Serjeant-at-Arms, I direct that you ring the Quorum Bell for ten minutes.

We may proceed. First Order.

Hon. Members, settle down quickly. Thank you.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the Leader of Majority Party, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: 1. Report of the Auditor-General on Public Universities for the Financial Year 2021/2022; 2. 2022/2023 Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) Annual Report; 3. Report of the Auditor-General on National Government for the Financial Year 2022/2023; 4. National Government Budget Implementation Review Report for the First Nine Months of Financial Year, 2023/2024 from the Office of the Controller of Budget; 5. County Government Budget Implementation Review Report for the First Nine Months of Financial Year, 2023/2024 from the Office of the Controller of Budget; 6. The following documents from the Commission on Revenue Allocation: (a) Annual Report and Financial Statement 2022/2023; (b) The Own Source Revenue and Comprehensive Tax Gap Study; and, (c) The Vertical Recommendations 2024/2025. 7. Report of the Activities and Financial Statements for Financial Year 2022/2023 from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission; and, 8. National Road Safety Action Plan 2024/2028 from the National Transport and Safety Authority. 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.

Next is the Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. Hon. Brighton Yegon, are you doing it on behalf of your Chair?

Yes.

Okay, proceed.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on its consideration of the Senate amendments to the Food and Feed Safety Control Co- ordination Bill, (National Assembly Bill No. 21 of 2023). Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Next, we have the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Lands.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Lands on its consideration of the Senate amendments to the National Rating Bill, (National Assembly Bill No.55 of 2022). Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Next Order.

Nominated Member, Hon. Umulkher Harun, you have a Statement?

Yes. Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2) (c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy regarding the on-going power outages in Garissa. In the recent past, there have been frequent power outages in Garissa County which have disrupted critical services, including health facilities, public institutions and commercial entities. The outages have caused panic amongst the area residents, noting that this may result to incidences of insecurity and negatively impact the economic growth. It is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy on the following: 1. Could the Chairperson provide a report on the steps that are being taken by the Ministry of Energy to address the frequent power outages in Garissa County? 2. What action has the Ministry taken to ensure stable power supply in the county? I, thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Also, to note, the same was raised by the area Member of Parliament for Ijara Constituency. Thank you. 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. Is the Chairperson for the Departmental Committee on Energy here? Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, ensure that this gets the attention of the Departmental Committee on Energy. They are not present. Next, is a Statement from Hon. Bishop Khamala, Member for Lurambi.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning regarding the measures to contain the high cost of living in the country. Heavy reliance of Kenya’s economy on importation, which is largely dependent on the exchange rate for the Shilling against the United States Dollar (US$), remains the leading contributor to high cost of living in the country. The situation has, on various occasions, gotten worse especially when the value of the Shilling against the US$ depreciates. However, in the recent period of about three months, the Shilling has stabilised from its previous weakening trend and gained against the (US$). According to a bulletin released by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) in May 2024, the Shilling recorded a significant gain of Ksh135 against the US$ rate, from a previous rate of Ksh139. While a stronger Shilling has a stabilising effect on the economy, the gain in its exchange rate against the US$ has not significantly lowered the inflation rate and the cost of living in the country. The high inflation rate is negatively impacting pricing of essential commodities such as food and fuel, resulting in high costs of living. It is against this background that I seek a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning on the following: 1. Could the Chairperson explain why there has not been a significant positive shift translating into a reduction in the cost of living for Kenyans despite the significant appreciation of the Shilling trading rate against the US$? 2. What factors are hindering the lowering of cost of living in spite of the gain in the value of the exchange rate of the Shillings against the US$? 3. What measures is the Government taking to ensure that every gain in the trading value of the Shilling against the US$ results in lowering of prices of essential commodities especially fuel, food and electricity, which continue to burden the majority of Kenyan households? 4. What long-term measures has the Government taken to sustain the strength of the Shilling against the US$ and ensure that the gain in value of exchange rate translates more directly and equitably to lowering living expenses for Kenyans? I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you. Is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning present or any member of the Committee who can make a commitment? We leave that to the Leader of the Majority Party to ensure that it gets the attention of the Committee. Maybe, during the next Sitting, they can advise us. The next statement request is by Hon. Stephen Mule, Member for Matungulu. Please, proceed.

COLLAPSED ATHI RIVER BRIDGE IN DONYO SABUK 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. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding the collapsed Athi River Bridge in Donyo Sabuk area, Matungulu Constituency. The Athi River Bridge serves as a primary link between Kiambu and Machakos counties, particularly functioning as the principal route connecting the residents of Thika Town and Matungulu Constituency. However, the movement between the two counties has been paralysed after the bridge collapsed due to flash floods. Residents who wish to traverse between the two counties are now forced to use boats to travel between the two areas. Most alarmingly, the collapse of the bridge has resulted in approximately 300 students being unable to attend school. Some of the brave children, desperate not to miss their education, are endangering their lives daily by attempting to cross the treacherous river in makeshift boats. This is a situation that not only poses a grave risk to their safety, but also severely hampers their constitutional right to education as well as disrupting the economic activities of traders and farmers from both counties who rely on the bridge to transport their goods. Despite the plight of those residents, the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) is yet to take any action. It is against this background that I seek a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure on the following: 1. Why is KeRRA yet to take any action in re-construction of the bridge; considering the plight of the residents of the two constituencies? 2. What are the immediate measures being taken by the Ministry of Roads and Transport to provide temporary crossing solutions for the residents? 3. State why the construction of Tala-Donyo-Thika Road has stalled for the last three years and the measures that has been put in place to ensure that the contractor resumes the construction of the said road? I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Is the Chairperson for the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure present to give a commitment?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, we require three weeks to respond.

Thank you, Chair. I did not know you were present. Okay. Two weeks.

On point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker,

What is your point of order?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, a representative of the Committee is requesting for three weeks. As we speak, the 300 students cannot access their schools. I find three weeks a long period. We need to act as quickly as possible. I wish the Committee can give priority to this request for a statement. We cannot sit in this House and yet, 300 hundred students are not in school. Something must be done.

Do you have a response, Hon. Chairperson?

I sympathise with the students’ situation and we promise to respond to the matter within two weeks. We have quite a number of requests for statements to respond to, and we will require the Ministry to appear before the Committee to commit the statements to 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.

Have you already summoned the Ministry or you are saying you will?

I meant that we have a number of other statements that had been requested for by the Members. We would, therefore, require ample time to respond. If the Member allows me, I think two weeks will be good enough.

Maybe, I can help you, Chair. If it is a bridge, is it under Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) or KeRRA?

From what the Member has stated, it is under KeRRA.

I think the fastest way is to summon KeRRA.

Yes. But normally, we summon the Cabinet Secretary who delegates to the Principal Secretary (PS), but not the Director-General. We rarely invite the DG directly. We will require the Cabinet Secretary to direct the Permanent Secretary to appear before the Committee or he appears himself.

Why not make it a week? Three weeks, we would have already gone for recess. To be fair to Hon. Mule and considering the urgency since children are not going to school, try and respond next week, Thursday in the afternoon Sitting.

Okay. We will do our best.

Thank you. We have a request for statement from the Member of Laikipia East, Hon. Mwangi Kiunjuri.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2) (c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife regarding the regulation of wildlife in private conservancies In the last few months, communities in Laikipia East Constituency have been living in fear and frequent anxiety due to the frequent marauding by wild animals from nearby private conservancies and ranches such as Solio, Ol Pejeta, and Lol Daiga, among others. Those animals and, particularly, elephants, lions, zebras and monkeys, have caused havoc and suffering to the residents. Crops have been destroyed and livestock have been killed due to the lack of regulation of the wild animals which stray from those private conservancies. While we appreciate the importance of wildlife conservation and the tourism revenue it generates, the plight of the residents situated around the private conservancies and ranches cannot be overlooked. Regrettably, the residents are terrorised by those wild animals, thus resulting to them living under constant threat, and unable to move freely especially at night. It is against this background that I seek a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife on the following: 1. What action is the Ministry taking to ensure that wild animals that are found in the private conservancies and ranches are contained to prevent them from straying to the areas that are occupied by the people of Solio, Tigithi, Kihato, Umande and Mwituria locations? 2. Could the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife provide details on who has the responsibility to ensure the necessary fencing of such private conservancies 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.

ranches is done and maintained to keep wildlife within their boundaries, and what measures are in place to enforce that responsibility? 3. What measures are there to timely compensate the residents for the losses that are occasioned by such animals, including crop destruction? 4. What policy measures are in place to ensure communities are not receiving peanut benefits from the conservancies, ranches and Government, considering the benefits that are gained from visits by tourists due to the presence of wild animals? I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker

Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife. Are they present? Yes, Member for Kiambaa.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I am the Vice-Chair of the Committee. We commit that within 14 days, we will be able to bring a report to the Floor of this House. Issues of human-wildlife conflict are very emotive and we are going to do our best to make sure that we do a better report and bring it before the House.

