Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell.

Hon. Members, we now have quorum. Clerk-at-the-Table.

Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I beg to lay the following statutory instruments and their accompanying explanatory memorandum, regulatory impact assessment, and report on stakeholder engagement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development: 1. Legal Notice No. 99 of 2024 relating to the Pest Control Products (Labelling, Advertising and Packaging) Regulations, 2024. 2. Legal Notice No. 100 of 2024 relating to the Pest Control Products (Inspection and Certification) Regulations, 2024. 3. Legal Notice No. 101 of 2024 relating to the Pest Control Products (Importation and Exportation) Regulations, 2024. 4. Legal Notice No. 102 of 2024 relating to the Pest Control Products (Fees and other Charges) Regulations, 2024. 5. Legal Notice No. 103 of 2024 relating to the Pest Control Products (Disposal) Regulations, 2024. Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay.

Thank you, Hon. Owen. Chairperson of the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Order, Hon. Wangwe. Yes, Hon. Ruku.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I made a request for a Statement several months ago on pest control.

We have not reached the Order on Statements. We are on Papers. We are at Order No. 5. Statements are at Order No. 7. Go on, Hon. Wangwe.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I have two Papers to lay. 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.

I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the House: 1. The third Report of the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture on its consideration of Reports of the Auditor- General on the Financial Statements of the following State corporations: (a) Kenyatta National Hospital (Financial Years 2018/2019 and 2019/2020). (b) Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Financial Years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019). (c) Kenya Veterinary Board (Financial Years 2018/2019, 2019/2022 and 2020/2021). (d) National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Financial Years 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021). (e) Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (Financial Years 2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013). 2. Report of the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture on its consideration of the performance audit report by the Auditor- General on provision of services to persons with disabilities by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Wangwe. Chairperson of the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity, Hon. Yusuf

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: Reports of the Select Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity on: 1. ID4Africa Annual General Meeting held from 21st to 24th May 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. 2. Peace Mediation Conference held in Bologna, Italy from 13th to 23rd May 2024. 3. Inspection visit to fourteen special-needs schools in specified counties, as shown . Thank you.

Thank you, Hon. Yusuf. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, Hon. KJ.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation on its consideration of the Technopolis Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 6 of 2024). Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay.

Next Order.

Hon. Wangwe, Chairperson of the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notices of the following Motions: THAT, this House adopts the Third Report of the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture on its consideration of the Report of the Auditor-General on the Financial Statements of the following State corporations, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 30th July 2024: 1. Kenyatta National Hospital (Financial Years 2018/2019 and 2019/2020). 2. Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Financial Years 2017/2018 and 2018/2019). 3. Kenya Veterinary Board (Financial Years 2018/2019, 2019/2022 and 2020/2021). 4. National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Financial Years 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021). 5. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (Financial Years 2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004, 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007, 2007/2008, 2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010/2011, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013).

Chairperson, Select Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity, Hon. Haji.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Select Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity on the inspection visit to fourteen special-needs schools in specified counties, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 30th July 2024. Thank you.

Next Order.

Hon. Mark Mwenje, Member for Embakasi West.

The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Pursuant to Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs regarding the shooting of a student at Nairobi River Primary School in Kariobangi South Ward. Hon. Speaker, on 23rd May 2024 during the demolition of structures built along riparian land in Kariobangi South Ward, Mr Elvis Muhia— a 14-year-old student at Nairobi River Primary School—was hit by a bullet after a police officer shot at the surrounding crowd. The minor was rushed to Huruma Nursing Hospital and later referred to Kenyatta National Hospital where he underwent surgery. The mother of the minor reported the case on 27th May 2024 at Kariobangi Police Station and was first assigned OB No. 56/23/05/2024 and later assigned OB No. 37/29/05/2024 on 29th May 2024. The minor is yet to be discharged due to the pending hospital bills incurred as the mother is unable to offset the outstanding bill. It is against this background that I seek a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs on the following: 1. Explain the circumstances against which the minor, who was not involved in the exercise, was shot by a police officer during the demolition of houses in Kariobangi South on 23rd May 2024. 2. Provide a report on the status of the investigations into the shooting, including action taken against the police officer liable. 3. Give a status report on measures the Government has put in place to offset the hospital bills for the young man owing to injuries sustained and ensure adequate compensation for the lost school time. I thank you, Hon. Speaker. May I have your attention?

Yes, Hon. Mwenje.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I draw your attention further to this Statement. This child’s mother, who lives in City Carton Slum, is being charged Ksh388,000. These are people who live in a house that is rented at Ksh2,500. The child is still being detained and cannot attend school. Therefore, I request the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs to respond to this matter within 48 hours, at the very least. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Tongoyo. Will you respond on Thursday afternoon?

I will, Hon. Speaker. That is a week.

Will you respond on Thursday this week?

Allow me to do it on Tuesday, Hon. Speaker.

Will you do it on Tuesday?

Yes.

Okay. Hon. Mark, can you wait for Tuesday? That is a week.

Hon. Dorice Donya, Member for Kisii County.

THEFT AND VANDALISM OF KETRACO INFRASTRUCTURE IN KISII COUNTY 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. 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 increased theft and vandalism of Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) infrastructure in the country, particularly in Kisii County. On the morning of Tuesday, 7th May 2024, the entire Kisii County was plunged into power outage after a suspected gang attacked the KETRACO power station in Kegati Substation and vandalised key power equipment. This attack caused major losses in businesses and lives due to the disruption of the operation of critical life-support equipment in hospitals. Cases of theft and vandalism of power transmission equipment are not new in Kisii County and other parts of the country. Sadly, KETRACO seems to be doing little to avert this rampant menace. It is unfortunate to note that on the fateful day of theft and vandalism of power transmission equipment at Kegati Substation, the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras were not in place, thereby making it difficult to identify and track perpetrators of the destructive acts. It is against this background that I request the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy to apprise the House on the following: 1. The strategies that the Ministry intends to implement to track down and prosecute all KETRACO infrastructure vandals. 2. The action plans the Ministry has put in place to ensure proper security measures for the expensive KETRACO equipment that has cost a lot of taxpayers’ money. 3. Support mechanisms that the Ministry is instituting to aid businesses, hospitals and citizens whose daily operations are negatively affected by the power outages. The diabetic patients who use insulin do not have power. That is a great injustice to the patients. Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker.

Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Energy, Hon. Kawaya. Is he in the House? Is there any Member from the Departmental Committee on Energy? Hon. Mandazi!

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. As a Committee, we sat and considered the case in Kisii County.

Bring a Statement in two weeks.

Yes. We will bring it in two weeks, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Machua Waithaka, Member for Kiambu.

Hon. 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 Energy regarding the rampant vandalism of Kenya Power transformers in Kiambu Constituency and other parts of the country. Electricity is critical to modern economic activities. It is an essential input to many public services. Unfortunately, over the past three years, Kiambu Constituency and other towns across the country have been grappling with frequent power outages due to an increase in vandalism of Kenya Power transformers. For instance, areas of ACK Riabai Church, Gatina Town, Riabai Shopping Centre in Riabai Ward, Kiambu High School area, Kagongo and Tinganga Wards in Kiambu Constituency have been severely affected by vandals. This has resulted in frequent power outages occasioning suffering through disruption of daily activities, loss of perishable goods 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.

compromised security due to non-functional streetlights and alarm systems. Additionally, local businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, suffer significant financial losses due to these outages. Further, essential services such as healthcare facilities and schools have been affected, compromising the standards of health and living. Hon. Speaker, it is against this backdrop that I request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy on: 1. The status of investigations, if any, into the rampant vandalism of Kenya Power transformers in the country in general, and in Kiambu Constituency in particular. 2. Any plans that the Government has to protect Kenya Power transformers from vandalism. 3. Measures being taken to mitigate the impact of power outages on local businesses and essential services across the country. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Machua. Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Energy. Ako wapi Mhe. Mandazi tena?

Yes, Hon. Speaker. I am not the only Member of the Committee who is here. Give us two weeks.

You should note that these two Statements are all about vandals against power installations in the country. So, you better bring a comprehensive Statement to assure the House and country that power installations are critical to every sector of the economy and our lives. Did you listen to what Hon. Waithaka said?

Yes. I have listened to him and the Member for Kisii.

Okay. Thank you. Hon. Members, last Tuesday, I gave you a Communication following complaints by several Members. I indicated that Hon. Koimburi, Member for Juja, had called Hon. Speaker and indicated his absence. He was going to Mombasa that day but he saw me this afternoon. He is available in the House now. I will now give him an opportunity to speak to the issue that led Hon. Munyoro, Hon. Lelmengit, Hon. Kagiri, Hon. Mutunga, Hon. Didmus Barasa and others writing to Hon. Speaker. There are those who came to Hon. Speaker’s Chamber to raise verbal complaints. Hon. Koimburi, the Floor is yours.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I rise to apologise to my colleagues who are Members of this House. You read my letter last week on Tuesday, but I did not indicate why I was apologising. I was in church and I made a mistake by saying that the Members of Parliament who voted “yes” were bribed with Ksh2 million. I am here to say sorry to the Members because I do not have any evidence that they received any money. That was just a hearsay that I heard when we were voting during the Second Reading of the Finance Bill. I urge the Members to forgive me so that we move forward for the betterment of this country. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you, Hon. Koimburi. Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I want to help Hon. Koimburi to learn how to seek forgiveness. Before you do so, you must confess the lie first.

Yes.

So, you must confirm first that you lied or you were dishonest. You lied to Kenyans in church and put us to great shame.

After you have confessed, you can ask for forgiveness. Before that, you cannot just ask for forgiveness.

Order. Hon. Wamumbi.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity.

Order, Hon. Rozaah.

Hon. Speaker, some of us lost property because Hon. Koimburi lied that we received Ksh2 million, so that we could vote for the Finance Bill. I will ask one question: Is Hon. Koimburi ready to go back to the same church and apologise from where he lied? We must speak the truth and tell each other the truth. Is he ready to go to the same church and admit on the same pulpit that he lied, and incriminated these Members of Parliament? Thank you.

Hon. Ruku.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Firstly, Hon. Koimburi is insincere with his apology and in the way the letter is worded. We have lost the faith of the people of the Republic of Kenya because of the lie told by Hon. Koimburi. We should not even call him “honourable” because he has proved that he is not. If he can lie on his feet in front of church and the clergy that Members who voted “yes” received Ksh2 million, we need to prescribe a very harsh punishment on him. As the Deputy Speaker has said, he needs to prescribe his apology in clear terms. That way, we can decide whether to forgive him. As a Member who voted “yes,” I am not ready to forgive Hon. Koimburi for lying. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Wangari?

