election security roadmap that is covering September 2026 to December 2027. The roadmap comprises 28 activities across six phases, from stakeholder engagement and preparatory work to operational planning, training, election operations and post-election review. The Service is strengthening intelligence-led and

Hon. Basil.

Thank you, my brother, Cabinet Secretary. Allow me to thank the President too. I believe he has made history as the first President to recognise village elders. I have a question regarding the gazettement and operationalisation of Yatta South Sub-County. You have already done what was required, but I would appreciate knowing when the gazettement and operationalisation will be completed.

Thank you.

There is a supplementary question by Hon. Mathenge, the Member for Nyeri Town.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. First, I would like to congratulate the President and the Cabinet Secretary for coming up with this initiative, as it has been on the lips of many elders for quite some time. But two issues arise. Ordinarily, the nyumba kumi has supported the national Government Administration Office. What, therefore, is the distinction between the elders and the nyumba kumi? If I heard correctly, he has stated that the elder becomes the de facto chairmen of the nyumba kumi cluster. Did the nyumba kumi elders, as we knew them, automatically transition to become eligible for this stipend, or was there a selection process? If there was a selection, what criterion was used?

Secondly, what is the methodology for identifying or designating an area as a village, thus qualifying it to have a village elder? In Nyeri, those who were left out are being told that their area had not been designated as a village by the time the cut-off date was set.

Hon. Speaker...

You said you had two issues. This is now the third one.

Hon. Speaker, allow me just one more. There is the identification of the elders by members of the public because they are rendering a service. A good number of them also serve as community health promoters (CHPs). Is this duplication permitted, and how will it be resolved? Additionally, what approach will be used in presenting those elders to the villagers, so that the villagers can know them?

Yes, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity. I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary about the many cases of individuals who have served as village elders for over 15 or 20 years, without being paid. When the time came for the payment to be processed and for individuals to be confirmed, new persons were recruited as village elders, thus excluding those who had served voluntarily for many years and had shown great dedication without complaint. One good example is Ms Atieno in Langas Ward, Uasin Gishu County. She was deliberately left out because the Deputy County

Yes, Hon. Robert Mbui.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity. Is the Cabinet Secretary aware that many village elders are not receiving the funds? After the identification process, it appears that while some of those identified are receiving the money, others are not. I have visited my constituency several times and this is the case. Is he aware of this situation, and what is he planning to do about it?

Secondly, moving forward, could we consider the possibility of putting them on a minimum wage instead of providing this very minimal stipend? We know that those individuals are actually providing a service. They are employees of the Government in one way or another. In fact, they are often the first to be contacted even before the assistant chiefs and the chiefs are involved. Is it possible to consider paying them a proper salary in the future?

Thank you.

Hon. Taitumu, Member for Igembe North.

First, I would like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for the initiative and, in particular, the Government for ensuring that village elders are given a stipend for the work that they do. My question is this: What mechanism do they have in place, aside from the use of the chiefs in identifying the elders? For example, in my area, the actual village elders, who previously volunteered their services, were overlooked because the chiefs and assistant chiefs mostly favoured their friends and relatives when they realised that village elders were to receive something from the Government. Do you have any alternative mechanisms for identifying the genuine village elders who were working for the Government prior to the distribution of stipends?

The last on this is Hon. Parashina, Member for Kajiado South.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. While I appreciate the response the Cabinet Secretary has provided on the Floor of the House, could he table the report regarding the selection criterion. Each constituency faces numerous issues. When the chiefs were selecting the village elders, some picked their own cousins and relatives. Therefore, we would like to know the criterion that the Cabinet Secretary approved for this process in our constituencies. Furthermore, what is the role of Members of Parliament in this selection? Even now, we do not know who has been selected and who has not. For those who have been chosen, was there any indication of favouritism? Those who have been left out and who have been serving our constituencies and communities, is there any hope for them? Is there any assurance that, in the future, they will also be considered? If we could receive a report on Kajiado South or even on every constituency, we would debate it and assess whether the criterion used was genuine and in line with the interests of our communities.

Thank you.

Cabinet Secretary, can you respond to those questions? They are quite brief.

The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Let me start with the question about administrative units raised by Hon. Basil. There are, indeed, a number of administrative units that are yet to be gazetted. As I promised, we will gazette those by the end of this year, including Yatta South Sub-County and several others. If I answer for one county or one constituency, there will be questions from many others, as there are more than 3,000 in total. Therefore, to address the concerns of many leaders here, you may always come to the relevant office to verify whether public participation was completed in your county and whether it was transmitted back to

Thank you, Waziri. Hon. Abdul Haro, Member for Mandera South, on Question 28.

Question 28/2026

Hon. Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration the following Question:

Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): The Member of Parliament for Mandera South Constituency, Hon. Abdul Haro, has requested us to respond to three questions. I will proceed to part one, which concerns the status of investigations into the disappearance of Mr Ali Isaack Abdulla.

On 13th September 2026, at about 2.30 p.m., four National Police Reservists (NPRs) were manning Bura Hache when two motor vehicles, a white Toyota Land Cruiser and a Toyota Hilux Double Cab, both without registration numbers, approached the roadblock at high speed and stopped abruptly. Four hooded and armed men alighted from the vehicles and went straight

Hon. Haro.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. While I thank the Cabinet Secretary for the answer, I think the response from the Ministry is a bit evasive and does not give comfort to the family of Mr Ali Isaak Abdulla or the people of Mandera South. It is almost two months since the abduction happened and the response we are getting from the Ministry is the standard answer that the investigation is still going on without necessarily giving us concrete progress that has been achieved. Two vehicles without registration plates carrying four hooded armed men drove up to a police roadblock and abducted Ali Issack. There was no

Hon. Weytan.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. To add on to what my colleague has said, after the cases of abduction are reported to DCI, there is no response. I have a case where I brought a request for statement here six months ago on Mohammed Shina, who was abducted at Kariokor by six people with covered faces.

Kariokor in Nairobi?

Yes, Hon. Speaker. Kariokor in Nairobi. Unfortunately, six months down the line, there is no response at all. There is no information at all. Parents are undergoing a lot of pain. In fact, I have a clip where someone was saying that Mohammed Shina will be abducted in a few weeks and it happened. The clip is available. I have forwarded it to the DCI. The person is known but, unfortunately, there is no response. The whereabouts of Mohammed Shina remain unknown. That is a politician who ran as an MCA in Eastleigh and an MCA aspirant under UDA. I ask the Cabinet Secretary to explain what exactly is going on around the issue of disappearances in our country.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Nabuin, Member for Turkana North.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for allowing me to joyride on this Question. Kibish is a border town between Kenya and Ethiopia. The security situation in Kibish is extremely worrying. The Cabinet Secretary should be aware of this because even last night, I sent him a text message. Today, we had three waves of attacks to the only police station in that sub-county from the Ethiopian youth. That is a police station that only has five police officers. Fortunately, the OCPD had mobilised the NPRs to support the station. What is the Ministry doing about this situation? In the last two weeks, the station has not been very good for the local people.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Mukunji.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary to clarify the surge and the increment in abductions since 2024, when he took the mantle as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration. There has been a serious surge in abductions across the country, from Embu to now Mandera and other places. I would like clarification on that. Is there an involvement and some sort of concealment from the Ministry of Interior and National Administration on those abductions? This is because the abductions have been too many without answers and any clarification to the families.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Member for Emuhaya.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, and thank you, Waziri. I am a joyrider and would want to indicate that in my constituency, Emuhaya, which is in the Vihiga County, my OCPD has been using a motorbike for more than enough years. More than three years to be precise. Yes, that is why joyriders are there and so, just take it as it is. We have been trying to get a car for him but even the one that was brought finally, was taken away by a senior officer in the county called the county security officer. So, we have a whole constituency that has no single car. We would like to know why Emuhaya would lack just one Land Cruiser for policemen and security officers to take care of the population there.

A policeman?

I am telling you and you have to listen to me! Those are the facts on the ground. That is why Members of Parliament are there to represent the people. That abduction happened about 10 days ago. The body was later found in River Yala. We are pursuing the matter. Please, help us have security in my constituency, Emuhaya, particularly in a place called Ebuyangu.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Member for Banissa.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to joyride on the Question that has been raised by Hon. Kore. I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary about the National Police Reservists (NPRs), who work under very harsh conditions in Mandera County. It is not a wonder that they have been posted to Borohache Road. I studied in Elwak, where my honourable friend comes from, and I know that Borohache is close to the Kenya-Somalia border. Those are the kinds of challenging duties that are assigned to our NPRs.

Despite working under such harsh conditions, I visited Banissa last month and heard numerous complaints from NPRs that they had not been paid for the last six months. I would like the Cabinet Secretary to clarify why they have not been paid for that long, considering they are working under such harsh conditions. Thank you very much.

Hon. Mulyungi, Member for Mwingi Central.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I thank the Cabinet Secretary and would like to ask him whether he is aware that four bodies were found buried in a mass grave in Mwingi Town. I brought a request for a statement before this House asking for the identification of the four bodies because nobody around Mwingi has claimed those bodies. Could it be possible that those people who were abducted from Mandera, it is their bodies that were buried in Mwingi Town in my constituency? Could the Cabinet Secretary confirm whether that is true?

Hon. Rindikiri, Member for Buuri.

Hon. Speaker, I would also like to joyride. In May, a circular was issued from the Office of the Cabinet Secretary to the effect that if you want to become a chief or an assistant chief, you must possess a diploma. I do not think this is good for serving assistant chiefs who are waiting to become chiefs whenever vacancies arise. It also does not take cognisance of the fact that some serving chiefs are pursuing higher education. What is the Cabinet Secretary doing to ensure that this does not demotivate assistant chiefs who would want to move to a higher level? Thank you.

Hon. Jaldesa, Member for Moyale.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I would like to joyride on those questions too. First, I hope the Cabinet Secretary is aware of the war situation around Moyale Town, especially considering the major crisis that is going on in our neighbourhood.