Thank you. Before we go to the last statement, I would like to recognise the following schools that are seated in the Speaker’s Gallery: 1. Chogoria Boys’ Secondary School from Maara, Tharaka Nithi County. 2. Kapkisiara Girls’ High School from Bureti, Kericho County. Seated in the Public Gallery are: 3. Baricho Boys’ High School from Ndia Constituency, Kirinyaga County. 4. We have Eagles West-View Secondary School from Kikuyu, Kiambu County. 5. Ruai Hills View Secondary School from Kasarani, Nairobi County. 6. Kyambo Secondary School from Mwingi West, Kitui County.

I will give the Member for Ndia a chance to welcome the guests on our behalf.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I take this opportunity to welcome the students from various schools who have visited Parliament. Visiting Parliament is a great opportunity for children to learn how it operates and how laws are made and how this arm of Government functions. When I was a small boy, I used to visit Parliament quite often. But I never knew that one day, I would sit here as a Member of Parliament. So, I encourage the young ones who have visited Parliament and assure them that whatever vision they have in their hearts will come to pass. Any of them who wishes to one day be a Member of Parliament, I encourage them that it is possible and they will be great men and women in this country. I encourage them to pursue their education with great energy and commitment, so that one day, they can realise their dreams. There is one school in my constituency called Baricho Boys’ High School. It is one of the best schools in this country. It is an extra-county school. I am very happy to have them here. I encourage them to continue pursuing their academic goals with zeal and resilience. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

I will give one more chance to the Member for Bureti, Hon. Kibet Komingoi, to also welcome the guests.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. We welcome all the students, especially students from Kapkisiara Girls’ High School in Bureti Constituency, 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.

Tebesonik Ward – which is my actual ward. It is the only school that performs excellently in my ward. We are indeed very grateful that they are here not only to see for themselves what happens in this House, but also to motivate them so that they may put more effort in academics. I encourage them to be good citizens and participate in the economic activities of this nation so that they can contribute to the public good. I welcome them and tell them to enjoy the time that they have in Nairobi and take back greetings from this Bunge to the rest of the students in their schools. You are most welcome, our youth. Thank you.

Thank you. We can move to the next Order. Hon. Mayaka, I just approved your request for statement. My apologies, I just signed it now.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Health regarding the lack of facilities specialising in the treatment of endometriosis. Endometriosis is a gynaecological condition which affects an estimated 176 million women worldwide, according to the National Institutes of Health, and remains a leading cause of infertility and chronic pelvic pain. Notably, many women in Kenya who are suffering from endometriosis have raised concerns that due to lack of facilities specialising in its treatment and trained personnel, their diagnosis of the condition is enormously delayed for years. Furthermore, victims of endometriosis bear the overwhelming burden of exorbitant costs that are associated with acquiring treatment for the condition. While endometriosis is not usually considered fatal, in rare circumstances, it can precipitate life-threatening complications. The late Ms Jahmby Koikai is an endometriosis warrior, whose condition worsened over the years, until she suffered a collapsed lung from thoracic endometriosis, thus necessitating specialised surgery. It is, therefore, with a heavy heart that many people mourn the loss of that great woman, following her demise on 4th June 2024, after battling her condition with remarkable fortitude while also publicly raising awareness on the condition. I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and all who grieve the loss of the late Ms Jahmby Koikai. The people of Kenya have lost a truly exceptional lady who advocated for reproductive health rights for women and brought profound awareness on endometriosis to improve better health care for the women with the condition. It is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Health on the following: 1. State the number of facilities in the country that specialise in endometriosis treatment, their location and whether such facilities carry out public awareness programmes on the condition? 2. Outline the measures that have been put in place by the Ministry of Health to facilitate public hospitals with specialised training on the treatment of endometriosis so as to provide better health care to women in the country? 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.

3. What are the specific actions that are being taken by the Ministry of Health to tackle the challenges posed by endometriosis and create public awareness on its treatment? I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Mayaka. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Health. In his absence, I do not know if there is any member of the Committee who is here. Hon. Sunkuli.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Health, I undertake to push for a statement to be delivered in two weeks’ time.

Thank you, Hon. Sunkuli. Leader of the Majority Party, do you have your usual Thursday statement?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Yes, I have the usual Thursday statement on behalf of the House Business Committee, which met on Tuesday, 4th June 2024, to prioritise business for consideration during the week. Allow me to first welcome back all Members of this House from the long working recess that we just came from, and welcome you to a very busy session. Hon. Deputy Speaker, as you are aware, this is a Session that we will consider what we have already begun, which are our Budget Estimates and their approval, Finance Bill and other important business. Therefore, it will be a very busy schedule. As I welcome Members, they are aware that this morning, the House concluded the general debate on the Budget Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure and the Medium Term for the Financial Year 2024/2025. It is expected to adopt the Annual Estimates in the Committee of Supply this afternoon. The House also concluded the consideration of the Supplementary Estimates and the resultant Bill at all stages.

Allow me to commend Members for their commitment and participation during this important time-bound business in line with our parliamentary calendar and fiscal calendar of the country. With regard to business scheduled for Tuesday, 6th June 2024, the House is expected to consider the following Bills at various stages, should they not be concluded today: 1. Committee of the whole House on the Kenya Drugs Authority Bill, 2022. 2. Second Readings of: (a) The Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2023. (b) The Mung Beans Bill (Senate Bill No. 13 of 2022). (c) The Care and Protection of Child Parents Bill (Senate Bill No. 29 of 2023). (d) The Land Laws (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2023. Additionally, debate will also be undertaken on the following Motions, should they not be concluded today: 1. Reports of the Auditor-General on the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) for nine constituencies in Bungoma County. 2. Report of the Public Petitions Committee on its consideration of public petition on funds spent contrary to the provisions of Article 223 of the Constitution. 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.

3. Reports of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements of specified State Corporations. 4. Report on the Parliamentary Broadcasting and Library on enhancing reporting of parliamentary business on online platforms. 5. Report of the Committee on Regional Integration on its inspection to the semi- autonomous institutions of the East African Community in Uganda. 6. Report of the Committee on Implementation on the implementation status of reports on petitions and resolutions that have been passed by the House. 7. Report of the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives on its consideration of alleged unfair trade practices by foreign investors in Kenya. With regards to the attendance of Cabinet Secretaries before Plenary to answer Members’ Questions and respond to Statements, I wish to inform the House that due to priority budget- related business scheduled for next week, the Cabinet Secretaries that were scheduled to appear on Wednesday, 12th June 2024, have been rescheduled to a later date. I also wish to remind the House that, in line with Hon. Speaker’s Communication on Tuesday, that the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury will present the budget highlights and revenue raising measures next Thursday, 13th June 2024, together with his compatriots in the East African Community (EAC) in their respective countries.

In conclusion, the House Business Committee shall reconvene on Tuesday, 11th June 2024, to schedule business for the rest of that week. I now wish to lay this Statement on the Table of the House. Have a blessed weekend.

Thank you. Next Order.

Proceed.

Kikuyu, UDA): Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move the following Procedural Motion: THAT, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 30(3)(a), this House orders that, should the time appointed for adjournment of the House be reached before the conclusion of business under Order No. 10 (Committee of Supply), the Sitting shall stand extended until the conclusion of the particular business. I appeal to Members to support this Motion and also seek their indulgence and support because they support this budget process. As I mentioned, in line with what has been lined up for business next week and considering that the Cabinet Secretary will come to the Chamber, we will lose a day next week. That is why we had a Sitting this morning. We seek to extend today’s Sitting beyond the appointed time – that is 7.00 p.m. The House rises at 7.00 p.m. I appeal to you to hang on until we conclude the Committee of Supply. We adopted the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee in the morning. We are yet to supply money to the State departments, including the State Department for Economic Planning that has our money which goes to our constituencies for bursaries through NG-CDF. Therefore, without supplying that money, then we have not budgeted for it. This is the actual budget now. It is important to mention this, so that we indulge the House leadership. I will call 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.

upon the Leader of the Minority Party to second this Motion because it is important for the House and country, so that we can conclude this business. Working backwards, we will lose Thursday because of the Cabinet Secretary’s Statement. This means that the House will not sit on Thursday. We need to give the National Treasury at least a day before the Cabinet Secretary comes to give budget highlights and revenue-raising measures for him to factor in what has been adopted by the House. That means that we must have cleared with the Appropriation Bill and the Committee of Supply at least by the beginning of Tuesday in the afternoon. I, therefore, seek your indulgence. Please hang on and support the Chairman and Members of Budget and Appropriations Committee. I pray that all the Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee will be as diligent as Hon. Samuel Atandi and Hon. Makali Mulu, who have been here throughout this process.

I can see Hon. Jematiah, Hon. John Kawanjiku and Hon. John Chikati. I appeal to the 27 Members of this Committee to be around because this is their baby. I also appeal to the other very diligent Members to be around until we conclude the Committee of Supply. This is when all the Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of committees come to supply the money that they seek to appropriate to their State departments. If you do not supply the money, then there is nothing to oversee. We have the power of the purse in this House, but not the other one where they just talk about the money. This is where you appropriate money. This is where the real power of the purse is. This is the time to show this power this afternoon, until the conclusion of debate.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move and request the Leader of the Minority Party - Hon. Opiyo Wandayi, Member for Ugunja Constituency in Siaya County where I will soon visit upon his invitation - to second the Motion. This is a country that we want to build together. When Kenyans see us fighting with him at times on the Floor of the House, they will know we are not enemies because we have varying opinions on certain matters. Where we have divergent opinions, we articulate them respectively. I honour the people of Ugunja who brought him here just like the way he honours the people of Kikuyu who brought me here. Leader of the Minority Party, I beg that you second this Motion.