Order, Hon. Members.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

First, the apology is to the people who voted “yes” in this House. What we have suffered cannot be quantified in a single letter. Many Members have been harassed for no reason. I am very sad because I knew his father. He was from my constituency. He was a very honest man. I do not know what became of Hon. Koimburi because he lied through his teeth, on the pulpit, and with no shame. We must set a precedent in this House even as we forgive Hon. Koimburi. One cannot just say things incriminating Members of Parliament and the whole House outside there and get away with it. We must have him pay damages. More importantly, the Speaker and the Powers and Privileges Committee must take action against him. It must be clear so that in future, any Member who would like to drag names of Members under the bus just to look good will think twice. He may have done this to look good. However, he should realise that all of us in this House including him are rotten if one is. I hope this will be a lesson and a precedent set from your desk to discourage others from going that route. It is a shame. He should be ashamed of himself. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Owen Baya.

Hon. Speaker, I come from a priestly lineage. The Bible is very clear that forgiveness is divine. If forgiveness is divine, and upon seeking it, we are obliged to forgive. Dostoevsky in Crime and Punishment says that sometimes punishment may not be the execution of the crime. More importantly, it is that the person acknowledges fault. I am sure Hon. Koimburi has atoned his sins within the time that he has lived with his guilt. I forgive him because he has atoned his sins and that forgiveness is divine. I request this House to forgive him. I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Wamboka.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Indeed, it is regrettable what has been going around. However, I congratulate the honourable Member for being a gentleman and apologising. We have more important business to work on. To my brother, Hon. Ruku, more atrocities have been committed in this House. That includes taking people's signatures and we do not know where you took them. That was more serious. Yes, the honourable Member made a mistake. He has owned the mistake and apologised.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Wamboka, two wrongs do not make a right.

Forgive him and let us proceed. We have business that is more important to this House. Kenyans are watching us. Let us rest the matter.

Hon. Rozaah Buyu.

Hon. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity. The Standing Orders of this House do not describe what an apology should look like. The honourable Member has apologised. It does not matter if he got the figures or the facts wrong. He has apologised. On that note, the onus is on us as a House to forgive him.

Yes, Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

First, let me begin by appreciating what other Members have said about forgiveness. I commend Hon. Koimburi. We are all men. I say men in the parlance of the Bible, to mean men and women. We are honourable men and women.

Hon. Speaker, I beg you to protect me from Hon. Betty. We are seen and viewed to be honourable men and women. It is perceived or it should be that we are among the very best in our society because our people elected us as among the best of the people in their constituencies. I am sure even the people of Juja Constituency elected Hon. Koimburi believing he was one of the best among them. He has been magnanimous to apologise. Look at the book of 1 John 1:9. The good book tells us that He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness if we confess our sins.

I have listened to what Members across the aisle have said. That you shall be forgiven if you seek forgiveness. I must commend Hon. Koimburi for seeking forgiveness for the unrighteous ways of the false things he said about Members. However, the book tells us “if you confess….” I heard Hon. Koimburi say that he said things that he now knows were untrue. He knew they were untrue even at the time he said them. Therefore, there is much when the Bible tells us that the Almighty God will forgive if we confess. We are all followers of Christ and the Almighty God or Allah for those of us who are from the Islamic faith. Hon. Speaker, protect me from those who are saying we are not God. Of course, I know we are not God. But we all believe in Him. I believe we are men and women of great faith in this House — men and women who are Christians and very good Muslims, believers in the Almighty God. Therefore, being followers of Christ like me, as a person, I have no problem in forgiving Hon. Koimburi for his inequities. However, I beg that we handle this matter with a little more care. To protect the institution of Parliament, the dignity of this House, and the dignity of innocent Members of Parliament who are seen as sell-outs for either Ksh2 million, Ksh2,000 or whatever amount. That is so that I do not stand up tomorrow and accuse a Member of Parliament of receiving bribes, for voting this way or the other, knowing what I am saying is untrue. More worrying is that copies of the letter he wrote last week and delivered to your office in the evening were delivered to my office and the Leader of the Minority Party. I urge you to ask Hon. Koimburi to stand in his place and seek forgiveness with clean hands. I would have wanted to hear him confirm that, indeed, he was the author of this letter. This letter was delivered by a staff member from his office, whom he knows. I do not want to name him because he is not here. The letter was stamped in my office. Unfortunately, the person who stamped it put one stamp upside down on the copy that he was to return with. He asked that it be stamped properly. That was done. This is the letter that circulated on social media last week. However, Hon. George Koimburi, on his social media platform, specifically on his Facebook page, stamped the same letter as fake and said it is fake news. Therefore, I would be more convinced to believe his seeking forgiveness if he also came out clearly to tell the people of Kenya whether the dishonesty exhibited on his Facebook page is not the same dishonesty he now seeks to exhibit on the Floor of this House pretending to seek forgiveness. If he can confirm to the House and me that The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

factors other than the truth informed actions on his Facebook page that day, I am more than willing to forgive him. He should also confirm that he was the author of the letter. That is why I say there must be a balance between our faith, dignity, honour and respect to this House. Hon. Koimburi cannot allege one thing while in church, draft a letter seeking forgiveness, and post on social media that the letter is fake on the same evening. A week later, he appears on the Floor of this House saying a different thing. Which George Koimburi do we believe? Which George Koimburi are we seeing here? Is it the George Koimburi who lies in church? Is it the George Koimburi who stamps letters “Fake” on social media? Is it the meek looking one seated here now seeking forgiveness? If this George Koimburi seated here seeking forgiveness is the same, I forgive him. If it is George Koimburi who lied in church and later denied and reasserted the lie, then I will not forgive him. If the George Koimburi who is here wants to be honourable and to dignify this House, he must come out clean. He must confess to the lie he made in church and the one he sold on social media. If he comes out clean, I am more than willing to forgive him and ask the Almighty God also to forgive him for having lied in church. He is a very good friend of mine. In fact, he will tell you that he had serious problems when seeking election as a Member of Parliament in his first election. He was elected never having set foot in a single political rally in Juja Constituency. He campaigned while hiding. He knows the only place he could come to was my house for me to facilitate his campaign. These are facts of life. I have in the past invited him to my house, facilitated his campaign and that is why, as a friend, I choose to forgive him, if he confesses the dishonesty. Therefore, Hon. Speaker, I ask that before you conclude, Hon. George Koimburi rises in his place and clarifies the matter of the letters because that is pertinent for me and for many Members to know whether, indeed, he is genuine in seeking forgiveness. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Order, Hon. Rozaah Buyu. Order Hon. Rozaah Buyu. You are being disorderly. Go out without causing disorder. Hon. Wamuratha.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I stand to address this issue of Hon. Koimburi coming from the same county with him and being his Mama County. I was very embarrassed with the situation that Hon. Koimburi put us in. As Members continue shouting at one another at this point, I am trying to ask myself whether all of us know the magnitude of destruction that statement caused this country.

It is about all of us. Somebody has called me bibi ya bishop. Knowing that I am a wife of a clergyman and being accused of taking Ksh2 million to sell my county, that to me means that I am not only rogue but that I also do not respect my Christian faith. All said and done, Hon. Speaker, it is very hard for a Kikuyu man to say sorry. It never comes out easily from a Kikuyu man. I may not know about other communities, but I confess that for a Kikuyu man, it is never easy to say sorry. So, I imagine that Hon. Koimburi must have tried hard to work out a way to come and apologise. But again, he is playing a game on us because he has apologised and we feel good yet 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 same Hon. Koimburi has posted the same letter on his social media platform and said it is fake. Again, he puts us in another mess. We appear like we forced him to come and say it was a lie. Perhaps, Hon. Speaker, you can give us direction on what this means to us. I think part of what fuelled what happened here on 25th June 2024 was the statement made by the Member. We are trying to downplay the statement but it would have meant the end of all of us including our children. There are some Members shouting, but they need to understand the magnitude and the weight of the statement and what it meant to this country and where it would have taken us. Hon. Speaker, I would like to make one request. People may not buy our story because they already believe we were given the Ksh2 million, but the Member needs to make a proper apology to the people of Kenya. They may not buy the story but, at least, he will have spoken about it. As his Mama County, I had said that I would never forgive him in heaven and on earth. But today on this Floor of the House, I choose to forgive him but on condition that he posts on his social media platform that whatever he said was a lie.

He should also go to the same church in Kiambu County, where he is a member, and which I represent, and be prayed for. Hiyo kanisa yao believes in kumwagiliwa mafuta mafuta of confession, so that we forgive him.

Yes, Hon. Osoro

Thank very much, Hon. Speaker. After we had an issue here on 25th June 2024, the following Sunday I tried to attend a church, a men’s conference in Ruiru Constituency. Immediately I entered that church that I do not worship in, people started singing as I walked towards my seat, “Two million; Two million!” I am not a Member of Parliament elected to represent the people of Ruiru Constituency. I was left wondering, if that is what I was facing, a person elected in a constituency that is about 500 kilometres away from Ruiru, what about the MP for Ruiru Constituency. I could not help but sympathise with the situation. This is what the Members are talking about. The Members seated on the opposite side of this House may not be aware of what these Members seated on this side went through. It is extremely difficult to just say, “please forgive me". To them it sounds so easy, but what we are asking for is that the MP goes an extra mile. To some of us who campaigned for him, some of us who went out there when he was vying in the first term and when he did not even know us by name and people contributed... In his second term, he came to my office when he had a petition and we actually won in the petition. He was awarded costs. He did not even forgive the petitioner. In fact, he told me that we must attach his property yet he is here telling us that we forgive him when we have lost millions of shillings worth of properties across the country. Hon. Chieni of Kieni Constituency lost three supermarkets worth Ksh500 million plus a house. People sang at his house claiming that he had received Ksh2 million. In the minds of people in the villages, they think that Ksh2 million is a huge amount of money that can be used to build supermarkets and stock them.

Hon. Koimburi did not even stop at that. He went ahead in another function, in the company of another top government official of this country, and repeated the same words. So, we do not know what forgiveness he is seeking. Is it for the first mistake of telling a lie or the second mistake of repeating the lie or the third mistake of claiming that the letter was fake? So which apology should we take? Is it for the first, second or third, Hon. Speaker? The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

As I conclude, I believe this House has rules, regulations and procedures to be followed. My opinion is that Hon. Koimburi be subjected to the Powers and Privileges Committee so that he explains himself. If he cannot do it on the Floor of the House, he can have his issues heard. Thank you.