Secondly, a young man from Moyale, who is known as Shukri Hassan Ali, was abducted in Nairobi six months ago, and his whereabouts remain unknown. I would like the Cabinet Secretary to reassure us that Shukri Hassan Ali from Moyale is alive wherever he may be. Thank you.

Point made. Last one, Hon. Karitho then mama Zamzam. Hon. Saney, you also want to joyride? (Hon. Ibrahim Saney spoke off the record) Hata Hon. Dan Wanyama? (Hon. Daniel Wanyama spoke off the record)

Wow. One minute each.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I would like to enquire from the Cabinet Secretary whether he knows about this Special Operations Group (SOG) team operating beyond Kiutine Town.

A case of ?

A SOG team; the operation team that covers their faces.

SOG?

Yes. They are in Kiutine. Last time we held a security meeting, I went there and informed the Cabinet Secretary that, that team was terrorising my people. Last week, they arrested a motorcyclist, took his motorcycle, destroyed it and demanded its logbook. When the young man brought the logbook, he was senselessly beaten and detained. He was released the following day, but the officers retained his logbook. That is not the first such case. Those officers are so ruthless. They do not even respect the Officer Commanding Station (OCS) or anyone else. They claim that their command comes from “above,” Hon. Cabinet Secretary. They do not even listen to me when I try to plead on behalf of my people when they arrest them illegally. They have been doing this for the last two months.

What is the meaning of the SOG?

Special Operations Group.

Okay.

I do not know what their role is and they are operating within Igembe Central when they are not even stationed along the border. We have a Police Station, a Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), an Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) and all the operations of Government administrators who should be running the constituency, and not that rough team. Thank you.

Hon. Dan Wanyama.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. My concern to the Cabinet Secretary is this: I have three assistant chiefs and two chiefs who did their interviews about four months ago. To date, nobody knows who is now the assistant chief because they have not received their appointment letters. This is raising eyebrows in the villages, and they are thinking maybe, some other things are being cooked behind the kitchen. Waziri, kindly expound on that.

Hon. Saney. Waziri, those are small questions. You will answer them very quickly.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I first wish to acknowledge that, under the Kenya Kwanza Government, there has been a significant reduction in extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances. However, there are a few isolated cases. Could the Cabinet Secretary inform the House about the abduction of one, Malele Abdi Hassan, an NPR officer in Isiolo, who was abducted on 20th December 2025, and that of a citizen, Yahya Mohamed Abdullahi, who was abducted on 15th October 2026 in the Lanbib area of Wajir County? Thank you.

Hon. Zamzam.

Ahsante sana, Mhe. Spika. Ningependa kumpongeza Mhe. Waziri. Alivyokuja Mombasa juzi na kuyachoma madawa ya kulevya, ulitupatia faraja kubwa sana. Lakini pia, kuna wakati hapa nikakuambia hali ilivyo Mombasa, sana sana Likoni, kuhusu wale “Panga Boys”. Wiki iliyopita, wameua pale katika barrier, kijana wetu moja anayeitwa Omari Said Mzerera na wengine wako pale Makadara ambao wameumizwa vibaya sana.

Mlikuja mkaweka curfew, lakini baada ya siku mbili ama tatu, mulivyotoka tu hivi, walimpiga Pastor Oware ambaye alikatwakatwa na panga pale. Baadaye, mwanafunzi msichana wa miaka 12, alikatwa na panga pia. Baada ya curfew kuondolewa, kuna watchman ambaye pia jana amepigwa na kuumizwa vibaya sana.

Nakuomba Waziri, urudi Mombasa kama ulivyofanya wakati ule mwingine tuangalie hao “Panga Boys”, Wajukuu wa Babu na Wajukuu wa Bibi. Utamalizana nao vipi kwa sababu wananchi wameshindwa kutembea na kufanya kazi zao baada ya saa kumi na mbili. Wale watoto wanakata watu pia pale Dongo Kundu Bypass. Ingekuwa vyema kama pia unaweza kutuwekea security pale. Motorists’ pia wanapigwa mawe na kushikwa na kufinywa.

Ahsante.

There are too many joyriders. I wish to stop there. You are asking the same things. (Hon. Caroline Ng’elechei raised both her arms)

Hon. Ng’elechei, you are out of order for raising both arms. However, stand up and ask your question.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to find out from the Cabinet Secretary for Interior... I had the privilege of visiting several counties, the Civil Registration Department and Government and Citizen Services, and there is something that I noted which I believe I should bring to the attention of the Cabinet Secretary. You find that in a county where there are several constituencies, there is a tendency for civil registration officers and those issuing identity cards to concentrate in towns, particularly in major towns within the constituencies.

For example, in Elgeyo Marakwet County, you find that there is a constituency whose headquarters is in Keiyo North. In the Civil Registration Department, there is only one civil registrar in Kerio Valley Sub-County. Marakwet West has five, while Marakwet East has only two. On the other hand, Keiyo North has 15 officers, while Keiyo South has six officers. At the end of the month, the number of documents produced by those officers is almost similar. The 15 officers in Keiyo North and the one officer serving Kerio Valley produce almost the same number of identity cards. The same applies to the National Registration Bureau (NRB). Keiyo North has 35 officers, Keiyo South has 22, Marakwet West has 25, Marakwet East has only seven, while Kerio Valley has only 11.

When I sought to find out why this was the case, I was informed that most officers or employed persons do not want to work in the interior constituencies or sub-counties and, instead, opt to work in towns. I went ahead and called the persons in charge of the NRB and Civil Registration, but the answers I received were not satisfactory. I was told that the person who is supposed to respond to the matter was the Principal Secretary. I found this very inappropriate because, if the Cabinet Secretary is expected to respond to such matters, yet the people at the grassroots who are supposed to give feedback to the Principal Secretary cannot do so, I do not know how the situation will be addressed.

My suggestion, or rather, my question to the Cabinet Secretary is whether the staffing or posting of staff can be decentralised so that each department is able to distribute its staff instead of having this done by the Principal Secretary. If this is done through the Office of the

Hon. Caroline, you are making a speech. Please ask a question.

No, I am explaining, Hon. Speaker. It is not a speech. It is a concern, and it is a question. I was suggesting what I felt should be done. If this is left to the principal secretaries, the heads of departments are left without a solution. My suggestion is that the Cabinet Secretary should decentralise staffing or devolve the posting of staff to the heads of departments.

Thank you.

Thank you. That is good. I want the Cabinet Secretary to answer those now. I see so many hands. Cabinet Secretary, you may respond in the shortest time possible so that we can proceed to other questions. Many of them are tautologous.

The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Not to challenge your authority, some of the questions are related to statements that I am yet to read. For example, the issues relating to the National Registration Bureau (NRB) are covered in a statement. We also have a statement on alcohol. Therefore, I will quickly address the questions that are related to the matters raised.

First, on the question of abductions, any person who abducts a citizen cannot be a security officer. Even if that person is serving within the security service, that person is a criminal because there is no Government policy that allows the abduction of anybody. Let us start with the basics. Where there is an arrest, there is a procedure in law on how a person should be arrested and produced in court within the next 24 hours.

Any process that does not comply with the constitutional requirements under Chapter Four of the Constitution is not lawful. A person who engages in such acts is a criminal, not a security officer. This should apply to everybody. The Government does not abduct people. The police do not abduct people. However, rogue police officers may work with rogue criminals to abduct people.

To start with, there is no such policy. There is no Government office that abducts people. There is no policy in the Ministry, no directive and nothing of that nature. All those are criminal acts that are committed by persons who misuse their authority, whether they are in Government or outside the Government, to abduct people.

Regarding the specific cases, including that of Mohammed Ismail in Kariokor and the others, I do not have the investigation status because I was not fore-warned about this question. We may, therefore, write back to Parliament to provide the status of investigations in each of the cases, including those that have been raised in Banissa, Isiolo and Mandera by Hon. Weytan. I believe Hon. Weytan also raised the case in Nairobi.

All those cases where people suspect that there have been abductions are investigated individually on their own merit. It will, therefore, be important to provide an update based on facts so that I do not generalise the matter.

Hon. Nabuin has raised the question of Kibish, which was also alluded to by Hon. (Prof.) Guyo from Moyale. The security situation in Ethiopia has led to some security concerns on the part of Kenya. The influx of people who are affected by the conflict between communities in Ethiopia, particularly in the Somali region and the Oromo region, has had a negative impact on our security situation in Turkana, particularly in Kibish, and also in Moyale.

We are handling the matter diplomatically by engaging with the Government of Ethiopia. At the same time, the multi-agency team, including the Defence Forces, are doing everything possible to ensure that our borders are secured against those incursions.

Regarding the number of police officers, we have enough police officers. Perhaps, they had gone on leave or were not at the station. However, wherever there is a concern, we will ensure that the number is increased because our young men and women recently graduated

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

He is responding to your question. Just take your seat.

Hon. Speaker, the Cabinet Secretary is lying in the House. I was not charged in court. I was let free because there was no evidence whatsoever. Actually, I did not take plea.

Take your seat.

He came here...

Take your seat. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administrations (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker

Order Hon. Mukunji. Avoid any direct exchanges with the Cabinet Secretary. Speak through the Speaker.

The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administrations (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker, I am glad that the Member is saying he was finally set free. That does not mean in our security records that he was not … (Hon. Mukunji interjected)

Order Hon. Mukunji. Go on Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administrations (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker, I will go to the next question by Hon. Milemba. Hon. Milemba raised the question of a police officer who was finally found dead and his body

Have you opened an enquiry? The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administrations (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Yes, and it is ongoing. Again, as I promised in the other cases, I can give a specific response on the issues that have been raised here in writing through the Office of the Speaker so that it can update the Hon. Member and the House.