I wish to second the Motion. Ideally, the Motion seeks to extend the hours of this afternoon Sitting. It is only logical to do so. I want to echo what Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah has said. If there is one task that is sacrosanct for this House, it is the budget-making task. There is no more critical stage of the budget-making process than the Committee of Supply. I plead with my colleagues that budget-making is a fairly technical process. It is incumbent upon Members to take their time and sit through the process, from the beginning to the end. This is the only way to master and understand in full detail what it takes to make a budget.

As I second this Motion, I wish to thank the Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee who have been present throughout the morning Session. I left here for other engagements but they stayed here. We should continue in the same spirit. We need this budget- 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.

making process concluded so that monies can be appropriated to the various functions for this country to move forward.

With those many remarks, I second.

Put the question!

Mover, proceed to reply so that I can put the question.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to reply and ask you to put the Question.

Hon. Members, you have signed up to stay until midnight.

Next Order.

Hon. Members, we are now in the Committee of Supply to consider the Estimates of Recurrent and Development Expenditure for the year ending 30th June 2025.

Hon. Members, kindly press the intervention button if you intend to speak on any of these issues. Hon. Mayaka, are you speaking on this one?

No.

Hon. Oundo.

There is a point we need to note as we support. This Vote is only a recurrent expenditure. It does not produce anything that can enhance economic development in this country. In future, we need to allocate them something to engage the people, instead of just drawing salaries for doing nothing. Thank you.

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. Elachi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Going forward, and as we approve this Vote, I think it will be important to always understand what we mean when we talk about service delivery. It will be good to bring us a report in this House so that we know the services the President... Do we still have people who are monitoring from outside there? In the next Budget, we must ensure there are measures to show us things were done. What service delivery are you referring to when you just say service delivery?

Hon. Oundo.

Being a substantial amount of close to Ksh9.5 billion and for a sense of accountability, is it possible to see value for money for this expenditure? We know that they require money to move. Let us hope the money is not spent out of the country. A bit of it should be spent here in Kenya so that the circulation of money can be felt. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Member for Embakasi West, Hon. Mark Mwenje.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I thank and congratulate the Budget and Appropriations Committee on this specific Vote, especially on probation and after-care. If we can, let us ensure the relevant Departmental Committee ensures that these funds are used to rehabilitate those who have been released from prison because most of them just end up falling back into the same crimes. These funds can really change the lives of ex-prisoners if they are utilised well. I support this specific Vote.

Hon Oundo.

I hope the Chairman, in respect to these departments, is in the House. It seems that we have a serious crisis in the correctional services of dilapidated prisons, lack of motor vehicles to transport prisoners to courts, and, generally, a poor state of the prison services. I hope the Ksh7 million that has been allocated will go a long way in repairs and maintenance so that our prisoners can live in their dignity and in line with the work that had been started by Uncle Moody.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Makali Mulu.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

I said that if you intend to speak on this, press your intervention button. Hon. Makali, go on.

Even as I agree with this allocation to the Department of Immigration and Citizen Services, the issue of passports and identity cards is of national interest. How I hope that the Department will act very fast to ensure that our people get passports and identity cards. That is important. I support.

Member for Mombasa County, Hon. Zamzam.

Ahsante sana, Mhe. Mwenyekiti wa Muda. Hata kama ninaunga mkono waongezewe mapeni, nina wasiwasi kuwa watoto wetu wanahangaika sana kupata pasipoti hasa ndani ya Kaunti ya Mombasa. Pasipoti nyingi walizo apply bado hazijafika mpaka sasa. Kwa hivyo, naiomba Idara ya Uhamihaji ihakikishe kuwa huduma kwa Wakenya inakuja kwa ukamilifu na kwa wakati. Ahsante sana. Mhe. Mwenyekiti wa Muda.

Hon. Onchoke, Bonchari Constituency.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Whereas I support the proposal, we hope that the money allocated will be adequate to ensure we have more efficient services from that Department. In the past, there have been inordinate delays in the printing and supplying of passports to the applicants. That Department contributes quite a bit of money to the Exchequer through Appropriations-in-Aid. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Elachi.

While I appreciate this, the one thing that the Department needs to look into is work permits. There are many people who are crying about delays in the processing of work permits. They are being followed and penalised, especially in their companies. I plead with the Department that it is time they did things efficiently. They have brought in reforms, but let those reforms be felt by everyone. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Member for Kimilili Constituency, are you speaking on this?

Yes, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support this very progressive move. It will bring value and Kenyans will be happy about it. I support.

Hon. Antoney Kibagendi. 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. Temporary Chairlady. While we appreciate the amount that has been allocated to this State Department, I join fellow Hon. Members in asking the department to improve on their efficiency in printing of passports, IDs, and work permits for the people who are willing to work in Kenya. This is a department that also helps in raising revenue for the Government, hence they need to improve on their efficiency.

Member for Funyula. Are you on this? Hon. Elachi, you have already spoken.

Hon. Member for Sigowet/Soin Constituency, Hon. Justice Kemei.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support. The amount is necessary to equip our police service and give them the necessary skills to fight crime, including today’s cyber-crimes. I support.

Hon. Member for Kabondo Kasipul Constituency, Hon. Eve Obara. Use the next microphone.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I am happy that Ksh110 billion has been appropriated, but we must ensure that the money gets down to the sub-counties. There is a serious problem of services not being offered because of lack of resources. They do not have furniture or proper vehicles and the Committee in charge should ensure that this happens at the Committee level and that money goes to the constituencies and sub- counties.

Before I give a chance to the next speaker, allow me to recognise the students who are seated in the Public Gallery. We have students from Lokusero Secondary School, Laikipia North Constituency, Laikipia County; Uhuru Secondary School, Embakasi West Constituency, Nairobi County and, Kalalu Girls’ Secondary School, Laikipia East Constituency, Laikipia County. In the Speaker’s Gallery, we have students from Pioneer Girls’ High School, Gatanga Constituency in Murang’a County. On my behalf and that of the House, I welcome them to observe the proceedings of the House. I will indulge one parent of a student in the Speaker’s Gallery, Hon. Opiyo Wandayi, to welcome them all together.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I join you in welcoming the students from various schools who are seated in both the Public and Speaker’s Gallery. I extend a special welcome to the students from Pioneer Girls’ High School where I am a The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

parent. I encourage the girls from that particular school to work hard and emulate your achievements, Madam Chair, and recognise that only hard work can make them succeed in life and occupy positions of influence, such as the one you hold.

With those many remarks, I say thank you. Let us proceed.

Member for Embakasi West, you do not have to rise up and raise your hand at the same time. Hon. Mark Mwenje, take a minute.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Apologies. I was worried you were not seeing me. Kindly, let me recognise and thank you for allowing Uhuru Secondary School from Embakasi West to come to Parliament.

Just last week, I opened a twin laboratory in that school. I want to thank the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee for the money that he has appropriated to the school which is being affected by electricity. We need to relocate some of the power lines. I welcome them to see where we get funds so that we can do the work in their school.

That is enough for the students. Kindly, welcome to the House. We are back to Vote 1025 - The National Police Service.

Hon. Member for Endebess.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support this withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund to the National Police Service. I hope that the National Police Service, now that the Inspector-General is an accounting officer, will be able to look into the affairs of the police officers, especially with regard to issues of housing and in particular Endebess Police Station. Despite the fact that I am using National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) to put some support structures for them, I now expect that the Inspector-General of Police will provide a vehicle to Kimondo Police Station and some infrastructure.

Hon. Muthoni Ikiara.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I also support this allocation to the National Police Service. I pray that all gender desks in the police stations will be fully funded and operational now that we have a lot of rising cases against gender.

Hon. Christopher Aseka.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I rise to support this allocation. Even as our police officers go to Haiti, they should be well catered for.

Hon. Beatrice Kemei from Kericho.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support. It is important for the National Police Service to have their welfare taken care of. Most of them do not have good houses and vehicles. I also pray that the police stations will be good.

Member for Kwanza.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I support this. We should do much more to improve communication, as this is a very important sector that requires mobility. Those responsible for the security of our country need adequate resources, including enough vehicles to address security challenges. Therefore, we need to allocate additional funds for this purpose. 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.

Allow me to put the question.

We shall, for the convenience of the House, continue to Vote 1032 as per Standing Order 133(10), which states: “The consideration of any part or a clause of a Bill may be postponed until such later stage of the proceedings in Committee on such Bill as the Committee may determine.” We shall come back to Vote 1026 later.