Hon. Members, I want to bring this to an end. Hon. Koimburi, did you label the letter that you sent to my office that I read to this House as fake?

Thank you Hon. Speaker. About the letter that the Leader of the Majority Party is talking about, the account in which it was posted is not mine. It is a fake account.

On Facebook, and you can check, there are two accounts. We have Hon. George Koimburi account and Hon. George Koimburi Juja 1 account. The Hon. George Koimburi Juja 1 account is fake. My account is George Koimburi. That can be checked even on phone. The letter was posted on a fake account. Hon. Speaker, I stand to ask Members of this House to forgive me. Forgive me. I will never repeat that. Just forgive me. I acted on hearsay. Defend me Hon. Speaker, please.

Order. Thank you Hon. Koimburi, take your seat. Hon. Koimburi finish.

Thank you Hon. Speaker. As I said before, there was hearsay that Members who voted “yes” in the Second Reading of the Bill had been bribed with Ksh2 million. Hon. Speaker, I am here to apologise to our Members. Thank you.

Order Hon. Members, Hon. Wamaua keep your cool. Hon. Members, I know.

Hon. Ng’eno take your seat. Hon. Members, Hon. George Koimburi has come to this House and talked to you as colleagues. He came to the Speaker's Chamber, and I called the Clerk to join me and he said many of the things he has said here. He said he went to church, was overwhelmed by the presence of a hostile crowd and he said what he said. The Holy Book — the Bible — says the beginning of healing lies in the acknowledgement of wrongdoing, which he has acknowledged. It also says the greatest word in human relationship is the small word ‘sorry’, which he has said.

Further, Hon. Betty, if you read your scriptures, Romans 12:21, it says do not let evil get the best of you but conquer evil by doing good. I am a man of great faith and I believe that whenever you are wronged and whoever wrongs you realizes that they are wrong and says sorry, it is up to you to forgive. I urge you, Hon. Koimburi, and any of you who will veer off the beaten track and get overrode either by the presence of a crowd, hostile or otherwise, you are all collective agents of The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

the image of this House and of all of you. When one of you is besmirched, all of us are besmirched; when one of us is maligned, all of us are maligned; and when one of us says something that is blatantly incorrect and false, it hurts the whole House. Hon. Koimburi has had the courage and the humility to say that he went to church, stood before the church, said something that he knew was not true and he has come to you to say, “My brothers and sisters, let it be in your hearts to forgive me”. I urge you to forgive him. Like I have always said, in an event like this, let the chips lie where they fell and we look to the future. Hon. Koimburi, you are collectively forgiven and, in the future, weigh your words carefully. Know what to say, where to say, and to whom to say.

Next Order.

Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Hon. Speaker. I wish to move the following Motion: THAT, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 120(1)(c), this House resolves to reduce the publication period of the Supplementary Appropriation (No. 2) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 39 of 2024) from seven days to five days.

Hon. Speaker, we are basically doing this because as Members understand the Government is almost in a near stand-off. Therefore, we need to hasten the process of Supplementary Appropriations so that we can proceed into giving the National Treasury whatever they need so that the Government can continue spending money in various MDAs, Parliament, the other arms of the Executive, the county governments, and also National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). We are just hastening the process so that we can draw monies from the Consolidated Fund for the furtherance of provision of service to the Kenyan people and also for development expenditure.

I wish to request the Chair for the Committee on Justice and Legal and Affairs (JLAC) Hon. Murugara, and the former managing partner of a very serious Law Firm, Dentons, to second this Motion.

Yes, Murugara.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker, I beg to second this very important Motion as moved by the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. The appropriations we are just about to make are crucial to the national Government and to the county governments. It is vitally important that funds are provided so that the two governments can run their affairs. The same extends to this House when it comes to the second arm of Government, which is the Legislature, and also to the third arm, which is the Judiciary. All these arms of Government are waiting for funds and therefore it is incumbent upon this House to ensure that the appropriations are made and the country is able to move. I beg to second. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Order. Hon. Members on their feet, take your seats. Hon. Member for Pokot, take your seat.

Should I put the Question?

Yes.

Next Order.

Order! Order! Order, Hon. Members. Order! Take your seats! Order!

Hon. Umul Kheir, take your seat! Order!

Order, Hon. Members! Take your seats!

Order, Hon. Rozaah. Take your seat! Order, Hon. Members!

Member for Malindi, take your seat. Order, Hon. Members! Take your seats!

The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Order, Hon. Ruku! Order, Hon. Members! Take your seats.

Order, Hon. Jalang'o! Order! Take your seat. Hon. Members, take your seats. Hon. Jalang'o, take your seat! Hon. Mwenje you are the Whip of the Minority Party, you should be helping the House to be orderly.

Order, Hon. Naisula! Hon. Members, order!

I do not know if what I have been told is true: that the Hon. Ladies were going to embrace Hon. Koimburi.

Order, Hon. Members! If it is true, then it was honourable but if anybody… Order! Order! I can also read the body language of Members. The menacing manner in which I saw the Hon. Member for Mandera and my own Commissioner, Hon. Faith Gitau... We have always operated under a false impression that the custodians of peace are our women, but now that has become totally fallacious. Now that the drama is over, let us get back to business. You have provided enough comic relief to the House. Hon. Koimburi, you are absolutely safe and protected. You can go back to your seat if you are not comfortable where you are sitting. The rules of the House say…

Order, Hon. Rozaah Buyu! It is amazing how you are wailing louder than the bereaved. Let us go to the next Order.

Hon. Ndindi Nyoro.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I beg to move: THAT, the Supplementary Appropriation (No. 2) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 39 of 2024) be now read a Second Time.

The consultations are quite loud.

Order, Hon. Members. You are now discussing very serious business, the Supplementary Appropriations Bill. It is the one determining how you want the resources of this country to be spent. I expect you to listen carefully and contribute diligently to this Bill. Go on, Hon. Ndindi.

Hon. Speaker, I want to thank this House because we have been through this process in the consideration of the report, as was made by the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) and consultations with all the Members of this House through 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.

their departmental committees. After what we did last week, the process has now shifted to concretising what we were doing last week in the form of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill.

I hope we are together with Members. As you said, this is a very important matter that we are discussing and I request that we have our consultations in low tones. The process that we are having today, as I said earlier, is the culmination of the budget-making process as far as approval of the appropriations is concerned. Members will also have a chance, during Second Reading, to actually comment and give their opinions.

I want to thank all the Members of this House. All of us have taken part in the preparation of the Supplementary Estimates through our departmental committees. Hon. Speaker, also, I want to thank you and the Clerk of the National Assembly for availing to us a very good working environment, especially within the precincts of Parliament where we discussed the entire process. As I had said when we were debating the Report, I also want to thank the Members of the BAC and also our back office, which is the Parliamentary Budget Office, especially officers like Dr. Abel, Ms. Julie and Mr. Dan, in the preparation of this Supplementary Appropriation Bill.

The reason we are having this debate today is because it is unprecedented. We have never had a Supplementary Budget being prepared before the main one is actually implemented. This is the first time we are having Supplementary Estimates being considered barely a month after the passage of the main Budget in the budget-making process in Kenya. This is premised on the fact that we were preparing a Budget. The Budget had both the revenue and the expenditure sides. I am lucky to be handling the expenditure side; the revenue side being handled by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning led by my brother, Hon. Kimani Kuria. The anticipation of BAC was to have the entire revenue-raising measures realised. Unfortunately, or fortunately, Kenyans requested that we look at other means in so far as the management of public finances is concerned. Out of that, we had a hole in the Budget. All the revenue-raising measures, as were anticipated by the Finance Bill 2024, were left as void. We have done two things to fill the void. One is in terms of expanding our deficit by borrowing slightly more. In that regard, we are requesting that we borrow an extra Ksh170 billion over and above what we had budgeted for in the main Budget in this Supplementary Appropriation Bill. Consequently, our deficit for this Financial Year is more than Ksh750 billion. To allay any fears, whereas our deficit has moved from 3.83 per cent of deficit to GDP ratio, the current one we are considering of 4.3 per cent deficit to GDP ratio is still within our range as a country. Before, we wanted to move out of the hole much faster because borrowing and enlarging the deficit is not a very prudent manner of managing our economy. The other area that we had to explore is the expenditure side. Consequently, over and above borrowing an extra Ksh170 billion, we have also cut expenditure to the tune of over Ksh145 billion of what we had anticipated to spend. However, it is important for this House to know that some of the things that we have been doing in this House have borne fruits. So, even as we consider the proposal before us, we must know that it is not haphazard. We have been seeing the output in our economy. I say so because we were in the same process last year. What were the results? Our economy, in 2023, grew by 5.6 per cent. Inflation in the country has now been tamed completely to the recent figures of 4.6 per cent. The Kenyan currency also seems to respond to the policies that we have been making in this House, especially in so far as the Budget is concerned. That is why our currency, against the green-buck, has been gaining close to 20 per cent this year alone, and much more in comparison to the regional currencies. Hon. Speaker, what were the other areas of consideration when we were making this Supplementary Budget? It is out of semantics that we are calling it Supplementary Budget I, but 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 practise what we are passing today is the main Budget. I say so because the main one was not implemented. What will get implemented is what is contained here. I can see that Members are already reading and consulting on the contents in this Bill. What are the contents? The Budget we are considering is one of roughly Ksh3.8 trillion. If you look at the revenue side, we have been able to downgrade our projections. Other than the Ksh2.9 billion we anticipated in the main Budget, we would now be raising slightly above Ksh2.6 trillion. The Appropriations-in-Aid in this Budget is just around Ksh440 billion, but as I said before, the deficit is over Ksh700 billion. What is on the expenditure side? I just want to highlight a few elements. On the national Government side, we have been able to take a hit of around Ksh121 billion. This is a downgrade in expenditure regarding the Executive, Parliament and Judiciary. To lead the way, Parliament voluntarily accepted a cut of Ksh3.7 billion. Members of this House have told Kenyans clearly that they are willing to travel less in regard to both domestic and foreign. We have, therefore, been able to rationalise budgets in the National Assembly and Parliament at large. Hon. Speaker, we have also been able to cut some resources from the Judiciary so that they also carry an equivalent burden. I want to thank the Members of this House because they have categorically stated that they do not want to travel as much as they have been travelling because they are very cognisant of the problems that we are dealing with as an economy. That is why we have cut Ksh3.7 billion from Parliament. The Judiciary and the Executive have also lost. The cuts have also been both horizontal and vertical. We have cut in all levels of Government. Whereas the national Government is losing Ksh121 billion, our counties are also losing Ksh20 billion in equitable share. These are tough times. I want to congratulate all leaders for allowing that we have a lesser Budget in terms of size, and allowing everyone to take a cut. Hon. Speaker, what are the other areas that have suffered? When I was moving the main Budget, there was an increment in the NG-CDF of Ksh10 billion. I thank this House because Members have accepted that we can postpone the dream and live within the Budget that we had last Financial Year. Hon. Speaker, there was Ksh14.5 billion for rural areas electrification programme. I also thank the Members of this House because they have already agreed that we postpone the electrification project where every constituency was to get Ksh50 million. Hon. Speaker, beyond that, the road sector, of course, has been decimated. It has lost some quite colossal amounts of money just like the other sectors. I also want to assure this House that we have cut on ostentatious spending across board. Let me not dwell too much on the cuts. Let me go to the policy issues. There is something peculiar that we noted when we were considering this Supplementary Budget. One, we are considering the Supplementary Estimates barely a month after the passage of the main Budget and we are already seeing a high appetite by MDAs requesting that we enhance their Appropriations-in-Aid. The conclusion that we have come to as the Budget and Appropriations Committee is that MDAs have been grossly underestimating their Appropriations-in-Aid. So in our Report, we have recommended several things. We have clearly seen that our country is very rich. In that regard, two things have come up: one, Kenya is over-represented by organisations owned by Government. Hon. Speaker, when it comes to organisations owned by Government, Kenya has over 334 parastatals and Semi Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs). We have started the route of rationalising this area. In this Supplementary Budget, we have denied 47 of them money for operations and maintenance because they are either duplicating services or have been overtaken 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.

