HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, POST, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"count": 1608389,
"next": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=137580",
"previous": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=api&page=137578",
"results": [
{
"id": 1392201,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392201/?format=api",
"text_counter": 113,
"type": "heading",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR"
},
{
"id": 1392202,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392202/?format=api",
"text_counter": 114,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "SENATE AMENDMENTS TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILL (National Assembly Bill No.75 of 2023)"
},
{
"id": 1392203,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392203/?format=api",
"text_counter": 115,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Deputy Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Hon. Members, I have a Communication from the Chairman regarding that Order. Before we proceed with Orders Nos.10 and 11, which relate to the consideration of the Senate amendments to the Affordable Housing Bill (National Assembly Bill No.75 of 2023), I wish to guide the House on the procedure to be followed. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1392204,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392204/?format=api",
"text_counter": 116,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Deputy Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "You will recall that on Wednesday, 21st February 2024, the National Assembly passed the Affordable Housing Bill (National Assembly Bill No.75 of 2023). It seeks to, inter alia, give effect to Article 43(1)(b) of the Constitution to provide a framework for the development and access to affordable housing and institutional housing. Following its passage by the House, the Bill was forwarded to the Senate for consideration pursuant to the provisions of Article 110(4) of the Constitution. The Senate made various amendments to the Bill as conveyed to the House on Wednesday, 13th March 2024. The Senate amendments were committed to the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works for joint consideration and reporting to the House. The manner of disposing of Senate amendments to National Assembly Bills is provided for in Standing Orders 145 to 148. In summary, the House will generally debate the Senate amendments for not more than one hour under the Motion \"That the Senate amendments be now considered\". Thereafter, should the House resolve to consider the amendments, it will dissolve into a Committee of the whole House to dispose of the amendments sequentially. On the other hand, should the Motion be negatived, the provisions of Article 112 of the Constitution relating to the mediation process will apply. Similarly, should the Committee of the whole House amend or reject any of the Senate's amendments, the mediation process will also apply. Instructively, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning will move the Senate amendments to the Bill, should the Motion be approved. In conclusion, should the House pass the amendments as proposed, the Speaker will then proceed to forward the Bill to the President for assent in accordance with the provisions of Article 112 of the Constitution. The House is accordingly guided. Thank you. I saw Hon. Kimani walking out. He is the Mover. I can see he is here."
},
{
"id": 1392205,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392205/?format=api",
"text_counter": 117,
"type": "heading",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "MOTION"
},
{
"id": 1392206,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392206/?format=api",
"text_counter": 118,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "SENATE AMENDMENTS TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BILL (National Assembly Bill No.75 of 2023)"
},
{
"id": 1392207,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392207/?format=api",
"text_counter": 119,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
"speaker": null,
"content": " I beg to move: THAT, the Senate amendments to the Affordable Housing Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 75 of 2023) be now considered. Let me first take this opportunity to thank both the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works for the quick consideration of the amendments from the Senate. After the Message you read yesterday, I know the Committee retreated and held their meeting yesterday evening up to very late. Indeed, they were still working on this draft Report when I spoke to the Chairman way after midnight. I must thank both Committees led by Hon. Johana Ng'eno and Hon. Kuria Kimani, respectively. The Senate effected several amendments that enriched the substance of this Bill. More so, the new Part III—Clause 31A to Clause 31F. These seek to introduce the role of county governments in affordable housing and create county committees to help advise Governors in consultation with the National Housing Board on the rollout of affordable housing in counties. Some of these are progressive amendments. I have seen the Committee agrees with them. The Committee also disagrees with the Senate on several amendments. Reading their Report, many of the Committees' reservations on the amendments done by the Senate are not fatal. The Committees observe that future statutes can cure them. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1392208,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392208/?format=api",
"text_counter": 120,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
"speaker": null,
"content": "That observation tells us that the spirit of our bicameral Parliament is such that we are not seen to be constantly fighting and getting into mediation between the two Houses. What we find not fatal in a proposed amendment can be amended in further statutes. For instance, the Committee on Finance and National Planning does not agree with some amendments. However, they have stated in their observations that these things can be cured using the Finance Bill that will be coming shortly. The Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development is also in the process of doing another comprehensive Housing Bill that looks at the entire spectrum of housing. That will be from what Members contributed during our Second Reading of the Affordable Housing Bill. That includes issues concerning rural housing, which I know Prof. Ojiambo Oundo was very keen on. The Ministry is working on a comprehensive Bill that deals with a whole spectrum of housing, from our rural and social housing to the affordable housing we are doing through this Bill. After due consideration between the Committees, the Ministry, and the leadership in the Senate, we have agreed that some of the Committees' reservations can be cured through the statute coming in the name of a Housing Bill that will be tabled before the House. Therefore, we ask Members to adopt the Committees' Report as it is. We will go to the Third Reading and the Committee of the whole House upon conclusion of this debate within the one-hour timeline given for consideration of this Motion, as we said. We could propose that the House agree with the Senate in the amendments; we have the Bill enacted into law now and assented to by the President as you guided, without any undue delay. We have taken note of the few reservations that were there. The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning has committed that he has taken note of those that will be rectified through the Finance Bill that will be tabled before the end of next month. The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works has taken note of those that will be done through the Housing Bill. A few minor ones can be done through miscellaneous amendments. I am taking them up with the Office of the Attorney-General to ensure they are done. Therefore, in the spirit of bicameralism, we need not get into mediation and fights with our brothers and sisters in the Senate. We should mostly agree with them when we get to the Committee of the whole House. With those few remarks, since time is very limited on this, I beg to move. I ask the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, Hon. Kuria Kimani, my namesake and younger brother, and Member of Molo Constituency, to second."