Hon. (Dr) Nyikal.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, while I support the funds that have been allocated to this Department, I am not quite clear what this State Department does on a day-to-day basis. We know that the process of devolution is beset with very many challenges. Even the coordination mechanisms, the Inter-Governmental Relation Technical Committee (IGRTC), the Council of Governors (CoG) secretariat, the harmonisation between policies at the national Government and implementation at the county are problems that we are facing. I would call upon the Departmental Committee that is in charge of the implementation of the Constitution – and I believe we have that - to follow up on this and let us know what exactly that Department does. Otherwise, I support.

Member for Tinderet, Hon. Melly.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I stand to support the Vote on devolution as this Vote is going to promote and enhance the issue of decentralising administration out of Nairobi and ensuring that, as per the Constitution, what is mandated for the counties and the national Government is well spelt out and the functions are undertaken. I support.

Before I give the next speaker, allow me to recognise, in the Speaker’s Gallery, students from Mount Kenya Academy from Nyeri Town in Nyeri County. On behalf of the House and myself, let us welcome them to the House to observe the proceedings.

Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I agree with my colleagues, Hon. (Dr) Nyikal and Hon. Melly, that this Department is supposed to be very active in terms of managing issues relating to inter-governmental relations, but we realise 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 very dormant. Members are suggesting that they should improve their visibility in terms of what they do, now that they are being given almost Ksh4 billion. If they improve, Members will stop asking what they do. It is important we see what they are doing and Kenyans appreciate them. I support.

Member for Kiharu, Hon. Ndindi Nyoro.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. This Department is very important. In the Division of Revenue Bill, we had a whooping Ksh400 billion going to our counties as equitable share. We also have conditional grants to a tune of Ksh42 billion. There are organs that coordinate devolution because even if we are devolving these funds, the Government works in a manner that is complementary. Therefore, it needs to have a bridge and a platform for both levels of counties to engage. An organ like IGTRC, which is currently unbundling some of the services and functions that are left with the national Government but need to be devolved, is also domiciled in the same Department. The Department is important, especially at this particular time. As devolution matures, we will ultimately devolve all the functions and possibly by then we can have that discussion.

Hon. John Makali.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support this allocation. We need to strengthen devolution by ensuring almost all functions that are devolved under the Fourth Schedule, money is sent to the counties so they can strengthen it.

Hon. Salasya are you aware that you have pressed the intervention button?

Hon. Jackson Kosgei, do you intend to speak on this one? You have the Floor.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Arid and semi-arid lands cover a huge mass of land area in this country, up to 80 per cent. It is not true that, that area is only dry. Underneath, you will find a lot of natural resources. In future, it will be necessary to add more resources for mapping so that the minerals in those areas like oil can be found. The funds in the current budget for administrative support are not enough. We need to exploit the potential in those areas. Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I support.

Member for Kitutu Chache North. 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. Temporary Chairlady. I also support the funding given to the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development. Regional Development Authorities (RDAs) have been in existence, but most of them pay their employees very little money. I support that RDAs should get more money so that they can continue to offer services to Kenyans. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support.

Hon. Wanami.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, first I want to congratulate the Committee under the able leadership of the Chairperson, who is my friend, Hon. Ndindi Nyoro, for the good work they have done. The Ministry of Defence should be prudent and fair to every region and constituency when recruiting. In some instances, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) pick people who are not known in their constituencies. They should also invest in new aircraft because we do not want to depend on the old, donated ones. They are causing death to our people. Zinaanguka anguka tu. They are killing them, including the highest person in the KDF.

Hon. Wamboka, follow the Standing Orders. Do not mix languages.

Noted, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. We want to encourage them to buy new equipment and aircraft and be fair during the recruitment.

Hon. Nyikal.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support, but the National Space Management Program did not get enough money. Space is the in-thing for defence exploration and communication. That is where the world is moving to. If we give them little money, how will they research? Are they even linked to the station we have at the coast? With this kind of money, they will not be at the level the country requires in terms of defence, communication and the future in space. They need more money.

Hon. Didmus Barasa.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support the allocation of this money. I beseech the military because their hospitals are very good in trauma management to open a wing as a referral hospital for civilians. They should open doors to attend to the very few cases of Kenyans who require that service.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I support.

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. Pukose.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady for allowing me to contribute on this. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the able leadership of the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, needs a lot of support, especially in relation to campaigning for the Rt. Hon Raila Odinga to be the African Union (AU) Commission Chairman. We need to give them a lot of support so that we can secure that position.

Hon. Irene Mayaka.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I want to support this Vote. One of the reasons is that I have seen under the programmes, foreign relations and diplomacy. Because we are donating our number one ambassador, His Excellency Raila Amollo Odinga as Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party, this is very important. It is going to give them the ability to support his candidature for the AUC chairperson position. So, I support this Vote with all the organs of my life.

The Member for Sotik, Hon. Francis Sigei

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, as I rise to support this Vote, I would like to talk about the state of the missions outside this country. Recently, I had the priviledge to visit one of the missions outside this country. It was in a pathetic situation. The staff who work there are not paid on time. This is a serious issue that we must discuss as the National Assembly. If they are our marketers out there and they do not get money on time, and their offices and their residences are in a pathetic situation, then we are failing them. I support this Vote.

Hon. Salasya, are you ready to say something?

Yes, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Members, seeing you means I can see your card. Relax. Hon. Salasya.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I stand to support the Ksh23 billion for the State Department for Foreign Affairs. The reason is that now the country is developing to increase its network in ensuring that we get the AU Commission seat, which is going to be very critical to this country in terms of ensuring that we get development support from different partners. So, this money should be well utilised so that we see its need.

Hon. Junet.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I want to echo what the Member of Parliament for Sotik has said. When you go out of the country – most of us travel most of the time as MPs – our foreign embassies are in a dire state. Some of them do not 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.

have money and their offices are dilapidated. Their staff have not been paid money for quite some time. The Ksh23 billion is not enough for that State Department. I want to urge the Chairman of the Budget Committee to look into this matter critically and allocate this State Department more money in the Supplementary Estimates Budget. If there is a State Department that is suffering, then it this one. Having said that, in conclusion, the way you see, we have our own money. We do not need Government money. We have our own money. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has money. Those people of ours have money. Do not bother about it. Give this money to those people who are suffering in the embassies.

Member for Kiharu.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I agree it is a very critical State Department. Just to bring Members up to speed, in the Supplementary Estimates II, there was actually an increment for this State Department. However, I also fully support my senior, Hon. Junet. If it pleases him, he can bring an amendment so that we get some money from the fund that he has suggested. I will second it so that we top up on the vote for this State Department.

Thank you.

Hon. Sunkuli.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, as a former ambassador, I would have preferred to say something on the State Department for Foreign Affairs budget. On this particular one, I support. The Government needs to set up more consular stations, especially in countries like China. For a long time, we have wanted a consulate in Quanzhou and in other far- reaching areas. That is very important. This information can also be relevant in the vote that we have just passed. As a matter of commenting, one of the areas we are failing in our foreign service is sending diplomats to countries where they do not even know the language. An American Ambassador or a British High Commissioner can never be sent to China unless they know Chinese. So, I hope that the Foreign Service Institute will prepare our diplomats a bit better. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is being run by one Minister who also has another budget in the Cabinet. So, I hope it can save some money from that and use it for training of our civil servants.

Hon. Adan Keynan. Use the next microphone. 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. Temporary Chairlady. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in any civilised democracy is an interface. In our context, it is the interface between Kenya and the outside world. This diaspora State Department has proudly evolved from a diaspora desk and a diaspora directorate. In 2009 when the then Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations brought a recommendation to have a diaspora State Department, everybody was shocked. Today, everybody appreciates the contribution of this State Department. What I want to ask my colleagues and the able Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee is that, if we really want to make meaningful gains out of our economic diplomacy, the least we can do is to appreciate the existence of this State Department. It is actually the number two Ministry after the Office of the President. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be funded adequately so that our missions represent the President. That is why they fly our national flag. I am glad that some of the former ambassadors are here. When ambassadors are outside there, they can proudly project, promote and protect the image of this very important country called Kenya. When we send them outside the country and we do not fund them, they become paupers. Let us remember that there are countries that survive on donor contributions to manage their mission affairs. Kenya is not in that league. Kenya is a donor nation. Kenya is a very proud nation. Therefore, we should be the first ones to fund our representatives wherever they are. That is the only way we can proudly say that we are one of the members of the civilised nations. I support.

Thank you, Hon. Member. You have made your point.

Member for Khwisero, Hon. Christopher Aseka.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. As I support this allocation, I want the Ministry to move with speed to ensure the 70 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions which were constructed are equipped and are up and running. Secondly, they should ensure that the recruitment of tutors who are supposed to work in those institutions is done. I propose that the recruitment of tutors should be moved from the Public Service Commission (PSC) to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). This is because the process of recruiting those teachers under PSC is taking too long. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Member for Tongaren. 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. Temporary Chairlady. Technical training is critical for the future of this country and yet, it has two major problems. One, is the inadequate infrastructure in those training centres. Two, is the inadequate trainers in those centres. In 2018, a regulation was passed that every constituency must have a technical training centre. To date, some of the constituencies do not have them. Secondly, I propose that the Government sets up an institution called the Technical Training Commission which should be equivalent to the TSC. But in this case, this should only focus on technical training needs. I support. Thank you.