by events. As a country, this is a route we have to travel. We cannot continue having many governmental bodies with overlapping services to the Kenyan people, while we are still spending a lot of money in terms of recurrent expenditure. Forty-Seven Government organisations have been hauled up through this process. We are first denying them the budget as we decide what to do with them. Secondly, I want to request that we follow this discussion together as Members. For instance, in Suna West, North Horr, and Baringo North constituencies, we have an engineer who represents the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) on the ground. In the same constituency or region, we have a Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) office with engineers on the ground. In the same jurisdiction, we have Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) officers on the ground. We have to ask ourselves very honest questions: do we need engineers from KeRRA, KeNHA and KURA at the same time, say, in Runyenjes Constituency? Can these roles be done by a single authority in the region? That will move us towards rationalising the recurrent expenditure so that we can free up resources to go into development. In the water sector alone, we have over 20 bodies. There are over 10 water services and many other national bodies. We have to look inwards and be very categorical. As a country, do we need 20 water bodies, whereas each of them is having like Ksh500 million in their recurrent budget, doing the same job? This is a question that in the mid-term we have to ask and critically evaluate. Do we need these bodies or do we condense them to free up resources to go to other service areas in the country? Hon. Speaker, I also want to highlight some of the areas we never touched in terms of rationalising their budgets. I want to laud the collective wisdom of this House, and I request that the Members get this very clearly. Whereas we have been cutting the Budget to fit into the shoe properly, there are some areas that the House said we do no cut. It is because we think they are critical to the people of Kenya. There is the Ksh18.7 billion that had been allocated for the confirmation of the JSS interns. We did not approve any cuts on it. The money is going to be appropriated in order that all the 46,000 JSS interns are confirmed into permanent and pensionable terms. Second is the issue of interns in the health sector. We have also allocated Ksh3.7 billion for interns in the health sector to be confirmed into permanent and pensionable terms because they deserve that. Third, our economy is agrarian/agricultural-based. This is not a very good story because in economics, one of the areas to measure whether an economy is growing is when it has less and less of agriculture in the composition of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). There is economic growth and economic development. In economic growth, there are jargons like “GDP”, “Gross National Product” (GNP) and the rest. However, in economic development, we define the economy both quantitatively and qualitatively. One of the qualitative measures of whether an economy is a developed one is an economy that has less than 10 per cent of agriculture in the composition of GDP. Fortunately, or unfortunately, in Kenya, agriculture still accounts for over 18 per cent of our GDP. With agriculture, I mean the primary part of production which is agriculture, forestry, mining, and fisheries. That is where we are now. We need to do something on it because 70 per cent of our rural population is engaged in agriculture. In that respect, we have allocated Ksh7.5 billion for fertiliser subsidies. The fertiliser subsidies will be for food crops as well as cash crops. Coffee, maize, and even cotton farmers can access that fertiliser. There is no discrimination in regard to the kind of crop that our farmers are growing. 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. Speaker, with regard to agriculture, we have allocated Ksh3 billion towards the Coffee Cherry Revolving Fund. That money will go into easing the cost of borrowing when it comes to coffee societies and also coffee farmers. The recently tabulated debts on coffee farmers show that coffee societies owe banks around Ksh8.6 billion. We need to help the farmers. In this debt menace, we have allocated the first phase of Ksh2 billion towards the payment of coffee debts so that our farmers can get reprieve in regard to the debts. In the sugar sector, we have allocated between Ksh700 million to Ksh1 billion to enhance payments of arrears to farmers, and to also increase the technology in the sugar sub-sector. I want to laud Hon. Mutunga, the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. He has looked inwards into the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to get resources to support our sugar farmers because they also deserve more in terms of payments and technology so that we can enhance the payments in respect of sugarcane, not just in terms of weight, but also in terms of sucrose levels. Hon. Speaker, in the arena of agriculture, we have also allocated Ksh1.5 billion to the new Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC). This money will go into defending the raw milk prices so that farmers can get a net of Ksh50 per litre. This will ensure that dairy farming continues to be a profitable venture for farmers. We have done much more in that arena because we believe agriculture is important for our economy. When it comes to the security sector, the Kenya Police Reforms Task Force (The Maraga Task Force) was given a mandate to go around the country to check how the security officers are living. Before I go to that, Hon. Speaker, let me just finish with agriculture sector first. I was to highlight one more critical issue. In the dairy sector, the Kenya Government has been having a programme with the Polish Government; the Government of Kenya (GoK) was to raise 5 per cent of the funds and the Polish Government was to give us the remainder so that we purchase coolers for the farmers. However, because of the changes in governance in Poland, it has been a very long process for us to access the funds from the Polish side. Despite that position, Parliament has allocated Ksh2 billion for outright purchase of coolers. These are to be given to the farmers so that dairy farming can continue to be mechanised and enhanced. Going back to security, I want to thank Hon. Tongoyo because he is very passionate about the sector. The Kenya National Task Force on Police Reforms, headed by the Former Chief Justice Maraga, conducted a nationwide investigation and reported that our police officers are not adequately paid and are living in substandard conditions. To ameliorate the situation, we have added Ksh3.5 billion to the National Police Service Commission to increase the salaries of the policemen. The police lack a union to advocate on their behalf, so I commend this House and the Government for recognizing the need to increase their salaries. They truly deserve it. Hon. Speaker, as I conclude, this Bill directly impacts the ordinary Kenyans who elected us to this House. As the Chairman of Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC), I ask for your support and welcome your input as it will help shape how we allocate resources. I also thank all the Members, departmental committees and their respective chairpersons for their timely assistance in delivering this document. Before I move the Motion, let me address one particular matter: I have seen many untrue things in the media concerning the education sector and governance. The truth is that the education sector is receiving the lion’s share of our Budget. I request Members to go through the Bill so that we can distinguish between what we are seeing out there and the reality. 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.

I also want to assure Kenyans…

Order, Hon. Ndindi. There is a point of information from Hon. GK. Do you want to hear from him?

Yes. Hon. GK is my neighbour and I can always benefit from him.

Go ahead, Hon. GK.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Indeed, the Member for Kiharu is my neighbour and a good friend. He has mentioned something to do with road agencies like KeRRA, KURA, KeNHA and the Kenya Roads Board (KRB). I would like to give a competing perspective on his views. Many years back, we had the Ministry for Roads and Public Works, a very large Ministry that did not serve the public effectively. Nowadays, we manage public resources and affairs through public management as opposed to public administration. In public management, we have disaggregation of units where you reduce the scope and size to improve service delivery. Combining these agencies would be a step backwards. Hon. Speaker, I beg to inform the Member that breaking these agencies into smaller units makes it easier for the delivery of public goods and services.

Thank you, Hon. GK. I take note of that. This is just a discussion that I am putting across. It is not that we should abolish the agencies; rather it is whether we need all of them. I agree with you that we need to consider the best alternatives for our country. As I conclude, I assure Members that the Ksh8 billion set aside for the Equalisation Fund is still intact.

The underdeveloped areas should also catch up with the rest of the country. If the whole country develops, then Kenya develops wholesomely. Kenyans occupy all parts of the country. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure that the country grows across all areas. The Ksh3 billion for the School Feeding Programme is still intact and will be managed by the Ministry of Education because they have the right infrastructure to administer those resources. We have also allocated monies to operationalise the new SHIF. All three funds under Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) will receive between Ksh8 and Ksh10 billion. These should serve Kenyans in the delivery of Universal Health Coverage. Hon. Speaker, with those many remarks, I beg to move and request the able Vice- Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the Iron Lady, Hon. Mary Emaase, to second.

Hon. Mary Emaase, I did not know that they refer to you as the Iron Lady.

Thank you, Hon. Chair. I stand to second the Supplementary Appropriation Bill. From the onset…

Which Chair are you addressing?

Pardon me, Hon. Speaker. This is a very important Bill as it details how money has been allocated and how it is going to be spent. It guarantees the continuous operation of Government services. 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.

