Yusuf Haji

Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to support this Motion. I want to thank Sen. Murkomen for introducing this Motion at this time. You notice that the Fourth Schedule describes the function of the national Government and functions of the county governments. Allow me to read...

Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you for giving me this opportunity to support this Motion. I want to thank Sen. Murkomen for introducing this Motion at this time. You notice that the Fourth Schedule describes the function of the national Government and functions of the county governments. Allow me to read...

All standards and measures will be done by the national Government, but the recruitment of teachers will be done by the government although it is done at the county level. What this Motion wants is that we need to devolve construction of infrastructure like classrooms, toilets, water and so on...

On a point of order, Madam Temporary Speaker. I am raising this point order from the bottom of my heart. I think that it is not in order for us to discuss about the late former President Jomo Kenyatta and also the land ownership of the current President, because it...

Mr. Speaker, Sir, it will be remembered that a few weeks ago, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale sought a Statement on the shuttle visit by His Excellency the Deputy President. I am now ready to give this Statement. But, apparently, my brother, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, has requested that he be given more...

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am ready now to give the Statement sought by Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, but apparently, he is appealing that he be given more time to interrogate the Statement. So, I wanted your direction on whether I should proceed or not.

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Mr. Speaker, Sir, question number one was whether the visit to African countries was a State visit or a private function. The visit by His Excellency the Deputy President to the four African countries was a State function. In accordance with Article 147 (1) and

I do not mind, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I can take two more clarifications.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, to respond to Sen. Hassan Omar, the Statement is given and signed by myself. So it is from me. As to the question raised by Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale---

Of course! (Sen. Haji stood up in his place)

Mr. Speaker, Sir, that----

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I think we should get things right. In the first place, when Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale asked for a Statement, he requested that the Statement be given by the Chairman of the National Security and Foreign Affairs. It will also be recalled that by that by that time,...

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I got the information required from the Office of the Deputy President. Therefore, it is official and quite in order. So, if I may continue---

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I was trying to answer the concerns that were raised by Members. However, they are apparently overshooting on our time notwithstanding the fact that with regard to comparative cost, it would not be reasonable to expect the Deputy President to travel to four countries with the same...

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I think we should---

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I think we should be a little bit more considerate and know that travelling alone as a passenger in a commercial flight is quite different from a Deputy President or for that matter a President travelling to another state. It would be embarrassing for any nation to...

Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is erroneous to say that County Commissioners are there illegally. It is good to note that the court never made an order, it just---

It is not, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I am trying to---

Okay, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Proceed, Sen. Haji!

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Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is erroneous to say that County Commissioners are there illegally. It is good to note that the court never made an order, it just---

It is not, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I am trying to---

Okay, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am willing to be informed.

Thank you, Sen. Haji, for the information. Thirdly, is the question of the amount allocated to the counties. The point is that the National Government will have to create its own administrative structure at the local level whether the officer there is called a County Commissioner or Director of Administration...

Thank you, Sen. Haji, for the information. Thirdly, is the question of the amount allocated to the counties. The point is that the National Government will have to create its own administrative structure at the local level whether the officer there is called a County Commissioner or Director of Administration...

come and introduce any amendment if they so wish. When the time comes, we will discuss that matter.On the question of the finances, I need to point out that all the money that is--- I see the Senate Minority Leader is armed with the breakdown of the budget. If you...

Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is erroneous to say that County Commissioners are there illegally. It is good to note that the court never made an order, it just---

It is not, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I am trying to---

Okay, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am willing to be informed.

Thank you, Sen. Haji, for the information. Thirdly, is the question of the amount allocated to the counties. The point is that the National Government will have to create its own administrative structure at the local level whether the officer there is called a County Commissioner or Director of Administration...

Thank you, Sen. Haji, for the information. Thirdly, is the question of the amount allocated to the counties. The point is that the National Government will have to create its own administrative structure at the local level whether the officer there is called a County Commissioner or Director of Administration...

come and introduce any amendment if they so wish. When the time comes, we will discuss that matter.On the question of the finances, I need to point out that all the money that is--- I see the Senate Minority Leader is armed with the breakdown of the budget. If you...

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

It is because I come from the north where we value water so much. Is it in order for the hon. Senator to say that development should be skewed in favour of areas that produce tea or maize while we know that in the new Constitution, there are areas which...

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

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am sorry to interrupt my neighbour friend, but is he in order to insinuate that district officers were just able to give money? Some of us were district officers at that time, and we had no money and we did not deal with money at all!...

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I take this opportunity to thank you for allowing me to contribute to this very important Motion brought by our brother, Sen. Orengo. From the beginning, I would like to support the Motion. The mandate given to the counties through the Constitution is very clear. Under the...

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me this chance to say one or two words about our county representatives. You know that we and the county representatives are products of very strenuous campaigns which, of course, went on for more than two years. The culmination of these campaigns was...

Thank you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. I support the Motion. I congratulate the Senator for Keiyo, the total man Senator for bringing the Motion. This is a Motion that sheds a lot of light on problems that are going on in the country. Those county representatives have a lot of...

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me this chance to say one or two words about our county representatives. You know that we and the county representatives are products of very strenuous campaigns which, of course, went on for more than two years. The culmination of these campaigns was...

devolution. You will also note that the Constitution making process was done in the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 and cost the Government a lot of money. The greatest achievement was devolution.Now that we are nursing the child, devolution, as Senators, we are the custodians. We are the people who...