Let us be brief. Next is the Member for Thika Town, Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I also rise to support, but I do not think this amount of money is enough. My constituency was given one TVET institution but, to date, money has not been released. Therefore, we cannot start the construction work. As you may have seen, our youth have a lot of innovation and creativity skills. Without those funds, we cannot empower them. As much as we are allocating this money to them, we need to know how many TVET institutions are being constructed per financial year rather than saying that we have 70 constituencies that have been funded and yet, they have not been given the money. Thank you.

Hon. Makali Mulu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. A number of those Technical Training Institutions (TTIs) are at different levels of implementation. It is important to operationalise them by equipping them once they are completed. I support.

Next is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education and Research.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. TVET is the key to youth unemployment in this country. The amount of money given to that department is not enough, noting that we have capitation issues. We have to construct and equip TTIs in every constituency. As much as we have allocated Ksh30 billion, there is a need to allocate more to this department. This is the department that will equip the youth with skills and knowledge that we can export to foreign countries. I support.

There are no amendments.

Hon. Junet.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I want the Chairpersons of the Departmental Committee on Education and Research and the Budget and Appropriations Committee to listen to me through you. This money is not enough. As you recently saw, confusion was created in the admission of university students where the poor, rich and the empty-handed were all to pay equal fees. Parents cannot afford it. Some of them resorted to selling their livestock. This is a State Department that requires more funding. We need to put our money where our mouth is. I do not know who brought that university admissions model to this country, because it cannot work. The Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee must re- look into this to see if this State Department can be allocated more money if our children are to be properly enrolled in universities. In the Azimio la Umoja Party, one time we promised free education from primary to university level, but we did not get the chance to do it. Those who are there, please, provide money now. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. (Dr) Oundo.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I urge the departments and the entire Budget and Appropriations Committee to look for more resources. The chaos that are being experienced during university admissions is heart-rending. I have received a request to pay Ksh161,000 for a student from Funyula Constituency who is undertaking medicine because the funding structures cannot afford to pay for her. Her parents are mere teachers and do not know how they are going to raise the money between now and Tuesday next week, when the exams begin. We need to streamline this process. Otherwise, we will revert to the old system where everyone knew how much should be paid with certainty. We need more resources. I support.

Hon. Wamuchomba.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I followed the proceedings of the Departmental Committee on Education and Research. From that discussion, I picked that 45,000 learners have been admitted to national universities and cannot afford to report to the institutions. Those are learners who are going to revert to TVET institutions. We expect that the number of learners who are going to flock TVET institutions will be overwhelming. I appeal to the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee to consider adding funds to TVET institutions to enable us to accommodate the serious numbers we are expecting. I thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Ndindi Nyoro.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I agree with the sentiments of all Members. Yes, we need money for TVET institutions and the entire education sector. However, Hon. Junet and Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba, we have a decision to make as a House. Currently, the education sector is the number one department we have allocated most of the money – that is 27 per cent of the entire national Government expenditure. It is going to the education sector. I assure Members that, yes, we agree the current modern economic models that will propel economic growth are all based on education and technology. 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 is precisely what we are doing. If you compare the money allocated to TVET institutions in the previous years with what is allocated now, you will see it is an upward trend. Close to Ksh700 billion in this current Budget is going to the education sector.

No amendments. Member for Kabondo Kasipul, Hon. Eve Obara.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support the Budget, but I would urge this House to consider the policy we had in place called EduAfya . We are soon going to run into a crisis when our children fall sick in school. Previously, they were taken straight to hospitals, because they had a cover, and then the parent would be called. Now the cover is not there. When a child falls sick in school, the principal is expected to get money from his pocket, take the child to hospital and then look for the parent. Can you imagine a situation where there is no money to take that child to hospital before the parent gets to school? Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and my Chairman, this is a matter we have discussed, but the House can look at it as a policy so that money is allocated to take care of our children while they are in school. Thank you very much. I support.

Member for Kwanza.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, we should do something on this as well. I quite agree that this is money that will go to very bright students.

Members, those who intend to speak kindly use your intervention button. Continue, Member for Kwanza.

They should not disrupt me. I am a ranking Member. We should look for funds. I want to talk to my brother in charge of the Budget and Appropriations Committee to consider basic education. We should also have some supplementary funds for those who want to pursue advanced education, especially a master’s degree. That is not provided for anywhere. We cannot use bursaries to do that because we are not allowed. There is no money for children who are going for their master’s degrees. We should have some funds for that because those are people who will push this country forward in terms of future development. We should have some funds apart from this.

Member for Kiambaa. 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. Temporary Chairlady. I support and call upon the Ministry to make sure that the Ksh142 billion that has been allocated to primary schools gets to head teachers on time to support our children as much as possible. Thank you. I support.

Hon. Nyenze.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady, for giving me this opportunity. I support, but capitation for primary schools does not reach schools on time. We always have problems. It is one thing to put money in the budget and another thing for the money to be sent to schools. Let the Ministry ensure the money is sent to schools on time. Thank you.

Member for Sigowet/Soin.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. As I support, I want to bring to the attention of the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education and, indeed, the State Department for Basic Education that, close to 50 PhD holders teach in primary schools. I am not saying this is wrong but, surely, something should be done so that they can be taken to teach in secondary schools and possibly in universities. Thank you, and I support.

Hon. Didmus. Keep it short.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, as I support this, an area the Ministry of Education has failed in is the Government effort to offer free primary and secondary education. It is being impeded by some head teachers who increase fees and levies, which are even more than what parents were previously paying. As we raise this allocation, Ministry officials should ensure that day secondary schools remain free. Those who will not have paid lunch fees or levies can go and eat at home or eat what Hon. Junet Mohamed called madondo and continue to learn. I support.

Hon. Atandi.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I support this appropriation to the State Department for Basic Education. I agree with my brother, Hon. Didmus Barasa. Day secondary school is supposed to be free, but it is not free because principals have devised a tendency where they charge school fees for meals. You find a day school charging Ksh15,000 for meals. This is unrealistic. The Ministry of Education needs to take up this matter and tell principals not to charge students. If students do not have school fees, let them carry their food. In boarding schools, they carry their food to school. Why are they not allowed to carry meals to secondary schools and yet, they are still going back in the evening to eat the same food at home? This is very important. I have already spoken to the Chairman, although he did not give me a conclusive answer. He needs to take the matter seriously.

Hon. Junet. One minute.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, we should not appropriate money just on paper. This issue of capitation has been a big problem for schools. We are basically 20 days to the end of the financial year and some schools are receiving capitation as late as this month. If we pass the Budget as early as now and schools end up receiving their money at the end of the financial year, how are they supposed to survive? If the issue of timely disbursement of capitation is not addressed, we are not going to have quality education in our constituencies. 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.

Secondly, equitable share of infrastructure funds in this Budget must be made clear to this Parliament. How are we going to equitably share funds for development of school infrastructure in every constituency? If that is not addressed, we are wasting our time here as Members of Parliament.

We shall not work like that, Hon. Members. We have already proposed the Question.

There are no amendments. Member for Mandera North. He does not want to contribute to this Vote.

Put the Question.

Put the question.

On point of order, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Junet, what is out of order?

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I do not want to believe that the health function is devolved. If we are giving the State Department for Medical Services Ksh102 billion and State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards Ksh28 billion, which is a total of Ksh130 billion, how are we, as a country, still claiming that health function is devolved? Why is this money being kept in Nairobi, when we know that the health function is devolved? A sum of Ksh30 billion is enough to run the State Department for Medical Services. If this is money for the big men and women in Nairobi, then let us just agree that Parliament is passing this money for them. Otherwise, why should we keep Ksh130 billion in Nairobi, when the health function is fully devolved in the Constitution. That is why doctors, medical officers and clinical personnel are striking because we are re-directing their money to something else. Let us reduce this budget to Ksh20 billion or Ksh30 billion and devolve the money to the counties. People who need medical services are in the counties and not in Nairobi. Why do you want Afya House to have Ksh130 billion, when counties like Kiambu and Murang'a are only getting Ksh2 billion for health services?

Thank you. Member for Mandera North.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. The sum allocated to the State Department for Medical Services is Ksh102 billion. We all know that the health function is devolved. I cannot remember the last time the Ministry of Health did infrastructure development or something in the counties. It was before devolution. Why will this money be at the headquarters, when we know that health services are also devolved? Is there an issue or certain aspects whereby this money will help each constituency, in terms of health facilities? If that is the case, we will have no problem. However, there are no provisions for that. I am sure the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Health is sitting here and he understands that. We do not have any money allocated or helping us in the constituencies for health services from the Ministry of Health. If the constituencies require something, they get the money from the county governments. We need this money to go down to all the constituencies. Thank you.

Member for Thika Town. If you do not want to contribute to this Vote, kindly remove your card from the intervention, so that we can give other Members a chance.