As the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee has said, our expenditure has been slightly reduced by Ksh145 billion. We will need to borrow an additional Ksh170 billion to cover the deficit. Going forward, we need to continue reviewing our Budget to identify areas of overlap, duplication, and wasteful expenditure. While we are proud to have managed to retain some expenditures, our biggest challenge in the country right now is unemployment. Our young people are on the streets because of unemployment. Therefore, we need to continuously look for money by tightening our revenue collection measures. We need to review our Appropriations-in- Aid and oversee our expenditures. I am confident that we can further re-arrange it to save more money, which can be used to employ more teachers. While visiting my constituency yesterday, I had a discussion with teachers who were wondering why there has been an increase in salaries for police officers while their own salaries have not been raised. They also raised concerns about the need for more teachers to be hired. I believe we should allocate more funds in the second Supplementary Budget to address this issue and hire more teachers. Although Ksh8.7 billion has been earmarked for the confirmation of interns, we still need to increase teacher employment and also consider hiring more doctors. We need to look for money to pay likurus and other Kenyans who are giving services to people in this country. We have just given police officers a salary increment, but you are aware they live in very deplorable conditions and structures. There are police stations that do not have furniture. The Ministry of Interior and National Administration needs more funding so that it can address the issue. I also applaud and commend the Budget and Appropriations Committee because it has managed to maintain some of the allocations to the fertiliser subsidy programme and to cushion sugarcane farmers who have never got an allocation. The Ksh700 million would go towards paying arrears of cane money to farmers. Also, we take note of the money for coolers for dairy farmers. Members as we continue, you need to know that the Supplementary Appropriation (No. 2) (National Assembly Bill No. 39 of 2024) Bill details item by item and sector by sector with the amounts allocated for expenditure purposes. It is so that when we go out we have the information to give to the people. Hon. Speaker, I second.

Order! Members on your feet, take your seats.

Hon. Gitonga Murugara.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. Allow me to rise and support the Supplementary Appropriation (No. 2) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 39 of 2024), which has ably been presented by the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, and seconded by the Vice-Chairperson of the same Committee. We are through a process which we possibly would not have gone through had it not been that we do not have a Finance Act for this year, a result of which we have to supply the Government with the money through supplementary appropriations. It is vital to note that all the revenue-raising measures that were intended in the Finance Bill which was dropped on the will of Kenyans, do not apply to our country, and we have to revert 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.

to what we had in the Finance Act, 2023. That Act operates because it has not been repealed, and would only have been repealed if the Act for this year had been passed. Therefore, while there is no lacuna in the Finance Act laws, the correct position is that the Government must be supplied through Supplementary Appropriation Acts, as we are doing now. Allow me to commend the Committee for having found means and ways of ensuring that the Government is going to be supplied, although with the limitations. We have three arms of Government and each of them will have to embrace a cut in the spending which had been projected. We start with the Executive, which carries the lion’s share of the Budget and will also have to carry the lion’s share of the cuts, followed by the Legislature, the second arm of Government. After that, we go to the third arm of Government. We know very well there are two levels of Government, that is, the national government and county governments. County governments must also brace themselves for the proposed cuts. The net effect is that while we anticipated to have more development this year, that may not be realised as fast as we had anticipated, and county governments must now re-look their revenue- raising measures through cess and make them proper and more efficient without having to over- levy citizens. Kenyans are complaining that the level of taxation is quite high and they ask, “What are we getting in return?” Therefore, it is vital that the Government and its officers be prudent in their spending so that as we meet the recurrent expense we must also be prepared to meet the development expense, which is equally important. This House has to do with the loss of Ksh10 billion from NG-CDF that we were all anticipating. Each constituency would have possibly got not less than Ksh30 million. That is now water under the bridge. We still have the figures we had last year and are able to do more because the money is going to be supplied. Whether it is this House or the Judiciary, which also is losing over Ksh1.5 billion, we all have to scale down what we have to do. May I urge everybody to be reasonable and accept the cuts and austerity measures that are put in place so that those luxuries which the Executive, this House, or the Judiciary was enjoying must be reduced so that we remain with what we consider extremely necessary for the benefit of citizens.

We are also happy to note that with all those measures, we have been able to supply the Government with some money to increase salaries of police officers. By extension, I take it that prison wardens are also getting a pay rise. This is very important because we all know that police officers and prison wardens live in deplorable states. They are not able to run their own lives because of the poor pay and housing conditions they have to go through. As we consider housing for everybody in the country, most importantly let us consider police officers and prison wardens. It is also very good to our ears that the 46,000 JSS teachers will be confirmed. I can assure you that Members of Parliament had it rough when we went to the constituencies to talk to these people. While they appreciated that the Finance Bill was lost, they were insisting that they must be confirmed. Today, we announce to the country that JSS teachers will be confirmed, and we do not want to hear ‘by December or January next year’. It should be as soon as this Appropriation Bill is passed into an Act of Parliament and assented to. TSC must move with speed and confirm the 46,000 teachers. We were also to employ 20,000 new interns. Let us look at what we have because it is vital that teachers are in schools. Our children expect to get the best education 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.

this must be through funding by this House. While we are looking at roads, water, electricity and all other important sectors for the public, we must not forget that education is core. The Ministry of Education must be properly supplied. This is a good Bill that we should pass so that we are able to fund the national Government and county governments. With those remarks, I beg to support.

Hon. Makilap.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. This is an extraordinary Budget in extraordinary times in Kenya. When a country is faced with extraordinary circumstances of public debt or rejection of a Finance Bill, we resort to extraordinary decisions of ensuring that we live within our means so that we can grow the economy of this country and build a prosperous Kenya.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I have listened to the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Under these circumstances, as a House, we need to agree on what is critical for employment of the youth of this country who are unable to be absorbed in the economy. We sacrificed funding other programmes so that 6,000 JSS teachers could be employed. We have financed employment of the intern doctors because they are the ones who take care of our health. If we take care of our education through employment of teachers, and we take care of our health by ensuring that we employ the interns on permanent and pensionable terms, then we will grow the economy. If we take care of our system of education, we will not produce people or graduates who have not undergone proper training because of lack of teachers. The JSS teachers are simply graduates like other graduates who have been employed previously on permanent and pensionable terms. Under these circumstances, as Parliament, we have agreed to cut off Ksh3 billion of our travel expenses, so that the children of Kenya will have an opportunity to be employed as JSS teachers. We will also employ intern doctors. This is prudent use of resources. If you look at this proposal, the money that goes to the county governments was reduced by Ksh20 billion. In addition, another Ksh30 billion that was not paid during the Financial Year 2023/2024 was factored in. The county governments’ budget is Ksh410 billion now. Resources that have already been earmarked for this particular function are actually brought forth. You are aware that by the end of the last Financial Year, the NG-CDF had not received about Ksh13.5 billion. That is the money that has already been brought forward, so that we can finance the programmes that were expected to be done in the previous years. It is good for the Members of this House to realise that when the value of the dollar against the Kenyan Shilling came down from US$160 to US$130, it gave us a debt relief of about Ksh570 billion. This will enable us to save more resources for our programmes. It means that if Kenya has to live within its means, then we must reduce expenditure on parastatals that are taking a lot of money and giving Kenyans less money. So, we agree with the merging of about 47 parastatals so that we have a lean Government that we can finance and grow the economy; rather than creating a lot of organisations that take a lot of money, especially on recurrent expenditure and travel allowances. For us to grow this economy, we should look at the agriculture sector in many ways. Look at the livestock industry which is an economy of the pastoral community. More than 80 per cent of Kenyans practise pastoralism. That is an area that we need more resources. We know that Ksh14.5 billion was set aside in the Budget for rural electrification in our constituencies. This is a factor that we must reconsider in the next Supplementary Budget because electricity is key in the re-election of these Members, and ensuring there is equity throughout the Republic of Kenya in terms of power distribution. There are people in parts of this country who have never even seen electricity wires. 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.

Whereas we cut our expenditure so that we can grow and live within our means because of the failed Finance Bill, there is a critical area that we, as a House, need to investigate and put sanity. We are losing about Ksh400 billion on tax expenditure in this country. People are very busy claiming Value Added Tax (VAT) returns every day. We are trying to raise more money and there is a lot of other money, about Ksh400 billion, that is going down through fictitious claims of VAT and other tax expenditures. There is no need for the Finance Bill to raise about Ksh340 billion, and then we lose another Ksh400 billion on tax expenditure. So, you want to collect Ksh300 billion and then you spend Ksh400 billion. What is the logic? We must seal the loopholes so that the money that is being fictitiously claimed out of VAT can be recovered and we allocate it in our programmes. Finally, I congratulate the Chairman here for telling us, even during these hard times, that if we live and spend prudently, and consider the sectors of our economy that take care of our youth, we shall have a prosperous country. Look at the issue of police officers. I congratulate the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs. Whereas there are other programmes that require to be funded, police officers are key in restoring order in our country. We want a salary increment for them to ensure that there is no go-slow in the police force, and they are actively motivated to render services like other employed Kenyans. I support the increment of salaries of not only the National Police Service (NPS) officers but also the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), so that they can protect this country from any aggression and extremities within and outside Kenya. Finally, there is the School Feeding Programme in Kenya. Those of us who come from pastoral communities where children go to school because there is availability of food, know that the School Feeding Programme is key. We congratulate the Committee for ensuring that there is money for the School Feeding Programme which will be administered by the Ministry of Education through the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK). The money will reach the very needy schools in Kenya. More children will go to school and be assured that there is food and they can learn. In some parts of our country, food is an incentive for going to school. We support this proposal. We can continue to enhance this particular budget through Ministry of Education and NACONEK, because that is the only way we can have learners who are stable mentally, even when they are in class. There are a lot of things that are being underfunded. There is some little money in the Budget for employment of other new teachers. We were expecting to employ about 20,000 teachers. Because of the extraordinary times we will employ less, which is better than nothing. Going forward, as we grow our economy, we can put in place more programmes for the youth, so that we can grow our economy and sustain programmes that will create wealth for Kenya. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I support this Bill and congratulate the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee and his team. Thank you.

Member for Tigania West, Hon. John Mutunga.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to speak to this Bill. I rise to support the Supplementary Appropriation (No. 2) Bill as presented and supported by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. We all know why we are here, and how we got here. This is one of the most popular documents in this House. I had an opportunity to second the last Appropriation Bill and I remember clearly saying that I hoped the Finance Bill would be supported as much. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, the Appropriation Bill comes in to show how the resources have been shared and what expenditure lines have been recognised to run Government as well as cause development in this country. The Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee took some time to highlight some key areas the Budget has focused on. We are grateful that we are going to solve the interns’ issue, especially in the education sector. Those children have been waiting to be absorbed for a very long time. Their hopes were dwindling because the Finance Bill was rejected.

