Hon. Members

Thank you, Hon. Speaker for that very detailed Communication. You will remember that some time back, I shared with the House our draft proposal on the Motion that defined the mandate of this bipartisan Committee. Following your recognition of this Committee, as you said during the recess… We appreciate what you have stated that it is only up to when this House formally approves that Committee and gives it a formal mandate that they can seriously embark on their work. I remember yesterday in the House Business Committee you challenged the Leader of the Minority Party and me to take up the leadership role of ensuring that this Committee begins its work formally and concludes expeditiously.

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Therefore, I beg the Leader of the Minority Party, who has just walked in now, and the leadership in their coalition to work with speed and with us. If they have a draft Motion, they can share so that the bipartisan Committee can consider so that we can have one synchronised draft Motion that we can bring to the House for approval. Hon. Speaker, as you indicated yesterday, the sentiments that are shared by many people in the country is that, it is time we concluded the bipartisan talks. There are constituents in this country, like those of Banisa Constituency, who are suffering without a Member of Parliament. We are almost at the verge of a constitutional crisis without an electoral commission in place and, therefore, the earlier we can expedite some of these issues, the better. I, therefore, want to beseech the Leadership of the Minority Party to engage within themselves and come up with a draft Motion that we can then sit and agree on. We need one synchronised Motion that we can bring to the House. I believe this is something that we can do within a week or two. I, therefore, beseech the Leader of the Minority Party to take up that role so as to help the country move forward. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Next Order. Order! Maybe I should allow the Leader of the Minority Party to speak if he has anything to say.

Order, Hon. Okello. You are not the Leader of the Minority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I appreciate the fact that you have recognised the need for me to say a word or two. I do not have the benefit of having your full Communication on the matter at hand, but all the same…

It was a replication of what we discussed in the House Business Committee.

The matter of the bipartisan talks has, of course, gained public notoriety. I do not think there is anyone who can claim not to understand whatever is going around. Hon. Speaker, you will recall from the very outset that when this matter came up here, I did commit, on behalf of the Azimio Coalition, that we shall do whatever it takes to make these talks progress and succeed. I believe that we have so far done so. You know that talks of this nature are delicate and, therefore, they must be handled with a lot of care. I am aware that there have been bottlenecks on the path of these talks. But to cut the long story short, even as we speak, there is still some form of misunderstanding as to whether this Committee requires a Motion that is envisaged in your Communication for it to acquire some life or legal capacity. There is a school of thought that holds that the talks do not require that kind of Motion. Of course, there is another school of thought that my friend, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah, ascribes to which holds that these talks can only be given life through a Motion passed in this House. So, we need to bridge that gap. Therefore, I think your Communication sets the ground for thrashing out those sticky issues so that we can move forward in one accord. It is important. Again, as it has been put very clearly, these talks have dragged on for too long. In fact, they have not even started in earnest. Kenyans have developed fatigue over the talks. There are many Kenyans who have already lost interest in those bipartisan talks. It behoves on all of us 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.

that, if we want to rescue them, then we have to move with speed in good faith. Otherwise, for now, I take it that your Communication sets the ground for us to engage further. Thank you very much. God bless.

Hon. Ichung’wah and Hon. Wandayi, you have been given the rare and enviable privilege of leading this House. You must show leadership. It is not enough for the two of you to come and prostrate yourselves before the House and engage in non-productive lamentations. I want to encourage the two of you. The seven Members from either side you nominated are your nominees; you must guide them and show leadership. This is because the country is looking at this House to sort out this issue. If the head of the house is crying, what will the children do? So, I want to encourage both of you. I do not want this matter to keep resurfacing on the Floor. You have offices given to you by Parliament with staff and Members who work under you. You should sit together and get this matter moving. I want to also encourage you to talk to your Co-Chairs, because I do not understand the logic of Co-Chairs sitting next to each other in a meeting and writing endless letters to each other. You should call them to order and encourage them that they have been given a responsibility to discharge, and they must do it. Next Order. Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following papers on the Table: Memorandum of the proposed... Sorry Hon. Speaker. Whatever is typed here does not make sense, so I will just try to re-order that. 1. The Annual Report and Financial Statements for Kenya Tourism Board for the 2018/2019 Financial Year. 2. Reports of the Auditor-General and financial statements in respect of the following institutions for the year ended 30th June 2022, and the certificates therein. (a) Mwea Rice mills Limited; (b) National Construction Authority; (c) Kenya Tourism Board; (d) Bomas of Kenya Limited; (e) Postal Corporation of Kenya; (f) Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation; (g) Warehouse Receipt System Council; (h) Kerio Valley Development Authority; (i) Geothermal Development Company Limited; (j) Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service; (k) University of Nairobi; (l) Kenya Pipeline Company Limited; (m) Kenya Broadcasting Corporation; (n) Kenya Film Classification Board; (o) Kibabii University; (p) Laikipia University; (q) Kenya Medical Research Institute; (r) Bukura Agricultural College; (s) Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya; (t) Kenyatta National Hospital; (u) National Quality Control Laboratory; 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.

(v) National Cancer Institute of Kenya; (w) National Employment Authority; (x) Kenya Cultural Centre; (y) National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation; and, (z) South Eastern Kenya University. 3. Memorandum for the Financial Year 2023/2024 and the Medium-Term Budget Estimates for the Judiciary and Parliamentary Service Commission from the National Treasury and Economic Planning. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, Hon. Mutunga.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on the enquiry into the Maize Flour Subsidy Programme for the Financial Year 2022/2023. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Chairperson, Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee on its consideration of County Governments Additional Allocation Bill (National Assembly Bill No.23 of 2023). Thank you very much Hon. Speaker.

The Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Departmental Committee of Agriculture and Livestock on its enquiry into the Maize Flour Subsidy Programme for the Financial Year 2022/2023, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 7th of June 2023, in the Afternoon Sitting. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you. Serjeants-at-Arms or Clerk-at-the-Table, if the Cabinet Secretary for Education is within the precincts of Parliament, cause him to enter the Chamber. We will start Questions before 3.00 O’clock. In the meantime, we go to Order No.7. We have a Statement I approved from Hon. Julius Sunkuli. Are you ready with it?

Indeed, Hon. Speaker. The Clerk had informed me that it will be tomorrow, but I do not mind if I could read it today after a short while.

Hon. Sunkuli wants two minutes to come back to his Statement. Let us move on to Order No.8 before we come back to Order No.7. Hon. Sunkuli, you better hurry up.

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Welcome, Cabinet Secretary. We will come to you shortly. I have given Hon. Sunkuli two minutes to be here. He has a personal Statement to make on the security situation in his constituency. Meanwhile Hon. Members, like I said yesterday, when we go to Questions the Questioner has two bites; the question and a supplementary. I will only allow two joyriders on each Question. Can someone tell Hon. Sunkuli that his Statement is already here to come and prosecute it? Hon. Wandayi, where is your Whip? Hon. Julius Sunkuli, I am told your Statement is available here. Sorry, Hon. Julius Sunkuli, if you were ambushed. I got the impression that you needed to prosecute your Statement.

Thank you very much for your indulgence. I wish to request for a Statement from the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Interior and National Administration with respect to the on-going clashes in Trans Mara. The last few days have not been peaceful for the people of Kilgoris Constituency who are residing in Nkararo and Enoosaen locations. There have been clashes, skirmishes, fights and total disruption of order in the area. The events have been quite costly. Lives of young people have been lost, and their hopes brought to an abrupt end. This week alone cows have been stolen in broad day light. Sugar-cane, now the main crop of the area has been burnt thus occasioning huge losses. Houses have been burnt down by very bold arsonists. The fight has been by use of traditional weapons like bows and arrows. However, there is now a threat of guns being used in the fight. This will escalate matters and will lead to fatalities not witnessed before. The clashes in this area have gone on for too long and, unless a comprehensive solution is found there does not seem to be any end coming soon. On Monday, 5th June 2023, I convened a meeting attended by representatives of the two warring clans together with the security teams of Trans Mara. In that meeting, we identified 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.

the possible causes of those clashes. In summary, one clan holds that the other has taken away their land. The other clan maintains that no such land was taken. That land dispute arises from the inconclusive manner in which the Ministry of Land demarcated the boundaries in those sections. In 1985, both a no-sign adjudication section occupied mainly by the Uasin Kishu Clan; and the Nkararo Adjudication Section, occupied mainly by the Siria Clan, were demarcated to be adjudication sections. Unfortunately, the boundary dividing those sections is not a natural feature; it is not a river, and neither is it a valley. It is a straight line which is to be determined by the Global Positioning system (GPS). A few years ago, under the leadership of Mr. Natembeya, the then Regional Commissioner of Rift Valley, a boundary was determined and apparently it was agreed that a road be built to mark the boundary. That road was constructed and is in place. Unfortunately, that road has created a new dispute. Persons disadvantaged by it say that the road has taken their land. The acreage in dispute is only about 30 acres. This seems to be the bone of contention. The Government and we, the leaders in Kilgoris and the county leadership in Narok, should explore a route to reconcile the two clans which we do. However, as we wait for this solution, the Government must find an end to the fighting and wanton destruction of property. We recommend that the Minister sends a permanent group of General Service Unit (GSU) and Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) officers to the site. The community and ourselves are prepared to give land and housing to those officers so that they can deal with the situation adequately. I, therefore, request for a Statement from the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior and National Administration to explain what he can promptly and urgently do to deal with the lawlessness in that area. I submit.

Thank you, Hon. Julius Sunkuli. Who is the Chairperson of the Committee in charge of Security? Hon. Tongoyo, you will transmit that Statement to your Minister and bring a response in two weeks.

I will, Hon. Speaker. It is just good to note that we come from the same county with the Hon. Member, and his issue is known to me. I have just talked to the Cabinet Secretary, who is in Turkana as we speak. We had even planned to visit his office so that we can be able to look for a quick response to the same. Nevertheless, I am guided.

Thank you. Hon. Members, we will go back to Order No.7. Before we call the first Question, allow me to acknowledge the presence of students in the Speaker’s Gallery. They are St. Bakhita Girls - Kiangini from Makueni County. In the Public Gallery, we have St. Jude Kiriri, Githurai Constituency, Kiambu County; Londiani Boys High School, Kipkelion East Constituency, Kericho County and St. Teresa Girls, Eastleigh Constituency, Nairobi County. On my behalf and that of the National Assembly, I welcome you to the Houses of Parliament.

We move on to Questions. I will invite Question 122/2023 by the Member for Nyakach, Hon. Aduma Owuor. Sorry, Hon. Aduma. I have jumped two Questions. We start with Question 120/2023 by Hon. Mark Mwenje, Member for Embakasi West.

(Embakasi West, JP)

(Hon. Ezekiel Machogu)

Thank you Cabinet Secretary. Hon. Mark Mwenje, there you are.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his comprehensive response. My only follow up to the Cabinet Secretary is that we have a problem in Nairobi City County, especially with the reconstitution of some of the school boards in our primary schools. The County Education Board said they did not have sufficient funds. You have some of those boards with serving Members of County Assembly (MCAs) who have been re-elected. Could the Cabinet Secretary kindly provide guidance on the reconstitution of some of those school boards so that we can mitigate some of the issues that new Members of Parliament face, considering the fact that some were appointed by our predecessors? Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Cabinet Secretary, you can answer that.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Hon. Members are aware that the constitution of the committees, both in primary and secondary schools have 17 members. Some of the people who recommend them to serve in those particular committees are Members of Parliament. Those who represent the community interests are appointed or recommended by Members of Parliament. There are those who represent parents and churches, and they are recommended by the parents and churches, respectively. As a Ministry, we also find 17 to be a very high number. In the coming recommendation to this House, we will request to reduce that number to one that is a little bit manageable. This number is too high and unmanageable. Sometimes, the cost is unnecessarily high.

Thank you Cabinet Secretary. We will move on to Question 121 of 2023. The Member for Samburu East, Hon. Jackson Lekumontare wrote to the Speaker indicating that he had delegated Hon. Eli Letipila to ask the Question for him. Is Hon. Eli here?

Yes, Hon. Speaker.

Go ahead.

Hon. Speaker, on behalf of Hon. Jackson Lekumontare, the Member for Samburu East who is outside the country, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education the following Question: Could the Cabinet Secretary: (a) Provide a list of secondary Schools in Samburu East Constituency that have not been supplied with course books? 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.

(b) Explain why students in some schools in Samburu East Constituency complete their secondary school studies without accessing course books? (c) State when the Ministry will avail course books to the affected schools, or provide money to the schools to purchase the books?

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. We have, indeed, established from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) that there are six schools in Samburu East Constituency which have not been supplied with course books. The schools affected are: Uaso Girls Secondary School, which was registered on 19th December 2018; Narere Boys Secondary School, which was registered on 24th February 2021; Nkaroni Girls Secondary School, which was registered on 22nd March 2021; Seiyia Boys Secondary School, which was registered on 22nd February 2021; Tipito Girls Secondary School, which was registered on 10th January 2019 and Narasha Boys, which was registered on 16th September 2020. Public secondary schools were initially supplied with text books in 2018. Therefore, new schools that were registered thereafter have not been supplied with textbooks. Additionally, there has been no supply to provide for increased enrolment in the schools that were initially supplied in 2018. In this financial year, the Ministry has retained a total of Ksh378 million from the capitation fund provided for in each and every category for each learner for purposes of replenishing the supplies. The replenishment will enable the provision of books to learners in schools that were registered after 2018, and also to schools whose enrolment has grown.

Hon. Speaker, the second part of the Question is that there has been no replacement of books in secondary schools since 2018. Learners in newly registered schools have not been provided with the books. However, the Ministry is in the process of undertaking a replenishment to ensure that all schools are supplied with books before the end of this term. The affected schools will receive their books before the end of this term. This is not only in Samburu, but also in many other schools which are in this category. We undertake to provide the books out of the funds, Ksh378 million per annum, to all the schools countrywide.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Eli.

Hon. Speaker. I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education a supplementary Question. (a) Could he explain why there is shortage of food in primary schools, junior secondary schools and high schools in Samburu North Constituency; for example, Baragoi Boys High School, Opiroi Mixed Secondary School, Nachola School and Masikita Primary School? (b) Could he state which measures he has put in place to urgently regularise the school feeding programmes which help in keeping the pastoralist children of Samburu North in schools?

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. We are aware that we have shortage of teachers, not only in the affected schools, but also in a number of our schools in every part of the country. This administration has employed 36,000 new teachers. We will employ almost an equal number in the next financial year. The second part of the Question is on the school feeding programme. The Government provides funds for 26 arid and semi-arid counties, particularly in the northern part of the country. Those are the schools and areas that Parliament allocates funds. We engage and provide school feeding programmes to almost 2,000 of our learners in those particular areas. 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.

Hon. Members, I can see the screen is full, but I do not know whether it is for this Question. Hon. Omboko Milemba.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. My question is related to the issue of food in schools. Is the Cabinet Secretary aware that schools especially high schools are on the verge of closing down because of lack of food? If so, what measures is he undertaking to make sure that capitation is sent to our schools so that they do not close down? Currently, school heads are negotiating with students to skip some meals and even forfeit. That can lead to unrest in our schools. When is he planning to send capitations to schools to mitigate imminent closure of our schools?

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Mama Zamzam

(Mombasa County, ODM

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I would like to inform all the Members of Parliament here that capitation funds are at the tune of Ksh28 billion. The National Treasury was supposed to have given the funds before Friday last week. However, there was a delay. I had an engagement with the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury this morning, because it is an issue that not only concerns me, but also the entire country.

I wish to report to the Hon. Members and the country that, indeed, he has confirmed that by tomorrow, the funds will be in the Ministry. Thereafter, we will dispatch the same to all our schools countrywide. I have an undertaking from the National Treasury because they have the funds. I hope that by Friday of this week our schools - senior secondary schools, junior secondary schools and primary schools - will receive capitation funds. We are sorry for the delay. By the end of the week, the money will be in the accounts of those schools.

The Member of Parliament has also asked a question about a perimeter wall. You are aware that the amount of money that we get in form of infrastructure funds cannot cater for every need of various schools that we have in the country. I thank Members because in partnership with NG-CDF, we can do a lot. I will invite the Member to come over so that we can discuss the issue. Probably, we can partner in the next Financial Year so that we can see what NG-CDF and the Ministry can do. There is also the issue of water. As I said during the last time that I was here, the people who have the technical expertise or knowledge is the Ministry of Water. We only make a recommendation on the boreholes to be sunk in schools. That is one other school that I will ask the Member to come over, so that we can make the same recommendation to the Ministry of Water for drilling of a borehole.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Question 123/2023. Member for Teso South, Hon. Mary Emaase.

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Hon. Speaker. I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education the following Question: My Question arises from the confusion in the implementation of Junior Secondary School guidelines by the Ministry of Education. I draw your attention to page 44 of your guidelines. Guideline 8.6 of the guidelines on school meals says all leaners in Junior Secondary School shall be provided with nutritious school meals. Guideline 88.6(i) says that provision of school meals in Junior Secondary Schools shall be the responsibility of the parents or guardians. Guideline 8.6(ii) says that in regard to 8.6(i), the Junior Secondary School leadership shall collaborate with parents to ensure that the school meals meet the nutritional needs of all learners, including those with special needs and disabilities. Two, that there will be adherence to food storage and preparation standards.

Hon. Mary Emaase, you are debating but not asking your Question. The procedure is that you read the Question as it appears on the Order Paper. I think you are reading something different. Question 123 of 2023 is radically different from what you are saying. Do you, have it? It is on the Order Paper.

I think I have a different Order Paper, Hon. Speaker. May I have the supplementary Order Paper?

Can somebody furnish Hon. Emaase with the supplementary Order Paper? Your question is 123/2023.

Hon. Speaker, could the Cabinet Secretary: (a) State the actions the Ministry is taking to address the contradiction in guideline 8.6(i) of the Guidelines for Implementation of Junior Secondary School (JSS) Education, which states that provision of school meals in JSS will be the responsibility of parents or guardians, and guideline 8.6(iii) requiring the leadership of JSS to ensure that no learner drops out of school as a result of failure to pay the lunch programme fees? (b) Outline measures in place to ensure that children from needy backgrounds whose parents or guardians cannot afford the lunch fee programme remain in school and enjoy nutritious meals, considering that guideline 8.6(iii) obligates the leadership of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) to ensure that no child drops out of school as a result of failure to pay lunch fees, which in most schools is nearly Ksh15,000? Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Indeed, there is no contradiction, because Guideline 8.6(i) clearly states that, providing lunch in our schools, particularly primary and Junior Secondary Schools, is the responsibility of the parents. What normally happens is that the board of management convenes a meeting comprising the parents of that particular school, and after discussing and agreeing on a figure, whether Ksh500, Ksh1000 or whatever figure, every parent is supposed to pay towards provision of lunch to their young ones. They pay that. It is not mandatory; it is optional. We say that it cannot be mandatory. It is optional even to those who are not able to pay because there are parents who say: “I am not going to pay. I will provide food to my child to carry from home to school.” When the others are enjoying the school meal, this child has food from home. I have gone around the country and sometimes had the opportunity of eating lunch with those young ones in a number of schools that I have gone to, and seen that there are those who have not been able to pay. What is normally done in such schools is that even those who have not paid are also served and accommodated in that arrangement. One good thing is that the 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.

number which is not able to pay is not that big. Usually about 80-85 per cent of the parents manage to pay, such that the number which has not paid is probably 15 per cent, and they are carried along in this arrangement. When food is being served, they are also served with others. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

I cannot tell, Hon. Members, whether those of you on my request list want to ask questions. Hon. Irene Mayaka.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Earlier, the Cabinet Secretary confirmed to us that the funds will be disbursed to schools from tomorrow. However, my question is: Given the fact that the initial capitation was below the budget, what will the Cabinet Secretary do to cushion schools? Yesterday we got information that the price of commodities, especially basic commodities has shot up? What I want to know from the Cabinet Secretary is the plans he has to ensure that he cushions schools, given the fact that capitation is already below the budget. Thank you.

Martha Wangari.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. My follow up question is on what the Cabinet Secretary has answered on matters capitation and the money that finally goes to schools. I want him to link that with the books and the printing that has now become centralised. My question is: Is there any plan by the Ministry to decentralise the printing of books? This is because there are instances where you have 100 kids, and there are 200 books of the same subject. With the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) model, is there a plan in future to ensure that books can be handed down to siblings? This is because we now have children dealing with one book and you cannot hand over that book down to the next child. What is the plan in terms of ensuring that every child has access to a book, and that the schools can do this without having to wait for capitation? Thank you.

Let me give this chance to Anthony Oluoch.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I also want to ask a supplementary question in relation to what the Cabinet Secretary has said about the school feeding programme, and to seek guidance from him on what steps the Ministry is taking to ensure the informal settlements - and in particular vulnerable informal settlements like Mathare Constituency - where majority of the children who go to public schools come from vulnerable families have access to free school feeding programmes. This is because even the nominal fee that is charged by the school is not something they can afford. Hon. Speaker, while I am on my feet and with your permission, I would like to ask a question as a follow-up to Question 120/2023 that was asked by Hon. Mwenje in relation to the income generating activity of Umoja One Primary School. Cabinet Secretary, what is the legal or regulatory framework that underpins schools engaging in Appropriations-in-Aid (A- in-A)? I am saying this against the background of a previous ban by the Ministry on schools hiring school buses to avoid conflict of interest, and schools engaging in activities that may take them away from their core business. What is the legal and regulatory framework underpinning A-in-A by schools? Thank you.