When it comes to vehicles, at least, you got one that came to serve the entire Sub- County. Hon. Members will bear me witness here. We have begun replacing one police vehicle after another. We are asking our officers to share. The procurement process is ongoing. We will continue replenishing as we progress, but the pressure has gone a little down. I hope that by January or February latest, we would have covered, at least, every sub-county to have a motor vehicle. We increased the number of police stations, sub-counties, sub-county police officers because you are the ones who requested for them. It strained the security resources. As the procurement process is going on, we will be able to deal with that issue.

On the question of payment of National Police Reservists (NPR), as raised by the Banissa Member of Parliament, I will follow up to find out exactly why that particular cohort of NPR have not been paid. They are now supposed to be paid monthly. Hopefully, we will bring the budget request here during Supplementary Estimates. We would like the NPR not to be paid Ksh5,000, but Ksh10,000 from January next year. That will be done through mobile payment mechanism to make sure that everyone gets their money directly and avoid situations where middlemen on the way reduce the amount due to every officer. We will also ensure that they will all be enlisted in the Social Health Authority (SHA) so that they are protected also like other police officers.

I would like to inform Hon. Mulyungi that, that specific case is under investigation. The assumption that it would be bodies of persons who have been abducted is just an assumption. It is now a requirement through Public Service Commission that a chief should have a diploma. But there is a waiver on the part of assistant chiefs who have served for a long time. They are given time. Even if they are an assistant chief and they do not have the diploma and they want to progress to become a chief, there is a waiver at the moment. They will be given a period of time to upgrade their educational standards.

There is also another waiver that covers marginalised areas, where it may become difficult to find persons who have those specific qualifications. Where that waiver is sought, we work together with the Public Service Commission to waive those requirements, particularly, in areas that we have very few people who are serving inside the community who have the relevant qualifications or diploma to become a chief.

I think I have answered the question by Prof. Guyo concerning Mr. Shukri. I said those are specific cases that we need to respond to.

I want to ask Hon. Karitho… Oh no! Not to ask because I have no latitude to ask the Member any question. The truth is that the Special Operations Group (SOG) is responsible for a massive reduction of almost 70 per cent of banditry in the country, particularly in the Kerio Valley region. We are now putting measures in place to protect the people of Meru. That is why the SOG group is there. The Member, on one hand, says that they feel harassed but, on the other hand, he is happy that cases of banditry have reduced. He does not want to thank the SOG for the massive reduction of cases of banditry in Meru area, which is the most important thing to be discussed here.

There will, of course, be one officer doing this or the other. This is a highly trained and highly disciplined police formation that is doing a fantastic job in our Kenyan border with Somalia and also hinterland where it deals with acts of banditry. We would like to appreciate them. It is a small team, but they do a fantastic job because their work is intelligence-led.

Hon. Mark Mwenje. Question 29/2026

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Could the Cabinet Secretary:

Cabinet Secretary. It is very straightforward. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Yes, this is a very straightforward question on an incident that happened just a few weeks ago.

The Mashujaa Day Celebrations in Embakasi West were held at Umoja 1 Primary School Grounds. A security plan was prepared to cover the event involving officers drawn from the Buruburu Police Station under the supervision of the Deputy Officer Commanding Station (DOCS). The celebrations commenced at about 10.00 a.m. However, at about 1.00 p.m., one person threw a bottle of water towards the main dais, hitting Mr. Jimmy Mwangi Gathoni, the Embakasi West Constituency National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG- CDF) manager, who was representing the area Member of Parliament. This led to a brief commotion, but police officers moved swiftly to restore order, allowing the celebrations to continue uninterrupted.

Later, Mr. Jimmy Gathoni proceeded to Buruburu Police Station, where he made an assault report under Occurrence Book (OB) No.34/20/10/2026. Pursuant to the report, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Buruburu immediately commenced investigations. Persons of interest were summoned, interviewed, and their statements recorded. Police also retrieved the CCTV footage from the venue to assist with the investigations. The investigation established that the attack was linked to a local political rivalry and that the suspect was identified as Branton Ajigo, who is still at large. Police are making efforts to trace, arrest, and arraign him before court to face appropriate charges.

On the status of the investigation, the investigation identified the accused person as Branton Ajigo, who is still at large. Police officers drawn from the Buruburu Police Station under the command of the Deputy OCS put in place security measures to cover the event. The officers were able to move swiftly to restore order, allowing the celebrations to continue uninterrupted.

On the measures being taken to protect residents and business owners and prevent recurrence of similar incidents at public events, the National Police Service (NPS) remains committed to protecting lives and property, safeguarding businesses and ensuring that members of the public can go about their daily activities without fear or intimidation throughout the country through the following measures, among others:

Hon. Mwenje anajua.

Hon. Mwenje, is that clear? Do you have any follow up questions? Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. If the Cabinet Secretary still has the same phone number, I have just sent him a video that was done by Gen Z's and collected by various CCTVs that were around the event. If you watch the videos, you will realise that there are parts of this Statement that are incorrect. His Statement claimed that police officers were present and restored order. You will see in that video that there was no order. There were no uniformed police officers. Only the Deputy County Commissioners (DCCs) and the chiefs were present.

I also raised the issue of who mobilised and financed the fracas. You have mentioned a suspect, whom you claim was a political rival. None of those people have been summoned. I was not in attendance, but other politicians were. One officer in that video works in the Cabinet Secretary's Office and is an aspirant. So, if you need to summon all those people to record statements...

Were those your opponents?

Well, I am not sure if they were because some of them are still public officers. I am just sharing the information with the Cabinet Secretary. I am raising this issue because goonism will destroy this country. It will cause problems if we do not arrest it.

The Cabinet Secretary also mentioned something to do with abductions. I was present when Leslie Muturi, the son of Hon. JB Muturi, was abducted. He is your predecessor, Hon. Speaker. Hon. JB Muturi was the Attorney-General. He contacted the President for Leslie to be released. The Cabinet Secretary is now telling us that the Government is not abducting anyone. I was there. I saw the vehicles which abducted him, which I know to be Government vehicles.

I was in this House with your father and Hon. Gumo.

There was Jeshi la Mzee and Jeshi la Embakasi and we do not want to go back to those days. However, if the Cabinet Secretary can give us an assurance and a plan to deal with those issues, including arresting those involved, regardless of whether they belong to the Opposition or the Government, I can assure him that we will have a peaceful election if he deals with those matters decisively and without favour.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Very good. Hon. Karemba.

Hon. Speaker, I would like to ride on the same question and matter raised by Hon. Mwenje.

Go ahead.

Not forgetting that, most recently, in Embu, there was a political gathering that was invaded by goons, thus resulting in loss of lives of two people and the burning of several cars. To date, no one has been arrested in connection with that incident. We would like the Cabinet Secretary to tell us what he is doing regarding the investigations and whether anyone has been arrested, if any.

Thank you. Last one. Hon. Lilian, then I will give you.

Thank you very much, Papa. I want to ride on the question that has already been asked. I want to thank the honourable Cabinet Secretary for the work that he is doing. Thank you for coming through, especially when I reached out to you. I also appreciate that you normally receive our calls and return them whenever you are unable to pick them. I thank you.

Honourable Cabinet Secretary, in Rangwe, I have chiefs and assistant chiefs, some of whom have worked for more than two years without pay. They have families to support. In fact, there is a particular woman assistant chief who has worked for three years without pay. I do not know whether you are aware of those cases.

Another issue is this: I do not know whether you are aware that there are people in your office who interfere with the employment processes of chiefs and assistant chiefs. They interfere with the system to the extent that the best-qualified candidates, who emerge successful in interviews that are conducted at the grassroots level, particularly at the Sub-County Commissioner's Office, are overlooked, especially if they come from poor backgrounds. Kindly follow up on that matter because there are two pending appointments of chiefs, or rather, promotions, which have been withheld. I am told that they have been withheld because certain individuals have vested interests. I do not know what interest anyone would have other than merit. Kindly follow up on that matter for me.

Hon. Robert Mbui.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. This culture of goonism is becoming a real problem. The Cabinet Secretary has indicated that he seems to have sorted it out. However, you will remember that just over the last weekend, there was an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) rally that was disrupted towards the end by the same goons.

In September, I went to Garissa with my Party Leader.

Your Party Leader was also harassed?

Yes! That is what I am talking about. In September, we were in Garissa with my Party Leader and some youths pelted our cars with

Hon. Farah Maalim. There is a microphone there.

I also want to appreciate the efforts that are being made by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration in maintaining security. There has been a lot of improvement lately. However, the Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs) are now under the police and, sometimes, they do not get paid for a long period. I thought we were trying to bring back the old provincial administration system in a manner that is as effective as it used to be.

Let those people be accountable to the county commissioners, deputy county commissioners and chiefs, rather than being placed under the police. That way, you can carry out an operation at the spur of the moment. You receive information and you act immediately. Having to go to the police station, make a report and wait until the culprits have disappeared is a problem. Therefore, put the police reservists under the provincial administration, including their recruitment and payment as well. Sometimes, they go for long periods without being paid. We also have a feeling that the officer commanding police divisions (OCPDs) and officer commanding stations (OCSs) are the ones who are playing certain games with them.

On the issue of hooliganism, only the Government should have a monopoly to violence. Firepower is what the Government is about: the ability to maintain law and order. If you do not install sufficient Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and make examples of those who engage in such acts, the situation will persist. We fled for our lives right here in Parliament the other day. The Supreme Court was attacked and the State House was attacked. There can be no Government under such circumstances. Therefore, the Cabinet Secretary must assure us that, going forward, particularly as we approach the elections, he will be firmly in charge. There should be CCTV cameras everywhere, and nobody should be allowed to take the law into their own hands.

Hon. Shinali.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for the Jukwaa la Usalama Programme, which was conducted across the country. However, I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary whether he is aware that his predecessor visited the Kilingili area, specifically Gwanaswa Village, when there was a wave of crime and promised to establish a police post there. The constituency’s NG-CDF went ahead and bought land for that purpose but, to date, we have not seen any action from his office. There is a wave of crime in that area because about four constituencies converge there; namely, Ikolomani, Khwisero, Emuhaya and Sabatia. We need a police post to help curb crime in that area.