Allow me to speak a bit more about what I heard my respected Chairman say about agriculture. If we as a country were keen and really minded revisiting industrial revolution, it did not just occur. It was planned and very well calculated. Most countries have grown from agriculture. The fact that agriculture contributes a significant amount to the GDP tells us we have not done something as a country and Africa in general. We needed to organise our agriculture. We took it over from our colonial masters and continued to cultivate land based on its potential instead of subdividing it into economic units. We then had a settlement plan like the Affordable Housing Programme of the current President. We would have sufficient arable land to cultivate in this country if we started with the Affordable Housing Programme that time and settled people in urban centres. That would have also led to investments in aggregation. Right now, we must be deliberate as a country. We must focus on how to make small, large because a majority of our people are smallholder farmers. That means their production is limited and small. I categorically say that small is very expensive when it comes to production. What then do we need to do as a country? We need to reorganise our investments by focusing a lot more in making small, large. We can only do that by having serious cooperatives in this country. We should revive our cooperative movements and form new cooperatives to put smallholder farmers there. These cooperatives will have mechanisms of ensuring enhanced productivity because we have limited land. Only about 16 per cent of the country can do arable farming, if we have to continue being independent.

If I discuss that a little more, we can set up aggregation centres across the country. We are not investing in those aggregation centres significantly. Our farmers would take their produce to aggregation centres instead of selling it the same day, if we were to invest in aggregation centres. Our farmers have not invested in storage. It means they take their produce to the market immediately they harvest since they have not invested in storage and they are rain-dependent. They all meet at the market and drop prices of goods. They sell below producer prices most of the time. As a result, we milk them dry. Basically, they pay us to consume their food. To turn that around, we need to invest in aggregation. Once we do that, we have to invest in adjoining or supportive infrastructure to carry the goods or the produce to the market

Secondly, we also need to think about the quality and cleanliness of what we aggregate. We have to do cleaning, sorting and grading before we can store for long. If we can declare large volumes to the extent of going into processing, we will start creating the jobs that our youths need. Youths in this country have a point when they say that they do not have jobs. As current policy makers, we need to think of how to create jobs. The easiest way to do that is to embark a lot more on agricultural production, productivity and aggregation that will lead to a transformation that will create very many jobs in this country.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, agriculture is not very interesting. The youth do not take it up a lot because it is laborious. Kenyan youths can take up agriculture if allowed to have mechanised agriculture. However, we cannot mechanise a lot on smallholder farms. We must consider enlarging our farms. The only way we can do that is by starting aggregation and talking to our 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.

people to work together. If you go to some advanced economies like Germany, they have machinery rings. Not everybody has a machine, a tractor or implements. They hire tractors across the village. The agricultural production villages produce together; they prepare their land, plough, harrow and plant together. Therefore, they aggregate and thereafter set up a factory to process what they aggregate.

When it comes to foreign direct investment, our investment proposals are not a lot more in declaring the amount, quality and place of produce because we are not organised. We do not have credible data of what we produce. We need to invest in serious data capture and revision to know exactly what, where and when it is produced to help our farmers. On the other hand, I laud the fact that we have embarked on sugar reforms. I want to speak on selling sugarcane through sucrose content. Sucrose content is the amount of sugar in the sugarcane. We should be paying farmers for that. We have the Sugar Research Institute (SRI) that has produced 27 varieties. The varieties have not moved from the research institute. They are still there. They need to move out of there. Investment in that sector regards movement of these varieties out of the research institutes to multiplication centres where we shall get enough to give or sell to farmers so that they produce high yielding varieties. Some of these varieties can mature in eight months. Others can mature in about one year. The varieties that we have mature in about 24 months. That means we need two years to plant and harvest cane. For us to multiply production and even stop importation of sugar, we need to take up these new varieties. We can have the time required on the farm and produce twice in a year if the varieties mature in nine to 12 months. That will help us increase sugar production. We shall cap importation and the need for the dollar in importation. That way, sucrose-based Cane Testing Units (CTUs) become useful—selling sugarcane with due respect to measuring sugar content. The varieties produced by the SRI are very high in sucrose content. That means we can go the CTU way. We have invested in CTUS in about 11 of our 15 processing plants. We need to invest in the others. We also need a policy direction to weigh or sell sugar in terms of sucrose content.

Investment in agriculture is the way to go. If other countries have gone that way, why not Kenya? We need to reorganise ourselves and to create jobs. It is easier to create jobs in agriculture than most other sectors. It is also one of the sectors with four times ability to reduce poverty and ensure food security. I support the Motion on policy and funding for sugarcane farming in the country. Thank you very much.

Member for Dagoretti North.

Hon. Nyenze, you have removed your card. Hon. Beatrice Elachi, Member for Dagoretti North.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I also rise to support the Motion on policy and funding for sugarcane farming in the country and appreciate the Committee for what they have done. I know that we have gone through the toughest month. I also appreciate the last speaker whom I wished was the Cabinet Secretary nominee for Agriculture and Livestock Development. As we look at the Supplementary Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, we need to self-reflect, as you said, in terms of our own resources. We need to relook and reflect on the overlapping streams. We know that these are functions that can 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.

be put together to operate well. In the overlapping functions of water or roads sectors, there are a lot of internal conflicts that pose many challenges to these sectors. Looking at the First Schedule on the National Referral and Specialised Services and the Curative and Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child and Adolescent Health, we have a very serious crisis of adolescents. This is one thing we need to look at clearly and see how we can support schools to ensure we have wellness and life skills in schools that help adolescents faced with a lot of challenges like early pregnancies and many other issues. We need to think through that. Agriculture is the main pillar for rebuilding our country. We have to do this deliberately. We must ensure that we give young people incentives to engage in agriculture and enable them import value addition machineries duty free, as long as they prove that these machines will add value and they will utilise idle land. If we do not do that, we will be lying to our young people that we have white collar jobs yet we do not. There is a way we can create different incentives to create more skills. Vote R1135 is about Film Development Services and Youth Empowerment Services. This is one thing that we need to emphasise on. How do we create incentives so that we can ensure young people create jobs for themselves? They are very good in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and we need to find ways to support them having in mind that most of them are still looking for jobs. We therefore cannot push them into the bracket of forcing them to buy things as they are. I thought we shall reflect, as Members, on the crisis that we went through and ask ourselves how we can come back with dignity and make Kenyans believe that we can pass a good Budget that can be trusted and monitored. How do we ensure that we spend our monies well? As much as we allocate monies for roads and other sectors, as we always do, we must go beyond that. We must agree to have most of our highways on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. This will help us deal with the issue of roads once and for all. By doing that, we will be assured of quality roads. It will also save some money for other things like paying debt. Vote R1176 talks about the amount required in the year ending 30th June 2025 for current expenses of the State Department for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development. The Women Enterprise Fund got lost somewhere. If we compare where we were in the last 10 years and now, we will not understand whether women can still continue borrowing from the same Fund. We need to request the President to restore the Fund. It should be made in a way that women can apply for funds digitally. The Fund should be administered through meeting the women one-on- one in their groups and cheques issued to them. That will ensure that we can follow up what the women are doing with the money as opposed to digitising the whole process with no way of telling who the beneficiary is, how the country is benefiting, and whether we are gaining or losing. On health, I know that community health workers are all waiting to see what happens to them now that we have ensured that intern doctors have been hired. It is the same case for the Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers who are seeking to be employed. I also want us to focus on Universal Health Care coverage. I know many people are fighting the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) or National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). It is up to us to decide the health insurance that is best for every Kenyan. It is important for us to stop wastage. Let us identify what is termed as waste. Waste is the small things we do without knowing that we are wasting. When we put all of them together, we find that we have wasted finances. In the education sector, parents need to look at how the new model of funding universities works. Parents have to understand how each band works. In the new funding model, an orphan is 95 per cent supported, so what he or she pays is very little but many parents do not understand. 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.

Many parents do not look at the portal of their children. For example, if your child’s school fees is Ksh300,000, 70 per cent of that is Ksh210,000, the loan takes the rest and Ksh15,000 goes to the household. Therefore, parents must follow the new model, look at it and learn how their child will be sponsored. We will have some bursaries left to sponsor third year and fourth year students. But for now, first year students joining university and second year students need to know that the funding model is fantastic for them. The students we should be worried about are those going to colleges. Vote D1082 is on the State Department for Medical Services that deals with maternal new borns. I know I have talked about it but I just want to repeat it. It is devolved but how can we work together at the national and county levels? It is important for us to start strengthening both and ensure the referral works very closely with the devolved. Hon. Temporary Speaker, with those few remarks, I beg to support. I thank the Committee.

Hon. Member for Busia, Hon. Catherine Omanyo.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I am very happy with the Supplementary Appropriation Bill. The range of choices available therein have prioritised what matters. For the first time, if we stick to that, Kenya will live within its means for some time for the sake of development, our children in school and those children who live in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and flood-prone areas. Children who live around such places hardly go to school but if we have a similar programme where we give children lunch in schools, they will not miss going to school just like any other child in Kenya. If everything is put in place, again we will reduce corruption and many of our school-going children especially those who come from poor families will attend school. The number of people living below poverty levels will reduce as well as the gap between the rich and the poor. This will be evident as the 10 per cent of people who have been controlling the economy of Kenya will not have it all as it has been. A lot will trickle down to the people at the grassroots and this means many will have access to basic needs. That is where we all start talking about belonging to a country that protects and takes care of its people. It is a good Bill which I support. I want to see no difference between a child from Siamahanga Village where I come from and a child in Nairobi. The migration between villages in the rural areas will also reduce if every county builds a factory. A lot of money has been getting lost into few people’s pockets but if that money goes into developing industries in every county, then the youth who are today up in arms saying that they need jobs, will get jobs. Our economy will start growing and our people will be proud and count themselves as belonging to this nation. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Irene Mayaka.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for this opportunity. I stand here to support the Supplementary Appropriation (No.2) Bill of 2024 because of the austerity measures that are being put in place. The measures will ensure that we stop wastage and cut down on unnecessary expenditure.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, let me highlight some of the things that are in this Bill that I like. One of them is the fact that we have decided that the JSS interns will be fully supported, together with medical interns. One of the major concerns that I have is that we live in a country where 78 per cent of our population is youthful but the allocation for funds is not proportionate. Even in this Parliament, we do not have a department that is specific to youth-related affairs. Youths are treated in this country like a by-the-way and we need to change that. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

I heard the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee speak about the fact that 47 of the Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs) have been denied monies so as to avoid duplication of functions. That money has been reallocated to reduce duplication of roles that has been happening in this country. I agree with the reasoning. We need to centralise some of these functions so that they are domiciled in one place. It does not make sense to have an auditor for each and every department in the national government. Ideally, we should have one audit committee undertaking audit of all Government departments, like it happens in the private sector. You will never find, for example, in a bank the department of trade or retail banking or wholesale banking having their own auditor. They only have one audit department that serves all the departments. That is one of the ways we can save money.