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. One clarification I would like to make is that last year, we paid Ksh4,500, then sometime this year, the supply branch increased the price from Ksh4,500 to Ksh7,200. But when we went to the market, we found the price of a 50kg bag of rice was still Ksh4,500. We are now insisting that where schools cannot be able to get the prices at Ksh4,500 per bag of 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.

rice, or beans, they procure from Kenya National Trading corporation (KNTC). They should also compare the prices they are getting out there in the market with what we have in our stores at KNTC. That is because, sometimes, the figures being given by schools might not conform with what we have as the market prices, particularly when they are competitive.

On the second question by the Member for Gilgil, remember way back in 2017, some education reforms were undertaken by the Government through the Ministry of Education. One of those reforms was on the provision of textbooks. The Government used to give money to secondary and primary schools to purchase textbooks, but unfortunately, schools were not buying books. The ratio of students to textbooks was such that 10 students were sharing one textbook. Ever since the Government changed the system and started buying books, and the ratio is almost one to one. This can be confirmed from schools in the constituencies. The textbooks are replaced every four years. The last supply was done in 2018. We are in the process of making another supply. After four years, you realise that the books wear out and require replacement. From the research that was done, the system being used now is much better, because almost every student in our schools has access to textbooks. We may need to carry out another research to see if we need to centralise supply.

As I said, the number of counties benefitting from the school-feeding programme are 26. There are very poor people in informal settlements in Nairobi and other major towns in this country. We are engaging with development partners, like the Children Investment Fund. This is a United Kingdom-based company, and it is going to provide Ksh1.6 billion. We will co- operate with the Nairobi City County Government to provide food to some of the informal settlements in Nairobi. We are trying to make the same effort in other informal settlements in other towns in this country. Once we access funds, we should provide food to those informal settlements.

Finally, on A-in-A, schools like those with swimming pools sometimes generate income. The guidelines we have issued are that the Board of Management is responsible for managing those funds. The amount of money from those activities is not as big as such. Some of the funds that they get as A-in-A are used for school activities. I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Hon. Aduma Owuor. Cabinet Secretary, we had skipped this Question by Hon. Aduma Owuor.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I beg to ask the following Question: Could the Cabinet Secretary explain the actions being taken by the Ministry to avert acts of nepotism, mismanagement and violations of the Ministry’s guidelines relating to acquisition and disposal of school assets as well as recruitment of non-teaching and casual staff in schools across the country?

Cabinet Secretary.

On disposal of school assets, schools are public entities in terms of the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act, 2015, and the Public Finance Management Act, 2012. All requirements in the two Acts apply to schools, and they are supposed to adhere to the requirements. In addition to the laws, the Ministry of Education has issued guidelines and manuals to guide the disposal of assets, 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.

including unserviceable buses and other vehicles, ICT equipment like computers and printers, farm equipment and furniture. For primary schools, for example, the Ministry developed the Financial Management Manual, 2017. The Manual outlines relevant provisions of the law on asset disposal and provides a clear step-by-step process for disposing of school assets. The Basic Education Act, 2013 mandates the boards of management with the responsibility of administering resources in a school. In this regard, the Ministry’s manual on asset disposal is normally approved by the schools’ boards of management. The methods of disposal are as outlined in Section 165 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015. These include sale by public tender, sale by public auction, trade-ins, and transfer to another public entity. To ensure compliance with the law and the Ministry’s guidelines, every school is audited at least annually by the Ministry’s School Audit Directorate as well as the Office of the Auditor-General. The Ministry’s field officers also undertake regular inspections of schools to ensure compliance. There are cases of non-compliance. Once such cases come to our notice, we make sure that necessary remedial action is taken. With respect to recruitment of non-teaching staff, the Basic Education Act, 2013 provides that the boards of management shall recruit, employ and remunerate non-teaching staff. The Act also cites the values and principles of public service as outlined in Article 232 of the Constitution and the Public Service (Values and Principles) Act. These values and principles include gender inclusion, merit, open and competitive recruitment. The recruitment undertaken by the Board of Management are subjected to audit by the Ministry of Education as well as the Office of the Auditor-General. Appropriate action is taken in cases of non- compliance. I welcome any reports of such violations to my office. I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you. Hon. Aduma, are you satisfied?

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I realise the Question is limited mostly to moveable assets. It does not address disposal of immoveable assets like land. It is not clear whether title deeds of most schools are in the hands of the Ministry, or in the hands of the communities or sponsors of the schools. When we talk about mismanagement, there are grants meant for special schools. Most of those grants have not been disbursed, and schools are suffering. That is also key. There is the issue of skewed staffing. There is a perception that many good principals are poached to schools which are undeserving. The well-performing Headteacher of Yala High School was poached and had difficulties landing where he was posted to. Standards at Maranda High School have been on a downward trend after Mr. Boaz Owino, the then Principal, was removed. We have also had the question of Sawagongo High School, where the Headteacher was blocked when he was posted elsewhere. I know that the Cabinet Secretary is equal to the task, and he has the power and authority. I trust that he will be able to address that.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Aduma. That is a complimentary statement and not a question. Cabinet Secretary, you can note that and deal with it. Hon. Jared Okello, I can see you on the screen.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I equally want to thank the Cabinet Secretary for Education for coming to address some of our concerns.

During recess, I was home, and I managed to walk around my constituency. To a large extent, the state of junior secondary schools paints a very grim picture. We are alive to the fact that classrooms were actually built in high schools, but when the new regime came into office, they chose to retain our children within the existing primary schools. Whereas we do not have the capacity to physically remove those classrooms from high schools and plant them in 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.

primary schools, I want to know whether there is any plan to construct additional classrooms for junior secondary schools within the primary schools they are located in. We have many junior secondary schools that are strewn all over, but you realise that only one teacher is plugged to a junior secondary school. They undertake 14 subjects, which are compulsory, and probably eight elective subjects. Even if you are a genius, it is common knowledge that you cannot handle 22 subjects. What plans does the Ministry have to increase the number of junior secondary school teachers to augment the existing shortfall? Finally, junior secondary schools charge Ksh11,000 for school lunches. I do not know whether it is the Ministry that came up with this figure for lunches. But again, these are the same children who used to walk back to their homes for lunch last year and come back to school in the afternoon. What has changed such that parents have to dig deep into their pockets to get Ksh11,000 to assist the lunch programme? Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Cabinet Secretary, that question by Hon. Jared Okello falls under the next Questions by Hon. Muchira and Hon. Onchoke. You can put it on hold. You will answer it when we get there. Next is Question No.124 by the Member for Machakos County, Mama Joyce Kamene.

Hon. Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education the following question: Could the Cabinet Secretary: (a) State the amount of money that the Ministry has received towards the provision of sanitary pads to school girls each financial year from 2017/2018 to 2022/2023? (b) Explain the criteria, if any, used by the Ministry in distributing the allocations stated in (a) above among counties and specify how much Machakos County received in each of the stated financial years?

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. In the financial years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019, the Ministry of Education did not receive any money towards the provision of sanitary pads to girls in our schools. The programme was then domiciled in the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs. I was unable to get the figures from that Ministry, but given time, because we have the one-Government approach, I can get the figures. From 2019 to 2022, the Ministry of Education received a total of Ksh1,585,816,000 for this programme. The breakdown per financial year is as follows. In Financial Year 2019/2020, we received Ksh375 million; in Financial Year 2020/2021, we received a total of Ksh470,480,000; in Financial Year 2021/2022, we received Ksh270,408,000; and in Financial Year 2022/2023, we received a total of Ksh470 million. The total received is Ksh1,585,816,000. The criteria we use in distributing sanitary pads to various counties in the country follows the enrolment of girls in Grades 6, 7 and 8, because it is at that age that we consider that girls need sanitary towels. I have given a breakdown of the quantities given out in terms of packets to every subcounty in Machakos. Members can look at the breakdown because we have given the figures for each subcounty in Machakos. This information is also available for other counties 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.

in this country. We have also limited these figures to public schools because we do not give sanitary towels to private schools. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Joyce Kamene.

Hon. Speaker, as much as I would like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for his answers, they still leave a lot to be desired. As Women Representatives, we get many calls from those schools. He has just stated that they supply sanitary pads to primary schools. We have public secondary schools, where we have too many vulnerable girls. What is the Ministry doing about those girls? The criteria they use leaves a lot to be desired. They ought to improve because we get many questions. Where are sanitary towels? You are talking about Ksh470 million. Where is this money going? I wish we could see the systems so that we can understand why some schools do not get sanitary towels.

Hon. Babu Owino.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. First, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Cabinet Secretary for Education, who is a very good friend, a former colleague, and a family friend, because his son was my lecturer at the University of Nairobi’s School of Law. Hon. Speaker, my question is about what is currently happening in public primary schools, which is very sad. Learners are being sent away from schools because of certain materials which are required from them. For example, they are told that they cannot go to school without paying money for desks and other costs. As we speak, there is a primary school called Edelvale Primary School in Embakasi East Constituency that has sent away 65 learners because the administration is demanding Ksh1,500. I know that this is affecting the whole country. Why are we charging learners those monies if public primary schools are meant to be free?

Number two, the CBC has now become the incompetency-based curriculum. Cabinet Secretary, can we do away with this system? We are wasting our children. They are acting as a control experiment that is going to backfire. A university-trained teacher is supposed to handle a maximum of two subjects. However, the same teacher is handling between eight and ten subjects in a junior secondary school or a primary school. How viable is it for a teacher to prepare a subject he will teach the following day? If a teacher is supposed to teach eight subjects, the teacher needs eight hours to prepare for the subjects. It means the knowledge being imparted on our learners is equivalent or congruent to liquid intelligence. Let us not waste our children. To the Cabinet Secretary, please let us do away with CBC. It is wasting us.

What is your Question? You are making a statement.

Could we do away with the CBC? Thank you.

Cabinet Secretary, answer those two.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, and Hon. Members. Members, as you are aware, every year I have given a breakdown of the funds given to us for purchase of sanitary towels. As much as we would like to cover all our secondary schools, money is not enough. Of course, there is need. There is an engagement to transfer funds for this function to the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action or Women Representatives. They are aware about the conversation. I think the Question is that the amount of funds available for this function is not enough. It is because of this that we are limiting ourselves to primary school girls. Of course, there is need in secondary schools, but I know there are agencies that have been donating sanitary towels. However, we require 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.

allocating more funds. I request Parliament to allocate more funds to this so that we can cater for this need fully.

I am very categorical when it comes to illegal levies. We have given a directive as a Ministry and Government that the Government covers tuition. It is enshrined in Article 53 of the Constitution of this country. We give a total of Ksh1,420 to primary schools and no school or principal should charge pupils. Members of Parliament, kindly give me the information. I have already taken action in a number of schools. We had cases in Kilifi County recently. I think we also had cases in other counties where we are taking disciplinary action against the concerned. Once this information is made available to us - that there is a school charging Ksh1,500 - we will move in immediately and take action. We are even facilitating our deputy county directors of education so that they can monitor and go to each school. They take required action in case there is such an illegality.

Hon. Members, you know we have walked this journey of CBC. We are now on grade seven or junior secondary schools. It started back in 2018. As Kenyans, we have discussed the merits of CBC. We have to align ourselves with what is happening, not only in the region, but also with the 21st century, and what is happening internationally or globally. His Excellency the President set up the presidential working party that went around the country gathering views from many people in all the 47 counties. It also came here to Parliament, and key stakeholders were engaged in this discussion. The percentage of Kenyans said: “Yes, we have a few challenges we can mitigate as a country. However, we cannot go back. Let us move on with CBC.” According to that Report, 68 per cent of Kenyans said we should continue with CBC, and15 per cent said we should go back to the 8-4-4 system. Others were in between. The greater percentage of Kenyans, including experts, said this is the best system. We have few challenges we will mitigate.

Apart from the teachers we posted, I assure Members that there are too many qualified teachers. We have over 75,000 graduate teachers in primary schools. We have upgraded those teachers to teach in junior secondary schools. Therefore, the situation is not as bad as we think. There is much improvement and many good things. Moving forward, we are mitigating some of these challenges.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Women Representative of Kilifi County.

Ahsante, Mhe. Spika. Nataka kuzungumzia sodo. ‘Sodo’ ni sanitary towels.

Unazungumzia au unauliza swali?

(Kilifi County, ODM

Yes, Hon. Kuria Kimani. Cabinet Secretary, answer that after this. Then we will go to the next Question.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I think I have been a Member of this House for the last six years. The issue of provision of sanitary towels to our girls has come up every year. Why do we have to debate it every year? Why can we not have a comprehensive way of ensuring that our girls have sanitary towels in their schools?

Ask the Cabinet Secretary.

Hon. Speaker, I want men in this House to think. If you bled for three days minimum every month, you will all drop dead. We will all drop dead. These girls go through this without menstrual education. They have to use unhygienic things like mattresses, blankets and all those bad things, and we still have to debate this every year? We need to put the Cabinet Secretary to account. Let us have a comprehensive plan to make sure that every girl in this country, once they attain the age of puberty, they are supplied with sanitary towels. We used to have condoms in toilets. If you can provide condoms in toilets, why can you not provide sanitary towels for our girls? Why do they have to keep begging?

, provide a solution. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I agree with the concerns of Hon. Members that, indeed, we require enough funding and better structure of distribution of sanitary pads so that they can get to our girls. There is a discussion, and the 47 Women Representatives are aware that I am to transfer this function. The Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Departmental Committee on Education were to decide whether those monies will be given to the Women Representatives or the Ministry of Public Service and Gender. That is the responsibility of the two Committees of this House. We agreed that the two Committees will be able to make that decision. We will move ahead with whatever decision they make. We hope that it will be the best one if our girls are provided with sanitary towels. On CBC, I was in Kilifi and the Member of Parliament is aware. I have been to Kilifi County three times, and I invite her to join us when we visit there. Last time, I was in St. Thomas Girls, and I am sure the Member is aware. I even had a meeting with the local leaders when I was in Kilifi and Pwani University. Kindly come over as we engage our people and talk to the parents and teachers concerning CBC. You can get the kind of information they have concerning CBC. Teachers want to continue with this, but they require some capacity building that we can do as a Government. Thank you.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. We will go to Question 125, but as we do so, I have been requested by Hon. Babu Owino to recognise Lynne Alvaralawi and Attifa 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.

Safi, Directors of Resources Advocacy and Distribution, a Canadian International Organisation that advocates for gender and menstrual hygiene seated in the Speaker’s Gallery. Hon. Michael Muchira, Member of Parliament for Ol Jorok.

Hon. Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education the following question: Could the Cabinet Secretary: (i) Provide details of the number and percentage of pupils who transited to Junior Secondary Schools and Form One respectively, and the number that is yet to report with respect to the 2023 academic year? (ii) Explain measures the Ministry has instituted to locate children who are yet to enrol for either Junior Secondary Schools or Form One in order to meet the 100 per cent transition, considering that basic education is an inviolable right for every child? Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, and Hon. Members. As at 26th May 2023, a total of 1,146,070 learners had reported to Term Two of 2023 to Junior Secondary Schools all over the country against an enrolment of 1,212,279 in Grade Six. This translates to 94.53 per cent transition rate. Those who had not transited at that date were 5.47 per cent, which translates to 66,209 learners. A total number of 1,155,369 out of 1,206,974 learners had reported to Form One as at 26th May 2023, which translates to a transition rate of 96 per cent. A total of 12,051 of the remaining learners reported to TVET institutions, while 4,709 repeated Standard Eight. This leaves a total of 34,845 learners representing 3 per cent who are yet to report to any institution of learning. The second part of the Question is that the high transition rate is because of failure of strategic measures that the Ministry continues to implement. Of course, we would like this to be 100 per cent. Even the 3 per cent which is out, we would like it to go up to 100 per cent. We have taken measures to ensure that we have a high transition rate by spearheading a multi- agency approach team involving the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, and including Hon. Members here. We want to ensure that all our learners transit to their respective levels of basic education. We have done this using grassroots approach to identify and locate the learners who do not report to school in time and ensure that they resume their studies. As I have said, the chiefs and assistant chiefs have been very helpful in this. We have done a mopping up exercise to ensure that we encourage 100 per cent transition. We have also issued guidelines which are designed to facilitate the 100 per cent transition, which includes the following: 1. Operationalisation of day wings in established boarding primary schools in urban set ups and densely populated areas. 2. We have also been able to allow JSS within a proximity of six to 10 kilometres apart to operationalise shared school transport to ease access to learners and support the day schooling. 3. We have encouraged the establishment of low-cost boarding schools in areas with highly scattered settlements or pastoralists communities where learners have the risk of disability and others subject to availability of funds. 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.

4. We have also been implementing affirmative action in geographically expansive areas, low density, and insecurity prone areas to allow primary schools that lack the requisite enrolment and infrastructural capacity to domicile JSS, and as well, 5. Directing our learners to be excluded from school uniform because we said it is not mandatory that we have the new uniform when they transition to another level. On late capitation, Members are aware that in JSS, we set it at Ksh15,042. In Senior Secondary School, we set it at Ksh22,240. On learning materials, we have achieved a ratio of, apart from a few areas, 1:1 in provision of the textbooks and also providing school feeding programme in order to ensure that those in arid and semi-arid areas are able to access school. Hon. Speaker, those are some of the measures we have taken and those are the numbers that we have so far who have transitioned to the two levels in our basic education. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a.

Thank you Hon. Speaker. I was only adding to what the Hon. Member for Molo had said about the sanitary pads when he talked about condoms. I want to clarify that condoms are voluntary, but when it comes to menstrual period, we were born with it.

Hon. Alice, this is question time. You are out of order. You can approach Hon. Kimani and lecture him on that.

Hon. John Mutunga.

Hon. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Cabinet Secretary for Education for the good work that he is doing. But all the Members here agree with me that the Ministry is facing a very difficult time to implement the new education system. I happen to be involved in making sure that it happens, because I am an investor in education. But I can assure you that I do not know who is clear in this country. I would like to ask the Hon. Cabinet Secretary the extent to which the Ministry of Education is clear on where the expected products from this system will go, the type of professionals we are going to produce and what we shall do with the others. He can tell us that because, as a nation, we all seem to be guiding our children in a direction that is not clear. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you. Hon. Nicholas, Turkana East.

Thank you Hon. Speaker for giving me this chance to thank the Cabinet Secretary and ask him a question on the issue of half-term, which has become mandatory in our education calendar. My question is: What advantage is the half-term adding to our learners in this country? You find a child from Turkana schooling in Mombasa County is given three days to go for half-term all the way from Mombasa to Turkana East. From Turkana to Mombasa, you can travel for three days, one way and going back another three days. That is a total of six days. How fast will this child travel from Mombasa to Turkana for this half-term? Half-term has become very expensive to the parents. Some children leave school and exhaust the half-term days on the road; thus, they have to go back to school without reaching home. It is even becoming dangerous for our learners because some of them meet strangers on their way home in the name of travelling for half-term. Can the Cabinet Secretary clarify what the half-term is adding to education of our learners in this country, both in primary and secondary schools? Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Cabinet Secretary. 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.

Thank you Hon. Speaker…

Hold on Cabinet Secretary. Sorry. Hon. Emmanuel Wangwe, you will be the last on this.

Thank you Hon. Speaker. Allow me to appreciate the Cabinet Secretary for the good work he has done. So far, we wish him well. The Cabinet Secretary has put it very clearly that there is very good progress in terms of 100 per cent transition. My concern is how to retain the 100 per cent transition in the secondary schools. I especially want the Cabinet Secretary to clarify on what his Ministry is doing to the 2021 Form One students under the Elimu Scholarship Programme, where the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation is yet to remit the funds as we speak today. All the students who went to Form One in 2023 under that Programme through his Ministry are yet to receive payment. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Cabinet Secretary, you can answer those.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to assure my friend Hon. Mutunga that the CBC, after the lower level, that is the Junior Secondary, they transition to Senior Secondary, where there are three pathways: Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Social Sciences, also commonly known as humanities and sports, Visual and Performing Arts. Those who are good in that area will find an opportunity to pursue their talents in that area. This is a system with the proper value system which will inculcate certain values to our young people and get the kind of competencies and skills which have not been available, and they will be able to compete favourably with the rest of the world, and that is the best way to go. So, it is not an end in itself. We will be able to move it and we are preparing up to the university level such that when the year to transition to universities comes, our universities will be well prepared. On half-term, from the time we were in school, there has been half-term. A term is about 90 to 100 days. Emotionally, if we subject the learners into continuous learning without giving them a break, particularly in senior secondary schools, it gets us into problems like strikes in schools and some learners getting into other activities. Emotionally, the three or four days of half-term stabilises them. It is normally optional. Those who come from far and prefer to remain in school than going home, stay in school. It does not mean that every one of them must go home. We have been getting the support of Elimu Scholarships affecting about 12,000 of our Kenyans learners from poor backgrounds. We delayed in getting the funds from the various agencies and donors but, two weeks ago, we got the funds, and we have disbursed the funds to the beneficiaries in various schools. We will continue with the programme because those who are supporting it are very supportive. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Cabinet Secretary, the issue of the Member for Turkana East is whether it is prudent for a child schooling in a national school in Mombasa to be let to go home for half-term for three days, when he takes three days to travel and three days to come back. The policy issue should be whether you can let such children remain in schools during that half-term and those who can go home, go. Hon. Nicholas, is that not your issue? Yes, Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker…

As a parent and leader, I am sure you understand that children from very poor families who are brilliant and join national schools travel across the country. Telling them to go home for half-term for three days is not very reasonable. 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.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. That is why I have said that it is optional. Not every student goes for half- term; some can opt to remain in school, like the case that the Member has given. For a child from Turkana schooling in Mombasa, if the parents can go to Mombasa during that time and take them from school, it is okay. However, if it is them to travel all the way to Turkana, then that does not make sense. That is an issue that I agree with, and we will take it up so that those students who do not have that kind of arrangement can remain in school during half-term. There will be that option.

