Johnson Arthur Sakaja

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 2101 to 2110 of 5036.

• 19 May 2020 in Senate: (3) Measures to cushion borrowers through a moratorium on repayment of loans, interest and penalties, freeze on execution for borrowers who might have defaulted on their loans due to the COVID-19 situation, where it can be proven, and on listing by credit reference bureaus. (4) The macro-economic effects, including addressing economic shocks arising from loss of export markets of commodities, as well as a drop in our tourism numbers. (5) The drop in remittances by Kenyans abroad and in Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), and fiscal space for additional Government borrowing. Mr. Speaker Sir, having analyzed the issues and concerns raised ... view
• 19 May 2020 in Senate: Reduced demands for Kenyan exports and declining prices for commodities in the international markets, compounded with a drop of tourist arrival in the country has led to great revenue loss, lowering our foreign reserve and exerting pressure on the shilling. The official foreign exchange reserves held by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) stood at five months of import cover. Ideally, we should be having six months import cover in US dollars, and that was in February 2020. That went down from 5.4 percent imports cover in February 2019. There is cause for concern there. The ordinary revenue collection amounted ... view
• 19 May 2020 in Senate: Many of these bills are owed to ordinary Kenyans and not the big companies. You remember the case of a man in Kajiado who said he has been supplying his cows to the prisons and National Youth Service (NYS). So, not sorting out this will have a negative detriment. We are encouraged by the efforts and commitment by the National Treasury but we will keep following up. We will also follow up on county governments to make sure they sort out these pending bills. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we noted and commended the measures taken by commercial banks, SACCOs and other ... view
• 19 May 2020 in Senate: (c)To hasten disbursement of funds to counties, counties should comply to rules and regulations set by the oversight bodies to facilitate funds disbursements. Further, counties with pending bills to adhere to the agreements made with Controller of Budget and National Treasury on payments of verified bills and ensure pending bills are settled as per the verified bills. A specific AIE with clear bills to be settled with the released funds to be sent to counties. The funds are available. (d)To support MSMEs to continue with their businesses during the Pandemic. The Government to hasten the planned liquidity support for small ... view
• 19 May 2020 in Senate: Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have also recommended to cushion these businesses. This is because in our meeting---You have noticed that I have returned it because I have somebody close to me. That is the Ministry of Health protocol. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Cabinet Secretary for Health demonstrated to us that he had PPEs that have been imported from China, other countries, and local PPEs. He called the medical personnel, removed the tags and asked them which ones they preferred. They did the tests and said that the local ones are very good. Why can we not buy Kenyan at this ... view
• 19 May 2020 in Senate: (10) Strengthens coordination of Government securities issuance with Central Bank’s policy actions. I must commend the Governor of Central Bank of Kenya over the past. Throughout he has been doing a good job, but the interventions he has put in place at this point, including availing increased liquidity—We have seen what the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has been saying in terms of the rates moving down to 7.25 per cent. We want him to go on and we urge him to continue. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on debt issues, negotiations to be considered on debt swaps for funding directly of operational ... view
• 19 May 2020 in Senate: I beg to move that the House does adopt the Fourth and Fifth Progress Reports of the ad hoc Committee on COVID-19. In the afternoon, I will table the Sixth Report that looks at social justice and human rights. I beg to move. The Report was supposed to be seconded by my Vice-Chair, Sen. Kasanga, who I cannot see. However, I will ask Sen. Halake, because of time, to second and not necessarily conclude, then she can later gather herself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. view
• 12 May 2020 in Senate: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as always, my distinguished cousin brings serious issues before this House. view
• 12 May 2020 in Senate: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, he is the distinguished nephew of Sen. Wetangula--- view
• 12 May 2020 in Senate: Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is a labour issue and I want to thank the petitioner for raising this matter with the Senate. Labour issues have been a mess in our counties and we have been struggling as the Committee on Labor and Social Welfare to get a hand on them. We have several proposals, including legislative proposals that we are bringing because of the nature of having 47 different Public Service Boards without a coordinated way of working. We have brought to this House a County Public Service Board Bill that will help us address many of these things ... view