},
{
"id": 1392209,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392209/?format=api",
"text_counter": 121,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Molo, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Kuria Kimani",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to second. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker and the Leader of the Majority Party. At the outset, I would like to thank the Members of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works. We got the Report from the Senate yesterday and we burnt the midnight oil to process the amendments. As the Leader of the Majority Party has said, by and large, we agreed on most of the amendments made by the Senate. For the information of the House, one of the key amendments that is proposed is the role of county governments. The Senate will establish county committees to make sure that affordable housing projects are spread across the country in the spirit of fairness and ensuring that no county is left behind in terms of this responsibility of affordable housing and institutional housing. Key to note also is a proposal to reduce from 2 per cent to 0.5 per cent the amount of the levies that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is supposed to take. Although we agree that all the other levies that are collected by KRA on behalf of various agencies like the Railway Development Levy, the Petroleum Development Levy or the Import Declaration Fee attract a The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
},
{
"id": 1392210,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1392210/?format=api",
"text_counter": 122,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Molo, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Kuria Kimani",
"speaker": null,
"content": "levy of 2 per cent, this will be a key departure from the KRA Act. These are some of the amendments that we hope to fix in the Finance Bill. Also, another amendment that has been proposed by the Senate is the definition of social housing. It ensures specification of incomes of people who will benefit from the houses to make sure that the implementing agencies ensure that the affordable housing units are not just for the rich or the middle class, but they are also for those that earn the minimum wage in this country. Key to also note among the amendments is the inclusion of the National Construction Authority and the State Department for Public Works as some of the implementing agencies of these projects. We have seen some buildings collapse due to lack of proper supervision by the State Department of Public Works and sometimes due to lack of empowering the National Construction Authority to supervise the construction of these projects as mandated by respective Acts of Parliament. Therefore, involving the National Construction Authority and the State Department for Public works will ensure they maintain the integrity of the buildings so that we do not have them collapsing. These two entities will play a more active role. The Bill we approved and sent to the Senate had provisions of Sharia Law to the effect that mortgages that are going to be provided in this programme are Sharia compliant. Hon. Tandaza was concerned that maybe the Senate had proposed an amendment to that. I would like to confirm to him that the Senate did not propose any further amendment to what this House approved on that. So, the mortgages that are going to be issued through the affordable housing scheme will be to be Sharia-compliant as far as possible. This is a step in the right direction, especially as our Muslim brothers and sisters observe the holy month of Ramadhan. The National Assembly had amended provisions of the Housing Levy be tied to the Tax Procedures Act in terms of the date of collection and the penalties thereof. However, Senate has disagreed with the National Assembly on this particular amendment and has brought back the penalty at 3 per cent if this Housing Levy is not levied on time. We still feel that this particular Levy should be tied to the Tax Procedures Act so that it is remitted to the Kenya Revenue Authority as a civil debt, just like all the other levies and taxes are levied. We hope that subsequently, in the coming legislation, then we will again tie the collection of the Housing Levy to the Tax Procedures Act to ensure that there is fairness and uniformity in how we do tax administration in this country. For the comfort of this House, the issue of institutional housing continues to come up. It is a very critical area because many students in universities, polytechnics and Kenya Medical Training Colleges live in deplorable situations. We are happy to observe that the amendments that were proposed by this House to include institutional housing as part of the functions of the Fund have been accepted by the Senate. This will ensure that our students in universities and colleges will have decent places to stay in when they are in school. That is why we agree with these amendments and therefore they do not need to go for mediation. The Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works have agreed. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to second."
}
]
}