I heard the Chairman speak about agriculture and some of the measures that have been put in place. I would love that the people who are engaging the Chairman stop engaging him. He needs to listen to some of these measures we are putting in place. For example, we are talking about cost- cutting measures. In this day and age in our country, we still have instances where our large-scale farmers are using old traditional agricultural methods yet we have countries like our neighbour, Rwanda, that use the drone technology in crop production. They do tests to see whether or not the large-scale farms have issues by use of drone technology. Why would we not do that in Kenya as this would enable us to save money? We need to stop being scared of adopting technology because this would save money in many departments.

Another thing, Hon. Deputy Speaker, is that we need good technological interventions within this country even in the offices of the Members of Parliament. In the Offices of Cabinet Secretaries, for example, they have the Huawei Digital Platform where they can have their meetings. If we had that, then we would save so much money.

The other thing we need to speak about in this country is budgeted corruption because there is a lot of embezzlement due to budgeted corruption. By the time we are asking different departmental committees to give us their budget, have we gone back and checked against their performance contracts? Were they able to deliver what was put in their performance contracts? We do not do that. What we do is treat this whole country as a cost centre. The reason I say this is because you will rarely see, when having departmental committee meetings, the different ministries in this country come with a document stating how they are planning to raise revenue. This takes me back to something the Rt Hon. Raila Amollo Odinga wanted for this country. He once said that as a country we should have one product per county. What that meant was that every county would focus on a specific product, be very good at it and raise revenue within their own streams from that. Those are some of the austerity measures we should be talking about as a country. We should be talking about how else to bring up innovations and investments to raise money instead of giving excuses about how there is no money because there is no Finance Bill 2024. Must it always be that we are raising money from taxation? I will give you an example of the Ghanian government right now. They have focused on an investment-driven government for them to raise money from other sources other than taxation. That is the direction we should be thinking as a country.

Having said that, I support this Bill. It is a first-of-its-kind where we are reducing expenses. We are taking things in the right direction. I invite us to start thinking outside the box and start thinking of how we are going drive the economy of this country from where it is to a better economy. This is by looking at ways in which as a country we can begin to raise money on our own. I submit. 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. Ferdinand Wanyonyi, Member for Kwanza.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker for the opportunity. At the outset, my position is that this Supplementary Appropriation Bill No.2 of 2024 is a very unique one noting that it has come before the Finance Bill 2024/2025. This is a very unique approach because some people were not happy with the Bill and so it was rejected. In this Appropriation Bill, I thank the Hon. Chairman who has done a very good job and I want to say heko to him. First and foremost, he has appropriated funds to agriculture and health. In agriculture, the thing that has really impressed me is that we are going to have the fertiliser subsidy, which is about Ksh7.5 billion. I hope and pray that it will be there on time so that we can have our farmers access the fertiliser on time.

At the same time, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I hope and pray that the department or the Ministry of Agriculture imports this fertiliser on time. This is so that they can have it ready during the planting season. After planting, we hope and pray that we will get the fertiliser for top-dressing on time. I come from Trans Nzoia County and during this season, farmers have been coming to me, you would think I work in the Ministry of Agriculture yet I sit in the Departmental Committee on Agriculture, to ask why they did not receive fertiliser on time. There was also delay in accessing fertiliser for top-dressing. I thank the Committee for having come up with this. I hope and pray that we get fertiliser on time. In agriculture, there is money appropriated to import milk coolers which are very important for our country. This will encourage farmers to do dairy farming. As you know, we are in a tropical country and therefore dairy farming is very appropriate here. When I was working for Kodak, whenever I would go to the Middle East, I would drink milk from this country for breakfast. Today, when you go there they serve you milk from Uganda. When did the rains start beating us? I think the milk coolers that we have are not just for the sake of it. They are going to encourage farmers to do dairy farming and have enough milk for exportation and local consumption. I congratulate you for availing funds for importing milk coolers. In the Ministry of Education, the Cabinet Secretary for Education has been given money for the school feeding programme. In some areas children are not encouraged to go to school because there is no food in school. They would rather stay at home and drink water than go to school. This Supplementary Appropriation Bill will help us. It is going to encourage our children to stay in schools and not run away for lack of food. From what the Hon. Chairman has just read out, it is clear that the Junior Secondary Schools intern teachers are going to be paid. This is an encouragement to those who have completed training as teachers. They will be paid for their services and that was lacking. Also, in the Ministry of Health, the medical interns will be taken care of. When the original Bill was dropped, people made very bad remarks. We lost Ksh52 million per constituency which had been allocated for electrification in the rural areas. I hope and pray that during the year, as we go forward, we will allocate a few coins to be able to have electricity in the rural areas. We had Ksh52 million for every constituency but it was thrown away because the Bill was rejected. 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 same thing happened to the funds that had been allocated to the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). These cuts are going to help. You will find a ministry has two or three departments and they do the same thing. This is duplication of services. The Committee looked at some of the departments and ministries which perform similar functions and agreed to merge them so as to save funds. The taxes that people complained about have been reduced. I hope and pray that when we pass this Supplementary Appropriation Bill, nobody will raise their finger complaining that this budget has again been reintroduced after being rejected. As far as I am concerned, this is a very good Supplementary Appropriation Bill. I hope it is going to see the light of the day at the end of it so that it can move forward. I support this Supplementary Appropriation Bill and look forward to people on both sides supporting it. Let us move forward more particularly because some of the taxes have been reduced. I support and thank you.

Thank you, Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi. Let us have Hon. Clive Gisairo, the Member of Parliament for Kitutu Masaba, followed by Hon. (Dr) Oundo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, No. 2 of 2024. I thank the good work done by the Hon. Chairman and the Members of his Committee to try and align with the needs of the people of Kenya. Finding ourselves here tells us that, it is either we were living beyond our means or we were not just listening to the common mwananchi. This Supplementary Appropriation Bill is a testament that we can do better. We can develop this country, provide job opportunities to our people and minimise on borrowing with the little resources that we have. In this Bill, the education sector has made some gains but there is still some room for improvement. We expect that the second Supplementary Appropriation Bill – which should come sooner rather than later – will address some of the gaps. In the education sector we have lost a lot on infrastructure. The reality is that we are a nation that is struggling with classroom space. On a positive note, we have said today that we are going to convert 46,000 teachers from internship programme to permanent and pensionable terms. However, grade nine is starting in a few months’ time and we have a serious shortage of classrooms. Even as we confirm the 46,000 teachers, the initial plan was to confirm 26,000 teachers, leave 20,000 teachers under internship and recruit an additional 20,000 teachers to bridge the gap. We are now only discussing about confirming 46,000 teachers which does not change the total number of teachers in the JSS. Therefore, we will have a shortfall of teachers in January 2025. We, therefore, need to ensure that in the second Supplementary Appropriation Bill we have a discussion of bringing on board an additional number of teachers who should not be less than 20,000. Otherwise, we will have a crisis in January 2025.

Hon. Gisairo, the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Education and Research is not present but I know he is listening wherever he is and so is our good Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. As we talk about JSS, we have more TTCs and we have lowered the entry grade to TTCs for teachers. However, the P1 teachers have been forgotten. Many of them are retiring without employment. I wish you could firm up that point because, as you know, the heart of the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee is with the nation and with the teachers.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am sure that the Chair is taking notes using his phone. He is digital. He has been embracing the Generation Z’s 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.

agenda. If you look at the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), it has challenges. We went around the country to universities and there is a big disconnect between the students in universities in Nairobi and the students in universities in rural areas. It is my strong belief that we need to enable the HELB to move around and get in touch with reality. If we insist that when university students have an issue they must travel to Nairobi for their problems to be solved, we will be making things worse for our youths. So, we need to fund the HELB properly, be it administratively or in other services, for it to serve the grassroots students. We appreciate that in this Supplementary Appropriation Bill, security has been well taken care of. Our police officers will get better pay. These are the people who provide security for us. They are always on the frontline to combat crime and other ills in the society. So, that is a gain done by the Budget and Appropriations Committee. I want to slightly differ with the common assertion that has come from some Members who have spoken that the NG-CDF lost Ksh30 million. I would prefer that we look at things more positively. I do not believe that the NG-CDF lost. These are hard times and everyone had to take the heat. What we need to tell Kenyans is how much the current amount we are getting to the constituencies has done and how prudent we can be to ensure that the little that we get delivers more to our people. If we visit the 290 constituencies, can the Constituencies Development Fund Committees (CDFCs) show us that the little they got has been of benefit to the people? If it is, let us be more efficient with what we have. Let us not cry of losing yet it is not a deduction. We anticipated more but that more is not there. We are retaining what we had. Let us not dampen the mood. We have done well with the resources we had. We can do better with the same resources. On the health sector, again, this Supplementary Appropriation Bill has ensured that the interns are well taken care of because we need a healthy nation. We need our youth to have jobs. It is painful for any parent to educate a child only for the child to come out of school and sit at home with a medical degree, for example, a trained clinical officer sitting at home. So, this is a sign that the Government is concerned with our health providers by ensuring that they are all taken care of and it will keep absorbing more. I want to inform the incoming Cabinet Secretaries that – some of them happen to come from near where I seat in this House – we will be hard on them if they do not take into consideration the views of Kenyans. This is a starting point to have a progressive country; a country that presents to its people a progressive budget. A budget that indicates our ability and encourages us to live within our means. Electrification is a challenge. I hope that in the next Supplementary Appropriation Bill, rural electrification will get more funding. Lastly, we are still wasting money on state departments that can be merged. We need to look into areas that can be consolidated to save taxpayers money. I support the Supplementary Appropriation Bill. Thank you.