Thank you. Member for Bonchari, Hon. Charles Onchoke.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to take this opportunity to appreciate the Cabinet Secretary and his team for appearing before this House to take our Questions. Could the Cabinet Secretary- (i) Provide a status report on the construction of classrooms under Phase II of the CBC at the following ten secondary schools in Bonchari Constituency that were identified in 2022 to host JSS: Bishop Charles Mugendi Nyamokenye, Botoro Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya, Ekerubo, Itierio Girls, St. Andrew’s Mogumo, St. Ann’s Nyangoge, St. Charles Lwanga Gesero, St. Francis Nyasagati, St. Peter’s Suneka, and St. Vincent Omwari? (ii) State when the construction of classrooms in Botoro, Ekerubo and Mogumo secondary schools that were to be ready for use in January 2023 will commence, state when the Ministry will pay the contractors and award the tender to construct classrooms in the seven schools where works have been completed? (iii) Outline the plans that the Ministry has put in place to construct adequate classrooms for Junior Secondary Schools in Bonchari Constituency to ease congestion that is adversely affecting learning and specify the timeline for the same? Thank you.

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. This is something that affects every Member of Parliament…

Just one minute, Cabinet Secretary. Yes, Hon. Donya, what is the problem?

I am the joyrider.

Pardon?

Joyrider.

Even the joyrider comes after the Question has been answered.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, and Hon. Members. This is another thing that affects every Member of Parliament in this House. Members, as you can remember, we had Phase I of this programme that covered each one of your constituencies. A total of Ksh7,662,000,000 was utilised in Phase I that was done between 2020 and 2021. A total of 9,721 classrooms in secondary schools were built. Those classrooms are complete, and payments have been done. We do not have anything pending. In Phase II, which the Hon. Member for Bonchari has raised a Question on, apart from his area, where a total of Kshs12 million is supposed to be used for classrooms in Bonchari, the total number of classrooms that are supposed to be done countywide are 6,495, and 6,371 contractors have been contracted to build those classrooms. The total cost of Phase II is 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.

Ksh2,542,000,000. A number of those classrooms are complete. A few are not complete, and we hope that before the end of the financial year, they will be complete. For Bonchari Constituency, the status is as given in the table. Botoro Secondary is 80 per cent complete; Ekerubo is about 90 per cent complete; St. Andrew’s Mogumo, one classroom is complete and the other one is 75 per cent complete; St. Ann’s Nyangoge, two classrooms are complete; St. Charles Lwanga Gesero, one classroom is complete; St. Francis Nyasagati is complete; St Peter’s Suneka is complete and St. Vincent Omwari is complete. On the second part of the Question, we are expecting that the schools will be completed before 30th June. The Ministry is supposed to pay a total of Ksh12,611,521 for the secondary schools that have been completed. As you are aware, the total cost of constructing a classroom is Kshs788,221. We are yet to pay the contractors not only in Bonchari, but also in other constituencies. We are expecting that the national Treasury will give us Ksh2.5 billion to make payments before the end of the financial year so that we do not carry it over as a pending bill. On the third part of the Question, there are 56 Junior Secondary Schools in Bonchari Constituency with a total of 3,899 learners. Generally, each of the schools has one classroom for grade 7 learners. We have a shortage of 22 classrooms. I request that we partner with the Members of Parliament. We are making an engagement with the World Bank. Hopefully, we will get funds and do integrated resource centres and sanitation facilities in some of the schools. Again, as you access your NG-CDF – the shortage in your constituency is only 22 classrooms – we can partner so that you do part of the classrooms and once we access our funds, we also do a few. Thank you.

Hon. Donya, you can now joyride.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. You will find that in Junior Secondary Schools, they have new syllabus, new teachers – even though they are not enough – and new uniforms. My question to Waziri is: Is the Ministry having any plans of having a new administration block for Junior Secondary School learners? To conclude, I wish that the Cabinet Secretary clarifies on the issue of sanitary pads. He told us that as Members, we consider that budget. Are sanitary pads still going to be issued through the Ministry of Education or they will be brought back to us, as women Members of Parliament? Thank you.

Hon. Gideon Ochanda.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. When the Cabinet Secretary was giving us details of classrooms that were done, all of them were in secondary schools. Grade Seven are still in primary schools. It means there is infrastructure that is basically not in use. In terms of projection, will Grade Seven and Eight get back to primary school or they will join JSS where the infrastructure is as at now? Thank you.

The Member sitting next to Hon. Nicholas. I cannot see you clearly, Hon. Member. Give him the microphone.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. My name is Hon. Protus Akujah, Member of Parliament for Loima Constituency.

Hon. Protus, I know you. Sorry, you are sitting too far.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. My question to the Cabinet Secretary regards the issue of Junior Secondary School, specifically on Arid and Semi- Arid Land (ASAL) areas. ASAL areas suffer from many problems. In these areas, one teacher is posted to one JSS, where he teaches 14 subjects, and at the same time, he or she is the 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.

school’s principal. You are left wondering what time this teacher manages the school, and what time he or she teaches? Does the Ministry have any plan to deploy more teachers to those JSS? Secondly, is on the issue of laboratories. I am told that the CBC is centred on practical science and yet, those JSS do not have laboratories. Does the Ministry have any plan to construct laboratories in those areas to avoid the gaps? Thank you.

Hon. Cabinet Secretary, you can answer those three questions.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. If I may start with the last question, I assure Members that we are aware JSS requires laboratories because we are emphasizing on STEM sciences, and that is why we are engaging the World Bank. In another four months, we hope that we would conclude our engagements with them and out of the funds that we would be getting from the World Bank, we should be able to do, at least, 40 per cent of the total requirement of laboratories countrywide and progressively, we will be able to mitigate on that infrastructural requirement. We are aware of the recruitment of teachers in ASAL areas, and if the Member can confirm, the numbers that were given to certain areas, particularly during the recruitment, I think were more. We will continue to increase the number until we alleviate the shortage of teachers. I request the Member of Parliament to share the number of those schools, including the ones in the ASAL areas. We have been to Turkana, Marsabit and Wajir, and we visited a number of JSS in those areas. I have not been to a school where I found one teacher teaching 14 subjects. You can come to the office we share, because there might be those isolated cases which will require that we give consideration. Hon. Member, engage us so that we can get a remedial measure on that. On the issue of classrooms in secondary schools, I want to make it very clear that, at this particular time, we had severe shortage of classrooms in our secondary schools. The number of classrooms that have been built are not enough. If you go to each of those secondary schools, you will find that they require more classrooms. It is not that they are not being used. Actually, a number of them are being used up to capacity, and even as we move forward, we look into a situation where we require to build more classrooms. There is no single school where we built classrooms that are not being used as of now. Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members, as we move forward, I have made an undertaking that we will recruit more teachers in the coming years if this august House allocates us the necessary funds to do so. We are aware that we do not have enough teachers in a number of our schools. We have now issued guidelines on the new administration blocks for JSS. It will be another expense. Hon. Members, you will agree with me that the Ministry does not have such funds. That is why we said that both primary schools and JSS will have the same kind of administration as of now. The only thing that we have changed a little bit is that they have separate school accounts. JSS operate a separate account from the primary school, but with one principal. As we move ahead, we might change and have a separate administration for JSS and the primary school. As of now, it is one principal, one administration block but separate accounts. We also have the board of management. Out of the 17, we have one set which is in charge of the accounts of the JSS, and another one in charge of the primary schools. I have made an undertaking on the issue of sanitary pads. We have had a discussion with the Members of Parliament - my Member of Parliament is one of them - and the Members of County Assemblies. Once the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Departmental Committee on Education decide, that is exactly what we will do. Thank you.

Hon. Edwin Mugo. Sorry. Yes, Hon. (Dr.) Nyikal. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, let us take one question from Hon. (Dr) Nyikal. 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.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker for making me a third joyrider. I appreciate what our former colleague is doing and how complex the work is. However, in reality, if you spent time especially when we were on recess to go around the constituencies, you would realise that we have a very hard start. The conditions are worse than what we are saying in terms of teachers, infrastructure for classrooms and now laboratories. My question to the Cabinet Secretaries is this: Can we know the plans in every constituency for the number of JSS that are there now, and the ones coming up next year? Can we have the exact number of classrooms expected in JSS? Are we going to have laboratories or workshops in JSS, because there is no clarity on this? This is so that when we plan with NG- CDF, we actually fall in place with your sub-county directors of education so that there is some harmony on how to use our NG-CDF to support the JSS programme. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Hon. Nyikal. We have made it clear that we require laboratories in JSS, and that is why we are having the engagement with the World Bank. We are also requesting Members of Parliament to prioritise construction of laboratories. This coming Financial Year, 40 per cent is required. From the Ministry’s side, we would be able to do the 40 per cent and probably, all the others would be done progressively in the next financial years. We will do some percentage once you also access the NG-CDF, I hope you will construct some laboratories within your areas.

Secondly, we have the issue of classrooms in junior secondary schools. We domiciled junior secondary schools in the existing primary schools. We had Class Seven and Class Eight in those particular schools. There are a few primary schools which did not qualify to become junior secondary schools hence the pupils in those primary schools go to a nearby school. Therefore, the classroom shortage is not as big as such because we had existing classrooms. Out of 28,000 primary schools, it is only about 5,000 that did not qualify to be in junior secondary schools. We also have a report from every sub-county from our sub-county directors. Moving forward, we will share this report with you and see what we can do from the point of view of the Ministry and what you can do in your areas with the NG-CDF. We also have a report on each sub-county indicating the shortage of classrooms. An example is in Bonchari, which I gave, where the entire sub-county has 22 classrooms. We can provide that information in every sub-county to inform you of the shortage that you have. As we move forward, you can provide funding from your respective NG-CDF.

There is also an issue about ASALs. I have made a commitment that we are doing something in those areas. We have also given more funds to those areas. We allocated Ksh100 million to Turkana the other day, for the expansion of the existing low-cost boarding schools. We have one in Laikipia which was built by the Member for Laikipia North through sponsors and the NG-CDF. We are also opening a boarding school which we, as Government, will support. We will assist the ASALs as much as possible.

r: Hon. Edwin Mugo, Member for Mathioya.

Hon. Speaker, I rise to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Education the following Question:

Could he: 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.

(a) Explain why there is a delay in distribution of books flagged off on 27th January 2023 for Grade Seven Junior Secondary School learners in public schools, noting that the books ought to have been distributed by 17th February 2023? (b) Provide a report detailing the capitation grant received toward purchase of textbooks and the actual amount spent on purchase of textbooks in public secondary schools across the country? (c) Indicate the strategies the Ministry has put in place, if any, to address challenges faced by the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), expounding on the issue of variance in the number of learners in the system versus the actual learners in certain schools hence reducing capitation in some schools and occasioning over-capitation in others?

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The book distribution for junior secondary schools across the country stands at 90 per cent. There was distribution of 992, 884 books to 18, 605 schools in the country. For example, in Mathioya Constituency, the distribution is at 95 per cent across all learning areas. The balance of 5 per cent will be distributed before the end of this month.

There have been delays in meeting the deadline on 17th February 2023 for various reasons. We had 10 publishers who were contracted to supply the books and there was a delay in providing them. The 10 publishers are as given in my answer. I do not have to mention them. The delay on their part was attributed to the fact that we have only 10 capable and competent publishers capable of printing, but they were unable to do it because of the quantity and the number of materials they were supposed to print to supply the said materials within the timeline that we expected them to do so. There were over 17 million copies of textbooks. During the time that we had given them the contract, some of them were unable to get the required good quality printing papers and had to import from other countries. Hence, there was a delay.

Thirdly, when supplying the textbooks in some parts of the country like the North Rift, we have to get security personnel because of the ongoing insecurity. Some areas were not accessible, but we are trying to access them now. The distribution of books is detected from capitation from every learner which is provided for free in day secondary schools and other secondary schools. In this particular year, we have also stated the amount that will be deducted from each leaner to provide the required number of books in all our schools.

We have also given a breakdown, in the appendix, on how the books have been supplied, indicating where we are and how much we have supplied and the books that we are yet to supply. The publishers and printers have made a commitment that the percentage we are remaining with will be provided within a short time.

The second set of Question is on NEMIS. As Members are aware, the registration of learners with and without birth certificates is captured in NEMIS, but those who access the funds are those who have birth certificates. As per 6th June 2023, there were 3,883,939 learners in secondary schools who were on the NEMIS platform. Those who are fully registered are 3,670,839 which is 95 per cent of the learners in the system. The remaining 212,300 learners which is 5 per cent, are not fully registered. They are in school, but they cannot access the capitation because the necessary details of birth certificates have not been provided so far. We have that figure and progressively it is improving. We insist chiefs and assistant chiefs should follow-up with the parents and get the documents so that this number comes down. That way, every person in a school will access capitation funds. Otherwise, 5 per cent is the only number. As we move on, we should have this number reduced. 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.

Thank you, Hon Speaker.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. The first supplementary question is by Hon. Edwin Gichuki.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for a very comprehensive answer. My only concern is on the fixed amount that is normally given to each school. There is this policy by the Ministry of one child one shilling. If you do not give the fixed amount, schools that have fewer learners, like day secondary schools, would be affected, especially in terms of infrastructure. I urge the Cabinet Secretary to increase the fixed amount given to each school especially for administrative activities and other basic activities like sports.

Hon. Ruku GK.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for answering the Question. There are a number of schools in my constituency where there is congestion in dormitories. You will find one cubicle accommodating more than six students. We wonder whether we have education officers responsible to ensure that all schools are managed in a proper manner. The boards of management should not allow schools to be completely dilapidated to the extent of congestion. The officers do not report these matters to the appropriate offices to ensure proper action is taken. I want to know whether guidelines of the Ministry of Education allow a situation where one room is shared by more than six students or a situation where one bed has three deckers. I do not know whether…

Three beds cannot be a double decker. Call it a three decker.

It is a three decker where there are two beds below and another boy or girl sleeps at the top. That is the situation that I have seen in a number of schools. It is not a good experience.

That is enough. Hon. Phylis Bartoo.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Eldoret is considered a work station under a municipality and teachers who work in that environment are supposed to benefit from enhanced work allowance. Unfortunately, there is one school in the municipality named Cheparus Primary School where teachers do not benefit from the same enhanced house allowance. I wanted the Cabinet Secretary to clarify why they are disadvantaged.

Thank you. Woman Representative for Tharaka Nithi.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to speak for special schools. Specials schools entirely depend on the Government for feeding learners, teaching and non-teaching staff. The Government provides funding to these schools which struggle because they face many challenges. Non-teaching staff have not been paid for several months. What measures has your Ministry put in place to end starvation in the special schools? When can the learners get the much-needed services, especially at special units like; Nkarini Primary School, Karathanu Primary School and Enkong Primary School, among other special units in Tharaka Nithi and the entire country.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. As Members may be aware, 30 per cent of secondary schools in the country are boarding schools. There are national and county schools. Every Kenyan wants to take their child to a national or an extra-county school. Therefore, those schools are overstretched. Day schools, which are 70 per cent of our schools, are not as overstretched. That is why, going forward, we want to equip more day schools for parents to see the need to take their children there. As it is now, the national schools cannot accommodate more than what they are accommodating. Unless a school has facilities, it should not go beyond the allocated numbers. On funds, we are able to do as much as the funds you give us. You know the tuition funds you give us. We get money from the august House for extracurricular activities and we 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.

start the activities at the school level to sub-county to county to regional to national. Every time, we have a serious shortfall. That is why we go for other partners. For example, this year, in order for us to manage the extracurricular activities, we had to get the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports because of the funds they have, which you are aware is Ksh276 million from the Sports and Social Performance Fund. In case there is a school within the said municipality where teachers are not enjoying the amounts, they are supposed to enjoy. Kindly bring it to my attention. I have taken note it is Chebarus Primary School. If it is house allowance, the teachers should be paid like other teachers within the municipality. We give special schools an enhanced capitation of Ksh37,000 as opposed to ordinary schools that we give Ksh22 million. When we get money in phases, we normally start with the special needs schools. Special needs schools are given the amount of capitation designated for them. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

On the Question by Hon. Gabriel Kagombe, I have a request from him that Hon. Kawanjiku from Kiambaa will ask it on his behalf. Hon. Kawanjiku, go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to ask the Cabinet Secretary the following Question: Could the Cabinet Secretary: (a) Outline specific measures being pursued by the Government to ensure that children with Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) obtain equal access to education? (b) State the modalities used by the Ministry and the Kenya National Examinations Council in availing alternative examination modes or avenues for autistic children who are not able to undertake written examinations? (c) Confirm if the Ministry intends to incorporate Oral Assessment of autistic children in the CBC as well as the engagement of teachers who are specifically trained to handle children with autism?

Thank you.

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The Questions I have from the Clerk of the National Assembly, which are here…

It does not have that Question?

It does not feature and the Question has not been brought to my attention. The Questions are all here.

Hon. Kawanjiku, you will tell Hon. Kagombe that we have stepped down his Question to the next time the Cabinet Secretary comes.

Nonetheless, there is a Question by Hon. Naisula Lesuuda that is not listed, but has an answer provided. I have been informed that Hon. Jack Wamboka of Bumula is to ask on her behalf.

Cabinet Secretary, there is a Question coming. 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.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity first to thank the Cabinet Secretary who is becoming a friend of this House by responding to our Questions.

He has always been. He was a Member in the last Parliament.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to ask the Cabinet Secretary the following Question on behalf of Hon. Naisula Lesuuda: Could the Cabinet Secretary: (a) State the amount of money that was disbursed to each private university for Government-sponsored students in the Financial Year 2022/2023 and the amount of money proposed to be allocated to each private university in the Financial Year 2023/2024, listing the amount of funds per university. (b) Provide statistics of the number of Government-sponsored students placed in each private university since 2019 to date, detailing the number per year against each private university and the number of self-sponsored students in each university per year. (c) Confirm why the practice was entertained even when there are sufficient spaces in public universities. (d) Explain how the new model will ensure the survival of public universities, given that the cost of courses price by the public universities against the undercutting offered by private universities. Thank you.

Cabinet Secretary.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. There are three main reasons that informed the policy of admitting Government- sponsored students in private universities. First, is the legal framework. The Universities Act, 2012 established the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) Board. Section 56(1) of the Act provides that the placement service shall coordinate the placement of Government- sponsored students to universities and colleges. Section 2 of the same Act defines the “university” as a university to which a charter has been granted. There is no distinction as to whether it is private or public for purposes of placement of Government-sponsored students. At the same time, Section 56(3) of the Act requires the placement service to establish a criterion to enable students access the courses for which they applied taking into account the students’ qualifications and listed priorities. The law, therefore, placed value on the choice of a student for purposes of placement and this is the legal framework for which private universities were based. I will request Members to go to The Hansard because there was serious discussion in this honourable House in 2012. Hon. Members, if you look at The Hansard, you will realise that there was an argument to put “public” in the Bill and the public item was actually removed by this honourable House. Therefore, it provided the loophole in the legal framework for what was now non-admitting Government-sponsored students to private universities to be done since the year subsequent to that Act. 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.

