Sifuna Edwin Watenya

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 481 to 490 of 1599.

• 6 Mar 2024 in Senate: In the manner in which they are--- view
• 6 Mar 2024 in Senate: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This is quite a coincidence because, about 20 years ago, I was standing at the Graduation Square at the University of Nairobi receiving my degree as a lawyer. I went back to those grounds for the first time in those 20 years, just today. This is because there is a festival organised by the Centre of Multiparty Democracy called the People’s Dialogue Festival. I was quite emotional to go back to my Alma Mater. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I take this opportunity to welcome the students from the University of Nairobi who have paid us a ... view
• 6 Mar 2024 in Senate: I wish that they will learn something and pick up whatever good they will see from the Senate this afternoon. We are hoping that we will grow generations of leaders. In fact, at the University of Nairobi today, I said that our responsibility as the current leadership in this country is to create a country that the young ones will be proud of. They will not be lamenting the way that I hear Prof. Ouma lamenting about the loss of nationhood and the proliferation of tribalism and other ills in our society. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity. ... view
• 6 Mar 2024 in Senate: Mr. Speaker, Sir, when I was reading this report, I was curious to hear from the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), a constitutional commission that is supposed to make recommendations to this House under Article 216 on the basis of the sharing of revenue between the two levels of Government. You will recall that in the last financial year, the CRA recommended that counties should receive Kshs407 billion. As captured in this report, we have seen 6 per cent growth and everything has changed, including the rise of the total figure of the budget. What is the rationale then for ... view
• 5 Mar 2024 in Senate: Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you for that intervention that ensures the Senators who have spoken before us can allow us to also contribute on this Bill. I will, first, start by saying that as both a lawyer and the Senator of Nairobi City County, I feel attacked this afternoon. So, allow me to start by disabusing some of the notions that have been painted. The simplest one is the accusation that came from the Senate Majority Leader that somehow he does not see why lawyers must be part of some of these bodies that are being proposed in various pieces ... view
• 5 Mar 2024 in Senate: has proposed that because this is going to be a dispute resolution mechanism, a mediation committee set up to mediate a matter of dispute between counties on a matter regarding boundaries, then the person to chair it, should be a person with 15 years’ experience in ADR. I do not think that is a misplaced suggestion. In fact, that committee would benefit immensely by having somebody, not just any lawyer or one with two or three years’ experience, in mediation. Due to the complex issues that my colleagues have raised here, the Bill has provided for someone with 15 years ... view
• 5 Mar 2024 in Senate: There exists in our books a law called The Urban Areas and Cities Act. That Act is Cap 275 of the Laws of Kenya. It is still in our books. I want to refer you to the objects of this particular Bill and they are found in Section 3(b) of the Act. The Act is to provide for governance and management of urban areas and cities. If you look at Clause 4(a) of that Act which was introduced via an amendment in 2019, it provides for a mechanism for the delineation of boundaries of urban areas and cities. If you ... view
• 5 Mar 2024 in Senate: House signing a deed of transfer of functions from the County Government to the national Government. I was in shock. I could not believe it. In fact, it is the one time that I have been caught flat-footed about the possibility of such things happening under sanction our Constitution. I did not know that it could be done. I was in shock. Two months later, in April 2020, Governor Sonko was saying he signed that thing under duress. It was a dark time for those of us who believe in devolution. The question is still out there. Those of us ... view
• 5 Mar 2024 in Senate: nobody knows where those servers are. The MCAs have tried to ask questions, but the governor is dodgy. Nobody can show you. If we go to City Hall, which is just a walking distance from here, you will not see those servers. Madam Temporary Speaker, allow me to say that the object of the Bill sponsored by Sen. M. Kajwang’ has nothing to do with the arguments for viability of the counties. That is a discussion we had a long time ago. I remember the final Bomas Draft had proposed 14 counties. How that was decimated and we ended up ... view
• 5 Mar 2024 in Senate: I have challenged Senators by asking; if you sat your county people down, told them you have Kshs2 billion and ask whether you should do a road or everybody to line up and get something to eat today, what do you think the people will say? view