I do not want to contribute to this Vote. Let me remove my card from the intervention. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Mogotio. 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. Temporary Chairlady. I am a Member of the Departmental Committee on Health, and a part of those who sat to discuss the budget for State Department for Medical Services. It is fair to let Hon. Junet Mohamed know that the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) which sits in national Government is part of this budget. Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) which procures drugs to give to counties, sits in national Government. Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) sit in the national Government. The professional bodies which deal with health services, including Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, sit in the national Government. Before my brother, Hon. Junet, says the funds should be reduced to Ksh30 billion or so, he should ask where that money goes to, in terms of services?

Hon. Farah.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, we have a problem in this country. We complain about money being wasted through corruption at the centre. The little that we take to the periphery is also being misused in a manner that you cannot imagine. I remember when the fellow who is seated next to me, Hon. (Dr) Nyikal, was the Director of Medical Services, we were much better off. Can we have a kind of a middle ground? The only way we can stop this wastage is not to choose between two ills or evils, but to create a national health management service or a commission. It will take care of health services like in the United Kingdom (UK), which has the National Health Service (NHS).

Let us have an independent body which is run by professionals who are in the medicine field. A doctor takes the Hippocratic Oath and worries about saving lives. It does not matter what part of the world he comes from. He can come from the most capitalist country, but he will take care of that body. Let us change this and not choose between two evils. We have a serious problem in the provision of health services at the county level today. The only way we can do it is to get away from the centre and create a national health commission that will take care of us.

Thank you. Hon. Dan Mwashako.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I stand to support this allocation while agreeing with Members that, as a country, we must make a decision on how much money should remain in the centre and how much should go to devolved governments. This is to ensure that we offer the best services to our people. The number of referral hospitals in this country is too small. We only have Kenyatta National Hospital, the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital. We need to have more referral hospitals: one in the Coast region and another in the North Eastern region so that our people can continue getting specialised services when required.

Hon. Elachi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. We support while having our concerns as women. We have removed Linda Mama even if the allocation has increased. We need to know whether the money from Linda Mama is part of the seed money for SHIF to assist women access the services they had under that programme. 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.

should also get a way to factor in our children through the same programme because EduAfya is no longer active. They should get into SHIF to assist them when they fall sick at school. There is also maternal, child and adolescent health. We talk about adolescents, but we do not say how the ministry will help them. It leaves it so vague. The problem is not the figure; it is how the services have been coded. We do not understand which code will go to SHIF and how much the seed money is. I do not think any Kenyan would have an issue with this Budget if that was indicated.

Thank you. Hon. Jematiah.

Thank you so much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I would like to add my voice to this debate on the health sector. The monies that we have allocated to medical services is quite a huge amount. As most Members have said, most services in our hospitals and health centres are deteriorating. Programmes like Linda Mama were affected because of the shift to SHIF. In my view, those monies are always appropriated depending on the needs. As much as national referral hospitals need money, we should also consider the lowest health facilities in the pyramid. Most of this allocation should be directed there. As we discuss this, we should keep in mind that the need is dire at low levels than at the national level. Institutions at the national level get money all the time.

The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Health.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. The Fourth Schedule of our Constitution gives the national Government all the national referral facilities and policy. This Budget takes care of all referral facilities, including Mathari Hospital, that is a special mental hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital and the National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital. There are other institutions like the National Cancer Institute of Kenya, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA). All that budget is catered for here. It means Members are not referring to the Constitution when they say that health is devolved fully because the Constitution clearly defines devolved functions and those at the national level. The allocated Ksh102 billion is inadequate for adequate services in those institutions. I have heard the concerns raised by Members. Among them is Linda Mama . It has been taken care of in this Budget. Recently, we had a shortage of vaccines in the country because we have not paid our counterpart funding. It is paid quarterly, and it amounts to about Ksh2.5 billion. That money has also been factored in this Budget. The Budget has taken care of the provision of vaccines within the country, that are normally procured centrally and distributed countrywide because those are donor-funded programmes. There are also other programmes like drugs for HIV/AIDS that are centrally organised through this Budget. The Budget is inadequate to meet those demands. With those few remarks, I support.

Thank you. I will now put the question.

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I see some interest from the Member for Garissa Township.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I would like to bring to your attention the mix-up in the programmes between the State Department for Transport and the State Department for Roads. Vote 1091 is for the State Department for Roads. The Clerk-at-the-Table mentioned rail and marine transport when he read the programmes under the Vote, which are State Department for Transport programmes. There is a mix-up there.

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

I am saying that when the Clerk-at- the-Table was reading the expenditure for this money, he read out rail transport and marine transport which I think should come under State Department for Transport. We now need to rectify that mix up.

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

The one we are on is on roads, Vote 1091.

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. While I support Vote 1091 for State Department for Roads, we have a serious problem in this country. Contractors are given contracts to do road infrastructure but are never paid. Some of them have pending bills of almost five to six years. While supporting this, we hope that the Department of Roads will take into consideration how to clear the pending bills. Some of the contractors are in a very difficult situation, whereby even their own houses are being sold, since they have put them as security for those funds. I support. Thank you.

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

(Suna East, ODM)

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

(Kiminini, DAP-K)

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

Kericho County, UDA)

(Hon. Martha Wangari)

(Funyula, ODM)

Member for Kanduyi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady, for giving me this opportunity. While I support the allocation of those sums of money to the Department of Roads, we urge them to prioritise the stalled roads in our constituencies. There is a road in my constituency that has stalled for the last 10 years. Equally, as a House, we need to begin thinking of devolving more funds towards this Department. Most of the roads in our constituencies are in bad shape. Finally, contractors who have been given work on the roads need to be supervised properly to ensure that they provide value for money. There has been very shoddy work that has been done on some of the roads in our constituencies. I beg to support, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Member for Thika Town.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I also rise to support. Following the heavy rains, and considering the Kshs199 billion that is allocated for infrastructure, and taking into account the fact that bridges were cut off between constituencies, I wish the Chairman was here to clarify whether the contractors who were laid off due to lack of funds will resume work or if we are initiating new road projects. 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. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Kibagendi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. While I support this allocation, I would like to echo the sentiments of a number of Members of Parliament who have stated that there is skewed allocation, especially on matters to do with tarmacking of roads in our respective constituencies. Kitutu Chache South, for example, is a fairly urban constituency that has been unfairly treated over the years. Since Independence, we have not had an inch of tarmac road. Therefore, we hope that this particular budget will consider constituencies that have not received a share of the tarmac roads in this country. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

y (Hon. Martha Wangari): Hon. Farah.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Out of the 18 constituencies in the former North Eastern Province in the part of the northern region, only four constituencies have an inch of tarmac road. Fourteen constituencies do not have an inch of tarmac road. We have had this systemic colonial marginalisation for the longest time through Sessional Paper No.10 of 1965. We had another one again progressively until now — sixty-plus years after Independence. I want Hon. Ndindi Nyoro to hear this. We do not have an inch of tarmac road in 14 constituencies in the northern region. This has been the case. It is only Garissa Town, Wajir East and Mandera East constituencies which have some tarmac roads. The rest of them do not have an inch of tarmac road. Dadaab, where I come from; Fafi, Masalani, Lagdera, Lafey, Mandera North, Banissa, Eldas and Lafey do not have an inch of tarmac. Excuse me, Lafey has.

We have heard you, Hon. Member.

63 years of Independence. Please take this into consideration and create special arrangements for those things.

Hon. Junet is telling us that we are not in Kenya.

Hon. Farah, address the Chair. Do not listen to the people who are distracting you. Let us have the Member for Nyeri County. If your request is not on this programme, I will give the Floor to the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. My concern is on Kimunyururu Road in Kieni Constituency. That road has stalled for the longest time.

You need to give respect to our Deputy President, Hon. Junet. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Allow us to make progress, Hon. Members. I will, therefore, put the Question.

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Hon. Members, we will go back to Vote 1026, which we skipped earlier on because it has an amendment.

Mover, move the amendments.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I beg to move: THAT, the Schedule be amended in Vote 1026 by: (i) deleting the figure Kshs.9,067,486,400 in column 6 (Recurrent Expenditure) under the Programme 0629000, General Administration and Support Services, and substituting therefor the figure, Ksh8,917,486,400; (ii) deleting the figure Kshs.7,010,660,000 in Column 7 (Capital Expenditure) under the Programme 0629000, General Administration and Support Services, and substituting therefor the figure Khs.6,600,460,000.

We are in the Committee of Supply. Therefore, there is no seconder.

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Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady…

This one on Policy Coordination Services has no amendment.

I want to support the sentiments of the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. In fact, looking at it critically, there are no increases or reductions. It is just rearranging and moving money across the programs for proper utilisation. I support.

Mover, there is an amendment to National Government Field Administration Services.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I beg to move:

THAT, the schedule be amended in Vote 1026 by: (i) deleting the figure Ksh17,900,781,220 in Column 6 (Recurrent Expenditure) under the Programme 0632000 National Government Field Administration Services and substituting therefor the figure Ksh18,050,781,220. (ii) Deleting the figure Ksh489,830,000 in Column 7 (Capital Expenditure) under the Programme 0632000 National Government Field Administration Services and substituting therefor the figure Ksh900,030,000.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Junet, do you want to speak on this one?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I want the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee to listen to me. The Ministry of Interior and National Administration is among the ministries that have been allocated the highest amounts of money in this Budget. We need to scrutinise this Budget because there are other needy sectors that require more money. Those monies are meant for political expediencies as is the tradition. We saw it happen last year. As Members of this House, we should not support this amount of money for field services. Let it go to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development because we need food security. I oppose.