Before 2016, admission to public universities was determined by the available bed capacity. Due to the limited capacity in our public universities, the cut-off point for admission was increased in successful years locking out many eligible students. For example, in the year 2014/2015, 165,000 candidates had C+ and above against a capacity of only 63,740. Only 38.6 per cent accessed university education while 61.4 per cent were left out. In the following year 2015/2016, 61 per cent of those with C+ and above were also left out. In this regard, placement to private universities was used in helping to address the capacity constraints in our public universities and increasing access to university education. Consequently, in the year 2016/2017 placement cycle, for example, the percentage of students placed in universities grew to 93.46 per cent from 39.02 per cent. The preceding year, as shown in Table Q007, which I have given there, the percentage of students placed when capacity is in both public and private universities was utilised. You can see in this year’s placement that the number has actually gone up because we created room for others to get into private universities, and the number went to 93.46 per cent. In addition, private universities also play a critical role in increasing capacity for competitive and priority programmes both locally and internationally. For example, the total capacity declared for Bachelor of Nursing in the year 2022 candidature in both private and public universities was 1,520 with 555, which is 36.5 per cent, being in private universities. These 555 Kenyans who want to do Nursing would not have got a place because we do not have capacity in our public universities for this particular course because it is a technical area. We have certain private universities that offer this course. On the second part of the Question, after placement of students to universities, the University Fund determines and allocates the available funding in accordance with the Differential Unit Cost of the degree programme, commonly known as DUC. The DUC has 14 programme clusters for undergraduate degree courses. The number of Government-sponsored students enrolled in each cluster is used to determine the allocation of the available funds allocated by the National Assembly. In the Financial Year 2022/2023, a total of 89,644 Government sponsored students in private universities were funded at a cost of Ksh3,174,791,604. This translates to 18.11 per cent of the DUC. The recommended funding per student in both public and private universities is 80 per cent of the DUC. You can get the difference between 80 per cent and 18.11 per cent. The amount that was disbursed to each private university for Government-sponsored students in the Financial Year 2022/2023 is indicated in Table Q9. It indicates the amount that was disbursed to every university out of the Ksh3.2 billion that you allocated through the Ministry of Education. For the Financial Year 2023/2024, we project that 18,430 students will be completing their studies from private universities. Consequently, continuing students to be funded in private universities will be 71,214. If the amount allocated remains the same as the allocation in the Financial Year 2022/2023, then the 71,214 students will be funded at an average of 22 per cent of the DUC as opposed to 80 per cent which was the figure we had committed to as a Government. The amount that will be disbursed to each university for the continuing students will depend on the number of students to be funded in the university and the programmes they are pursuing. The most expensive course in the country is dentistry, which costs Ksh740,000 at the University of Nairobi. If the Government were to give 80 per cent of Ksh740,000, you can see how much that would be. Hon. Speaker, I wish to inform the House that in the Financial Year 2023/2024, Government scholarships and the new university funding model will not be available to students who choose to join private universities. I repeat: Government scholarships will not be available with effect from the coming financial year for students who make a choice to join private universities. Such students will, however, be eligible to apply for loans from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB). 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.

The third part of the Question is that the number of self-sponsored students in private universities has been declining in successive years since the 2019/2020 academic year when it was 54.8 per cent compared to the 2022/2023 academic year when it was 20 per cent. This can be explained by the fact that an increasing number of students in private universities have been funded by the Government in successive years. We have also provided a table, indicated as Q10, which provides the details of the enrolment. For the same reason of increased Government sponsorship, there has also been a decline in the number of self-sponsored students in public universities from 42 per cent in the 2019/2020 academic year to 21 per cent in the 2022/2023 academic year, as shown in table Q11. On whether there are enough spaces in public universities, Section 56(1) of the Universities Act mandates the KUCCPS to place Government sponsored students in private universities. The designation of a university as public or private is one of the reasons that informed the decision. The KUCCPS has continued to place Government students to universities and programmes according to their choices, something that we have since rectified. We will also be sending other amendments in due course to this House for consideration. On the final part of the Question, since the Financial Year 2017/2018, university students have been funded based on the DUC programmes. The Government was expected to fund 80 per cent of the cost while the household funds 20 per cent. However, over the years, the number of students placed in universities has grown tremendously and remarkably thus posing challenges to the Government’s ability to meet funding obligations. Indeed, the Government’s contribution to the cost has been reducing from 66.4 per cent in the Financial Year 2018/2019 to what it is in this particular year at 48.11 per cent. This means that we are not able to provide the remaining 32 per cent to public universities. For private universities, the figure is even lower, at 18.11 per cent. This has led to financial challenges in many public universities. As a result, we have come up with a new funding system which we consider to be manageable. This is where Government scholarships will cover an average of 61 per cent, Government loan an average of 35.5 per cent and household contribution an average of 3.1 per cent. Further, we will use the mean testing equipment that we use at HELB to determine vulnerable students who will enjoy a scholarship of 82 per cent as opposed to a loan of 18 per cent. In this case, the household contribution will be zero. This is because such students are considered as highly vulnerable in our society because their income is almost zero. Extremely needy students will get a scholarship of about 70 per cent and a loan of 30 per cent, with the household contribution being zero. Those are families of an income of less than Ksh20,000. They will get between Ksh23,000 and Ksh50,000. Needy students will get scholarships worth 53 per cent and loans at 40 per cent while the household contribution will be 7 per cent. The less needy, who we consider to be anyone enjoying a salary of between Ksh70,000 and Ksh200,000, will get a scholarship of 38 per cent. If they so wish, they can get a loan of 55 per cent and the household contribution will be 7 per cent. The new funding model has various strengths that will ensure sustainability of public universities which are currently undergoing a lot of financial challenges. The funding model is student-centred. Universities will no longer be funded in terms of block figures. The funding model is based on the actual cost of a programme being pursued by a student. This will eliminate the risk of underfunding our universities as was the case under the DUC model. We have done analysis on the cost of programmes in our private universities vis-à-vis our public universities on various subjects. Examples are as shown in the Table below. For example, for Bachelors of Education and Arts, we have given this to four private universities.

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.

Thank you. Hon. Wamboka.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that comprehensive answer. The Cabinet Secretary talked about Section 56(1) of the Universities Act which provides for KUCCPS to place Government sponsored students in university. We have a challenge here. This specific law does not compel the Cabinet Secretary to place all the students or any student either in private or public universities. For instance, we have enough capacity in public universities to absorb all the student this year. If you did that, you will not have broken any law because the Act just provides for placement of students in universities. The cartels are on the move. We will depend on your goodwill. As a Committee, we are coming up with amendment to Section 56(1) of the Universities Act to ensure that we continue growing our public universities. The Government expects all the students to be aware of the difference between public and private universities yet it has not carried out proper public awareness. Most of the students do not have this information. When some of the students in rural areas hear of the Strathmore 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.

University and these other private universities, they think they are very prestigious. They end up selecting these universities without factoring in the cost element, thus disadvantaging them. Some of them select some of these universities only to realise later that it was a mistake and they end up dropping out. I appreciate the Cabinet Secretary for giving an undertaking to this House through the Public Investment Committee on Education and Governance that unless the parent or the student deliberately wants to join a private university, they are going to place students in public universities first. We expect that goodwill to continue because the cartels are not sleeping. I ask the Budget and Appropriation Committee (BAC) not to allocate money to private universities unless it is to the continuing students only. Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I also thank the Cabinet Secretary. I ask Hon. Ichung’wah to ask…

You do not have the capacity to ask anyone to ask anything.

Sorry, Hon. Speaker.

Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Let me also thank the Cabinet Secretary for that answer. The question of public universities is very dear to many Members of Parliament because these institutions and colleges traverse almost all our counties and constituencies. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, you might be aware that there are cartels running certain departments within the Ministry of Education, particularly the KUCCPS and the University Fund. You have told us that you will not be funding any new students to private universities in the next financial year.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, in this, a total of Ksh3.174 billion was allocated and distributed to private universities last year. This year’s estimates, Ksh4.174 billion has been set aside for the same funding. Just to reconcile these figures, if you are not funding any new students, why is the amount increasing? It should be decreasing significantly.

You will only be funding continuing students which means students in first, second and third years. Those in the fourth year will be exiting in the next financial year. Therefore, this budget should be going down by almost a half and not increasing by Ksh1 billion. If you look at the list you have submitted, and I do not want to mention any particular university, you can tell who the drivers of these cartels are. You will see the universities that got the largest amounts. Some got Ksh700 million while others got over Ksh350 million. That is commensurate with the proliferation of their colleges around the country to the detriment of public universities. You will see instances where public universities and public university-colleges have been closed and their premises taken over by private universities. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, we must be honest with each other. Since you left this House to serve in the Executive, you must be ruthless in dealing with cartels that took over the Ministry, especially the university-funding departments and agencies. 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.

It is true that they have not only misled our children to go to private universities to get half-baked education, but they have also enticed innocent students from villages, as Hon. Wamboka says, who do not know what it would take when they get into those universities. Many of them end up dropping out. Even as they drop out, the money that is allocated to those children continues to be sent to those universities, yet the students dropped out of school. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, I want to ask you, probably at a later date, to tell this House whether your Ministry has instigated or instituted any forensic audit to establish the actual number of students attending classes in those private universities. Speaking from experience in my constituency, I have many students seeking to transfer to public universities. Some have succeeded while others have moved to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) because they were enticed to study nursing in private universities. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, you are telling us that they are going to these private universities because the universities offer nursing courses and we do not have capacity in our public universities. Why do we not enhance the capacity of public universities to offer nursing courses instead of sending our students to private universities where they drop out after the first year to join the KMTC and other tertiary-level colleges? The Government continues to pump money into businesses and cartels that took over the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service and the Universities Fund Board (UFB). I am not ashamed to say that. I want the Cabinet Secretary to mean business, conduct a forensic audit, and establish who the cartels are within the Ministry who manipulate systems to favour private businesses. I have nothing against private businesses. Some of the most successful universities around the world are private universities. However, they contribute to the growth of national economies by even offering scholarships. How many of these private universities have you seen giving Kenyan students scholarships? None. They are killing our public universities. I beseech you, Hon. Cabinet Secretary, besides crushing cartels in KUCCPS and UFB, also institute a forensic audit to establish the actual number of students. We should be paying for individuals who are attending classes in those private universities, not just numbers. You are paying for numbers, and not students who attend classes. In closing, I also want to beg you to help our public universities, like the University of Nairobi, to regain their lost glory. It is embarrassing that there are private universities that are driving the University of Nairobi out of town. True, these same cartels are celebrating today. They are celebrating that the cost of university education in public universities will always be higher than in private universities. Why? Because of the cost of overheads in public universities. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, you and your peers in charge of higher education have a challenge to re-engineer how public universities are managed to ensure efficiency and proper governance. Those that have idle assets such as land can utilise it to generate more income and make the cost of public universities much cheaper than that of private universities. I submit, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Emaase, you had a point of order.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. The information that I wanted to give to the Leader of the Majority Party is that a reduction was made by the Departmental Committee on Education for Ksh1 billion, which we upheld. So, our only concern as the Budget and Appropriations Committee was what happens to students who are continuing with their education. They were placed there by the Ministry through KUCCPS. They did not choose to go to private universities. These students are from our constituencies. In fact, right now, we are receiving a lot of harambee invitations to raise funds for these students. So, our concern as Members is whether the Ministry can tell us what will happen to continuing students. If they are to complete their education, the Ministry should provide sufficient funding for them to do so as we change the model. However, as the Budget and 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.

Appropriations Committee, we further advised the Ministry to carry out an audit to establish the exact number of continuing students, so that we fund the correct number of students. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you. Member for Njoro.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me this chance to contribute. Having listened to what Members have said, let me confirm to this House that if there is any pain being felt in this country, it is in Njoro Constituency in Nakuru County. One of the biggest institutions which has raised many women and men in this country is over 95 per cent dead. My first question to the Cabinet Secretary today is, how soon can he resurrect the dying Egerton University? The pain that lecturers, investors, suppliers, and the surrounding communities feel is too much. Therefore, I request to know how soon it will be rescued. Higher education institutions in this country are dying. We can no longer shy away. Let us get the answers and walk the talk. We can no longer sit around and continue to watch our people go through pain. Lastly, we have too many TVETs in this country. The Government, led by His Excellency the President, intends to empower the youths. How do we empower the youth when even the TVETs that we constructed through the NG-CDF funds are not even fully equipped? Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you. Member for Baringo North, Hon. Joseph Makilap. Let us make it brief, so that other people can contribute.

I will be very brief, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I have a quick question now that we are talking about universities. Hon. Cabinet Secretary, there are teachers who marked KCSE examinations almost eight months ago and have not been paid, yet students are about to join universities. What plans do you have for teachers who marked KCSE examinations for 2022? Secondly, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, who is a good friend, made a pronouncement when he came here for the first time. I am told he also made the same pronouncement in Mombasa. He said that KCSE certificates that are held by schools will be released. Can we, therefore, have a circular to that effect? Can he make a public pronouncement on radio and television, so that hustlers who have completed school can collect their certificates? There is no relationship between KCSE certificates and fees because they are paid for by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and they have no costs. On the issue of congestion in one of the premium schools in Kenya, Moi Girls, where I am a parent, I besiege the Cabinet Secretary and his Principal Secretary to visit the school. Its classrooms were built during the colonial time and, therefore, there are excess students. Two, the school’s computer lab got burnt. Could the Cabinet Secretary save the only premier institution for the girl child? Finally, there is a school in my constituency called ‘Yatia’ where the workers have not been paid for almost two years. The school is unable to get income because the students have reduced to 31 because of banditry. What plans does the Cabinet Secretary have to ensure that Yatia Secondary School operates normally because it serves children in pastoral community? On the other things, I will visit the Cabinet Secretary to share with him and the Principal Secretary. Thank you.

The Hon. Member for Nyando Constituency.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to speak. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for joining us in the Chambers to answer our concerns. I have a matter that sits at the core of my heart and it is a matter I have pursued many times to no end. I am very glad that the Cabinet Secretary is here today to help fast-track or 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.

give a substantive answer. Nyando Constituency has two sub-counties, namely, Kadibo and Nyando. Nyando sits between Muhoroni and Nyakach constituencies. These two constituencies benefit from hardship allowance. We have had a higher haemorrhage of teachers from Nyando Constituency to these two constituencies. There are certain schools within Nyando such as Kochieng’ Primary and Oren that only have two teachers each out of eight classrooms with all the many subjects that have to be undertaken by students. A multiagency team visited Nyando Constituency.

Just get us to exactly what you want.

Cutting across the two sub-counties, Hon. Deputy Speaker, they gave a report which was a seal of approval for Nyando to be gazetted as a hardship zone. We are disenfranchising the students by disruptions. As soon as a teacher reports in Nyando, they are already applying for transfers to these two neighbouring constituencies.

I will cut you short.

As I finish, I kindly ask in the interest of time, the Cabinet Secretary to get in touch with his counterpart at the Public Service, Hon. Aisha Jumwa, and have Nyando gazetted as a hardship zone as soon as possible so that we do not disenfranchise the lives of children and teachers who work tirelessly within Nyando Constituency. Thank you very much for the opportunity, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

You are making a speech.

The Member for Tindiret.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Be brief please.

I will be brief. First, I laud the Cabinet Secretary for the good contribution he has made in the House this afternoon. I agree with the Leader of the Majority Party and the Chair of the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance on private universities. When the issue came to before our Committee, private universities had increased funding by up to Ksh4.1 billion. My Committee sat and we realised that, that was very wrong. I agree with the Members that the Cabinet Secretary should realise that if there are cartels working with the UFB and the Department of Higher Education, he should take action. We reduced that money from Ksh4.1 billion to Ksh2.4 billion. But again, we asked the Ministry to furnish us with the list of students in those universities.

I have realised that the number of students is less. In fact, we are even recommending to the House an amendment to reduce the money further by Ksh600 million, so that it can be used by the special needs students across the country who are physically challenged and with mental issues. That money can fund them well. We have incomplete technical training institutes across the country and yet some private investors want to take this money. I urge the House that when we bring that amendment of further reducing the figure from Ksh2.4 billion to Ksh600 million, it is supported. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you. The Cabinet Secretary will give you an opportunity. I realise most of them were on the same topic.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I wish to start with the question on private universities. Hon. Members, I have been very categorical on this and the Government is not changing its mind. I even came and gave an answer before the Committee. Unless a parent or student makes that choice to go to a private university of which the consequences will be that 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.

the Government will not provide funds to that particular university, as Government, as much as possible, we will sponsor and support students joining our public universities. In order to make higher education and particularly university education accessible, this administration is starting a national open university with eight programmes. I requested the Departmental Committee on Education and the Budget and Appropriations Committee to support us to have a budget for the National Open University because it will offer degree programmes. One can even get a PhD from the comfort of their houses. We request that when the proposal is brought to this House for approval, it is fast-tracked.

If the allocation to private universities was Ksh4.1 billion, it is the responsibility of this House to revise the figure downwards. Even the Ksh2.4 billion as the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education has said, we require to look at it critically. One other thing we found, not only in private universities, but also in public universities, is that we do not have proper data. We are starting the Information Management System, an equivalent of NEMIS that we have in the Directorate of Basic Education so that we can monitor the movement of students in private and public universities such that we do not give funds to students who are not in those universities. But in the meantime, we will carry out a forensic audit to establish the exact number of Government sponsored students in our private universities. Concerning TVET institutions, Members are aware that we have three categories. Out of our TVET institutions, 71 TVET institutions are complete, but have not been provided with the required equipment for them to undertake their respective mandate. We are in negotiations with China and soon we will get the equipment. We have signed the contract for provision of the equipment. I hope in three months’ time, we should get and access the equipment that will be given to the 71 TVET institutions. The second category are institutions which were undergoing construction and because of one reason or another, funding was inadequate. We have requested this august House to provide us with funds so that we can provide for those ongoing TVET institutions so that we can complete them and subsequently, provide them with equipment that would enable them to start.

The last category is the 52 TVETs institutions. We have constituencies which do not have any TVET institution. The amount of allocation you have made is Ksh1 billion in this Financial Year 2023/2024. Once the funds are provided, we will do about 20 of them. We cannot do all the 52 at a go. We can only do about 20 on a first-come basis with the kind of requirements that we need. We will cater for and accommodate constituencies which will come first. As for the others, we will cater for them in the subsequent financial years.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, on the issue of Nyando being a hardship area, I managed to go around the constituency. I visited Homa Bay County where I encountered the problem in Nyatike. I also went to a place in Ndaragwa and the climatic conditions were equivalent to the neighbouring Laikipia Constituency and others that had come to my attention. We normally make a recommendation to the Ministry of Interior and National Administration with that of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action which usually gives approval. Hon. Member for Nyando, if you write to me, we can make recommendations to the relevant Ministry for approval for the area to be considered as a hardship area. If there is any other such area, you can also write to us. Are there cartels? I cannot be captured by any. I am six feet tall and at my age, my desire, passion and commitment is to serve this country. I am beyond that. My principal secretaries and officers are here and they know my stand. We are not going to entertain anything like that.

The other rider that I want to mention is on private universities. I have had meetings and engagements with all the vice-chancellors of private universities and I told them that I am 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.

not about to change my mind. The Government has made a stand, and that is what is going to carry the day. But there are three private universities which do not require Government funding. Students going to Strathmore University, the United States International University (USIU) and the Aga Khan University have over the years, not received a single cent from the Government. You can confirm that from the table that I have provided.

The Administration of Strathmore University was telling me that the demand of students is higher than they can accommodate. We are asking the other private universities to take the kind of measures that the three universities have, such that they do not rely on Government’s funding.

The question by my good friend, the Member for Njoro, is that I have a lot of information about Egerton University just like I do for any other university. We had asked our universities to go for a niche; specialisation. Egerton University used to be very good in agriculture and livestock, but a time came when our universities went for everything. They started offering each and every programme.

The problem that we have in Egerton University like all other universities is not on management and governance, but funding. The amount we give Egerton University in form of capitation each month is Ksh185 million. The amount that is supposed to be paid in form of salaries every month Ksh221 million. For the last one year, they have been paying 60 per cent of the salaries because of the amount of capitation that we give them. This is a matter that we are trying to address as a Government, so that we see whether we can improve on the level of capitation from what it is now, to the specific figure that they incur each month.

We are coming to Egerton University. We have governance and management issues with some of our universities. We have held several meetings with the vice-chancellors and we have agreed on the way forward. We have also had meeting with chairpersons of the university councils and even the ones we have chosen ever since this administration came in. We have undertaken a qualitative process. If a university is in your constituency and you find that we have chosen people who are not up to the required standards, come to me and particularly, on the ones I have done because I do due diligence. The ones we have chosen in the 11 universities are men and women who are up to the task and would undertake the mandate and regain the lost glory of our universities. The Member for Kikuyu said that most of us went to ‘The University’ and you have seen I have made changes in The University of Nairobi. There is a new chairperson and new members of the council plus others.

The calibre of people we had in Pwani University Council were 22 and 23-year-olds’, and my friend knows. We have had changes for the better and I am sure we will regain our lost glory. We would have quality education in our universities.

This House is the one that is going to assist the Ministry of Education on the issue of the KNEC to allocate funds because we have pending bills amounting to over Ksh2 billion. In the Supplementary Budget II, we have made an appeal to this House to allocate more funds because we want to pay our examiners better, our suppliers and contractors. We hope you will consider and allocate us the funds we are requesting.

On release of certificates, I request the Members to please help us because we have made it clear to our principals. The Kenya National Examination Act makes it clear that you cannot withhold a certificate for any reason. In case we have such cases, bring them to my attention or to the principal secretary and we will take action. There are those Kenyans who once we issue directives, sometimes, do not respond in a way that they are supposed to.