Cabinet Secretary, as you respond, I think Hon. Farah is spot on. You have done so well in battling organised criminals, but you must do much more as we approach the elections. Do not just go after the young people who are being used by politicians; go after those who sponsor them as well.

On a point of order.

Hon. Farah, what is your point of order?

My point of order is that the security machinery and experts in Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence are able to distinguish between what is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and actual facts. Some time back, somebody alleged that I wanted 3,000 Gen Zs or 5,000 to be killed. I cannot remember the exact number. However, when the matter was investigated, it was discovered that the video had been edited. That is why I did not pursue the matter further. The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) discovered that the video had been edited. Therefore, when such incidents occur, there are ways of finding out what is genuine and what is not. That is why I never bothered with the nonsense about Farah wanting to kill 5,000 Gen Zs. It was absolute nonsense. The only thing I want to say is that, even if it means sending 5,000 people to jail every day, the Government has a serious responsibility to ensure that there is law and order in the country.

Point made. Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker, I know Hon. Farah wanted to use this forum to clear his name.

He wanted to absolve himself. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): He wanted to take the opportunity to do so, but I agree with him. That is exactly what I was saying. I cannot stand here and declare that the video shared by Hon. Mark Mwenje is authentic. It has to go through the process that Hon. Farah has described. However, let me make this promise: There is no justification, nor is there any benefit, in sacrificing the security of our country for political support. As you all know, politics in this country keeps changing, with people moving from one political formation to another.

Hon. Speaker, as a person who has interacted with all of us here and understands how this country operates, I see no value in helping anyone to carry out acts of hooliganism simply because they support the Government. That will continue to be dealt with. In fact, Members should appreciate that hooliganism is not limited to situations where politicians who are supporting the Government and those in the Opposition come together. It also occurs when politicians from the Opposition are together or when those from the Government are together. It is simply about politicians selfishly finding ways of attacking their neighbours.

Hon. Speaker, as you have directed that we must rightly address this matter in our Ministry, I wish you would also emphasise this point to the Members of Parliament. Without them and without politicians mobilising those people, there would be no violence. It, therefore, cuts both ways. There is a responsibility on our part, as well as on the part of aspiring politicians and those who are already elected leaders, to ensure that there is law and order.

Hon. Speaker, I am glad that Hon. Farah Maalim has raised this issue. The incident that occurred in this Parliament on 25th June was an act of terror. In any other country in the world, a special committee of Parliament would have been established to investigate the events of 25th June as serious acts of subversion, destabilisation of law and order and an attempted coup against a democratically elected Government. If we had taken the events of 25th June seriously, we would have moved far beyond them by now. What happened after 25th June? First, some elected Members of Parliament were seen in videos opening the gate for goons to enter Parliament. Some were directing them on where to enter, including areas they did not understand, while others were glorifying those young people. Some were young, while others were older, but all were goons. Churches were celebrating, and bishops were saying: “Leave

There was a goon who sat on this chair.

With a light touch, Cabinet Secretary! There is a Member who was so boisterous about what was happening such that when he met the goons out there, he said: “I voted ‘No’”. Alipata kichapo cha mbwa. They did not care which way you voted. They were just beating anybody from this House.

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Chepkong’a, what is your point of order?

Hon. Speaker, I just wanted to confirm that I was also chased down by goons around here while taking lunch. I agree with the Cabinet Secretary that it is just that I do exercises! Otherwise, I would have collapsed on the way. In fact, my neighbour here is warning Hon. Mukunji, on a light note, not to walk around with the goons unless he registers them.

Go on. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker, allow me to run through this. Hon. Karemba has mentioned the issue of Embu where vehicles were burnt. As you know, the Deputy President and the Governor of Embu were present in that meeting, and some politicians incited members of public to join a meeting that they were not supposed to attend. Investigations were conducted and, as usual, they rushed to court to obtain orders to avoid being charged. Hon. Karemba, the answer is just near your nose. I know what I am saying.

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Karemba, what is it?

Hon. Speaker, what does the Cabinet Secretary mean when he says that the answer is just near my nose?

Hon. Karemba, you are above average. I am sure you know what it is.

Why can he not come out clearly?

Hon. Karemba, you are above average. I am sure you know.

I know him as such. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Do you remember what the Deputy Speaker, was it Hon. Keino, said? Is that so? I think it was when Hon. Shikuku was asked to substantiate a matter.

It was not Hon. Keino; it was Hon. Jean-Marie Seroney. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Seroney, sorry! Why am I confusing the names? Hon. Seroney once said in this Chamber: ‘‘How can you substantiate…

He said that no Member has the obligation to substantiate the obvious. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Yes, Hon. Speaker. I only have a problem with one matter. There is a particular notorious group of politicians who, when they are about to be arrested, are able to procure court orders and are shielded from accountability. Why do judges shield us from producing suspects, including suspects of terror, before court, so that then they can go through the court processes and be held to account? That matter is still alive. The person who sent goons to invade a meeting of the Deputy President, unfortunately, obtained a court order, which I do not agree with, and was protected from accountability.

Hon. Gogo has raised the issue of…

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Mukunji, what is it?

Hon. Speaker, it is good for the Cabinet Secretary to clarify whether the court order stated that the Member or anybody who was involved should not be called upon to appear anywhere, or whether they wanted to abduct them.

Hon. Speaker, the morning after that meeting, a hundred police officers came to my home. When they arrived, I texted the Cabinet Secretary and told him that I do not need police officers in my home. He could actually tell me to turn myself in at any police station and answer any questions if there was a need. The Cabinet Secretary…

Order, Hon. Mukunji. (Hon. Gitonga Mukunji spoke off the record) Just take your seat. Hon. Mukunji, apart from some earlier comments by the Cabinet Secretary… Hon. Mukunji, take your seat.

Take your seat, Cabinet Secretary. Hon. Mukunji, we are in Question Time. The Cabinet Secretary is answering questions on security issues. He has said several things. Being a former Member of this House and a good lawyer whom I know, he is very careful on matters of innuendo, libel and defamation. As Chinua Achebe said, old women feel extremely uncomfortable when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.

Have you prosecuted the criminal? The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): We are working on the matter. From the Public Service Commission and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) perspectives, the characters who were running those collages have already been investigated. I think some of them have been charged. I need to verify the same facts because I left the matter at some point.

Hon. Mbui has talked about goons. I have summarised the matter. We must deal with it, regardless of whether those involved support the Government or the Opposition. Let us also not exaggerate certain incidents. For instance, there was an incident that happened towards the end of an ODM rally. Sometimes, excited young people may run around and scare people. Sometimes, thieves infiltrate political rallies, cause a stampede and then they scare people.

There was an incident in Garissa where I agree that Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka raised genuine concerns. We will update the public on the progress of the investigations.

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Millie, what is it?

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I am sorry for interrupting the Cabinet Secretary. I am listening to the Cabinet Secretary keenly. Indeed, it is true sometimes thieves take advantage of political rallies. I have attended many rallies and witnessed this. However, I am concerned that we are not dealing with goonism seriously. If we do not address it, it will affect us seriously.

An incident occurred in my constituency, which I shared in this House. I did not even bother reporting it because of the casual manner we deal with those issues. Some goons came to my constituency, but we chased them away. Two hours later, while I was in the middle of the lake, my boat exploded. I almost died. I cannot swim in the middle of the lake, which is in the deep waters. You are 30 minutes away from either side of dry land and it was at night.

I highly suspect that the incident was caused by the people we had chased away. I was told that you only need to pour salt in the boat to cause an explosion. I did not bother reporting the incident because we do not treat those issues seriously. If we do not treat them seriously, we will have a lot of fatalities. I do not care which side of the political divide is involved. A lot of goonism is fuelled by us, the politicians. Arrest them, including Members of Parliament. If we are creating problems in this country, then we must be arrested and prosecuted. Let it be known that the officers of the courts are not doing their work. Do your work and arrest us, as politicians. Hon. Lilian told me that Hon. Reuben Ndolo said something that was totally outrageous. Why do we let such things go? In Homa Bay County, I buried someone from my constituency. (Hon. Millie Odhiambo-Mabona spoke off the record)

You have made your point. Yes, Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Speaker, I have a point of clarification. I will pick up from what Hon. Millie has said. The Cabinet Secretary has said that, at times, thieves take advantage of political rallies. Is he telling us that it is okay for thieves to take advantage of political rallies? What is the work of the police officers and other security agencies in ensuring that there is law and order in political rallies?

Secondly, I would like to borrow from what Hon. Millie has said. The former Member for Makadara, Hon. Ndolo, confirmed that they had mobilised their boys— which is the Christian name for goons— to do the good work. He even praised them.

Hon. Cabinet Secretary, your police do nothing about it. They watch and let it pass. I know you may tell us that maybe Hon. Ndolo will rush to court to obtain a court order. However, we have not seen anything being done about that former Member of Parliament, Hon. Ndolo, who confirmed on television that they had mobilised goons. I remember the Member for Embakasi looking very bewildered when that was said in his presence because he was part of that team. But this is the reality.

Hon. Speaker, over the weekend, I saw a certain character at a shopping centre called Kamangu in Kikuyu. He had said wantam while those in my constituency had said tutam and fotam. He was telling people who were making noise: "You people who are making noise, this is not a Kasongo or Ichung’wah meeting. I can order you to be removed from there”. He said this publicly, over a microphone. The next minute, goons emerged from vehicles carrying batons and began beating people. Yet nothing was done.

Cabinet Secretary, I join Hon. Millie Odhiambo in saying that we must take the issue of goons more seriously. It is we politicians together with you as people in the Executive who are allowing it to become what it is. You have told us that those who mobilised the goons against the Deputy President rushed to court. But, Cabinet Secretary, you also know that the same characters are merchants of killer brews in Embu and across the Mount Kenya region. I heard you say in Nyeri that you are dealing with those killer brews. I am yet to see any real action being taken against those who are selling killer brews. There is a very strong correlation between those who are mobilising goons and the brewers of killer brews.

