Wilberforce Ojiambo Oundo

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute. Allow me to thank and congratulate the Mediation Committee for successfully shepherding the process. As required under Article 113 of the Constitution of Kenya, whenever a Bill originates from either of the...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) I wanted to direct it to the Leader of the Majority Party. Many questions and statements are directed to the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, some dating back to February this year. I would like to know when he intends...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I wish to add to the discussion on roads, specifically the Busia-Kisumu Road. Can the Cabinet Secretary inform us when repairs will be done, especially concerning the potholes, which have become a death trap? Soon we may begin to lose...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Deputy Speaker, it is very perturbing how we are handling the affairs of this House regarding to the Budget-making process. The drafters of the Constitution provided for Article 223 to take into account exigencies that might occur during the financial year, but, honestly,...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) On a point of order.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Deputy Speaker, I was just wondering. With your indulgence, we can dispense with Order 7 in the Order Paper, as we 25th June 2025 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES 111 Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM)skipped it in view of the urgency and importance of...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is sometimes difficult to deal with this matter. Just a few days ago, during the Budget process, similar recommendations of a 60-day timeline were made. The same timeline was recommended when we were doing the Supplementary Budget. Hon. Temporary Speaker,...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. This is a very important matter that affects all of us seated here, as well as those who are not here, representing the people of Kenya in their constituencies. It is a request for a Statement regarding the re-categorisation...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) That is a very good ruling. However, I wish it could come much earlier.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) I have something to put into perspective so that he can understand the urgency of the matter. Currently, the grade nine...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Speaker. By your very guidance, probably debate may be rendered redundant. I do not see how we will raise 233 Members to challenge the formula. I wish the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, having deliberated and dealt with this...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I also join my colleagues in supporting this.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) I will do three minutes, and then give him two.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I also join my colleagues in supporting the allocation of Ksh415 billion to the counties, but with a lot of reservations. I do not wish to echo what my colleagues have said, but the intention of devolution was to foster successful development...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support the Bill. I also wish to join my colleagues who have served since the 12th Parliament in commending the Senate. For the very first time, they have done something commendable. Indeed, this is exactly what...

Hon. (Prof.) Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me also join my colleagues in supporting the Motion by Hon. Faith Gitau on the expansion of major roads in the country into dual carriageways. Transport is essential to industrialisation and economic growth. Its importance cannot be gainsaid....

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, as much as the amendment to sub-clause 5 is timely and important, cabinet secretaries must also act in good faith, knowing the importance and urgency of the need to operationalise laws. We do not have to put for them specific timelines....

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I support the amendment 100 per cent as it was done before and as is being carried here. However, probably the failure to allow all deductions and relief could be out of ignorance, not knowing what was provided for....

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I just want to sincerely thank the Chairman of the Committee. I raised this matter earlier in the House. He did not get the import of what I was saying. However, as we walked out of the chamber, I believe he...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I sincerely thank and strongly support this amendment as moved by the Chairman of the Committee. All taxes are paid to KRA, despite the different accounts. It should therefore be a simple matter of entry, exit, and then the bottom line....