On the issue Yatia Secondary School, some of these cases have an open-door policy, and Members know that. My principal secretaries know that all of us in the Ministry of Education have an open-door policy such that any Member of Parliament coming, would engage with us in whatever you want us to do as a Ministry, and we will have it done. 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.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you very much

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning in its Report on the vetting of the nominee for the appointment as the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 6th June 2023, and pursuant to Section 13(1) of the Central Bank of Kenya Act (CAP 491) and Section 8(1) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011, this House approves the appointment of Dr Kamau Thugge, CBS, as the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya.

Hold on Members. Allow the Principal Secretary to go to the waiting room. You can engage him there.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, Article 231 of the Constitution of Kenya establishes the Central Bank of Kenya, the objects and functions of the Central Bank of Kenya as set out in Article 231(2) of the Constitution, read together with Section 4(4)(a) of the Central Bank of Kenya, Act (CAP 491). The Bank shall be responsible for formulating monetary policy, promoting price stability, issuing currency and performing other functions conferred on it by the Central Bank of Kenya as per Cap 491. Section 13 of the Central Bank of Kenya Act (CAP 491) establishes the Office of the Governor, who shall be appointed by the President through a transparent and competitive process and with the approval of the National Assembly, the Governor shall be the Principal Representative of the bank. Pursuant to Section 13 of the Central Bank of Kenya Act (CAP 491), the Public Service Commission invited applications from suitable and qualified candidates to apply for the position of the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya. This advertisement was published in the print media and on the Commission’s website on 30th March 2023. The publication period closed on 19th April 2023 with a total of 24 persons submitting their application for consideration. Six candidates were shortlisted on 24th April 2023 and the names of the shortlisted candidates were published in the print media at the Commission’s website on the 3rd May 2023. The advertisement included an interview schedule and an invitation to the shortlisted candidates to attend interviews. The Commission conducted the interviews on 9th May 2023. The Chairperson of the Public Service Commission submitted the names of the candidates in 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.

order of merit for consideration of appointment to the position of the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya. Pursuant to Standing Order 42(1) of the National Assembly Standing Orders, the Speaker of the National Assembly conveyed a Message to the House from His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Kenya, on the nomination of Dr Kamau Thugge, CBS, for appointment as the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya. In accordance with the provision of Standing Order 42(3)(c) of the National Assembly, the Speaker referred the Message to the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning for consideration. The Clerk of the National Assembly placed an advertisement in local dailies on Friday, 19th May 2023, notifying and inviting the nominee and the public for the approval hearing on Tuesday, 30th May 2023, in accordance with Section 6(3) of the Act. Further, the notification invited members of the public to submit any information on the suitability of the nominee in accordance with Section 6(9) of the Public Appointment Parliamentary Approval Act, 2011. Section 13 of the Central Bank of Kenya provides the roles of the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya and also the constitutional requirements for one to be considered as a qualified candidate for the Central Bank of Kenya Governor. For the records, the Committee conducted a vetting process for the nominee for the Central Bank Governor, Dr Kamau Thugge, and were guided by the following statutes: 1. The Public Appointment Parliamentary Approval Act No.33 of 2011. 2. Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 on matters of leadership and integrity. 3. The Leadership and Integrity Act, Cap182. 4. The Central Bank of Kenya Act, Cap 491. 5. The Public Service Values, Principles Act No.1(a) of 2015. 6. The Public Officer Ethics Act, Cap 183. Hon. Deputy Speaker, the Public Appointments Parliamentary Approval Act 33 of 2011, Section 7 provides for the issues which the National Assembly is supposed to consider in relation to the nomination: 1. The procedure used to arrive at the nominee. 2. The constitutional statutory requirements relating the officer in question. 3. The suitability of the nominee for the appointment proposed having regard to whether the nominee’s abilities, experiences and qualities meet the needs of the body to which the nomination was being made. Section 6 of the Public Appointments Parliamentary Approval Act, 2011 provides direction in the conduct for approval hearings which are: That the approval hearings shall focus on the candidate’s academic credentials, professional training and experience, personal integrity and background as per Section 6(7). The criteria specified in the Schedule shall be used by a Committee during an approval hearing for the purpose of vetting a candidate as enshrined in Section 6(8) of the Act. Any person prior to the approval hearing, may with written statements on oath, provide the Clerk evidence contesting the suitability of a candidate to hold office to which the candidate has been nominated as per Section 6(9). A candidate may at any time by notice in writing, addressed to the Clerk, withdraw their approval process and candidate’s nomination process shall end as contained in Section 6(10). The period for consideration to the nomination is spelt out in Section 8(1) of the Public Appointments Parliamentary Approval Act, 2011. It provides that the Committee shall consider the nomination and table their report to the House for debate and decision making within 28 days from the date from which the notification of nomination was given. Section 9 stipulates that where the Houses do not meet on the prescribed timelines, the nominee shall be deemed to have been approved. 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.

Pursuant to Section 6(8) of the Act, the criteria for vetting is comprehensively pursued in the questionnaire and the Schedule of the Act that provides the requirements that the candidates are supposed to provide the Committee for the approval. The constitutional provisions that the Committee used in the vetting process and arriving at the suitability of the candidate of Dr Kamau Thugge for the position of Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya are Article 10(2) of the Constitution on the National Values and Principles of Governance; Article 118 of the Constitution; Article 124(4) on Parliamentary Approval of Public Hearings, 2011; Leadership and Integrity Act, 2012; the Central Bank Act (Cap 491); Public Service Values and Principles Act, 2012, and the Public Officer Ethics Act, 2012. Having placed the advert on the vetting of the nominee for the Central Bank Governor, we asked several institutions as outlined by Chapter Six of the Constitution to do a letter to the National Assembly indicating the suitability of Dr Kamau Thugge as contained in Chapter Six of the Constitution. These institutions are the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties. I confirm that we received notifications and letters from all the bodies mentioned above clearing Dr Kamau Thugge as a suitable candidate as outlined by Chapter Six of the Constitution. Prior to the approval hearings on Tuesday, 20th May 2023, we held a brief vetting exercise and agreed on the way forward to carry out the vetting exercise as contained in our Constitution. During the hearings, we identified the following:

Dr Kamau Thugge is a Kenyan Citizen by birth. His identification card number is 27645149. He was born on 1st August 1957 in Kiambu County and does not hold any dual citizenship. We identified and proved that Dr Thugge holds a Doctorate Degree in Economics, and a Master’s Degree in Economics from Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, United States of America (USA). He graduated in 1992 with a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) and his Master’s Degree in 1982. He holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Economics from Colorado College, Colorado, USA, where he graduated in 1980.

The nominee informed the Committee that he had many years of experience. He started working as an Economist in 1985. He worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for over 20 years and 12 years at the Kenya National Treasury. His specialisation is in designing macro-economic policies - fiscal, monetary and exchange rate - and financial programming. This model was critical in ensuring that the macro-economic framework involving the real sector, fiscal and monetary sectors and the balance of payments were internally consistent to serve as a platform for rapid economic growth, poverty reduction and wealth creation. Dr Kamau Thugge informed the Committee that currently, he holds the position of Senior Advisor to the President and Head of Fiscal and Budget Affairs, having been appointed in 2022.

He served previously as the Principal Secretary at the National Treasury between 2013 and 2019. He was a Senior Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance between 2010 and 2013. He had also served as the Deputy Division Chief of the IFM between 2008 and 2010. He also served as Economic Secretary and Head of Economic Affairs Department at the National Treasury in Kenya between 2005 and 2008. He was also the Head of Fiscal and Monetary Affairs Department at the National Treasury between 2004 and 2005. He was also a Senior Economist at the IMF between 1985 and 2004. Before then, after he pursued his PhD, he taught at Franklin and Marshall College, Pennsylvania, USA, between 1984 and 1985. The nominee informed the Committee that he is an accomplished professional in macro-economics and public service. These have given him the requisite skills, knowledge, and competence in the financial service sector suitable for the position we were vetting him for; Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya. 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.

On matters integrity and leadership, Dr. Thugge informed the Committee that in 2019 when he was serving as Principal Secretary for the National Treasury, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) preferred charges against him and his Cabinet Secretary in relation to the construction of Arror and Kimwarer dams under the State Department of Regional Development. In 2021, the ODPP terminated the charges against him and made him a State witness. This matter is pending in court. The candidate attends the court proceedings, when he is required to do so. The nominee also indicated that he has never been adversely mentioned in any investigation report of Parliament or any committee of inquiry in the three years that he served as a Principal Secretary at the National Treasury. Our nominee is worth Ksh450 million. He does not foresee any conflict of interest because he does not hold any shares in banks. He has never been a member of any political party.

We asked Dr. Thugge the vision he has for the bank and he informed us that he noted the supervision of banks is on real time basis since the digital credit providers were already on board. He sees a situation where he will oversee banks on a real time basis, especially with the emergence of the digital credit providers and enormous growth in fintech institutions. The nominee also informed the Committee that if appointed the CBK Governor, he would endeavour to deal with key issues. For example, he will deal with the issue of diaspora remittances and how to stabilise the current exchange rates where the rate of the Kenya shilling has really depreciated against the USA dollar. The nominee informed the Committee that he would advise the National Treasury to float a local dollar denominated bond where people, especially in diaspora, would be notified to subscribe. This would be done through the State Department of Diaspora Affairs. This process would stabilise our Kenya shilling as well as invite domestic investment. When we put him to task on whether the current system of importation of oil in local currency shall ease pressure on the dollar, the nominee informed us that this model has reduced demand on the dollar by US$500,000 million. That means the current depreciation of our shilling could be much worse were it not for the consideration of importing our oil from US$ to Kenya shillings. We asked about financial services’ innovations. The nominee noticed and appreciated that there has been an emergence of digital currencies across the world. This is a concern to banks that need to act with speed to provide correct regulatory frameworks and not just condemn emergence of these digital currencies like bitcoins and crypto currencies. When asked about the stability of the banking sector where we have had several banks collapse, the nominee suggested that there is need to look at how to re-finance banks. He spoke of possibilities of having mergers within the banking sector to prevent further closure of banks. However, he notified the Committee that closing a bank should be the last resort because this leads to mistrust in the sector. It causes loss of customers’ deposits and jobs for people in that sector.

When we put him to task on the high volume of non-performing loans in our banking sector, he noted that this was because of the contraction we have seen in the manufacturing and real estate sectors. Especially following the COVID-19 post-recovery. However, he noticed that the private sector had reduced from 33 per cent to 24 per cent. If approved to be the next Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, Dr. Kamau Thugge promised to increase credit to the private sector while making sure that we do not destabilise the economy. We put the nominee to task on the big debate in the country; the Housing Development Fund Levy. The nominee noted that the proposed housing levy as contained in Clause 76 of the Finance Bill 2023 would lead to the most needed job creation in this country, therefore, spurring economic growth by providing the required jobs for our young people across the country. With those many remarks, I would like to make the following recommendations: That, the nominees’ academic qualifications and experience comply with the requirements of Section 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.

6(7) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act No.33 of 2011, and Section 13c(i) of the Central Bank of Kenya Act (Cap. 491). That, as stipulated under Article 75(1) of the Constitution, the nominee did not show any conflict of interest. That, the nominee is not a member of any political party. He also meets the qualifications of Chapter Six of the Constitution. We, therefore, recommend that this honourable House approves the candidature of one Dr. Kamau Thugge to be the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya. With that, I beg to move. I ask the Vice-Chairman, Hon. Amb. Benjamin Lang’at, to second.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I want to say that the Chairman has given the history and story of Dr Kamau Thugge in detail. I do not wish to belabour the points.

I wish to confirm that it is the Committee’s Report. I second.

Put the Question.

Hold on Members.

Put the Question.

Next Order.

Next Order.

I call upon the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

You may proceed, Chairman.

Okay. Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for this opportunity to move the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee in regard to the Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2023/2024. Before I move to the substantive issues, allow me to thank all the Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, especially the Vice-Chair, Hon. Mary Emaase, and all the 27 Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Allow me to also thank all the departmental Chairpersons. Because today is just the debate and the question will be put later on, there are some things I really want to go on record. One, I thank all the chairpersons of departmental committees. Many times, the Budget and Appropriations Committee does the work of reporting here, but much of the work is done by the chairpersons. I thank the following chairpersons of the various departmental committees: Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a, Hon. Karemba Muchangi, Hon. Mutunga Kanyuithia, Hon. Vincent Musyoka Kawaya, Hon. Gabriel Tongoyo, Hon. KJ Kiarie, Hon. David Gikaria, Hon. Nelson Koech, Hon. Kagongo Bowen, Hon. Julius Kibiwot Melly, Hon. James Gakuya, Hon. KK from Molo, Hon. Peter Lochakapong, Hon. Joash Nyamoko, Hon. (Dr.) Robert Pukose, Hon. Wanyama, Hon. Joanna Ng’eno, Hon. GK Kariuki, Hon. Gitonga Murugara and Hon. Japheth Kareke Mbiuki. I have done this deliberately because these chairpersons and all the Members of the departmental committees…

Hon. Ndindi, formally move the Motion and then you can go to the submissions.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee on Budget Estimates for the National Government, the Judiciary and Parliament for the Financial Year 2023/2024, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 6th June 2023, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 221 of the Constitution, Section 39 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 and Standing Order 239— (i) Approves the issuance of a sum of Kshs2,308,410,784,957 from the Consolidated Fund to meet the expenditure during the year ending 30th June 2024 in respect of the Votes contained in the First Schedule, subject to paragraph (iii) (Committee of Supply); (ii) Makes the policy and financial resolutions as contained in the Second Schedule; (iii) Orders that “The Speaker do now leave the Chair” to facilitate the consideration of the said Budget Estimates with respect to each Vote and Programme in the Committee of Supply as contemplated under Standing Order 240 (Consideration of Estimates in the Committee of Supply).

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.

You can proceed with the submissions you have.

Thank you Hon. Deputy Speaker. I took the first chance to congratulate the many men and women who have put a lot of man-hour into the job because it is very important. In the same spirit, I thank the entire team at the National Treasury and Economic Planning, especially the Cabinet Secretary, Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u and the Principal Secretary, Dr. Chris Kiptoo. We have been working very cohesively with that team. I thank the very competent Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) team, which has been very facilitative with regard to the technical issues insofar as consideration of the Estimates is concerned. I wish to lay the background of this process. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I do so because it is important for us to move together as a House. As the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, we work very closely with the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, led by the able Chairperson, Hon. Kimani Kuria. We also work closely with the Chairperson of the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee, Hon. Shurie, and his team. 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.

The reason for mentioning these committees is because initially, it was just one committee. The Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee have had the most difficult job because they are the two teams that have to deal with the supply side of money and the revenue side of the budget. The Budget and Appropriations Committee then plugs in only in terms of the expenditure. Therefore, I congratulate the two teams from the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee for the great work they have been doing, especially in making our work easy by ensuring that they avail the requisite resources that the Budget and Appropriations Committee needs to appropriate and allocate funds to several programmes. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I wish to now go to the issues. I want the Members of this honourable House, and Kenyans at large, to appreciate the circumstances in which we have been making this budget, especially the estimates for the Financial Year 2023/2024. In the recent past, we have had a very severe drought in the country that has cut off food supply. Because of the same, around the same period, especially for the last one or two years, we have seen an escalation in terms of inflation. The figures have been going up. Whereas the current situation is not as bad as it has been, in the last medium-term, the case has not been very good. We have also been facing global inflation, which is not just affecting our country, but majority of the economies of the world. I wish to mention one very specific matter that has been very bad for majority of emerging economies. There is a phrase that when the economy of the United States of America (USA) “coughs”, other emerging and developing economies “catch a cold”. The interventions that were made by the USA Government, especially in giving out COVID- 19 cheques to spur the economy, led to runaway inflation in the USA. For the Federal Reserve to contain the same, they have had to raise interest rates 10 consecutive times to the current level of 5.2 per cent.

Some would ask why we are referencing the USA while reading the Kenyan budget. Kenya is part of the global economy. Every time the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, we have had capital flights from all economies of the world, hitting emerging economies especially hard. We have had capital flights from Kenya, other emerging economies, and all economies, because majority of the investors who would rather invest in Kenya, especially in instruments that do not guarantee them fixed income, have been trooping to the USA where there is no issue of currency exchange and they could do well with the current rates in the USA, especially in so far as fixed income instruments are concerned.

That is the same reason we have seen stocks on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) go down. It is not just a Kenyan issue. If you go to the London Stock Exchange (LSE), it is the same. They have been going down. It is the same in other securities exchanges across the world because of investors who are taking their capital to the USA. The same compounds the matter of our imports because Kenya is a net importer. When you have a greenback that is very dominant and rising in strength, what that consequently means is that our local currency continues to lose. When our local currency loses, this adds to the cost of imports. This is especially bad when an economy is a net importer. I have dwelt on that matter because it has very far-⁠reaching effects yet it is not usually much referenced. I wish to bring to this House what I would call the framework of the current Budget Estimates. We are making a budget of Ksh3.679 trillion in the Report before us. On the revenue side, we are expecting to raise Ksh2.57 trillion in terms of ordinary revenue out of that. We are expecting to have A-in-A of around Ksh347 billion. We expect to have grants of Ksh42 billion. That leaves us with a fiscal deficit of around Ksh718 billion. On the expenditure side, we expect to spend roughly Ksh1.6 trillion in national Government’s Recurrent Budget. We will be spending around Ksh718 billion in Development. In the same period, Financial Year 2023/⁠2024, we have allocated an unprecedented figure of Ksh986 billion to the Common 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.

Financial Statement (CFS), that is the repayment of debts. Actually, a majority of the money is going to repayment of interest rates for domestic debt. We will also be transferring Ksh385 billion to our counties as equitable share. That is the general framework of our budget. I wish to say something about the revenue side. We have had handicaps in the recent past, having a budget with mismatch in revenue and expenditure. That has necessitated the many supplementary budgets, many of which scale down expenditure because of unrealised revenue. We are very buoyant this time. With the kind of leadership in that organisation and in anticipation of having a substantive Commissioner-General, we are very optimistic that the Kenya Revenue Authority will enhance revenue collection for us to bridge that gap. We know that for sure because of the administrative and policy reforms in KRA. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I also wish to say something about A-in-A. It is one of our revenue streams as a nation. As the Budget and Appropriations Committee, we believe there is still a lot of room for us to raise enough A-in-A by optimising on institutions of the Government, especially those with revenue streams. We believe there is a lot of room for improvement and that majority or some organisations in MDAs running from the Exchequer could run through A-in-A very ably. Therefore, we are very optimistic on that end. I wish to say something because I will be referencing on the GDP many times. I wish to say something around that jargon called the GDP. Sometimes we throw these jargons around and then people get lost. What is the GDP that we mention all the time we do budgets or when dealing with public finance management, and all the time we deal with the economy? What is the thing that we refer to as the GDP? Figuratively, if there was an auction of countries somewhere, the value in terms of global prices that Kenya would fetch is what would be the GDP. There are three ways on how you can calculate that GDP. First, in terms of aggregating all the household revenues, namely, incomes. Secondly, I am making this case because it will be an incessant jargon. Going forward, this is where you calculate the GDP by aggregating private consumption, class, private investments, then Government, that is G, that is both Government investment and consumption and then plus X minus M, which is exports minus imports.

I will make reference on why I am doing all these maneno . There is a simpler one that I want to dwell on. This is where we calculate the GDP as agriculture, representing the entire primary production which is agriculture, mining, forestry, fisheries and all other primary production, then you add that to the industry. Industry is everything around manufacturing and value addition and everything else in between, plus service which is tertiary. Why am I saying all these things? Currently, if you put the Kenyan GDP as a pie, what is primary production accounts for around 18.2 per cent of our GDP. On industry, value addition and everything in between accounts for 16.8 per cent of our GDP. That leaves service industry which is tertiary accounting for 65 per cent of our GDP. Now, what are we doing to grow our economy especially using the two formulae? I am now using the allocations that we have made in our budget and other policy issues that will be coming along.

We must spur our primary production because there is still a lot of room for improvement. That is the reason why we are giving fertiliser to our farmers so that they can capitalise on their yields which is still at the primary level. It is the same reason that even through policy, we are necessitating our forestry to be a revenue stream because this is a great wealth we have, but economies are not run by wealth. Economies are run by income. We must turn around the wealth that we have to become revenue streams. It is the same reason that in this budget, we have allocated Ksh500 million to go to the Mining Department for ground truthing. Recently, we did what we call geospatial survey, but we need to identify, out of around 900 minerals that we have in the country the quantity, yield and quality. That can be established 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.

through ground truthing and in these estimates, we have allocated Ksh500 million to go into mining, and specifically into ground truthing.

We have allocated around Ksh20 million to aggregate all the artisanal miners because that is primary production. For the industries to thrive, they must have what they are processing. That is why we are putting resources; the ones I have enumerated, fertiliser in terms of mining and forestry, because that primary production is the one then that necessitates industry by giving it something to process.