Madam Temporary Speaker, first of all, I would like to congratulate the Senator for Elgeyo-Marakwet for bringing to the attention of this Senate this grave matter. The county assembly members have not abandoned work because they want to do so. They have done so, because it has been impossible to...

in this Senate? Therefore, I want to tell Madam Serem and those of her kind, particularly those who did a shameful thing by going to the gates of the National Assembly and pouring blood - God knows where they got that blood from - that I think we are taking...

Madam Temporary Speaker, let me also thank Sen. Murkomen for bringing this Motion, so that we ventilate on the serious issue of salaries. As I speak here, the Speaker for Bomet is upstairs in the cafeteria. He came to see the famous lady to try and resolve the problem as...

county assembly, who are the initiators of the whole process of the activities of a devolved government, are supported.With those few remarks, I support this Motion.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I will be brief. I also want to congratulate the Senator for Elgeyo-Marakwet. I want to say that if these positions of county assemblies are positions that we could wish away, then they could not have been there in the Constitution. The positions of county assemblies are...

Madam Temporary Speaker, I also stand to support the Motion. The first thing that amazes me is the civil societies who were in the front defending the Constitution and fighting for devolution. Today, they have even gone beyond abusing the same Constitution without respecting the religion of others. When you...

which people can dialogue. If you feel you want to cut wages then let us start from the highest, that is, the President. Then you can talk to the county assemblies and say you have reduced salaries of every person within the Government and the public service. When we look...

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I join my colleagues in supporting this Motion. For exactly 50 years, we have had a Constitution that has not taken our country well. We, therefore, found it fit to come up with the devolved government system for which we are going to have two...

Madam Temporary Speaker, I support this Motion to say that all of us who are sensible Kenyans must stand and make things move forward.

Lisa Chelule.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for giving me this time to contribute. First and foremost, I must thank my fellow Senator who brought this Motion to the Floor. I am in support of it because of the following reasons. I hope that under the new Constitution, there are no personnel...

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I also want to support the decision that has been taken by the MCAs across our country. Madam Temporary Speaker, I am speaking as the Senator for Tharaka Nithi and I want to say as follows. We have watched with disbelief as we vilify elected...

On a point of information, Madam Temporary Speaker.

Thank you, I welcome the information.

Imagine!

Order, Senators!

That is equal to or actually more than what a whole leader of a ward who is responsible for approving a budget that runs into billions and being responsible for oversight of the same billions. Again, the lowest paid public servant in any of these counties, including the local authorities...

I want to thank my colleague, Sen. Billow Kerrow, for that information. We are not saying that secretaries are not important people. We are saying that people should be paid according to their qualifications and the functions that they perform. Having said that, I want to make a final remark....

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I would like to add my voice to this Debate. I will give about three points that I need to add. First and foremost, is the role played by the county assemblies in terms of supervising the County Executive. The County Executive Members, as per...

Lastly, it is embarrassing to have the Salaries and Salaries and Remuneration Commission, especially the leadership, answering leaders through the media. We are talking about reforms. She has to tone down and respect leaders the same way that people respect her. It is important to respect her and the institution...

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I want to join my colleagues in supporting this Motion. I think, as my colleagues have mentioned, the responsibilities bestowed upon Members of the County Assemblies is huge. We, therefore, need to facilitate them. The Salaries and Remuneration Commission is setting up Members of the...

Thank you Madam Temporary Speaker. I just want to add a couple of points. The most important thing to note is that what this Commission has argued, time and again, is about the wage bill. However, the wage bill is Khss500 billion for the 700,000 public servants and the fact...

Assembly among others is Kshs10 billion. If you ask your child what fraction of the Kshs500 billion public wage bill that the commission is concerned about then it comes to

Madam Temporary Speaker, I am going to try and support this Motion in the shortest time possible. While my fellow Senators were talking I remembered a county representative I interviewed a few months before I came to this House. This county representative came to Nairobi in 2004 to get a...

something about it even if it means summoning Serem to go and dialogue with them because in the press conference she said she is ready to dialogue. In that small window that she has left for dialogue, let us help them. She left some opening saying that she is ready...

We still have one minute.

Madam Temporary Speaker, first of all, I would like this House to remember that I am the one who said that our county representatives are really feeling bad. I just wish that I could be given some time so that I can narrate a typical case in my county. I...

Hon. Senators, we have come to the end of today’s sitting. Therefore, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, 15th May, 2013 at 9.00 a.m. The Senate rose at 6.30 p.m.

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want to remind the President of the Republic of Kenya and his Deputy that the first and top most responsibility of any Government is to protect the lives of its citizens and their properties. I also want to remind them that the honeymoon is now over. Let them fold their...

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to second this Motion. We all know and we have eulogized our departed colleague, as the Senate Minority Leader has said here. It is unfortunate, like I have said before, that we did not benefit from his wealth of knowledge as a founding Senate...

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will continue by saying---

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Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the rule is that when a Senator wants to delegate to another Senator for the purposes of voting, a letter is written to you. I, therefore, believe that if there was any such delegation, you had the letter. Indeed, it so appears that you had none....

Hon. Senators, there is nothing for me to sleep over, if you think about this issue dispassionately. At the beginning of the vote, I indicated that the vote would be by the heads of the delegation or by a duly designated member of that delegation. At the beginning of this...

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. Allow me to re- emphasize the point of order raised by Sen. Wetangula. With all due respect, I think the explanation you have given is slightly outside what Sen. Wetangula was saying. He says

at the point where we are starting to vote as a House, is there a way or can we establish a way or should the Chair go out of his way to establish that, in the House, there is that threshold. I think that is the point; not that the...

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I stand to support what my colleagues have said. I have a lot of respect for the ruling you have made. But, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think we should make it a practice from now on that before such a vote takes place,...