Woman Representative of Trans Nzoia, do you also want to say something on this?

Thank you. I just wanted to add something regarding the arrest of goons and sponsors of goons. We had a very embarrassing incident in Trans Nzoia two or three days ago. I ask the Cabinet Secretary to talk to relevant police officers. Files of arrested goons or sponsors of goons should be beefed up. It is very embarrassing to arraign someone in court only for it to be alleged that there is nothing or that there is no evidence on the entire thing.

On a lighter note, Hon. Speaker, the Cabinet Secretary has spoken about the cases he has presented in court, but the Judiciary or let me say the courts, have released them unconditionally. The Judiciary is also one Arm that is messing up this country. I do not know what we are going to do about that.

Yes, Cabinet Secretary, go on. The Cabinet Secretary of Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Contrary to the assertion by the Leader of the Majority Party, let me first say that, maybe, you will see the progress we have made the day I bring a proper report on goons. We have made very, very big progress.

Cabinet Secretary, I innocently went to the burial of the mother of one of my Members, Hon. Jared Okello. I nearly lost my life to goons.

The Cabinet Secretary of Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker, let me talk about the progress we have made in Kitale before I

Finish quickly, because we have one last Question.

On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Farah. What is your point of order? The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): We still have so many statements.

We have one last Question. Finish quickly.

Hon. Speaker, my point of order is this: The national security, the stability of this country and its territorial integrity are superior to the Constitution. We used to have administration police officers who served under the Provincial Administration. That arrangement was changed by the Constitution of 2010, which has several issues that we may need to correct in the future. For now, however, at the very least, put them under the Administration Police. When you place them under the regular police, it becomes a problem.

The other issue is the discipline of chiefs. I want the Cabinet Secretary to listen to me.

He is listening.

Chiefs are also disciplined officers. Now that you have started taking them to the Administration Police Training College (APTC), I believe they will be carrying firearms in the future, as they did in the past, and they performed that role very well. However, when you are recruiting them, subject them to drug tests in the same way you do with other officers. If a chief is already involved in chang’aa and is appointed to that position, he will not only become a chief who drinks all the time, but he may also engage in the illicit brew trade, making it difficult to address the problem of illicit brews.

Your point has been made. Cabinet Secretary, that is a point for you to ponder and take home.

I have a letter from Hon. Patrick Munene nominating Hon. Mathenge to ask a Question on his behalf. Hon. Mathenge, are you ready? It is Question 30/2026, by the Member for Chuka/Igambang’ombe.

Question 30/2026

Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Member for Chuka/Igambang’ombe, Hon. Patrick Munene, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration the following Question:

Could the Cabinet Secretary—

The Cabinet Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): This is very straightforward. Part I of the National Police Service Act 2011, under Section 10(1)(f) and Section 40, provides that the establishment and gazettement of the police stations fall within the mandate of the Inspector-General of Police. Accordingly, the National Police Service should be engaged before the inception of such projects to provide input on the proposed establishment, assess prevailing security needs, advise on the suitability and specifications of that proposed facility and guide the development process in line with the service operational requirement. Such engagements ensure that facilities that are intended for police use meet the requisite standards and can be appropriately integrated into service command and operationalisation structure. Those processes are essential in facilitating the necessary administrative approvals, formal designation through gazettement and subsequently operationalisation of the station.

However, the National Police Service did not receive formal notification on the initiation, implementation or completion of the Kathanje Police Station Project, which was reportedly funded through the NG-CDF. The National Police Service is, however, ready to engage the relevant NG-CDF authorities and other stakeholders to establish the status of the project, facilitate its formal handover and undertake the necessary process towards gazettement and eventual operationalisation.

Let me just emphasise that we now have designs in the National Police Service of what is a police station and a police post, and what is an urban police station and a rural police

Mathenge, do you have the capacity to follow up with that?

Hon. Speaker, I want to thank the Cabinet Secretary for the response. However, it has been the tradition of the NG-CDF and it is one of its mandates in terms of supporting development projects that are the preserve of the National Government. The issue of security and security infrastructure is well known to the Ministry. The Ministry is aware that it does not have sufficient funds. The process ought to be much more seamless. It should not be that we have a situation where a complete police station is built and the Ministry is not aware. I am glad that the Ministry now has a prototype of different levels of police stations. I wish the Ministry could do the same and produce a prototype for the offices of assistant chiefs, chiefs and assistant county commissioners that are also supported by the NG-CDF.

Thank you.

That is a fair comment. George Best.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. Thank you very much Cabinet Secretary for the response on Kathanje and Kathwana. Kathwana is the county headquarters and it suffers when it does not have a functional police station. For Kathanje, I am not sure. What I am sure that the NG-CDF does is that most of the time it establishes police posts and not police stations.

We all know very well that police stations have to be gazetted before we start constructing them. Our hue and cry have been about cases where the NG-CDF, after consulting the locals and established Government entities, establishes that a police post is required. We go ahead and put it up but later, it is not manned by the Inspector-General or the National Police Service. This is what we have been asking. All the police posts and police bases, including mobile bases, which the NG-CDF has put up, must be manned and supplied with police officers, so that the security that people have been asking for is provided.

Thank you.

Yes, Hon. Ngogoyo.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The last time the Cabinet Secretary was here, and you were present, Hon. Speaker, I asked about administrative units for Kajiado North Sub-County that were gazetted in 2022, shortly before the elections. Seven assistant chiefs’ positions and two chiefs’ positions in Lenana and Olepasha, which are well known to the Cabinet Secretary, have been the subject of two letters that were written to your predecessor and to you. Neither has been acted upon.

Yes, Hon. Wakili.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. On this matter of police posts, it would be prudent for the Ministry to provide some guidelines to the NG-CDF Board so that, when NG-CDF committees come up with proposals for building police posts, they can be given those guidelines from one centre. Otherwise, it will be very cumbersome for each Member of Parliament, on behalf of the NG-CDF committee, to keep requesting them from the Ministry. That would be all right, because some of those projects usually arise from public participation, which is a legal requirement in every constituency after every two years. I believe it is incumbent upon the Ministry to provide those guidelines, now that it has already given what is required. But this was not within the knowledge of the NG- CDF committee.

Thank you.

Hon. Raso.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. What I wish to put to the Waziri is this: This Government has operationalised more sub-counties, locations and sub- locations than any other in the history of this country. That is good for governance. I think one concern, even as a Committee, is the issue of the budget. There is also the issue of offices and vehicles. It is good to ask for those units, but we must go further than that to make them effective and available to the people of Kenya.

Thank you.

Minister, can you respond to those? (Hon. Moses Kirima spoke off the record) The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker, let me start by saying…

Just hold on now, Waziri. Who is that? Is that Kirima?

Yes, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Wakili. Go ahead.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this chance. First and foremost, we thank the Cabinet Secretary for making the country governable as it is today, despite the challenges that we are facing. But my question to the Cabinet Secretary is this: In Central Imenti, we have police officers who have been in that constituency for more than 15 years at various stations. I have complained several times to the Inspector-General of Police, asking why those police officers, mainly the Administration Police ones and even the regular ones, are not transferred.

Hon. Speaker, a policy had been brought here a while ago requiring that a police officer serves at one station for about three years and, thereafter, be transferred. How come police officers in Central Imenti Constituency have stuck there for 10 years to 15 years? Some of them have even decided to collaborate with badly behaved citizens. They even promote local brew making. When new officers go to the area and try to wipe out illicit brew, seasoned officers inform the locals that they are about to be arrested, thus making it impossible to wipe out that kind of crime.

Additionally, Waziri, you created a station called Kauthene Police Station about five years ago. To date, the station is awaiting the appointment of an officer commanding station (OCS). You have also not provided the station with a vehicle. Can a fully-fledged police station run without a vehicle? Finally, as you promised a while back, when will you provide security

Order, Hon. Kirima. Do you need police to demarcate a boundary? (Hon. Moses Kirima spoke off the record) I have discouraged you and your colleagues from Tharaka-Nithi from importing parochial politics to this Floor.

Hon. Mishi, you will be the last one on this matter.

Ahsante, Mhe. Spika. Kwanza, nasimama kuunga mkono swala la Mhe. Mathenge - kwamba tunapojenga vituo vya polisi, tuweze kufanyiwa stakabadhi ambazo zinahusika kwa haraka kwa sababu hata mimi nimemaliza kujenga kituo cha polisi sehemu ya Inuka. Waziri, pia nitakualika uje ukifungue rasmi.

Pili, nakubaliana na Waziri kwamba shambulizi lililokuwa Likoni sio la panga boys kama tunavyosema. Vile Waziri alivyosema, ni kundi la insurgents ambalo si la vijana wa Likoni peke yake. Ni vijana ambao wanatoka katika Coast Region, na ni kama wamekuwa radicalised. Naomba Serikali iangalie swala hili kwa sababu limetupatia kumbukumbu ya mambo ya Kaya Bombo na Mombasa Republican. Kwa sasa, nawapongeza maafisa. Wamefanya kazi nzuri na tumeanza kuona matokeo. Tumeona kwamba kwa wale walioshiriki katika lile jambo, wameweza kupatikana. Nakupongeza sana Waziri kwa kuchukua hatua za haraka sana kuhakikisha kwamba genge hilo la insurgents lililohusika na matukio ya hivi majuzi katika sehemu ya Shika Adabu, Likoni, halitaweza kuendeleza vitendo hivyo.

Ahsante sana, Waziri.

Yes, Hon. Rindikiri, what is it? Is it in response to Hon. Kirima?

No, Hon. Speaker. It is a concern that police are never given protection when matters arise. I have decided to bring to the notice of the Cabinet Secretary that officers from the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) are harassing police officers along the Northern Corridor in my constituency. That is a grazing zone where there are many bandits. The OCS of Kathare Police Station is being threatened and harassed by IPOA. Why? Because someone was caught with stolen goats and he went to complain that he had been harassed by the police. He is now a victim, playing politics. Instead of listening, the IPOA has been harassing and intimidating that officer, who is very effective. He now feels that he should not be allowed to operate in that place. What is the Cabinet Secretary doing to protect our officers against the intimidation by IPOA?