On industry, we have allocated money. We have Ksh4.7 billion as the first batch that we are giving as conditional grants to our counties. In all the 47 counties of Kenya, we are building aggregation centres. Therefore, the national Government will be giving our counties Ksh4.7 billion and we can take off Ksh200 million from each and capitalise as we go along. Hon. Deputy Speaker, we have allocated Ksh3 billion to start industrial parks in six gazetted Economic Processing Zones (EPZ) sites. We will also be moving; forward after they have absorbed that money to seek an allocation of a similar amount for us to have very modern and robust six industrial centres across the country. On tertiary, I need to say something that we deliberated upon. If you look at the economy of Kenya, there is a little imbalance because while we are doing what we can in terms of primary, we are doing a lot in terms of industries, but service seems to leap forward; ahead. This is because if you look at our economy, 65 per cent is being generated by service. What is the service servicing? That is the question. For a solid economy, the other two must be given direction to increase in terms of percentage. In our country, which is a match, service industry which is banking, insurance, vintage and all the others are the companies that are reporting every year growth in profits. But why do we not see the same in industry and primary production? We have to think about that as a House. We cannot have an economy growing on the facilitative side which is service, yet the other solid sectors, which are primary and industry, are stagnating. In terms of policy, there is no way we can have vintage going miles ahead and banking going miles ahead. What are these banks banking? Therefore, the more the reason to have the two other sides of production also being capacitated to grow. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I wish to say a few things and today I will not belabour a lot of points. I wish to say something about inflation. After all the good language that we talk here, the people of Kenya want it to reflect on the cost of living. Whatever we call high cost of living has everything to do with inflation. In Kenya, and across the world, inflation has three elements; first, there is a huge component that is sensitive to all Kenyans and all ordinary citizens of the world-food inflation. The second segment of inflation is the one we call fuel inflation, and the last one is coal inflation, which is non-fuel and non-food inflation. What is it that has been driving the inflation especially in Kenya? Unfortunately, it is the food and fuel inflation. But then, how do we arrest this because all these things somehow find their way into the budget? Arresting food and fuel inflation can only be done through fiscal policies. You cannot do this using monetary policies. Throwing or mopping up money does not cure issues that would ordinarily be cured by fiscal policies. The escalating food prices across the world are fiscal in nature. The supply chains have been cut off, especially after the Russia-Ukraine war. The two countries combined are the biggest exporters of wheat. They were the biggest ‘importers’ of edible oils. Therefore, part of the genesis of the inflation part that we have in Kenya and especially in edible oils is the war in Europe. Hon. Deputy Speaker, on fuel, you cannot arrest this using monetary tools. Global oil prices and everything in between cannot be addressed by just having our Monetary Policy Committee meeting and regularly giving new interest rates and especially express rates. That leaves the monetary policy to only deal with core inflation. Therefore, because the Budget is one of the important tools of addressing fiscal policies, we are allocating money to address the supply chain of food in agriculture to ensure we have enough supplies. It is for the same reason 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.

that we have allocated money in the supply chain of edible oils. We should continue to look inwards on how we can get our own supply chains so that we do not expose our country and citizenry to the vagaries of global circumstances. I can confirm to this House that we have already done that in the Budget. We have allocated the requisite resources for that to be realised. We started that in the Supplementary Budget and now expect a bumper harvest. We have allocated Ksh5 billion for acquisition of fertilizer in the current financial year under consideration. These are the fiscal policies that will enhance food production and consequently lower the cost of living. You address such issues at the production level and not at the consumption level.

Allow me to say something on some of the highlights. Before I go to the highlights, let me say something about our fiscal deficit. In the 2021/2022 Financial Year, our fiscal deficit as a share of the GDP was around 6.3 per cent. It was close to Ksh900 billion. In the last financial year, what appeared in the books was around Ksh860 billion. Unfortunately, upon further scrutiny by the Budget and Appropriations Committee, we realised that there is an extra Ksh200 billion that was pegged on Article 223. That was also part of the deficit. In actual sense, our deficit for the current financial year, which we are exiting, is Ksh1.1 trillion. In the Supplementary Estimates, we brought that down to around 5.7 per cent of our GDP. I want to announce good news to this House and to the people of Kenya: we have taken the path of fiscal consolidation. We have decided that we are not going to dig deeper into the hole of borrowing. That is why we have climbed down this financial year to a fiscal deficit of Ksh718 billion from last financial year’s fiscal deficit of Ksh1.1 trillion. Currently, we are at a stable 4.4 per cent fiscal deficit as a share of our GDP.

We anticipate to lower that in the next financial year to Ksh3.6 per cent fiscal deficit as a share of our GDP. We must continue relying on internal resources. There is a reason why we are doing that. We have not seen a country, especially an emerging economy, that has grown on the basis of borrowing. A big economy like Japan has borrowed to a tune of 250 per cent as a share of its GDP in terms of its debt portfolio. It has not realised any real growth since 1994! Indeed, that is one reason we must not continue overborrowing as a country and as an economy. It is the same reason, in terms of policy; we do not want our borrowing to exceed 55 per cent of our entire debt portfolio in relation to our GDP. All these factors, if compounded, have an effect on our Budget. How? I said it before that we are spending Ksh986 billion from the Consolidated Fund Services (CFSs). The Consolidated Fund Services basically is the money that goes into repayment of debts. We are spending more money to pay our debts than what we are spending to pay the entire civil service. The interest rate of our debts alone is more than the money we are spending for development as a country. That cannot be business as usual, and that is why we are climbing down in terms of borrowing. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I just wish to touch on a few highlights then I sit down. I wish Members could capture what I am going to say because that is where resources are. Number one, our biggest spending ticket this financial year under consideration is education. We have allocated Ksh630 billion to our education sector. As the Budget and Appropriations Committee and this House, we should know that the people of Kenya or the human capital is the highest priced of all factors of production we have as a country. That is why we are putting a third of our Budget into refining and adding value to our labour. We are putting Ksh26 billion in the capitation of our Junior Secondary Schools (JSS). In other words, we are almost doubling our JSS capitation because we want to take care of next year's new class of January.

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Hon. Temporary Speaker, we have also allocated monies to school feeding programmes for school-going children from drought-ravaged areas. We have allocated Ksh5 billion to that. I can see my time is almost up. I just want to highlight the other items in quick succession. We have allocated an extra Ksh10 billion to the NG-CDF in the next financial year. We have allocated an extra Ksh1 billion into the NGAAF. We have also doubled our allocation to the HELB from Ksh16 billion this financial year to Ksh30 billion in the next one. There are many other areas we have allocated a lot of money. We have allocated Ksh3 billion to finishing 181 markets whose construction started during the 2008 Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP). We have allocated money to operationalise the 21 KMTCs already complete across the country.

Add him time. One more minute!

Order, Hon. Members. It is not your discretion. It is the discretion of the Chair. Hon. Nyoro, proceed and have your two minutes.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to refer to these because I want to mention all of them, the highlights. We have allocated Ksh2 billion to resettling squatters in many areas where we have absentee landlords. We have allocated monies to finishing ongoing TVETs across our constituencies. We have allocated Ksh10 billion to the Equalisation Fund. We have allocated about Ksh5 billion to the acquisition of fertiliser and other value chains within agriculture. We anticipate spurring our digital economy in the same year. We have allocated money to fibre optic. We are receiving some money from the Universal Fund and the World Bank. I want to end by saying that this financial year we have not just thrown money into projects. We have made a collective decision that we are going to finish all ongoing projects, especially roads. That is so that the people of Kenya can start enjoying the utility of those roads. Currently, we have commitments in the roads sector amounting to over Ksh700 billion. We have allocated Ksh249 billion that will go to road maintenance and development.

With those many remarks, I thank my great colleagues who helped me in putting together the things that I have enumerated. After the many interactions that I had with them, I end up as a net gainer because I learnt from them. I wish to invite and request the Vice- Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the very able Hon. Mary Emaase, to second the Report.

Proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me the opportunity to contribute. At the outset, I also want to join my Chairman to congratulate and thank all Chairpersons of the various Departmental Committees for the submissions and a job well done. I also appreciate, in a very special way, Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee who were committed and dedicated to their work. They gave their all. Sometimes, we sat late into the night to make sure that this Report is ready on time. Thank you, Hon. Members.

I will not go into the macro-economic aspects within which the Budget has been prepared because my Chair has alluded to that and ably enumerated the main factors. The 2023/2024 Financial Year Budget Estimates were anchored on the theme of the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) for this financial year, which is: “Better Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda for Inclusive Growth”. Further, these Budget Estimates were also premised on the 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.

Kenya-Kwanza Manifesto. It is also important to note that it is the very first Budget prepared under the Kenya-Kwanza Government. Having said that, allow me to demystify some of the facts around the Budget. During our interaction with the media when we did a press release, most of the questions that were being asked were about the Finance Bill. In one way or the other, there seems to be some kind of need for clarification because many Kenyans assume that finance and Budget are the same. I do not blame them because they are not very far from the truth. You cannot speak about Budget without talking about revenue and referring to debt. I want to tell Kenyans that the Budget is basically about distributing the cake. It is about how we are planning to spend our money for the 2023/2024 Financial Year. How do we intend to spend it on procuring goods and services? How do we plan to spend it on development projects and transfer payments? For transfer payments, I am referring to payments that we make to programmes like Inua Jamii and the money for the elderly, which is normally a transfer of money that does not involve transfer of goods and services.

We all know that during the campaigns, the President went around the country and promised Kenyans what he was going to do. Further, he has continued to visit parts of the country to give promises. He has visited many parts of this country, including Busia County. Whenever we get the platform to speak when the President is in our regions, we tell him what we want done, for example, the construction of roads; equipping and upgrading of hospitals; disbursement of money for security in the northern region; and, mitigation of floods. This Budget speaks and resonates with the aspirations of Kenyans. It seeks to address the challenges Kenyans are facing and meet the obligations of the nation. As the Budget and Appropriations Committee, which has mandate in the Constitution, we travelled to most parts of Kenya to seek the opinions of the people—their views about what they expect and want from the Government to be factored in this Budget. After doing that exercise, I want to assure you, Hon. Members, that we have also factored the concerns of members of the public in the processing of this Budget. However, I want to clarify the difference. We cannot talk about the Budget without referring to finance. This is an equation. Basically, as Budget distributes the money, another arm has to look for this money. It has to tell us where the money is coming from and that is the finance aspect. That is why the Finance Bill keeps coming up. Revenue has to be generated so that the Budget arm of the equation does the distribution. Money that we propose to distribute must be raised. This money is raised through taxes or donors. We might get some donor funding from some friendly countries. I want to speak a little about the deficit. It has already been alluded that we have about Ksh718 billion budget deficit. If you look at the Budget in totality, you will realise that what has been presented to us by the National Treasury is about Ksh3.599 trillion. But, as you all know the work of the Budget and Appropriations Committee is to review, interrogate, and in certain cases, in the interest of equity and many other factors, make some adjustments. The total Budget as proposed by the Budget and Appropriations Committee is Ksh3.680 trillion. If you look at the revenue, excluding grants, you will find that we are at Ksh2.893 trillion, but including grants it is Ksh2.935 trillion. We have a deficit of about Ksh663 billion but with proposals by Budget and Appropriations Committee, we are at Ksh718 billion. We have the deficit and it has to be financed, whichever way you look at it. It can be financed by borrowing internally or externally or sometimes by a mix of the two for us to be able to generate revenue to finance our Budget. Hon. Members, we also need to remember that we have received a lot of pressure from Kenyans. We need to be cautious on the manner in which we are going to borrow or the trends we set with respect to borrowing so that we do not burden future generations with a lot of debts. We are also reminded every day by Kenyans about the spiralling cost of living. We are 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.

reminded to be very careful in the manner in which we even budget and appropriate our money. We are preparing this Budget amidst a lot of challenges and in very difficult times. That is why in preparing this Budget, the Committee has been very keen to ensure that the sectors that we are allocating money address the challenges experienced by Kenyans. Borrowing is not bad, but what is important and what Kenyans want to see is how accountable we are in spending this money. Kenyans want to see accountability and transparency on both sides of the equation. How are we generating this money? How are we raising it? How are we spending it on the other side? Kenyans expect to see value for money. On value for money, allow me to touch on a number of observations by our Committee. While scrutinising and interrogating the Budget, we noted a number of issues that should be of concern. For example, there is the issue of duplication of roles. Let me give an example of water. Let the function of water be domiciled within the sector where it should be so that we do not see it in blue economy and irrigation, education, and in other departments. There is need to rationalise. This will ensure that a particular programme is domiciled only within one ministry and that way we will see value for money.

We also noted with concern that some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are pursuing too many projects at the same time. You find a Ministry with a project, for example, construction of a dam worth Ksh1 billion yet the allocation is Ksh200 million, and there are probably five or six of them. You will find another one worth Ksh500 million being allocated Ksh50 million or Ksh70 million. How long will such a project take to be completed? We are saying in our recommendations that there is need for a Ministry, Department or an Agency to pursue one project, complete it, and then, probably, in the next financial year pick another project.

Another area of concern is unemployment in this country. Many ministries froze employment in the last three to five years…

Yes, you can have one minute, Hon. Emaase.

In some Departments, we have an ageing population so we are confronted with a skills-gap going forward. There is need for some of those ministries to employ. We allocated some funding for that. There is also need to create opportunities. There is allocation of Ksh6 billion for six EPZs across the country, and I am happy that Busia County is one of the beneficiaries of that funding. There is need for the feeding programme to be expanded to accommodate the entire country so that even Members of Parliament, through the NGAAF are brought on board to set up funds that match the feeding programmes. We also have some MDAs with overlapping mandates. There is need for such Departments…

The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs, Hon. Gabriel Koshal Tongoyo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Budget Estimates were submitted to this House pursuant to Article 221 of the Constitution and Sections 3, 37, 38, and 39 of the Public Finance Management Act, as well as our Standing Orders. 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.

It is critical to note that appropriation of public resources is the sole responsibility of this House. Standing Order 235 provides that the Estimates, upon being laid in the House, are deemed to have been committed to respective Departmental Committees. The Committees shall then consider, discuss, and review the Estimates according to their mandate and make recommendations to the Budget and Appropriations Committee within 21 days. Based on that provision, I confirm that my Committee took time and went through the Estimates of the MDAs within the purview of the Committee, pursuant to Standing Order 216 and the Second Schedule of the same. Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to speak to some of the critical issues which were canvassed during the process. Under the National Police Service (NPS), my Committee observed that the Government had completed construction of the NPS Level 4 Hospital along Mbagathi Road. A majority of you must have seen it. However, it had not been operationalised due to lack of resources to procure drugs, parts for medical equipment, chemicals, foods and rations, uniforms and the rest. The NPS sought for an additional Ksh50 million towards this, but it was not provided in the Estimates. I am happy that my Committee rationalised the allocation across the MDAs to provide for the Ksh50 million to enable the NPS operationalise this hospital to give the needed service to our police officers. I believe that with this gesture from the Committee and subsequent adoption of the Report by the House, the hospital will soon be up and running. The Committee observed that service delivery by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on the production of Certificate of Good Conduct was hampered by the breakdown of the Automated Palm and Fingerprint Identification System (APFIS). A majority of us may have had a lot of complaints from the public. The Committee provided Ksh106.3 million to cater for the same. I am happy to note that my Committee, while exercising their constitutional mandate, also rationalised the resources across the MDAs and realised the saving of the same amount to enable this critical service resume as soon as possible when the financial year begins. It is good to report good news that the service has resumed. The DCI managed to negotiate on the promise that this money is going to be available. My Committee observed that the number of police officers was rapidly declining on account of natural attrition. However, there was no allocation for recruitment to replace such officers. There was a need to recruit 5,000 officers to replace the ones that have left the service and further boost the dwindling numbers. The resources amounting to Ksh3.3 billion for recruitment of an additional 5,000 officers could not be realised. I hope that during the Budget implementation, we will realise the savings and more resources to enable us embark on this critical exercise which touches on our national security. The inadequacies in resource allocation has also affected the critical Department of Immigration, and thousands of Kenyans seeking economic opportunities or medical treatment abroad could not secure passports due to the breakdown of the printer. The Committee provided Ksh70 million towards addressing this problem by purchasing two high density printers. I am happy to note that the National Treasury has assented to our advisory that the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, being one of the Departments generating revenue, be allowed to utilise some of the resources they generate. We welcome the move to allocate Ksh1.3 billion as A-in-A to go towards alleviating the funding challenges facing the Department. This gesture will accelerate service delivery as was promised by the Kenya Kwanza Government. The Government has over the years gazetted new administrative units to enhance service delivery mainly through creation of new sub-counties, locations, sub-locations, and divisions. Unfortunately, there have been no corresponding resources to actualise this noble idea. I am happy to inform this House that my Committee provided Ksh100 million to operationalise these new units. I also appreciate the Budget and Appropriations Committee as 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.

they saw it fit to add an additional Ksh200 million to this sector. The new estimate is now at Ksh300 million. We are cognisant of the fact that even the operationalised units still face funding challenges. Hon. Members, I know several units have been gazetted in your counties and constituencies yet they have not been operationalised due to shortage of funds. When this is approved, we will take these critical services to wananchi.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, there are other critical areas which affected service delivery that could not be funded. This includes the multi-agency operation in Mbooni, North Rift, and North Eastern. We appealed to the BAC and Ksh400 million was allocated to this multi-agency. There is need of Ksh1.4 billion to be allocated to the programme on acquisition of motor vehicles for the Deputy County Commissioners (DCCs) and Assistant County Commissioners (ACCs) though the leasing had not been provided for. There was need to scale-up surveillance along the Kenya borders and regions with inter-ethnic conflicts, mainly the cattle rustling and implementation of the policy directive to crack down on illegal firearms, drugs and narcotics to the tune of Ksh500 million.

Some Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs) under the State Department for Internal Security were poorly funded with the bulk of the resources channelled towards personal emoluments, leaving them with little resources for operationalisation. Such SAGAs include the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drugs and Alcohol Abuse (NACADA), the NGO Coordination Board, the Firearms Licensing Board, and the Private Security Regulatory Authority. The NACADA managed to get an extra Ksh300 million to enable them to execute their mandate. For the Firearms Licensing Board, the Committee managed to get little funds of Ksh200 million in addition to the appropriated. Another Ksh20 million was added to the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB).

Kenyans created the National Police Service Commission and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to enable them enhance policing services and oversight over the police. However, the two institutions have remained underfunded in their key areas such as mobility, human resource, Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) equipment among others as annexed in this Report. It is our desire that as soon as we start collecting more revenue, these are some of the institutions whose budgetary allocations will have to be enhanced among other independent institutions.

The security sector is critical to the long-term sustainable development and poverty elevation by ensuring safe and fair systems that enable people to work and for businesses to operate and thrive. Despite the state worthy reforms, many challenges still exist in the effective implementation of security sector reforms as was evident in the past through corruption, abduction, torture, disappearance, murder, extrajudicial killings, and the lack of effective oversight and accountability. To reverse these trends, I am happy that the Kenya Kwanza Government has successfully engaged the security sector stakeholders to orientate policing operation. This has ushered in a new policing paradigm geared towards achieving a high level of security for citizens while observing their rights and freedoms to the greatest extent. To strengthen policing services, the Government has executed the necessary instruments to actualise the financial independence of the National Police Service and the realisation that it is the substantive enabler of genuine institutional independence. The operational independence of the police is necessary for its efficiency, professionalism, and accountability. Further, the Government established a task force on police reforms. We hope that as soon as they finish their work, we will start implementing the recommendations immediately by appropriating the necessary resources. We have all heard the President talking about the ambitious modernisation of the police service on several occasions. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support that the House adopts the proposed expenditures as contained in the programmes across the various Votes in this Report. So, having said that, I, once again, want to extend a lot of gratitude to the Budget and Appropriations Committee, 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.

which we appeared before, for doing an exemplary job. They have tried to balance the Budget despite challenges and competing interests. The Budget, as presented, is well-balanced. I support the Motion. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Thank you. Member of Parliament for Uriri, Nyamita.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also rise to support this Motion. This Motion is the first one of this Government. I agree with the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee that this Budget is being made during a very challenging time when the country’s debt status has been downgraded. We issued a local bond that has been undersubscribed. The banking sector is also facing a few challenges. There is also political tension, not to mention the Ukraine-Russia war that is also affecting all of us. Kenyans are looking at how this Budget will set the stage for the Government in terms of what we will expect over the next five years. If there are any corrective measures, such indicators must be picked within this Budget. However, whereas we congratulate the Committee and the various departmental committees for the work they put in, I have had occasion to peruse through the Report and I have not seen the inclusion of what we call citizens’ inputs. During the sector hearings, the public normally comes in and gives its wishes, which are supposed to be captured within the Budget. We have seen that the Committee undertook public participation in various counties across the country. You might want to know that the projects that we included in the Budget of the last financial year, which is ending this month, have not been implemented. It would be bad for us as a House to engage in public participation without necessarily taking into account one or two things. We hope that the items and feedback that this Committee picked up during public participation are going to be captured. The revenue projections as indicated in this Budget show an increase of about 17 per cent, which I find a bit unrealistic. This is because as you have seen, traditionally, our GDP grows by 10 per cent every year. When you predict an increase of 17 per cent, it may appear a bit unrealistic and that can only add to the deficit, which we then have to rationalise during the Supplementary Budget. I do not know what the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning will be presenting to us. I know that the revenue projections of Ksh2.5 trillion might be a bit unrealistic considering the background upon which this Budget is being done. Hon. Temporary Speaker, the disbursement of NG-CDF is way below 50 per cent. Whereas we have got commitments which we are yet to actualise from the National Treasury, they are yet to release NG-CDF money for this financial year which is coming to an end. We are realistic to note that they may not be able to release the whole amount. I urge my colleagues that if the full amount of NG-CDF for the Financial Year 2022/2023 is not released by the end of it, then the arrears must be captured within this particular Budget. In the absence of the arrears being captured in this particular Budget, it means that we will have to wait for a further Supplementary Budget whose date we do not know and we are likely to suffer. I hope that before we go to the Committee of Supply, the National Treasury would have come back to us with the exact amounts that they are releasing and the balance of which we may amend on the Floor of this House and include in this particular one. Going into a bit of the specifics, in the Ministry of ICT under the Government Advertising Agency (GAA), today the Government continues to spend a lot of money. They spend money advertising through an insert in the daily newspapers and they pay a lot of money sometimes between Ksh18 million to Ksh24 million every single week. There used to be the Audit Bureau of Circulation in the Postal Corporation, a unit that died. There is no value for that particular money because if you ask my GAA how many newspapers does Nation Media distribute every week, they cannot tell you. They will rely on what the media house will tell 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.

them. So, there is no proper monitoring and evaluation. Sometimes they do an insert in the

. I saw a report that was done by the sector and it shows that a newspaper like the

has only 3 per cent of the market share or what we call the newspaper market share. When they are paid Ksh18 million, it does not give us value. We are investing a lot in ICT and we want to give value to the taxpayers. Going forward, there needs to be a monitoring mechanism so that we know whether the money we put in advertisement serves its purpose. We spend a lot of money in maintaining the network across the country. We know, and my colleagues will agree, that even in our sub-county headquarters the network is not working. If you total the amount of money we use in maintenance, we are almost equalling the amount we used to put up the same infrastructure. Maybe it is also something for them to do. On the money for the old people, year in, year out they continue to cry that the money does not come in good time. I sit in the Committee on Social Protection and we have challenged the Ministry. We hope the money we will give them this time, even before they begin disbursing it, they should present to this House a list by constituency of the existing beneficiaries, the ones who have been listed who are not benefitting, and the ones who are exiting. Let that, if possible, become a quarterly report so that we can monitor that against how much we allocate them through this particular project.