Hon. Naisula.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Hon. Junet needs to know that the North Rift needs a lot of money for security. It might seem like 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.

there is some calm but some families need to be relocated and schools re-opened. I hope this year we will put an end to insecurity in the North Rift and other parts of the country.

Thank you. Member for Kitui West.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. Whereas I support, I do not know whether the allocation of too much money means security. That is my worry. There are some very needy sectors. For example, our clinical officers have been on strike for the last 66 days. I wonder whether they have been considered. Our teachers want to get permanent and pensionable jobs. Yet, they have not been considered and some graduated many years ago. A lot of money does not translate to security. Thank you.

Thank you. The Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I want to concur with the sentiment of Hon. Naisula. I cannot agree with her better. Around 80 per cent of the money that is allocated to this sector goes to salaries and other recurrent expenditures.

Hon. Junet, you are totally out of order.

More importantly, Hon. Junet is a high- ranking Member. He understands how the Government operates. To the contrary, the money that is allocated to this sector is inadequate. We all know the situation in North Eastern and North Rift. So, the money should be approved as it is by this House.

Let us make progress.

Hon. Members, let us continue.

There are no amendments.

Member for Sigowet/Soin.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, as I support the amount of money dedicated to irrigation, I want to express one disappointment. In this country, we cannot continue relying on areas with sufficient rainfall to improve on our crop and livestock production. We must move towards irrigation technology. Looking at the pace at which we adopt 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.

irrigation technology, I am really worried that we may not be able to utilise the potential of the marginalised areas of this country. Those areas can provide enough food for our country, if only we can provide them with water. Secondly, we are not adopting biotechnology. If we improved on irrigation technology and biotechnology, we will be able to feed this country from the lands that can support those two technologies. Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I support.

Hon. Junet.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, the idea might be noble. We want to do irrigation in the country, but we have been allocating money to irrigation for the last 10 years. Show me one irrigation scheme that produces food for this country. We are allocating Ksh23 billion to irrigation at very difficult times when we are talking about instituting austerity measures and reducing the Budget. This is just money to pay contractors. The biggest corruption happens in the irrigation system. We are allocating money to Galana Kulalu, which is a failed project that has not produced even two bags of maize. Are we children? Why are we being taken for a ride? I beseech the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee to remove this money from that State Department for Irrigation and take it to the State Department for Water, so that people can get water pans and wells. This money is only for recurrent expenditure in that Department.

Order, Hon. Junet. Hon. Members, even in the Committee of the whole House, you know what to do if you wish to cross the Floor. Hon. Betty Maina, you are totally out of order. You should do the right thing. Go to the Bar and bow. Do not cross the Floor like that. It is totally out of order. Hon. Junet, continue.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, do not embarrass her so much. Somebody else who is seated on the other side is watching. The idea of irrigation is noble, but the way we are implementing it has refused to work. Is this money that we are sending to waste or it is for paying contractors so that they can line their pockets? Let us think twice. Let us return this money to the Ministry of Water for other uses. Galana Kulalu will not produce even a bag of maize. It will not. All the irrigation fields have dried up because of mismanagement and improper allocation of money. A sum of Ksh23 billion is a lot of money, Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Thank you. Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. The outcome of this Budget is empirical. You cannot fight with figures. Irrigation is not just about a scheme. Nowadays, what we do in irrigation focuses on households. Empirically, the harvest of maize from last year to date has gone up by over 30 per cent, from 45 million bags to the current 65 million bags. It is a result of a combination of many things, including provision of fertilisers and ceasing over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture. It is working. I invite Hon. Junet for a trip around the country to see very many successful irrigation projects.

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There is an amendment.

There is an amendment in the other two programmes. Programme 0207000 does not have an amendment.

Mover, move the amendments.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I beg to move: THAT, Vote 1122 be reduced by Ksh20,000,000 in respect of Programme 0210000. 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 money will be allocated to Programme 0217000 – E-Government Services. As it appears, it is just marginal. It is approximately Ksh20,000,000.

Mover.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I beg to move: THAT, Vote 1122 be increased by Ksh20,000,000 in respect of Programme 0217000.

Before I put the Question, I will give a chance to Hon. Sunkuli.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I want a clarification from the Budget and Appropriations Committee on Programme 0904000 - Library Services. I am under the impression that library services were devolved. I do not know why we have this huge figure for them. We are now neglecting this very important service as Kenyans. Have we made the same mistake as with health services by devolving it? Now that this service has been devolved, why do we still have to allocate Ksh458 million to a department domiciled in the Ministry?

Member for Thika Town.

Thank you very much. I rise to support. I oversee this Department. I think the money being allocated to the youth is very little compared to the fact that our greatest population is here. The amount of money here includes the creative economy. We need to look into it in our next Budget because the National Youth Council and all youth programmes are ending. You know this was the biggest movement we had in this nation. For now, I will support because of the amount of money that we have as a nation. Moving forward, we need to look into matters to do with the youth more seriously and keenly.

The Member for Kipipiri.

Thank you. I support. I just want to put a point across – that, we see those services consolidated in one area time and again, and specifically in Nairobi or in the main cities. Even if the money is little, I plead that equity be seen even if it is for a few youths in Kipipiri, Murang’a, Turkana and elsewhere, so that we have equity in the country.

Hon. Member for Gatundu North.

I rise to support the allocation to this Vote because our youth are waiting for this money on the ground.

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Hon. Oundo.

Hon. Oundo, I must laud the national Government Executive for investing a substantial amount of money in the fisheries and the blue economy. I do not know whether the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee is around or any Member to convey this message. They should request the State department to hasten the issue of restocking Lake Victoria as they had proposed. We threw away the fisheries and the miniatures in Kanyabola and other places. Secondly, they should also hasten the development of fish landing sites along Lake Victoria, as we met and discussed in Kisumu. This is long overdue and Members are looking forward to them. We need that project to move in good time.

Thank you, Member for Kwanza.

Hon. Temporary Chairlady, the State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries is doing great, but it can do better. We should see more activities like fish export. However, you will be surprised that irrigation is under this State department too. We need to move the Irrigation Department from here to the State Department for Agriculture. 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 for Othaya.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I want to support the Vote on the Blue Economy and Fisheries. The way fish is distributed in this country is different. Many people nowadays eat fish, but the problem is the way it is being handled. The way fish is distributed in our area makes one not to feel like eating it. We want them to handle fish with care. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Christopher Aseka.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady. I support this Vote, and urge the Ministry to ensure that the fertiliser subsidy that has been put in this Budget is availed in time during the planting season.

Secondly, looking at the sugar reforms that are being undertaken by the Ministry, it is important that they hasten them so that it helps us to revive the entire economy of the western region.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairlady.

Hon. Oundo.

When we were going through the Report yesterday, under crop development and management, there was a proposed reduction on the cotton seeds distribution programme. We have positioned this country as a premium player in the textile industry, whose main raw material is cotton. I want to urge the State Department for Crop Development to re-look into it even if it means a reallocation to ensure that we have enough money towards cotton seeds purchase and distribution before the planting season starts in August.

Likewise, on the issue of agricultural research and development, there is a substantial allocation for recurrent, but there is minimal allocation for capital. I really do not know what the researchers they are going to hire will do without adequate money, research facilities and equipment to enable them undertake research and disseminate the findings in the country. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairperson.

Lastly, Hon. Phyllis Bartoo. 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. Temporary Chairman, I support the allocation. In the North Rift where we plant maize, the production has been going down because of the variety which is continually being planted. I hope the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development can relook at the maize seeds variety that is planted in the North Rift.

Dr. Eve Obara from Homa Bay is the last person to contribute to this vote.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairman. Kenya is an agricultural country, but we have had serious problems where farmers are literally on their own. The department needs to invest on extension services so that farmers can get the required support. A case in point is when we had fake fertiliser. It was not the Ministry but rather, the farmers themselves who discovered that there was a problem with the fertiliser. If we had the extension services that we used to have before, issues of fake fertiliser and seeds would never have arisen. As we go forward, let the Ministry do its work. Let it give us a plan of what it intends to do, particularly in areas of extension services. Policies must be developed for those kinds of services.

Thank you, Hon. (Dr) Eve Obara.

Hon. Wanjiku will comment.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairman, I support this. As senior citizens are waiting for the money, we are happy that they will be receiving their money from their villages through M-PESA and their agencies.

Hon. (Dr) Oundo, Proceed.

I sincerely support and thank the Department for this consideration. The old people have been suffering. I have also seen an allocation for student protection. I urge the caregivers, guardians and those who take care of the elderly and their children not to misuse the funds. They should not steal from the older people, but let them enjoy their sunset years in dignity as required by the Constitution.

Order, Hon. Members. You will contribute after I propose the Question. I have seen Hon. Mukami waiting for the Question to be proposed.

Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I rise to support, but we need to know something. The Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee is here. This amount of money is not enough for the Department. This is where money allocated to Woman Representatives lies. It is not enough for them. They need to be allocated more money. Similarly, the National Gender and Equality Commission is independent, but has been allocated very little money. The Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee should note that this money is not enough the next time we appropriate our budget.

Hon. Mukami, you have one minute.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I support the Chair that this money is a drop in the ocean. Imagine Ksh500 million has been allocated to 47 counties. It is not fair if you compare the money allocated to Woman Representatives to what is allocated to constituencies. The Chairperson of 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 needs to reconsider next time. We need to support Woman Representatives because they are the people who help marginalised communities on the ground.

Lastly, we will have Hon. Kangogo Bowen.

Hon. Temporary Chairman, I support the amendment. I want to inform our Woman Representatives that resources like the NG-CDF are not for Members of Parliament. We serve both women and men in constituencies and the entire country. Therefore, it is enough.

Who are those engaging the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee? We need, at least, one response to the question.

Put the Question.

(Hon. Peter Kaluma)

(Kitui Central, WDM)

(Hon. Peter Kaluma)

(Hon. Peter Kaluma)

(Dagoretti North, ODM)

(Hon. Peter Kaluma)

(Funyula, ODM)

Hon. Justice Kemei.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I want to ask the Public Service Commission to ensure that staff in Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) remain at the very optimum level. For example, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is a very important institution. Those who are aged 50 years and above are 60 per cent. If the staff leaving NSSF are not replaced, it means that we will have nobody manning that critical institution very soon. I support.

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Hon. Peter Masara.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I urge the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), once the money is approved, to consider promoting teachers who have gone back to school and earned degrees in various fields so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labour. Some teachers have stagnated in job group L and need to be promoted to job groups M and N. Most principals and headteachers are now in job groups M and N. Very few are being promoted. Once they get the money, they need to do that.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairman.

You have made your point, Hon. Peter Masara. Hon. David Makali.

My name is not David, Hon. Temporary Chairman. You are on Hansard . My name is Hon. Makali Mulu.

We, as a House, are giving TSC almost Ksh360 billion. We demand fairness in recruitment and promotion. We cannot allow a situation where letters are being dished out in public meetings, while some of us have teachers who were trained 20 years ago, but are not employed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman.

The last Member to contribute from this side is Hon. Aseka Miradi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I also support the allocation to TSC. However, I recommend that our Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers be re-tooled to ensure they meet the expectations of the new curriculum.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman.

Hon. Chikati.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I support this allocation to TSC. Some teachers in most parts of Kenya got TSC numbers way back 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 2012. I urge the TSC that when they are considering the employment of teachers permanently, priority must be given to those who have stayed with TSC numbers without being employed for all those years before employing the new ones.

I support the allocation to TSC. Thank you.

Hon. Sitienei will be the last Member on the right side of the Hon. Temporary Chairman to contribute.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I support the allocation to TSC. I wish to echo what my colleague has said. We have teachers who got their TSC numbers a long time ago. Priority should be given to them during employment. We also have teachers who are over-age. They have only one year, and they will never be employed. They should be given priority in employment. Thank you.

What is the Member for Kericho County insisting on telling the nation?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. Having been a teacher, I cannot leave without saying something. I support the allocation to TSC. We have teachers who have suffered seriously, especially those who have been in the same job group for a very long time. The other day when promotions were done, younger teachers were promoted. The ones who have served for a long time were not promoted. I do not know the criterion they used, but it was very unfair. They should look into that.

The JSS interns should be absorbed and given permanent and pensionable terms. We will not forget that we have teachers who retired, but they have not received their pension. I believe TSC should work round the clock. They should not move from one office to another looking for their pension. Others have passed on, and their families are in agony because of that. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman.

Hon. (Amb.)(Commissioner) Francis Sigei, the Member for Sotik.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I want to emphasise the importance of what Hon. Chikati and other Members have said. In Sotik, I have teachers who graduated with a P1 certificate in 2009. They are almost retiring without being employed. That is one issue. We want fairness. When recruiting teachers, we need to have the ones who qualified long ago employed first. We should look at their age.

Secondly, we need to look at the issue of hardship allowance. We need to be fair to all the counties in this country, so that teachers can be paid fairly. Hon. Temporary Chairman, I support the allocation to TSC.

Let us make progress, Hon. Members.

Yeah.

For the avoidance of doubt, I will put the question again so that the records are captured in a manner that is not doubtful.

There appears to be burning interest in this. Hon (Dr) Oundo. Hon (Dr) Eve Obara, the Police Service is done with.

The Office of the Auditor General is one of the key offices under the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Unfortunately, it is an under-staffed office. It is under-resourced. It has not been given adequate capacity to do its work. We need the office to be adequately resourced in the future to enable it to review the many cases of misuse of public funds, especially in county governments. The Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and the rest should look at this very clearly and ensure that in future budgets, we give them sufficient resources so that we undertake proper audits to ensure that money is not lost in counties.

Hon. Wilberforce Oundo has spoken for the House.

Hon. Irene Mayaka.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I want to register my support for this particular Vote. In particular, I would like to single out the Controller of Budget, Dr. CPA Nyakang'o, who is a great daughter of Nyamira County, because she has 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.

a fantastic job in this space. I encourage us to continue supporting her so that we can make sure that public management is done in a proper manner in this country.

You have spoken for this House. Lastly, Hon. Justice Kemei.

My comments are not dissimilar to my colleague who has just spoken. The two offices, the Auditor-General and the Controller of Budget, must be strengthened for the prudent use of resources in this country. In particular, I want the Controller of Budget to flag off any expenditure under Article 223 of the Constitution. The Article is supposed to be invoked for emergency expenses. Occasionally, we find expenses that are not of an emergency nature under that particular constitutional provision. I support. Thank you.

Hon. Masara.

Hon. Temporary Chairman, I support the money that has been allocated to this Vote. However, they ought to be well-resourced in the future because we have seen many cases of police officers mishandling the public. Lately, we have also seen many police officers committing suicide. We need to take action to ensure proper oversight for them. The Authority needs to be well-resourced to oversee our police officers, given the prevailing circumstances in the Police Service. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman.

Hon. Beatrice Elachi will be the last one to contribute to this.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Chairman. While I agree that we need to support this, I also want the Authority to start looking at individual cases. Some of them have been going through hell in court with unending cases. To make matters worse, some are in court for cases where they were saving lives. While it is important to review those cases, it is equally crucial to expedite the process and allow police officers to return to their duties. They are doing it the wrong way.

I am excited by the support to the Judiciary which is another arm of Government.

VOTE 2041- PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE COMMISSION 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, a sum not exceeding Ksh1,167,000,000 be issued from the Consolidated Fund to complete the sum necessary to meet the expenditure (Recurrent and Development) during the year ending 30th June 2025 in respect of Vote 2041 (Parliamentary Service Commission).

Dr Elachi, it is better not to debate this.

Hon. Dr Oundo, are you sure you want to debate the monies being allocated by the National Assembly to the Senate? 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.

Put the Question.

This House deems discussing our sister House inappropriately inappropriate. Hon. Oundo, we had debated this. I know what you intend to do.

This also excites me because we have sent money to the other House of Parliament.

Mover to move reporting.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Chairman. I beg to move: THAT, the Committee of Supply do report to the House its consideration of the Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2024/2025 and its approval thereof with amendments.

Order, Hon. Members. The Deputy Speaker of the House needs to be released by the Members engaging her, for there is a state duty she is required to undertake in the next 30 seconds.

Chairperson, report to the House.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, Hon. Beatrice is standing as if she is the one reporting. 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, you have been very diligent and so, let us be quiet while the Chairperson makes the report to the House.

I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has considered the Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2024/2025 and approved the same with amendments and, pursuant to the provisions of Article 221 of the Constitution, Section 39 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 and Standing Order 240A, approves the issuance of a sum of Ksh2,392,832,508,617 from the Consolidated Fund to meet the expenditure of the National Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary during the year ending 30th June 2025 in respect of the Votes as contained in the Schedule and incorporating the proposed amendments.

Mover. Move the agreement of the Report and the approval.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I beg to move that the House do agree with the Report of the Committee of Supply in its consideration of the Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2024/2025 and, pursuant to the provisions of Article 221 of the Constitution of Kenya, Section 39 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 and Standing Order 240(A), approves the issuance of a sum of Ksh2,392,832,508,617 from the Consolidated Fund to meet the expenditure for the National Executive, Parliament and the Judiciary during the year ending 30th June 2025 in respect of the Votes as contained in the Schedule incorporating the proposed amendments. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I request Hon. Muchangi Karemba to second this Motion. I went to Kenyatta University with him on the same day and graduated on the same day. We did many things together, which I may or may not say in this forum.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Hon. Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, thank you for confirming that I went to the university because some people doubted whether I went to school. Hon. Deputy Speaker, allow me to thank the Committee for doing a very good job, obviously led by the very brilliant Chairman of our time. I beg to second.

Hon. Members, I will let you sit quickly. Hon. Passaris.

Hon. Members, the time being 7:33 p.m., the House stands adjourned until Tuesday, 11th June 2024, at 2.30 p.m.

The House rose at 7:33 p.m.

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.

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.