Yes, Cabinet Secretary. (Hon. Julius M’Anaiba spoke off the record) Hon. Taitumu, I am afraid I must stop here. Is it really burning? Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The uniqueness of the security situation in Igembe North is well known to the Cabinet Secretary. We have a number of police stations, but the number of police officers is very minimal. It is skeletal. I would like to know what your Ministry is doing to increase the number of police officers. In terms of geographical location, we are seeing a surge in criminal activity in Igembe North at the moment.

The other thing I would like to raise is with regard to the factors you consider when deciding on the amount of fuel that should be allocated to a police station. For example, in areas like Igembe North, the police commanders constantly complain about receiving very little fuel. You are aware that the area likely requires a maximum fuel allocation due to the issues…

Point made. Cabinet Secretary, can you respond now? The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Hon. Speaker, I agree entirely with Hon. M’Anaiba that there needs to be a conversation between the NG-CDF Board and the NPS. Let me start by saying that I advocate for the NG-CDF to build as many police stations as possible. Some constituencies are doing better than others. In some constituencies, we do not have a single police station, or police post that is established by the NG-CDF, which is a mess. In some places, particularly in marginalized areas, the police stations are dilapidated and yet, the legal and constitutional justification for the existence of the NG-CDF is rooted in its role in running national Government projects that are related to education and security, among others. Therefore, I encourage a very close working relationship between the constituency security committee, which is the sub-county security committee, and the NG-CDF, to ensure that we improve our security infrastructure.

Consequently, there should be no reason why we should have a situation like that of Kathanje where, independent of the sub-county security committee, a police station is established and then the police are told: “Nimejenga, sasa kujeni.” It should be the other way round. All of us should sit together and agree that a police station is, indeed, needed in a particular area. In any case, public participation will be carried out. The necessary documents are prepared, the sub-county police commander escalates it to the national level, and the Member of Parliament, of course, in their advocacy, communicates with the Inspector-General or the Cabinet Secretary. Eventually, a police station involving all players is established.

The second issue is that it is not just the police station for which we have a prototype. We also have office prototypes for sub-county, assistant county commissioners, chiefs, and assistant chiefs. All those have been prepared, and we shall ensure that they are sent to the county security team and the sub-county security team, so that if a sub-county wants to establish something, they do not need to come all the way to Nairobi. This can also be shared with the NG-CDF Board to ensure that, as many offices as possible are involved, thus preventing the possibility of establishing a structure that may not be functional in the end. This applies to both cases raised by Hon. George.

Hon. Onesmus Ngogoyo raised the question of operationalisation of locations and sub- locations in his constituency. The process is ongoing. If you have noticed, we are starting with places such as Marsabit and other vast counties because of accessibility challenges. For example, a ward in North Horr is twice the size of Nyeri County. Therefore, we are starting with areas where accessibility is a major challenge as we come closer. Your county is not so badly off, but we will ensure that the administrative units are operationalized soon. We are also pushing for the budget.

I can assure you that this will be done during the tenure of the Kenya Kwanza Government and the presidency of President William Ruto. I can assure you that it will be done during his presidency, whether before the end of 2027, in 2028 or even in 2029. However, I would want it to be done as early as possible. Perhaps, the better question you should have asked is whether it will be done while you are still a Member of Parliament during this term.

We will ensure that, that is done before you go for another election. You are my friend, and you know that when I assure you of something, I mean it. It is not, however, being done out of friendship. I am simply telling you the truth as a friend - that, it will be done before the next election. Even though somebody was whispering here that it can wait, it cannot wait because services are needed in your constituency.

Hon. Raso’s question regarding the budget is an extremely weighty matter. I am not aware of a constituency that does not have a location or sub-location that has not been operationalised across the country. First of all, let me tell Hon. Ngogoyo that this is not a challenge affecting his area alone. The reason it has become easy for us to operationalise

Thank you. We are done with the questions of the day. Hon. Martin Owino was not here.

Can I have the microphone? What about the need for police officers, on recruitment, being tested for drugs and subsequently have periodical tests for drugs so that we have a clean force?

I had directed that he notes that and he implements it.

Okay. You are going to come back to that.

I directed that he notes it. (Hon. Dekow Mohamed spoke off the record) Hon. Weytan, what is it? I am sorry, Hon. Dekow. You look alike.

Do I?

Yes, you do.

Hon. Speaker, sometime in April of this year, I raised an issue on the Floor of this House regarding a police officer who was missing and whose case was reported to the police station in Garissa. The Cabinet Secretary gave a response. However, the response was not read here because you directed, in consultation with Hon. Tongoyo, who is the Committee Chairman, that the response given was not adequate. It was your judgement, us included, that the Cabinet Secretary was supposed to come and respond on the same. I have raised this issue a number of times and yet, we have not had a response on it.

To be fair to the Cabinet Secretary, it was not part of our listed issues. This could be some form of ambush.

The Cabinet Secretary had been given the response to come to this House on the same a number of times, but he failed to appear even in the Committee.

We are on the same page. What he has been responding to is what we had asked him to come and respond to today. I will direct him to go and check out the facts and write to my office so that we can pass it on to you. If it requires further interrogation, I will ask Hon. Tongoyo to call the Cabinet Secretary to the Committee. Then you can further interrogate the matter. I remember the issue, but it was not listed for today.

Cabinet Secretary, unless you are otherwise lawfully held, you are free to leave. The Cabinet Secretary for interior and National Administration (Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen): Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. Thank you for your time.

Next Order. (The Cabinet Secretary withdrew from the Chamber)

Order! Hon. Members on your feet, take the nearest seats. Hon. Lilian, take your seat. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order. Yes, Leader of the Majority Party, this is very simple. Move, second, then we put the Question. Hon. Robert should be ready to second. This is something we passed in the House Business Committee. Go ahead.

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

THAT, notwithstanding the Resolution of the House of 11th February 2026 and pursuant to the provisions of Standing Orders 28(4) (Calendar of the Assembly) and 30(3) (Hours of meeting), this House resolves to alter its Calendar so as not to hold a sitting on the afternoon of Tuesday, 17th November 2026. This is because we need to allow the Chamber to be used for an international summit, which is the Third Global Parliamentary Summit Against Hunger and Malnutrition, which will take place on 16th and 17th November 2026. If we do this, we will allow the meeting to go on.

I beg to move and request the Deputy Leader of the Minority Party to second.

Hon. Robert Mbui.

Hon. Speaker, I second. (Question proposed)

Do I put the question?

Put the question. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order. The Chairperson of the Committee on Delegated Legislation. Hon. Gichimu, is it you moving the Motion? Go ahead.

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

THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Committee on Delegated Legislation on its consideration of the Excise Duty (Remission of Excise Duty) Regulations, 2026, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 3rd November 2026 and, pursuant to the provisions of section 7(3A)(a) of the Excise Duty Act, Cap 472, this House approves the Excise Duty (Remission of Excise Duty) Regulations, 2026 (Published as Legal Notice No.193 of 2026).

Proceed, honourable Deputy Leader of the Minority Party.

Thank you. I rise to second the Motion that this House adopts the Report of the Committee on Delegated Legislation. The Statutory Instruments Act, which is like a Bible of that Committee in handling regulations that are brought by regulation-making authorities, guides the Committee on Delegated Legislation.

Some of the things that the Committee will look at include whether regulations have been brought on time because there are statutory timelines. These Regulations came at the right time. We also check whether adequate public participation was undertaken. We recognised that public participation was undertaken. We check whether they conform to the relevant Acts of Parliament because Regulations are drawn from Acts of Parliament. We can confirm that these Regulations conformed to the parent Act. We also check whether they are constitutional in nature. These Regulations are constitutional. The Committee looks at an array of things. Basically, these Regulations passed the test of the Committee.

What are the Regulations about? This is a reduction of tax. For the first time, I am very happy to stand on the Floor of this House and talk about reduction of tax. The Regulations propose a remission of Excise Duty. It means reduction of tax, to waive in part or reduce the Excise Duty that is supposed to be paid. Basically, it means that manufacturers will pay a reduced amount of Excise Duty as they manufacture alcoholic products from local agricultural produce. This is a good thing that will help to bring down the cost of alcoholic beverages that are consumed in this country.

What conditions are given for one to qualify? Everybody will jump in if you do some of these things without Regulations. Conditions are provided in Regulation 5, including tax compliance. Any manufacturer who wants to participate has to be tax compliant. They have to use Electronic Tax Invoice Management System. They must have valid Excise licence. They also have to install the Excisable Goods Management System (EGMS). Their labelling must

Who is interested? Is that Hon. Dan Wanyama? Why do you choose to go very far? Please, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I appreciate the Committee for bringing this subsidiary legislation. There are two things that this legislation will achieve. It will encourage local manufacturers to be in business. Alongside that, it will aid reasonable creation of jobs for young people who lack employment. This is because it is an incentive to business people who deal in alcohol. It will give them an even bigger market for their products.

Another thing it will achieve is addressing the menace of illicit brews. The issue is not just that people want to take that alcohol. Those who are able to go to the main hotels and have fun can afford it. However, people who earn very little also want an opportunity to enjoy their weekends. That is how they find themselves taking illicit brews, which actually wreaks havoc on their lives. Therefore, reducing Excise Duty will allow local factory business people who deal in alcohol to create an opportunity for low-income earners. They will be able to take alcohol that has substance, alcohol that is measurable and alcohol that is quite healthy. Therefore, it will be a good thing for this legislation to go through. We will encourage Kenyans to take alcohol that is healthy.

It will reduce the health menace. It will also help Kenyans not to engage in illicit brew drinking. I support the Committee. I also encourage the House to pass this law so that we save Kenyans who are getting lost in taking illicit brews.

Thank you.