Finally, I support one of the policy initiatives that says that the money that we are giving to the Ministry of Education for infrastructure funding be given to NG-CDF as a conditional grant because it is intended for our schools. All that money, that is, about Ksh5 billion, I am yet to check the exact figure, can be distributed across each and every constituency and we use the model of NG-CDF because it actually works. With the very many remarks, I beg to support.

Member of Parliament for Molo, Hon. Kuria, who is also the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I noticed that you called me the Chairman of the Finance Bill. I am the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning.

Not the Finance Bill but the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning. How can you be the Chairman of the Finance Bill?

That is what I heard. This discussion has one of the things that we are happy about. You have turned around the conversation surrounding the Finance Bill. I was in the village over the weekend and my constituents were asking where this Finance Bill came from because it has never been there. We endeavour to do public participation so that members of the public can give their views. This afternoon, we are retreating to do our report which we hope to table on Tuesday, next week.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am here to support the Motion that has been proposed by the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. As he and the Vice-chairperson have rightly said, the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Budget and Appropriations Committee are like conjoined twins. The work of the Budget and Appropriations Committee is to appropriate while the work of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning is to raise revenue. When we do public participation on Budget, it usually is a smooth and happy exercise. What is interesting is that Kenyans want good roads, electricity, water, medicines in their hospitals, and employment for the youths. However, when you do public participation on how to finance the good things that they want, that is where the 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.

rain starts beating us. However, we are up to the task. We will make sure that the deficit that is being proposed in the Estimates is brought down as much as possible. As a country, we agree that we have borrowed enough and we cannot continue to rely on borrowing to fund our development. We must raise our revenues. When we go out there to borrow, we are asked about our capacity to repay. Just like the banks would ask you to show them your bank statements and the turnover you have in your bank account. The same applies to our country. That is why we are working day and night to make sure that we finance our Budget by raising more revenue locally as much as we can.

I will take a few minutes to highlight two issues: one, the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning is concerned about the huge balances that are held by several MDAs andSAGAs across the Government. We have funds that are being allocated to departments for particular purposes and when they delay, they earn interests at the expense of other MDAs that, probably, would have a more urgent need of absorbing those particular funds. I am happy that when we made this presentation to the Budget and Appropriations Committee, they gave us a mandate to look at the balances that are held in the bank accounts of all Government agencies and where such balances should not be in those accounts, they should be returned to the National Treasury or be absorbed. We cannot be borrowing money when some of our agencies are earning interests in the bank from the same monies belonging to taxpayers. The Public Finance Management Act gives the mandate of holding public funds to the Principal Secretary of the National Treasury.

Every time we get towards the end of the year, it is a spending spree for all Government agencies because of the accounting system that we use as a country. We are using the Cash Accounting System where we spend when we get money from the Exchequer. As a result, most MDAs try as much as possible to do all the procurement that they can in order to spend the money before the end of the year. You will find more of this happening at the end of a regime. When new Governments come in, be it the National Government or county governments, the first thing they do is to audit pending bills. Why should, we as a country, be winding up every five years to get a new country? The way to fix this is already outlined in our Public Finance Management Act in sections 81 and 164 on the use of an accrual accounting system instead of a cash accounting system.

One of the highlights of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning is the allocation of resources, Ksh400 million, to the Public Sector Accounting Board to migrate the entire accounting system of the country from the cash accounting system to an accrual accounting system. By doing that, we will be in a position to stop this haste spending towards the end of every year. We should stop this tedious and painful experience at the end of five years that we subject our contractors and service providers to. We have allocated funds for the development of the Third Marginalisation Policy. We have also added an extra Ksh3 billion to the Equalisation Fund. We appreciate that there are about 34 counties that are really marginalised. We are really hoping that these monies that have been allocated to these counties are going to bridge that marginalisation gap so that their development can come at par with the other counties. We are also saying that there are other pockets of marginalised areas across the country. If you look at the Gross Domestic Product of Nairobi, its per capita income is going to be the highest. However, there are people living in absolute poverty; they do not have clean water, schools, and electricity. We are hoping that the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) is going to come up with the Third Marginalisation Policy that will ensure that other marginalised areas across the country benefit from the funds. Hon. Temporary Speaker, lastly, we have asked Kenyans to help us raise revenues because we do not want to borrow to finance the Budget. Kenyans are also asking whether these monies will be spent for the purposes that we are talking about. Kenyans are also angry 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.

about the wastages in the public sector. Kenyans are tired of the theft that has been in the public sector. Kenyans are willing to pay, but we need to ensure that this money is spent correctly. I would like to congratulate His Excellency the President for further cracking the whip on those that have been found to misappropriate public funds. This will go a long way in giving confidence to Kenyans. It will assure them that the taxes that we are going to collect from them will be spent for the correct purposes. This is my clarion call: this House is mandated to oversee the Executive and I want to call upon all the Departmental and Oversight Committees to ensure that we hold these government officials to account. The hard-earned money of Kenyans that we are collecting as taxes should be spent for the correct purpose for the betterment of our motherland Kenya. Hon. Temporary Speaker, with those remarks, I support.

The Woman Representative for Mombasa, Zamzam Chimba.

Asante sana, Mheshimiwa Spika wa Muda. Mimi nimefuatilia kwa kina Bajeti hii ambayo imetengezwa na Kamati ya Bajeti. Lakini nina maswali mengi. Ninafikiri kuwa mambo mengi yamegusiwa na Mheshimiwa ambaye amemaliza kuongea. Imekuwa miezi sita tangu Serikali mpya ichukue uongozi na KRA imeweza kukusanya shilingi trillioni 1.5 kwa muda huo. Lakini, bado NHIF inadai shilingi bilioni ishirini. Shule za umma zinadai shilingi bilioni ishirini na nane. Wazee wa mitaa pia hawakulipwa na wanadai shilingi bilioni kumi. Serikali za kaunti, ambazo ni gatuzi, zinadai shilingi bilioni tisini na tisa. Sasa hivi, wamekopa shilingi bilioni mia sita themanini na tisa. Swali langu ni: je, pesa hizi huenda wapi? Kamati ipige bajeti vizuri na tuhakikishe kuwa pesa hizi zikikusanywa, zinasaidia mwananchi wa Kenya. Mhe. Spika wa Muda, kuna mashimo katika ofisi za umma. Hizi pesa huwa hazifikii huduma lengwa. Kila mwaka, huwa tunatengeneza Bajeti na tunaingia katika mifuko ya Wakenya, tunaichimba na kuwanyang’anya pesa zao. Lakini ikifika kwenye matumizi, haijulikani pesa zimetumika vipi.

Mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Bajeti amezungumzia mambo ya uhamiaji. Amesema wametoa Bajeti ya kuweza kutengeneza hizi mashine. Niko katika Kaunti ambayo iko na ofisi ya uhamiaji. Wananchi ndani ya Mombasa wanahangaika sana. Ukienda kuchukua pasipoti, unaambiwa mashine imeharibika na imeenda kutengenezwa Pakistan ama India. Ikiwa vitu hivi huwa vinawekwa kwa Bajeti, kwa nini isinunuliwe mashine mara moja ambayo itatoa huduma kwa wananchi wakienda kutafuta pasipoti? Wananchi wengi wanatafuta ajira kule nje na wengine wangependa kwenda kutibiwa. Hata pale ofisi ya uhamiaji wananchi wanalazimika kungojea kwenye foleni ndefu, miezi sita ama tano, kitambo wafikiwe kupigwa picha tu. Hii yote ni kwa sababu wizi umekithiri katika ofisi za umma. Wananchi ndio wanaumia. Itakuwa sisi tunaunda Bajeti kama hii kila mwaka lakini hatuelewi pesa zinatumika vipi. Mwananchi ni punda na amechoka. Hata tukisema hatutaki kuomba, tujiulize kama yale mapeni tulikuwa tunaomba tulitumia sawasawa ama tuliiba. Kisha, tunarudi kuambia mwananchi kuwa hatuwezi kuomba na itabidi aingie katika mfuko wake alipe ushuru. Akishalipa, tena turudi tuibe hizo pesa. Ni wakati wa Serikali kuchukua msimamo. Tukizidi kufinya wananchi... Serikali yoyote inayotoza wananchi wake ushuru wa juu haipati maendeleo. Serikali nyingi ambazo zimeendelea ziliweka ushuru chini na kuzidisha mazao. Wananchi wakapata mapato ya kutosha. Kisha, wakawa na furaha ya kutoa ushuru zaidi kwa Serikali. Nikiangalia Makadirio ya Bajeti hapa, ninaona tunaomba na kukopa zaidi, lakini mwananchi ndiye anakuja kulipa kutoka kwa mfuko wake kila siku. Inasikitisha sana. Ni wakati sasa Jumba hili lianze kuangalia zile kesi ambazo tulikuwa nazo za rushwa. Watu wameiba pesa na zinachunguzwa na zinamalizika. Isitoshe, majopo yanatengenezwa kila siku. Bajeti ilipitishwa na watu wakaiba pesa. Majopo yanatengenezwa kila siku na kisha yanaenda 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.

baridi. Hakuna anayeshikwa wala kuchukuliwa hatua na kurejesha pesa. Kila mwaka, Kamati ya Bajeti itakuwa inatoa Bajeti lakini pesa hazijulikani zinaenda vipi. Nataka kuelezea Kamati ya Bajeti na Ugawaji kuwa imejaribu kufanya kazi nzuri. Kina mama wa kaunti 47 tunajivunia hiyo bilioni moja kwa sababu tumeitafuta sana. Pesa zetu ni kidogo sana. Tunawashukuru kwa hilo. Lakini, ningependa kuona katika Bajeti hii pesa ya kupeleka maji Turkana na Kaskazini Mashariki ili tuweze kukabiliana na njaa. Hawa wananchi watalima mashamba na kupata mazao. Wanyama watapata maji ya kunywa na uchumi utaimarika. Kila mwaka, kule Turkana, Kaskazini Mashariki, na sehemu nyingine nchini, watu wengi hufa kutokana na baa la njaa. Nilifikiria na nikatamani sana Bajeti hii iwe na fedha ambazo zitatumika kupeleka maji sehemu zile. Hivyo, tutaweza kuzalisha zaidi. Mbunge mwenzangu amezungumzia mambo ya ukosefu wa ajira. Watu wengi ambao wanahudumu katika ofisi za serikali wamezeeka. Swali yangu ni: ikiwa watoto wetu watakuwa wanasomea masomo ya uhandisi, ufundi, na masomo tofauti, kwa nini tusiwapatie mwanya wa kuingizwa katika kazi hizi ambazo watu wamehudumu kwa miaka mingi? Tunafaa kuhakikisha kuwa wale waliozeeka wanawafunza wageni jinsi ya kufanya kazi. Iwapo watashika kazi vizuri, basi tuwatoe hawa wazee na kuwapa mgao wao warudi nyumbani kujimudu. Tutahakikisha kuwa vijana tuliowasomesha wanapata ajira. Katika sekta nyingi, wazee wengi wamebaki pale kwa muda mrefu hata ikifika wakati wa kustaafu, hakuna mtu wa kuchukua nafasi zao. Katika Bajeti, wanasema kuwa kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa ajira, wanajaribu kutafuta mwanya wa kuingiza hawa vijana. Mwanya utapatikana ikiwa sisi tutawapa vijana nafasi na msukumo katika Bajeti wa kupata masomo zaidi ili wakiingia pale waweze kuhudumia taifa. Watu wameomba sana pesa nje. Miradi nyingi ya Serikali ambayo imesomwa hapa haijakamilika. Kuna mijengo ambayo imejengwa kutumia pesa za Serikali lakini haitumiki. Hizo pesa zingetumika katika miradi mingine ambayo ingeinua uchumi zaidi. Kuna watu ambao wanaomba kujengewa bwawa lakini pesa zinazopeanwa ni kidogo mno. Ajabu ni kwamba katika Bajeti, pesa zilizokusudiwa kupeanwa huwa ni nyingi. Miradi kama hiyo huwa haikamiliki. Kwa hivyo, kwa upande wangu, Kamati ya Bajeti inapaswa kuweka mradi mmoja na kuhakikisha unakamilika na kufanya kazi kabla ya kufanya bajeti ya mradi mwingine. Na tuhakikishe pia kuwa mradi huo wa pili unakamilika. Tukifuata utaratibu huo, basi hatutakuwa na ubadhirifu. Haitakuwa sawa kuingia mfuko wa Mkenya kila wakati kwa sababu inafaa naye ainuke. Tunamuomba pesa na tunachimba zaidi, halafu tunakuja kutumia fedha hizo vibaya. Kwa kufanya hivyo, hatutakua na uaminifu kwa wananchi wa Kenya. Ninaona bango hili linasoma: ‘‘ For the welfare of society and the just Government of the people’’. Bunge hili linatakiwa kusimamia Mkenya. Tunafaa kumhurumia Mkenya kwa kuweka Bajeti ambayo itakuwa nafuu kwake na siyo ya kumwumiza. Kwa sababu nimeona kidude kimebonyezwa, ningependa kumalizia hapo kwa kusema kuwa Bajeti ni nzuri lakini inahitaji marekebisho ndiyo wasiingie kwenye mifuko ya Wakenya. Asante sana.

The Member for Tigania West, and the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, Hon. John Mutunga.

Thank you for the opportunity to also contribute to this debate. I would like to thank the Members of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock for looking through the Budget Policy Statement (BPS) and for also scrutinising the Budget and rationalising what we think could be done in the next financial year. I would also like to thank the Budget and Appropriations Committee for receiving and interrogating our report in a positive sense and finding it necessary for us to be supported in one way or another. 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.

The agricultural sector in this country supports over 75 per cent of the population. Most people derive their livelihoods from agriculture. Therefore, if we do not properly support this sector in the Budget, then we will not be doing the right thing. It is the main foreign exchange earner in the country. It is also the main employer of the people, especially those who are engaged in the informal sector. Agriculture provides the best avenue for us to feed ourselves. A country that cannot feed itself is not a country that can proudly call itself sovereign. If you look at the Bottom up Economic Model, which is the core concern of the current Government, you will find that out of the nine value chains that have been picked as the best to drive the economy, six of them are in agriculture.

As members of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, we were unable to make huge adjustments in this Budget the issue being that very little money has been allocated to agriculture. Kenya is a signatory to the Maputo Protocol. It also signed the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth, which has specific targets. In fact, Kenya is assessed every two years under the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) where we are always given a below average assessment. This is because we are not funding agriculture the way it should be funded. In order of priority, agriculture is number eight out of 10, which means we are putting money in other sectors.

Looking at the Budget, before we even allocate the resources, the question is: what does agriculture do for this country besides the few things that I have just mentioned? Over the last one year, we have realised serious achievements within the sector. We have realised achievements in animal health, where we have graduated many students who are becoming private sector players in supporting the industry. There is a lot of improvement in terms of the veterinary surveillance and vaccination. We have seen a lot of improvement in the testing of milk to ensure it is clean and good for consumption.

Still in the livestock sector, we have seen a lot of production and packaging of semen and also establishment of liquid nitrogen plants that may produce enough semen to distribute across the country. This means that we are trying to improve our dairy herd as a country. Ours is a centre of excellence when it comes to the dairy subsector. We have also moved the technology further into sex semen, where we can produce what we want, whether it is the females or males. Additionally, we have upgraded to the point where we can transplant embryos. The subsector is key. It is also modernised in the sense that we have the best scientists in the country working there. On the other hand, the crop subsector has also improved a lot over the last one year. I do not need to mention the specific improvements, but we have serious deficits in the Budget. The Budget presented to us by the subsector was Ksh104 billion. We were only able to give them Ksh64 billion, which means we have a deficit of Ksh40 billion. This deficit is key in terms of reducing the allocations to the various sectors, functions, and activities within the subsector itself. If you look at that deduction, specific scrutiny on the crop subsector, you will find that the crop will suffer. In terms of recurrent, there is a Ksh20.7 billion deduction and in terms of development it is Ksh16.4 billion. That means the total deduction is Ksh37.16 billion. In the livestock subsector, we also have a huge deduction. We fall short of the Budget by about Ksh4 billion. The total is now Ksh40 billion. Hon. Temporary Speaker, the reason I am emphasising on this is because this is the sector that spins the nation. This is the sector with the key to developing this country very fast. It is the sector where most of the people are anchored, but it has not yet got the right footing. It is the sector which would drive the Bottom Up Economic Agenda of this country. So, we have a deficit; not so much of a surplus. On the other hand, we have serious issues of pending bills. The pending bills in the agricultural sector amount to Ksh16.9 billion. I know that the law states that the pending bills 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.

are the first charge. If we allocated Ksh16.9 billion to pay the pending bills, then there would be no activities within the agricultural sector, say in the crop section for that year. Similarly, the livestock subsector has pending bills of Ksh4.6 billion and a budget deficit of Ksh2.8 billion, totalling Ksh6.8 billion. Having said that, we rationalised where it was possible. We looked at sectors that have SAGAs that are making profit. So, we singled out SAGAs, which are either breaking even or making profit. The Kenya Seed Company is one of them. The Kenya Meat Commission is nearing profit making. The Agriculture and Food Authority is also making some profit. Still within the same sector, we have SAGAs that require support and need some budgetary support. Most of the public sugar millers will need support. The South Nyanza Sugar Company requires about Ksh1.2 billion. I urge this House to support the company. We have not done much on this issue and, in that respect, the Budget has not responded effectively to this sector. The question that lingers is: why should private millers make profit while public millers are not making profit? We have made it our business as a Committee to visit all the millers. We have been apprised of the issues they are going through. Some of them have historical debts that they are addressing right now. Some have renovation and improvement works ongoing. This is what has caused some of those problems. However, we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel in the sense that some of the SAGAs within the agricultural sector have made profit. In conclusion, because I would like to create time for my colleagues to also make contributions, we have made Budget proposals. We have rationalised these Budget proposals and put money where it will have maximum output and impact. We have also looked at which SAGAs can support themselves so as to wean them off Government support. We need to conduct serious scrutiny on these SAGAs so that we can classify them accordingly. In terms of where we are putting money, we have weaned off the Kenya Meat Commission, Kenya Seed Company and others. We have also considered how to address the issue of pending bills. I thank the Budget and Appropriations Committee for considering to start payment of some of these pending bills. Some of the pending bills have been outstanding for very many years, since the 1970s. Some have been paid. Some creditors have gone to court and got court awards. These court awards are already negotiated downwards and are still pending payment. We now have hope in that direction as some money has been set aside to clear pending bills. Let me single out a case of last year's maize flour subsidy, which we have been considering. Yesterday, the Committee adopted our report on the maize flour subsidy. Last year, many Kenyans never enjoyed the two-kilogramme packets of maize flour that cost Ksh100. We isolated who did what and whose packaging we can follow to the end. Some of them were not clear towards the end of the value chain. I will be presenting the report in this House so that we can discuss it. At the end of the day, we singled out the small-scale maize millers who sold their maize at their factories where they opened up retail centres. They sold this maize meal at Ksh100. We have evidence that it was sold. On the other hand, we did not clear the large-scale millers because they did not give us sufficient evidence and the figures were not tallying as it were. Finally, we need to raise a lot of money in order to support what can give us revenue. Agriculture has the potential to give us sufficient revenue, foreign exchange and create jobs in this country. If we put money into this sector, we can improve and develop this country faster. But we cannot say we put in money when we do not have the money. That is why revenue generation is very important. Any measures that the Government can come up with need to be considered and supported in order to raise enough money to support our economy. With those very few remarks, I wish to support. Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. 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.