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, let me also join my colleagues in this debate of zero-rating and tax exempting. As for now, the purported proposal by the National Treasury to move from zero-rating to tax exempt would have automatically resulted in some minimal price increases. At...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I see a practical challenge in implementing this clause. The Chairman and his technical team should take note of this. Assuming that an individual has taken a mortgage on a property, and in the event that one defaults, the Land Act...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I strongly support this amendment. This is trying to enhance the amendments we did in December, in the Business Laws (Amendment) Bill, particularly to the Standards Act on the issuance of the certificate of origin. It also cures a very interesting...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Allow me also to join in supporting the Report of the Committee and their proposals to appoint the three Kenyans: Peris Muthoni Kimani, Benjamin Juma Imani, and Prof. Colette A. Suda. Regardless of the fact that the gender rule...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Okay, fine. Let us not lose focus. When we inaugurated the new Constitution, it gave us a very elaborate Bill of Rights, coming out of repressive regimes over the past years since independence. At the centre of any democracy, are law enforcement agencies. Our...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I stand here to support the Finance Bill, 2025. (Applause)(Laughter) 17th June 2025 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES 51 Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM)listen. I hope whatever we have listened to, will find its way through the Committee of the...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM)Allow me to continue.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Speaker, we need to be very clear at the opportune time. I also think the Chair will need to clarify. I need Kenyans to be very clear and listen clearly. Let us look at Clause 26 of the Bill that is published...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Speaker, that includes raw materials in Kenya for manufacturing medicaments, as approved from time to time by the Cabinet Secretary. I just hope and pray that the Committee of the whole House will carry the amendments that they propose, so that we...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Is it also possible, Hon. Speaker, if the chairman can get reassurance from the State Department that such shortage and lack of vaccine is not going to happen in this country in the foreseeable future to avoid putting our children under peril? Thank you,...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Motion. I also rise to support the Report of the Select Committee on Public Debt and Privatisation on the Consolidated Fund Services expenditures for the Estimates for Financial Year 2025/2026....

On a point of order, Hon. Chairlady.

Hon. Chairlady, thank you for giving me this opportunity. Allow us to ask the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee to explain to Kenyans why this Office has close to Ksh3 billion for recurrent expenditure and only Ksh100 million for development. He needs to explain what the Office of...

Hon. Chairlady, I find the programmes under this Vote extremely interesting. More so, they contravene the Constitution of Kenya. Article 95 of the Constitution provides that the work of Parliament belongs to Members of Parliament. What exercise are we doing here in this particular office? What kind of legislation is...

Hon. Chairlady, again, let us be very clear. Hon. Baya has misled the country. The Budget is being made now. The other time was just a committee report. Allow us to highlight what we think are areas or points of concern. While I accept that the presidency needs to run...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, I want to draw the attention of the Chairman of the Budget Appropriation Committee and that of the Chairman of the relevant Committee, if he is around, that we have quite a substantial amount under recurrent expenditure under Programme 0714000, which would suggest a high level of...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, I would want to know from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education, as well as the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, whether there are sufficient funds that have been set aside to employ quality assurance and standards officers to meet the shortfall number...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, it is commendable that a substantial amount of close to Ksh59 billion has been placed under capital expenditure. Can the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee give us an assurance that this is not just money on paper? That the money will actually flow and do...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, the issue of healthcare services and financing is an emotive issue at the moment. It is a matter that has been robustly discussed all over. For general knowledge and consumption, the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Health should tell us how much has been set aside...

Hon (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) : Hon. Temporary Chairman, we have a substantial allocation towards rail transport. Can those of us who do not sit in the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure be generally informed where this money is going to be expended so that we can be...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, this is probably one of the issues that has elicited a raging debate regarding the mandate of the national Government and the county governments. There is nothing unconstitutional or illegal for the National Government to allocate or appropriate funds. Can the Budget and Appropriations Committee allocate some...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, this department oversees most of the value chain, and the so-called Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) ; whatever that means. I hope they have included sufficient funds for the textile value chain in terms of seeds for cotton, ginneries and the entire value chain. This will enable...

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Chairman. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. David Ochieng’) : Yes, Hon. Oundo. I am not so sure whether the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee will apprise the country on the extent of exploration. (Hon. Owen Baya withdrew from the Chamber) I hope...

Ultimately, the final word lies with the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. He must have been briefed. He is a diligent young man from my neighbourhood… The Temporary Chairman (Hon. David Ochieng’) : Hon. Oundo, last time I heard, you were a member of the Departmental Committee on...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, if you sit with many prosecutors and the police, you will realise that they are so frustrated. Witnesses are no longer willing to go and testify. In the new Constitution, the accused persons are given bail and bonds and they roam in the villages. We need to...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, I just want to make a plea to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) . A passionate plea on behalf of the teachers of Kenya who take care of our children. I hope the Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman is listening. The first one is that we have...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, I sit in the Public Accounts Committee but since the question is directed to the Chairman and he has not paid me to answer on his behalf, I will let him ang’ang’ane na hali yake. I just want to make a plea to the Office of the...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, I am generally disappointed by the performance of the Authority. Unless they account for the time they have been in existence, it might be time to think of defunding it completely, especially if they cannot deliver. We lost about 70 young people during the Sufuria and Unga...