Is there any further interest in this Motion? In the absence of further interest, I call upon the Mover to reply. We have been told that these are very good Regulations that are seeking to reduce taxes.

Proceed and reply.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to thank the Members who have contributed to this Motion. The Government is very concerned about the consumption of illicit brews in this country. This is the right trajectory. Apart from trying to create affordable local drinks, the Government will also be supporting sorghum, millet and cassava farmers. Once we improve on production in terms of quantities and manufacturing, we will create jobs and reduce the amount of money that is spent on importing drinks into the country.

I thank the Members and the House for agreeing with the Committee that the Ministry of National Treasury and Economic Planning, which developed the Regulations, has taken a good step. The Committee only looked at whether the Regulations meet the legal and constitutional requirements.

Without much ado, I beg to reply. (Question put and agreed to)

Next Order.

Hon. Shinali is the Chairperson.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No.32 of 2026) be now read a Second Time.

The Bill, sponsored by Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah, seeks to amend the Sacco Societies Act, Cap 490B, to provide for the establishment of secondary Sacco Societies and regulate the conduct of central liquidity and shared services business by secondary Sacco societies. The Bill also proposes to amend the principal Act to facilitate the operationalisation of the Deposit Guarantee Fund and align the appointment of members of the Board of Trustees of the Fund with international best practices.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the primary objective of the Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 32 of 2026), is to establish a regulated framework for central liquidity and shared services business. It also seeks to provide the Sacco sector with access to the inter-bank market through licensed secondary co-operative societies and to introduce governance reforms for the Board of Trustees of the Deposit Guarantee Fund, in conformity with the Mwongozo.

The Bill seeks to operationalise the Deposit Guarantee Fund and introduce criminal liability for conducting unlicensed central liquidity and shared services business. The Sacco Societies (Amendment) Bill will have a significant impact on Saccos by creating a new centralised framework for managing liquidity and shared services through the following mechanisms:

Hon. Marianne Kitany, you have the microphone on your right.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I stand to second the Bill, which was sponsored by the Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah. As I second, allow me to mention a few salient issues that are already being proposed in this Bill. We will note first that the SACCO Societies Act was enacted in 2008, and that is the Act that has been in use all through. We know that SACCOs in this country hold deposits of over Ksh800 billion. If they are not properly regulated, many depositors, savers, and co-operators may end up losing money.

We have had many cases in the past, the most recent being the secondary co-operative called Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (KUSCCO), which went down with almost Ksh13 billion worth of savings belonging to co-operatives. It fell because KUSCCO did not have proper regulation. It was caught somewhere between the Commissioner for Co- operatives and SASRA, which regulates those SACCOs. That is why it fell through the cracks, and many co-operators lost a lot of money. We have had many other co-operatives, and even deposit-taking SACCOs, lose a lot of money because of the non-stringent regulations in the Act. Those particular amendments have come to save the very savers, who are the majority of Kenyans who save and do business through SACCOs.

If we go to countries outside Kenya, many of those SACCOs are used as credit unions. I think we hear many people saying, “We have never opened a bank account; we only have a credit union account.” Those credit union accounts have helped members of those particular unions to grow, and they trade through them like banks.

Here in Kenya, although you may have a SACCO, you may also be required to have a bank account. Transacting within SACCOs has always been a hindrance because we do not have a central facility that would allow trading between SACCOs and the movement of money from one SACCO to another. When we do not have money moving from one SACCO to another, that restriction forces SACCO co-operators to also interact with banks. When they interact with banks, it becomes very expensive for them. First, the cost of doing business and the cost of money become expensive. Second, the time taken to trade increases. If you are moving your money from, say, Mwalimu SACCO to Police SACCO, the transfer between those two SACCOs will take longer than if you had made a transaction within the banking sector. That has really hindered a lot of transactions within the SACCO movement. The other major issue this Bill is looking at is the deposit guarantee fund. While it was in the previous

Very well and very strong seconding. (Question proposed)

Hon. Members, you should take keen interest in this matter because it affects many of your constituents. As the Seconder has said, I know of a board that has served for 42 terms, perpetually revolving. The chairperson becomes the secretary, the secretary becomes the treasurer, and they serve indefinitely. I wish for an opportunity for all of us to serve. We also have the issue of in-lending.

On the list here is Hon. Naomi Waqo.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to this important Bill, the SACCO Societies (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill of 2025.

I have gone through the Bill. Many of us are familiar with SACCOs. Those of us who have a background in teaching and those who have worked with the Stima DT SACCO have benefited from them. We also have other SACCOs like the Kenya National Police DT SACCO and the Harambee DT SACCO. Many people belong to those SACCOs and have benefited significantly. In the past, Kenyans have used SACCOs to invest, purchase land, build apartments and hostels, while others have constructed social halls to generate income.

Even in the villages, you have small Savings and Credit Co-operative Organisations (SACCOs) that have helped people to bring together their money and, in a way, create their own wealth. Out of that, they have come up with what we call income-generating projects, which are sustaining their families.

As I have been interacting with people, I have realised that many people prefer SACCOs because they are affordable. When one is looking for a loan, they can easily access it, and the loans are also cheaper than those that are offered by the banks.

Again, many people prefer SACCOs because even when it comes to collateral, the requirements are more flexible. Even on the issue of guarantors, members and friends can guarantee one another so that they can access loans, invest and do business.

Another factor that has encouraged people to join SACCOs is the annual dividends. At the end of the year, when dividends are shared, many people benefit. This has encouraged more people to be part of this. Many people prefer being in SACCOs.

Additionally, an important factor is ownership. When you belong to a SACCO, you feel proud to be a member. Some of us may even be founding members, and that gives one a sense of pride. It also gives one an opportunity to mentor others to join so that the SACCO can have more members and beneficiaries.

Another factor that has encouraged people is financial education, including the training sessions and workshops that members attend. Those have educated many people and given

Hon. Mark Mwenje.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have been sitting here with the Chair of the Committee. He was trying to convince me otherwise. But, Chair, I stand to oppose this Bill. While it has some good issues here and there, I do not support it. Saccos are the foundation of what drives business down there. Teachers and farmers have their own Saccos. Even in Parliament, as Members, we have our own SACCO. The staff also have a SACCO. Those small Saccos are in the business of helping members.

The reason I oppose this Bill is the issue on Part IIIA that creates central liquidity and shared services. It creates a secondary super Sacco where 30 or more Saccos can come together and pool their resources together. One of the businesses that, that secondary co-operative society can do is invest in Government securities. The secondary society can also lend to each other and do many other things but, the key business is to invest in Government securities.

I am an advocate by profession. I want to tell you about what happened in 2010 when loans were being hawked in the streets by banks. I worked at a law firm called Sichangi Partners Advocates at the time. I remember you would go outside Kencom and Co-operative House and you would experience the issues of unsecured loans. If you had a salary, you could go for the unsecured loan of up to Ksh1 million. That was how it was then. This was happening because President Kibaki, at the time, refused to borrow locally and so, local banks turned to lending

Well, you have put up your points strongly. Hon. Gichimu, is next to speak to this. (Hon. Bernard Shinali spoke off the record) But he is done! Point of order against who? Hon. Gichimu, you may proceed. Hon. Chairman, we shall still give you the right of reply and so, you do not have to be worried. You are the final person on this. Proceed Hon. Gichimu.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to support this, Bill. I will proceed to give the current picture of the SACCOs we have in this country, so that we can all understand and the public out there can also understand where we are coming from and where we are headed to in terms of this SACCO Bill.

This Bill does not address the normal co-operatives or the other SACCOs like the transport SACCOs and other small SACCOs. This Bill seeks to address two major SACCOs: The Deposit-Taking (DT) SACCOs and Non-Deposit-Taking SACCOs, which usually have a threshold. Those are the SACCOs that are regulated by the Sacco Societies Regulatory

Hon. Mwenje should listen to the speaker on the Floor.

This is very important so that we get the context right. The Bill provides for pooling of resources. It does not negate the primary responsibilities of SACCOs. Their primary responsibilities lie and they are still regulated by SASRA.

Second, the Bill does not obligate; it is not mandatory. However, if some SACCOs feel that they have resources they can pool together for them to create a central liquidity, where they can be dipping in their hands and borrow when the times are low, then this Bill comes in handy. In the same spirit of primary co-operatives, where people pool small and big resources together to create a pool of money, co-operatives can also agree and they are not being obligated by anyone.

It is for willing contributors to come together and form a secondary co-operative society that can support them in such instances. Another point is that, once they come together to address the fears that have been raised by Hon. Mwenje, the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) will still regulate them and will have to give them approval before they invest in any other area. Those are funds that have, probably, been lying idle within the co- operatives without being utilised. They can also be used to generate more income for the primary co-operatives, thus enabling them to reap more benefits.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Mwenje. What is your point of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am sorry, I do not have the specific Standing Order in mind, but my point is on a statement of fact. The Member is saying that, if they are brought together, they will still invest. I want to refer him to Clause 28(c). It is very clear that secondary co-operative societies undertaking central liquidity and shared services shall not transact in deposit-taking, lend to natural persons, undertake wholesale or retail activities or undertake such other activities as may be prohibited.

More importantly, I want to refer to the word "investment". It is prohibited under sub- clause (d), which prohibits investment in venture capital. The words are here. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Very well. You may take your seat. Proceed, Hon. Gichimu.

That is why I am saying that Hon. Mwenje did not pay good and proper attention. I said that whatever this secondary SACCO undertakes will be regulated by SASRA. There is no way it can deviate from what the law has already provided.

The main intention is to have this secondary SACCO, just like the way Hon. Mwenje and I are members of PACOSO, and I believe he is also a member. At some point, through his contributions and mine, we have already built some substantial capital within the SACCO. The same case applies to other SACCOs. Primarily, they have already been built by individuals. At the secondary level, those people also pool resources. What is wrong with that? We are not even making it mandatory.