Thank you. You have saved some few minutes. If Chairpersons do not utilise the entire 15 minutes that they are entitled to, and other Members also take less than the 10 minutes that they are entitled to, we will get many people to participate in this Motion. That is a decision for all Members. The Chair has no authority over that. Is Hon. Melly the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information, and Innovation here?

Departmental Committee on Education.

No. Anyway, you are lucky you got it because I thought you were a farmer and you should weigh in a little bit. Right now, I am doing an intercession. Every time a chairperson contributes, I then give an opportunity to another Member. If you are a farmer, proceed. However, you will spend all your time, including the chairperson’s.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity. Before I begin my presentation on education, I thank the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and the entire Committee for a job well done. The Budget and Appropriations Committee has a big task of ensuring that taxes raised by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning of the National Assembly are well utilised and equitably distributed across the country and various sectors. The sector that has taken a huge chunk of that money is the Department of Education and Training. In the 2023/2024 Budget, the Department has been allocated Ksh628 billion, which accounts for 27 per cent of the total national Government Budget. This points to the fact that the current Government has placed great importance on the education sector in recognition of the central role it plays in supporting the socio-economic development agenda.

Hon. Members, we all know that education is central to our country, and more so, to the socio-economic development of our nation. Various areas of spending which have been given priority in the education sector budget are, amongst others, provision of resources to support free primary and secondary education, as well as junior secondary schools. You need to know that the Government has been continuing this issue of capitation to schools since 2008. Successive governments have tried to increase that budget from Ksh8,000 in 2008 to Ksh10,000 by 2010. Now, we have a figure of almost Ksh22,000. For junior secondary schools, we have a budget of Ksh15,000 to enable the schools to run and buy essentials . I want to laud the Committee because as earlier presented, it had a deficit of almost Ksh10 billion but the Budget and Appropriations Committee agreed to our pleas and increased the amount of money allocated to this sector. The Government spends almost Ksh90 billion on basic education. The other area is school infrastructure improvement and support given to the CBC. This is an area where we agreed to work with the Ministry in terms of the NG-CDF. There will be allocations to constituencies in this regard. That way, Members can assist in the development of schools across the county. This has been agreed. Some of the infrastructure money will be taken directly to constituencies and Members of Parliament will play the oversight role. There is also the issue of funding of various universities, which is very important. I will be pointing out areas where the Committee identified that private universities had gained an undue advantage over public universities, leading us to reduce their expenditures. We have also appropriated resources to the HELB to support students in both universities and TVET institutions. For this particular case, we have increased funding to HELB from about Ksh15 billion to almost Ksh30 billion. This is to accommodate the new financing model. The previous model relied on grants that were not very specific. We are now talking about student-⁠centred fees in form of scholarships, loans, and parental or family contributions. In this case, the amount to the HELB and the UFB has been increased substantially. It is to take care of students 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.

in universities and TVET institutions. We also have a big amount of money for recruitment of teachers, training teachers for CBC, and supporting implementation of the new curriculum. Recruitment of teachers is very dear to the Kenya Kwanza Government. The intention is to recruit 116,000 teachers in the next five years. That is why the Government is recruiting over 20,000 teachers in this financial year. Again, that is to make sure we reduce teacher shortage in the Republic. We also have the issue of skilling or retooling teachers on CBC. I think you all know that a number of teachers schooled in the old 8-4-4 system. Now there will be need to have many seminars and in-⁠service programmes to retool teachers to support that curriculum. In terms of sources of funding, the sector largely relies on direct Government funding. Over 80 per cent of money in this sector comes from Government funding, with very little foreign funding. There are also some aspects of support from the development partners, especially to TVET. I think you all know that many TVET institutions get a lot of machinery and equipment funding from partners. For instance, we have Chinese concessions or Chinese Government loans. Hon. Temporary Speaker, the proposed allocation to the sector is also well-⁠aligned to the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) of the Government. A total of Ksh20.2 billion for BETA programmes has been allocated across the sector. I think this is very clear in terms of trying to uplift low-⁠placed members in the education sector. This has even been seen in the need to promote teachers. The BETA priorities in the education sector are as follows: There is construction of 52 new Technical Training Institutions (TTIs) at a cost of Ksh890 million to provide skills to the youth that form a majority of the public. We require them to get skills so that they can be self-⁠employed. Training of youths on digital skills will cost Ksh120 million. The ICT infrastructure to support competency-⁠based assessment will take Ksh53 million. Construction of Integrated Resource Centres will cost Ksh1.4 billion, and construction of JSS classrooms will take Ksh2 billion. Junior Secondary School learner capitation has been increased to Ksh25 billion. The support for establishment of the Open University of Kenya is at a cost of Ksh170 million. The Open University of Kenya is quite important to enable Kenyans access higher education cheaply even from the comfort of their homes. This intends to promote online or virtual learning systems, therefore, enabling Kenyans access education. As part of our oversight mandate on Budget matters, I point out that the Departmental Committee on Education observed some key issues of concern that require concrete policy direction. The Committee made a number of recommendations. It also noted a number of issues. As an oversight Committee, we asked the Ministry of Education to look into certain policy issues. I thank Members of the Committee for pointing out certain glaring issues in the education sector. One, is the big number of teachers who have stagnated in one job group for a long time. As far as the teaching service is concerned, teachers’ salaries and remuneration take a lot of money. It is more than half the money for the sector. Many teachers have stagnated. We need about Ksh2.2 billion to promote them. You know the importance of having a motivated staff or worker.

Secondly, the Committee also noted there are a number of TVET institutions which have concentrated in offering business and management-related courses. TVET courses are supposed to provide skills like construction, electricals, painting, and all that. A number of them have, however, gone back to the business courses like procurement, business management and so on. This is not the intention of TVET institutions. They are supposed to provide skills, manpower, and equip the learner for the job market. If you, again, give them business courses, then that is a need that we want them to address. 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.

The other issue is that Ksh780 million has been allocated towards construction of TTIs in the remaining constituencies which do not have TVETs. Through this allocation, 15 TTIs will be constructed and are envisaged to be completed in 2023/2024. The Committee appreciates the model adopted in funding the remaining TTIs, however, we have a number of them which are not completed. As a Committee, we sat down and looked for resources to ensure that we do not start new TTIs and leave others which are incomplete. We got some resources and allocated money to ensure that all TTIs are constructed to completion and are in working conditions. We realised that most TVET instructors do not have pedagogical skills of teaching. Most of them only have basics, say a first degree in electrical engineering. They require a pedagogical skill such as a post graduate diploma, say in electrical engineering so that they understand how to transmit knowledge and teach in classrooms.

We also noted that with introduction of the CBC curriculum, the number of primary school learners have reduced from Grade Eight and now they are in Grade Six. We want to ask the Ministry of Education to uphold the Ksh1,400 that they have been giving and still retain it across the sector and make it Ksh2,000. Let capitation in primary schools be increased from Ksh1,450 to Ksh2,000.

The Committee is also concerned that Free Primary Education capitation has been disbursed to primary schools outside the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS). We discouraged this and even in TVETs, we ask that every child is given a number to avoid corruption and misuse of public resources. In this case, we ask the Ministry of Education to stick to NEMIS and TVETs should ensure that every learner has an admission number. In doing so, we can account for the cents that we give them.

Lastly, there is an allocation of Ksh300 million for recruitment of field quality assurance officers. Part of that money is meant for purchase of vehicles. As much as the Ministry spends around Ksh90 billion in capitation, about Ksh5 billion goes to construction of schools. However, there is poor monitoring and evaluation across the schools. We agreed that they buy vehicles so that all the sub-counties across the country have officers that are recruited to move around schools and institutions to ensure quality, and that schools have value for our money.

We noted that in the next cycle placement, a new funding model will be placed at the universities. Therefore, we are requesting the Budget and Appropriations Committee to increase funding to universities so that students who are poor and disadvantaged are funded 100 per cent. This will ensure that orphans and students from very poor and vulnerable homes get the money. We also realised that there is allocation to two historical institutions in the sector: Mtihani House was allocated about Ksh350 million. The other one is the KICD. The two institutions’ projects have stagnated for almost 10 years. We decided to re-allocate the resources because they cannot make good use of them. Mtihani House has been in construction since 1986 and KICD since 2010. Every other time, they are asking for resources which they cannot show good use for. We ask that the Auditor-General who is supposed to audit the two institutions to ensure that public money is put into good use and that there is value for money. Lastly Hon. Temporary Speaker, I want to commend the work that has been done quite well by the Budget and Appropriations Committee. As we support this particular Budget, we have a number of issues which I want to point out for one minute, especially the issue of importation. If this country does not take it seriously, it will be a net importer of almost everything, more so, maize, vegetables, eggs. and many other things. Let the 2023/2024 Financial Year Budget serve the people of Kenya and more so promote the economic development of our country. I support, Hon. Temporary Speaker. 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.

Member of Parliament for Ikolomani.

Thank you Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this chance to add my voice to the Annual Estimates for the Financial Year 2023/2024. I start by congratulating the Budget and Appropriations Committee for having done such a good job under the leadership of the Chairperson, Hon. Ndindi Nyoro. Having served in the Committee, I know that they had to put in a lot of time because they had to gather all the information, listen to all the Chairpersons of Committees and officers at the National Treasury and the Parliamentary Service Commission to come up with a report within tight timelines. In the health sector, we have seen a lot of improvement because of putting money where we feel that there will be return for it. There is a demand for Kenyan trained nurses around the world. We have seen money being put in 21KMTCs to have their construction completed and Ksh1 billion for employment of lecturers and staff to make sure the KMTCs across Kenya are operational. The Budget and Appropriations Committee, on that note, has requested Members of Parliament in those areas to give back something for the good job that is being done by buying a bus for the colleges. The Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education presented a very good report and somehow it happens that I am speaking immediately after him. We have seen private universities gaining a lot from public money. This is an anomaly that has been corrected in this Budget, However, after removing public students from private universities, this Budget has made sure that there is money to help those students who have been placed. We have seen a recommendation that infrastructure in schools be done through the NG-CDF because this is a function they are specialised in. It will allow educationists and teachers to concentrate on their core duties of teaching and the running of schools. There are also funds to help students from ASALs have a meal in a day. This is a good programme and we propose that it should be expanded throughout the country so that all students are able to get lunch, especially in primary schools and day secondary schools. I would also like to comment on a proposal by the National Treasury to come up with a stern, specific, and deliberate measure to make sure that pending bills are paid. Actually, they should truly become a first charge on every Budget cycle.

As I conclude, I want to comment on agriculture. We have seen money put in agriculture for value addition. We have seen money injected in Rivatex to promote cotton farming. Farmers in cotton-growing areas have been provided with seeds. This Budget is attempting to revive ginneries that had collapsed. We request that more money is put in this area so that farmers in cotton-growing areas do not have to travel long distances to take their crops to be ginned. These ginneries should be made operational as soon as possible. I want to stop there and thank you for giving me this chance to contribute to the Budget Estimates for the national Government.

I must commend you for having been considerate of your colleagues by taking half of the time you were allocated. Hon. Ochanda, I hope you will do the same, I will go to the only lady who is a Chair. Unfortunately, there is no proper gender balance in the Chairs of … Anyway, proceed, Hon. Ochanda.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to be brief considering your call. If from a layman’s point of view, I was to make the Budget for this country, there are three things that I will place emphasis on. First is food, second is debt, and the third one will be a social service that we call education. I am rising to support the Budget Estimates because of the allocation that has been given on education. It is appalling that there is a big crisis in the education sector. The sector is rotting and services are down. Last week I was amazed. In my constituency, I got students in Form One who cannot read and write. The education sector is in a crisis. Every little money that we 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.

get, I would rather we inject it in education as other sectors stabilize wherever they are so that we bring up education. In education, parents and Boards of Management (BOMs) are incurring more than the Government.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member of Parliament for Emurua Dikirr, what is your point of order?

I am sorry to interrupt my friend,

Ochanda. I have heard him mention something that if it is true, we need to do a serious investigation on it. A Form One student who does not know how to read and write… How did they make it to Form One?

You have raised a very important thing. However, how is that a point of order?

Hon. Ochanda, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. What I am trying to illustrate is … I have tried to check on that across the board in the last three days and it is amazing that we have students in Form One who cannot read or write. I have taken that up with the Ministry of Education. I have mentioned that parents and BOMs in this country are supporting staff in schools more than the Government. They have more teachers than the TSC that they are supporting and that includes some national schools. The national school in my constituency has more BOM supported teachers than those employed by TSC! It is a crisis. If you add on some of the things the Cabinet Secretary for Education was responding to, you sympathise with him. The issue of transiting to the new syllabus and the new curriculum is terrible. We are in a big crisis. I am happy and that is exactly why I am supporting this Budget. This time round, more money has been allocated to the education sector and we need more. If we were able to levelise other sectors, place the rest appropriately, mop up all the money, and allocate more to the education sector, then we can recover as a country. Otherwise, we are in a crisis. Hon. Temporary Speaker, the second thing is debt. I am happy that the Budget proposed is closing in on the deficit. We are talking about Ksh400 billion plus, which was not there before. This is heading towards the direction of debt reduction. The third thing that I was talking about is the issue of food and we have managed to place money on food production and food reserves. We have been in a crisis for the last three years because of the food pricing and availability. If this proposed Budget would focus on that then we are on the right path. Quite an amount of money has been placed on food production though it is not enough. We are talking about agriculture, be it crops, livestock, fisheries, irrigation and stuff like that. However, there are elements of caution that I want to raise: one, these sectors are scattered across many other SAGAS and departments. There is a department dealing with irrigation yet we have the National Irrigation Authority. Money has already been allocated to the two. More money has been allocated to other aspects of agriculture in the name of irrigation but under different departments and my thinking is that we are going to have a problem. Agriculture is a devolved function. So, when we allocate more money to it, where is it going to be placed? The amount of money that we are talking about here is besides the Ksh370 billion that we are allocating counties yet we have Ksh100 billion plus still going to agriculture. Where is this money going to be placed? Where is it going to be placed? How are we able to increase food production? Is it the National Government taking the bulk of the money again or money would be sent to the counties where agriculture, livestock, and fisheries are individually 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.

done as a function? Who is producing food? Is it county governments or the National Government? These are hard questions that we must address moving forward. There is no need of placing money there. We allocate money for agriculture to Nairobi County yet agriculture is devolved. That is an area which needs to be looked at seriously. We need to re-focus on allocating more money to agriculture. We are now experiencing a shortage of food, but we are hopeful of a potential bumper harvest. Climatic conditions like rains and all that remain unpredictable. In my place, we were very happy that we were going to have some good harvest this time round. Unfortunately, we experienced too much rain. It was for a short time, but the crops are failing yet there were indications that we would have a bumper harvest. On the other hand, if we do not get good harvests, we have another issue of fertilizers which are expensive. With climate change, anything can happen. Let us talk about how we can get food reserves on time so that when we have bumper harvests, we can store the extras to help us during difficult times. We do not have to run around importing food. The amount of money that we have spent in importing food in the last two years is enough for us to have proper food reserves in this country. Thank you.

The Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection, Hon. Wambui Ng'ang'a. If you take a few minutes as possible, you will have given an opportunity to your colleagues to also weigh in on this before the end of the day.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. At the outset, I want to support the Motion on the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee regarding the 2023/2024 Budget Estimates. My Committee, is the only one that deals with the vulnerable groups like the elderly, less privileged in the society, children, street children, youth, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). When all Departmental Committees visited the Budget and Appropriations Committee, I presented the Budget Estimates after scrutinising and deliberating on the Report. The money which is allocated to the Cash Transfer Programme for the elderly needs to be increased. It was last transferred in January and yet the elderly needed it for medication. Once the cash flow is delayed, the elderly face many problems. I am happy Ksh500 million has been added to the kitty. It is not enough. We have money constraints but in future, we need to audit the Cash Transfer Programme which started in 2017. There are many elderly people who have reached that age but have not yet been enrolled into this Programme. We need to do that because we need to treat everybody equally. When we went to do the presentation, we said that we need to look into it. Before we do that, we also need to audit to establish whether all beneficiaries are still alive. Maybe some of them passed on but nobody has ever realised that. So, we need to audit the entire Programme and include the ones who are still missing out. We also know that there are challenges. As the elderly go to collect their money, they suffer a lot. Maybe, even the telephone number that they are using currently is not the same one that they registered with. It is also a challenge to move from their houses to collect the money. We need to audit this Programme and see what is best, so that we can help our elderly and give them dignity as they are aging. We should take good care of them because they also took care of us when we were young. Another matter that arose in the Budget Estimates is the youth factor. We need to have more youth hubs at the constituency level. They need to be equipped with ICT. I can see the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation. Our youth can create jobs for themselves. The youth hubs will enable them to study and write their thesis using those computers. There are too many young men and women who are content creators. They need to be promoted. The youth centres need to be renovated. Some need to be built so that all our youth across the country can be taken care of. The youth form a huge part 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.

of the population in this nation. We cannot wish them away. We need to treat them well. When we are campaigning, we put them at the forefront. When we are making the Budget, we also need to remember them and give them what they deserve. This nation should think about them. I want to thank His Excellency the President because he is putting in more effort into this innovation that will take care of our youth. We also came across people living with disabilities. We have two bodies: the National Council for the Disabled of Kenya (NCDK) and the National Council for Persons with Disability (NCPWD). As a Committee, we proposed that we need to merge the two bodies, so that they can take care of all the people living with disabilities. As a Committee, sometimes we wonder whom we oversee because it is only one body that comes to us but the other one does not. They receive Government kitty but Parliament does not oversee them. We need to merge the two bodies to make them efficient and effective. Hon. Temporary Speaker, this Budget will also take good care of markets. A bigger population in our constituencies earns its livelihood from markets. We need to upgrade these markets to a position that they are covered when it rains or when the sun is hot. That is so that traders can transact their businesses well. These places become very pathetic when it rains. The hot sun spoils their properties and produce. It will really help, and in a very big way if we build a market. There is also a chunk of money that we said we will give the State Department of Social Protection and Senior Citizens Affairs. They have too many pieces of land across the country that are not fenced. Because land grabbers have finished selling prime lands, they are now attacking Government property. We also set aside money for the land that belongs to Government. If it can be fenced and given proper care, these land grabbers will stay away as possible. They steal everything. Even things they know do not belong to them. They steal things that are coming to help their children. When their children come of age, they will not have a facility where they can go and play or a place where they can pass time as opposed to staying in houses. They can also go outside and play football. They have grabbed all these properties. That is why we gave money to the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizens Affairs to make sure the properties are safeguarded for the benefit of our children. There is goodwill in this nation. Everybody has joined in to support His Excellency the President. I know it is the case even with the Finance Bill which we will debate next week. I am supporting it because I need more money in the Inua Jamii Programme where all our vulnerable groups are going to benefit. They can only benefit if the nation has money. I also want to go on record to say we should not do business as usual this time round. We cannot tolerate or engage in corruption at this time. I know you know these matters very well. One or two of the people caught in corruption cases and found guilty need to be hanged so that we set a record. If we hang one or two, corruption will be a thing of the past in this nation. We mean well and we are going to collect money from taxes. That is the mood of the nation. However, let us give our people back home confidence that this money is going to proper use. Let us not spare anybody caught on the wrong side of this money that we are going to collect, including myself. It does not matter which tribe or region one is from. It is high time we as leaders took up this mantle and said enough is enough. Once money is collected from the public, it needs to go to the intended use and not to people who say it is their time to eat. Anybody found guilty of taking from Government coffers should be hanged. It is me saying that while seated here. They need to be hanged like in other countries that have progressed. Singapore and some countries in Europe have progressed because they are corrupt-free nations. With the money we will collect, it will be enough for our programmes to succeed. We will have medicines in our hospitals, proper infrastructure, and enough money for the Inua Jamii Programme. I stand to support. Thank you very much. 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.

Hon. Ibrahim Saney take the least time so that Hon. Pukose can also weigh in. Proceed.

(Wajir North, UDA)

Order! Order! We have run out of time. You will still have another four minutes when we reconvene. It is my humble direction to whoever is going to be in the Chair to give Hon. Pukose the second chance when the House reconvenes. I understand you have been waiting the whole day to have an opportunity. Order, Hon. Members.

Hon. Members, the time being 9.00 p.m., this House stands adjourned until Thursday, 8th June 2023 at 2.30 p.m.

The House rose at 9.00 p.m.

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Clerk of the National Assembly Parliament Buildings Nairobi 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.