Hon. Temporary Chairman, sometimes, when I stand here to talk about Senators who are our colleagues, I feel very sad. Sad to the extent that the Constitution was clear under Article 96 on what they are supposed to do,. Yet, they cannot do what they are supposed to do. For...

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I am also happy and I must pay tribute to my young brother, Hon. Atandi, for going through this rigorous process. We might have been hard on him, but that is the only way he can get harder. That is how we are brought up...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) On a point of order, Hon. Chairlady.

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Chairlady, thank you for giving me this opportunity. Allow us to ask the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee to explain to Kenyans why this Office has close to Ksh3 billion for recurrent expenditure and only Ksh100 million for development. He needs...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Chairlady, I find the programmes under this Vote extremely interesting. More so, they contravene the Constitution of Kenya. Article 95 of the Constitution provides that the work of Parliament belongs to Members of Parliament. What exercise are we doing here in this particular...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Chairlady, again, let us be very clear. Hon. Baya has misled the country. The Budget is being made now. The other time was just a committee report. Allow us to highlight what we think are areas or points of concern. While I accept...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I want to draw the attention of the Chairman of the Budget Appropriation Committee and that of the Chairman of the relevant Committee, if he is around, that we have quite a substantial amount under recurrent expenditure under Programme 0714000, which...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I would want to know from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education, as well as the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, whether there are sufficient funds that have been set aside to employ quality assurance and standards...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, it is commendable that a substantial amount of close to Ksh59 billion has been placed under capital expenditure. Can the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee give us an assurance that this is not just money on paper? That the...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, the issue of healthcare services and financing is an emotive issue at the moment. It is a matter that has been robustly discussed all over. For general knowledge and consumption, the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Health should tell us...

Hon (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, we have a substantial allocation towards rail transport. Can those of us who do not sit in the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure be generally informed where this money is going to be expended so that we can be aware?...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, this is probably one of the issues that has elicited a raging debate regarding the mandate of the national Government and the county governments. There is nothing unconstitutional or illegal for the National Government to allocate or appropriate funds. Can the...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, this department oversees most of the value chain, and the so-called Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) ; whatever that means. I hope they have included sufficient funds for the textile value chain in terms of seeds for cotton, ginneries and the...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Chairman. The Temporary Chairman (Hon. David Ochieng’) : Yes, Hon. Oundo. Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) I am not so sure whether the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee will apprise the country on the...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Ultimately, the final word lies with the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. He must have been briefed. He is a diligent young man from my neighbourhood… The Temporary Chairman (Hon. David Ochieng’) : Hon. Oundo, last time I heard, you were a...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, if you sit with many prosecutors and the police, you will realise that they are so frustrated. Witnesses are no longer willing to go and testify. In the new Constitution, the accused persons are given bail and bonds and they roam...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I just want to make a plea to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) . A passionate plea on behalf of the teachers of Kenya who take care of our children. I hope the Budget and Appropriations 10th June 2025 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I sit in the Public Accounts Committee but since the question is directed to the Chairman and he has not paid me to answer on his behalf, I will let him ang’ang’ane na hali yake. I just want to make a...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, I am generally disappointed by the performance of the Authority. Unless they account for the time they have been in existence, it might be time to think of defunding it completely, especially if they cannot deliver. We lost about 70 young...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairman, sometimes, when I stand here to talk about Senators who are our colleagues, I feel very sad. Sad to the extent that the Constitution was clear under Article 96 on what they are supposed to do,. Yet, they cannot do what...

Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo (Funyula, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I am also happy and I must pay tribute to my young brother, Hon. Atandi, for going through this rigorous process. We might have been hard on him, but that is the only way he can get harder. That...