It is an avenue that we are creating. This is happening in the United States of America (USA). The USA is the best country with what they call credit unions. Here, we call them SACCOs. They have established secondary SACCOs. I have done some research and I have seen that the USA has credit unions with assets worth US$3.98 trillion. This is because of the

Hon. Mwashako. Is he still around?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to add my voice to this important SACCO Societies (Amendment) Bill. I want to join my colleagues who have indicated that the Sacco movement in this country is one of the best examples we have in the world. Most countries that have started Saccos after us have come to benchmark against this country.

Saccos play a very central role. We understand and it has been said here that, many times, many of our people do not find an opportunity to borrow from the commercial banks in Kenya as they would wish. Therefore, they have to run to Saccos. Those Saccos range from the big Saccos we have in the country such as the Mwalimu SACCO, the Police SACCO, the Parliamentary SACCO that most of us are members of, but also those various Saccos that are found in villages, that is, those that operate with very small deposits.

This Bill has areas that are very progressive. One of the most progressive areas of this Bill is the guarantee that when a Sacco goes under, then members are able to access up to Ksh100,000. This is an important and very progressive part of this Bill, as it guarantees our people who join Saccos that, at no point, are they at risk of losing their money.

Another very important part that is in this Bill is that they have also taken into account that if those Saccos come together and form the super Sacco, then directors who will run those circles will be people of very high integrity; people who are above board in the sense that SASRA will look at them and say: 'These are people who can take care of depositors' money.'

Having said that, it is also important to bring out the issues that have been in the public arena. When this Bill started, there were many complaints. Saccos out there believed that the Government planned to take depositors' money and use it for the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), That worried the Sacco movement and Sacco members. But I am happy that there is nothing in that Bill that relates to that. However, it is the duty of this Parliament to give out full information to the public, so that the things that go out to the public from this Parliament are communicated by Parliament itself instead of waiting for rumours and things that are not very clear to get out to the public.

I cannot see any further interest in this. Proceed, Hon. John.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to strongly oppose this amendment Bill to the Sacco Societies Act. The reason for my opposition to this Bill is that we are now seeking to over-regulate and micro-manage the Sacco society movement in the country. It must be noted that, over the last few years, this Parliament has introduced one regulation after another and one aspect of micro-management after another into the Sacco society movement in Kenya. The level of regulation we already have, particularly considering that we have Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) regulating our Saccos, both deposit-taking and non-deposit-taking, should be sufficient. The formation of a super Sacco or a secondary Sacco may appear harmless, but it is also accompanied by several other clauses that will usurp the powers of members. We must…

On a point of order!

Order. Hon. Shinali is on a point of order. Let us hear it.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you need to protect me from points of order because I have not even started giving my points. What point of order is he raising? He should allow me to make my point, and then he can raise whatever points of order he has. I hope he is not raising an…

Order, Hon. John. I am a strong supporter of debate. Be assured that you will have your time. Let us hear his point of order.

You may take your seat.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, Hon. John is misleading the House because SASRA regulates only deposit-taking Saccos. Therefore, when he alleges that SASRA regulates both non-deposit-taking and deposit-taking Saccos, he is

Since which year?

Since the formation of Saccos. There has not been any other amendment.

Thank you. Hon. Kaguchia, it was that simple. You may proceed. I will add you more time.

Of course, ignorance has no defence, Hon. Temporary Speaker. SASRA regulations were recently done when we had Hon. Munya as the Cabinet Secretary of the relevant Ministry.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I wish to continue with my submission. On this ‘animal’ you are calling the super Sacco, when someone is joining a Sacco, they want to save in the primary Sacco, or take a loan and repay that loan to their primary Sacco. Why are we now creating or encouraging the creation of another ‘animal’ or another secondary Sacco that is beyond the control of the primary Sacco where members subscribe to? First, you are introducing unnecessary overheads and costs. Look at the governance of this super Sacco you are referring to. Clause 28G states as follows:

A secondary co-operative society undertaking central liquidity and shared services business licensed or authorised under this Act shall be governed as follows–

Hon. John, this is not a Committee of the whole House. There is a Speaker here, not a Chairman. Proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I want to correct that as guided by you. This central liquidity arrangement introduces the issue of savings in Government securities again. If you open this door, we will kill the very essence of having a Sacco in the first place.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, all the money that is saved in a SACCO should be for members to borrow. If you are going to open the SACCOs now to invest that money in Government securities, it simply means the borrowers will compete with Government securities. Woe unto us, most of the SACCOs will connive to invest the monies in Government securities.

At the end of the day, a member of the primary SACCO who is not involved in election of Board of Directors or in the creation of the secondary SACCO will suffer. The Bill talks about creating reserves of liquidity. Which SACCO does not have reserves now? You must retain a certain percentage of your income, savings and revenue every year. You must retain part of your collections in your reserve. That is the law today. But the Bill tells us that we will move those reserves from the primary SACCO by creating another liquidity arrangement which will be done by a super SACCO, that even the President has a hand in it.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have not looked at the area where we have the issue of term limits. When Hon. Kitany was seconding this Bill, she alleged or insinuated that term limits for the Board of Directors in the primary SACCO will be limited to two terms. You definitely looked excited about that because you made some comments about it. A SACCO is a financial institution. Will you do the same for banks in Kenya? Will you direct Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Equity Bank, National Bank of Kenya and Family Bank to have term limits for their CEOs because they are financial institutions? If not so, allow the SACCOs to elect and choose their leadership. They have annual general meetings every year. You know very well the arrangement that is there. Every year, we must have, at least, the prescribed arrangement which is that three of the Board Members must retire. When they retire, it is the members of the SACCO who determine whether they are going to re-elect them or not based on their performance in the annual general meeting.

Why do you want to force the primary member SACCOs to reject good performing Board of Directors? Some of the SACCOs have come this far because of good management. I know a SACCO like New Fortis in Nyeri County which is led well and it thrives. I know so many other SACCOs which are led by teachers’ unions and other unions elsewhere, and they thrive. They do very well. We have exceptional cases where some of the SACCOs do not do well, but that is also in every other sector. Why do we want to force members of a SACCO to do away with good Board of Directors, when they still need them to lead the SACCO?

On the issue of time limits, whether there is an amendment or not, it is something that I will oppose vehemently. Because I can see my time is lapsing, we need to relook at this Bill. We should do away with some of these amendments, especially the ones which will overburden the members of our primary SACCOs.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Did I see further interest on this? We do not have further interest on this matter, but the debate has been very good. I call upon the Mover to reply.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. First of all, I want to thank those Members who have participated in this debate. The Bill is now in

Hon. Members, take your seats. (Question put and agreed to)

Is the Chair in the House. Hon. Dan Wanyama you may proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the Anti-Doping Amendment Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 66 of 2026), be now read a Second Time.

Permit me to begin with a brief explanation on what gives rise to this Bill. Kenya is a signatory to the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport, which is established under the World Anti-Doping Agency, under which provides the international obligation prohibiting doping in sports.

The World Anti-Doping Code was revised to address emerging challenges in relation to doping. The revised code will come into effect on 1st January 2027. The World Anti- Doping Agency directed all signatories to the Convention to review and amend their legal regulatory and policy frameworks on anti-doping to ensure full alignment before the Code takes effect. It is for the above reasons that the Anti-Doping Amendment Bill 2026 is before the House today.

Hon. Basil, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also wish to extend my appreciation to the Chairperson of our Committee. I am a member of this Committee and I agree that we need to pass this Bill without any amendments.

I rise to second this particular piece of legislation. I have many reasons as to why I want to second it. This legislation puts Kenya in the same space as countries like Germany, France, Finland, Belgium, Denmark and other nations that have solid legislation that tends to promote integrity in sports.

We must acknowledge that Kenya is the home of champions, widely renowned and globally recognised for its exceptional sporting prowess. However, when we face challenges related to doping, it severely dilutes the hard-earned respect we command on the global stage. Enacting this legislation will firmly institutionalise meritocracy, protect clean athletes and guarantee fair competition, thereby ensuring that our sports women and men excel and restore the sporting glory of this nation under transparent and fair conditions. It is a regrettable waste of public resources and a matter of national embarrassment when sports women and men sponsored by the taxpayer travel to international tournaments, only to face disqualification at the critical moment when this nation relies on them to compete. Enacting this legislation will yield significant economic value, optimise taxpayer resources, and guarantee that the sports women and men sponsored to represent our nation in international tournaments do so only upon being cleared with a clean bill of health on the sports front. This element of reputation protection is going to protect the image of this country and ensure that no embarrassment tends to taint the name of this country. That is why I support this legislation.

If you look at Clause 21, there is a deterrent where penalisation of users of drugs is imposed. We are talking about a fine of Ksh1 million and a sentence not exceeding two years, or both. That serves as a deterrent to any person who wants to participate in doping, which is a vice that is discouraged.

If you look at Clause 14 of this particular legislation, it provides for accredited laboratories where sportsmen and sportswomen can be tested, and that restores integrity in sports as a field. Again, this particular legislation gives some authority to the Anti-Doping Agency by providing room for anti-doping compliance officers who will be able to investigate independently and conduct inspections to ensure that sportswomen and sportsmen who participate or qualify to represent this nation are, indeed, cleared of doping or any form of drugs that are prohibited in the field of sports.

Clause 7 of the Bill provides for operational independence of the Anti-Doping Agency, and that gives us the teeth to bite when necessary. That, again, justifies why I stand to second this Bill. When I look at the qualifications and experience recommended under Clause 15, I must express some reservations regarding the specified duration. The Bill recommends a minimum of 15 years of experience for the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer. In my view, this threshold is excessively restrictive. I propose that when the Bill progresses to the

Very well. But you seem to accept that it may have to go through some amendments. (Question proposed) Hon. Members, I do not see any interest in this. (Question put and agreed to)

(The Bill was read a Second Time and committed to Committee of the whole House) We can meet during the Committee of the whole House. Next Order.

These Orders are deferred. This is because the Leader of the Majority Party is out on official duties. (Bills deferred) Next Order.