Dr Wilberforce Oundo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also stand to make my few comments on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2024. We have found ourselves in uncharted waters. It is an unprecedented situation that we have found ourselves in. This is the first time in Kenya – it could be in many parts of the world – where a Supplementary Appropriation Bill is prepared before implementing the main budget. We have found ourselves in this situation because we refused to listen to the people of Kenya. We find ourselves in this situation because we refuse to govern for the benefit of the people of Kenya. There were signs all 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.

along that things were not well yet we remained adamant, believing that we had the power of the barrel of a gun, and that we would beat everybody into submission and get ourselves here. Naturally, we have to approve the second Supplementary Bill to enable the country move on. Without it, the Government will shut down and everything will come to an end, and Kenyans will suffer. However, we support the Bill knowing very well that this is going to slow down the economy. This is going to lead Kenya into a terrible recession, and the little gains that we ever made, starting from the days of President Emilio Mwai Kibaki, are going to be rolled back drastically. In a Third World country like Kenya where the Government plays an important role in the locomotion of the economy and is not spending, there is no economy, and nothing will grow. If you read various commentaries from the World Bank, Environment and Development (ED) and International Monetary Fund (IMF), they have a very gleam view – a negative view – on the economic growth of this country in the current calendar year. That is simply because there is no possibility of an economic impetus that will allow the economy to grow. This Supplementary Budget is all about cuts. We need to ask ourselves very hard questions as a country. The most interesting thing is, with the serious cuts in the development budge, what will employees of the State Departments, SAGAS and MDAs do? Will they simply be walking to their offices, read newspapers, go to social media pages and do nothing? Without any development funds, what do you do with the engineers that the Chair of the Budget and Appropriation Committee has talked about? What do you do with them? What do you do with the water engineers? If you cut a percentage of that, it runs to several billions of shillings in the water harvesting programme. What will the civil engineers in the Ministry of Water do? If you have cut approximately Ksh2 billion on Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) institutions, what will they do? These institutions are the hallmark of Vision 2030. Medium-Term Plan 3 (MTP3) and Medium-Term Plan 4 (MTP4) was to equip Kenyans with skills to ensure that they participate in the manufacturing sector. What are we going to do to achieve the target of 15 per cent GDP contribution from manufacturing if we do not invest in skills acquisition? Are we really serious in what we do? I would go on and on. The massive cuts in the education sector means that we are not going to have money to allocate to infrastructure development yet by 2026 we expect a transition to the new education system as the pupils in Grade Eight will be moving to the senior secondary schools. By next year, many schools in the rural Kenya will not be having classrooms for Grade 9. What are we going to do to house these boys and girls who are so fired up and energetic enough that they want to go to school yet a whopping Ksh10 billion has been taken away from teacher resource management? It means that we retool and retrain the existing teachers to enable them handle secondary school and senior secondary schools, be it Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) or those other various pathways, it is no longer going to be there. We are going to limp through. We will get teachers who are ill-trained and unprepared to manage the affairs of that particular category. It is indeed sad. Many of us wonder why in the Recurrent Expenditure, funds that were allocated to secondary education amounting to Ksh5 billion have been chopped off. Is it for capitation or quality assurance? What are we talking about? In the primary education sector, Ksh1.9 billion was reduced. If we cannot invest in education, are we not killing these generations permanently or what are we doing? I have never supported supplementary budgets but I just want to appeal to the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee that if there is going to be any change of fortune in The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

terms of the projected revenues, if we are going to achieve that revenue, we must go back and revisit this particular Appropriation Bill. We must revisit the Act completely because as it is now, we are literally grounding the Government to a halt. We are grounding the entire economy. We are putting the entire economy to a standstill. We will be unable to do anything. When the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee responds to this debate, I would like him to address my tribulations. The National Government Administration has a cut of Ksh6.6 billion under the General Administration and Support Services Programme. We need to know what has been reduced. Is it the money for purchase of equipment or the money for supporting the general operations of the national administration system? If that is the case, how does it relate to the security situation now that we know we are not going to create jobs? We all know that an idle mind is the devil's workshop. Hon. Speaker, also know the purpose of passing an Appropriation Bill but the Treasury does not disburse the money. In our meetings in the Departmental Committees, the Principal Secretaries and the management of State corporations continuously lament that 30 to 40 per cent of what is appropriated is never disbursed. We are running a broken system. As I support, I must go on record as saying that we are running a rudderless and broken system. With those remarks, I support.

(Hon. Peter Kaluma)

Mwingi West, WDM): Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me an opportunity to add my voice to the debate on this unique and important Appropriation Bill coming in the month of July. In the history of this House, this has never been witnessed. I want to thank the Budget and Appropriations Committee for the work they have done. In this year, they have had to contend with dealing with two Appropriation Bills in a span of less than four months because of the historical events that we witnessed in our country during the Generation Z activities. Therefore, I support this Bill but with a lot of reservations. First, Junior Secondary School education has won through budgetary allocation for intern teachers. However, we have over 300,000 trained primary school teachers that we have totally forgotten as far as employment is concerned. Why are we condemning these 300,000 P1 trained teachers? Going forward, we should carefully look into this aspect. Secondly, we appreciate that the allocation to the NG-CDF has remained constant. Let us stop misleading this House. The allocation to the NG-CDF remains as it was in the last financial year. I would like us to focus on the issue of infrastructure development in our technical institutes, universities, primary schools and secondary schools. The education sector has largely been affected by the Ksh5 billion budget cut, and we are going to witness a crisis. On the issue of agriculture, the funding is okay. We need to give farmers fertilizers to increase productivity. Allocating more funds will also be good for Kenyan coffee farmers. Milk production, which is an essential commodity, will also benefit. Hon. Temporary Speaker, another winning sector is security where police officers will be rewarded through salary increment. Based on the unfolding events in our country, I would like to suggest to our President and the Budget and Appropriations Committee to redirect the funds in the Housing Levy Fund to construction of good housing units for police officers instead of going the commercial way. We should invest this money to improve housing for public officers. The budget for the School Feeding Programme has been retained but this should be universal. Children are being discriminated against, especially those in areas regarded as non- marginalised. For instance, in my constituency, I do not have an existing feeding 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.

need to feed pupils all over the country without discriminating them on the basis of where they come from. In the next financial year, we need to implement feeding programmes in all our primary schools. Hon. Temporary Speaker, the country does not need austerity measures. This country needs economic stimulus. When the government does not spend, there cannot be economic growth. If we continuously witness an increase in interest rates, the economy will not recover. When we experience political instability, there is nothing we are doing. While it is appropriate to institute austerity measures, I suggest that we establish a taskforce to oversee an economic stimulus programme for our country to grow economically. The Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee has stated that 47 SAGAs are going to be dissolved. Most of them were established by Acts of Parliament. I request that we analyse this matter carefully before dissolving some of the SAGAs. We need to sit down and see whether we need them. We cannot have one Committee or one person deciding whether a SAGA is good or bad for us. The law has to be followed because a majority of them were established through Acts of Parliament. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we need to relook into the issues of revenue collection in our economy. I am sure that whatever revenues we are raising through taxation are sufficient to support growth; including in the electricity sector, which has been adversely affected. Each constituency would have been given Ksh50 million for the last mile connectivity programme. The taxes we pay are sufficient to connect households to electricity in every constituency. Every institution established by Parliament through a statute should be connected to electricity, which is a basic need. I insist that we relook the Supplementary Appropriation (No.2) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.39 of 2024) and reinstate the funds meant for electricity connectivity. Every Kenyan is entitled to electricity, water and food. With those remarks, I support.

Next is the Member for Kitui Central, Hon. (Dr) Makali Mulu.

Thank you, Hon Temporary Speaker. I also stand to support this Bill. As a Member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, allow me to make two opening statements to set the record straight regarding what Hon. Oundo and Hon. CNN have said. If you want to get itemised details of the Budget, please, note that the Budget and Appropriations Committee prepared a report which was discussed last week. The details on the changes contained in that report are summarised into this Bill. Secondly, the fact that we are proposing some changes that will affect parastatals and SAGAs does not mean that we will not use the law. I want to remind Members that they passed the Privatisation Act, which clearly stipulates what needs to be done before a parastatal or SAGA is either privatised or merged with another one. The law is very clear and it will be followed. Hon. Temporary Speaker, regarding this Supplementary Appropriation Bill, last week we discussed the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee in the Committee of Supply. This is just a summary of the things that we discussed last week. In short, there is nothing in this Bill which was not captured in those other reports. However, I want to point out three items which are important for Kenyans. First, Kenyans need to note that the Chairperson has confirmed that there are resources for the JSS intern teachers, who have been complaining that they are yet to be employed on permanent 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.

and pensionable terms. I want to encourage them that once this Supplementary Appropriation Bill becomes an Act of Parliament, they will be employed on permanent and pensionable terms. The second and the most critical issue is that of interns in the Ministry of Health. There has been a lot of lobbying by interns in the health sector for us to factor in resources for their confirmation as permanent and pensionable staff. This Supplementary Appropriation Bill has a provision of Ksh3.8 billion to ensure that interns in the Ministry of Health are also employed on permanent terms. I thought it is important to make that point clear. Another critical issue is Appropriations-in-Aid (A-in-A). After we decided to scale down the budget following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024, many institutions came up with proposals on how to enhance their spending. The entire A-in-A spectrum, as a way of generating resources, needs to be thoroughly scrutinised to establish the potential for each MDA. We need to identify areas where they collect more than they are reporting. There are instances of underreporting, and that is very dangerous. That means some MDAs will have more resources compared to what we have appropriated to them. That will lead to either unnecessary expenditure or expenditure that is not controlled by the National Treasury. Hon. Temporary Speaker, three observations are important as we move into the future. Looking at this Supplementary Appropriations Bill, a lot of money has been reduced in the development budgets. That is where I agree with Hon. Charles Nguna Ngusya. If we cannot carry out economic activities in this country through development budgets, we cannot talk about economic growth. If we cannot talk about economic growth, we cannot talk about employment creation, and other development issues. This is an area we need to consider as a House as we move into the future. How can we ensure that we have more money for development expenditure as opposed to recurrent expenditure? That way, we will be helping the economy to grow. Another critical matter is addressing the budget deficit. Initially, when we started discussing this matter, we said that we would be borrowing about Ksh141 billion. In this Bill, the figure has increased to Ksh170 billion. That says that our appetite for borrowing continues to rise. We have said very many times that public debt is one area we seriously need to discuss and agree on a way forward. For example, the Budget deficit has increased from 3.8 per cent to 4.3 per cent. It is very difficult to develop a country through borrowing. Time has come when we must look at our public debt and ask ourselves what we want as Kenyans. Kenyans out there have told us to borrow less and see how we can use our locally raised resources optimally. Since Kenyans have said they do not want to be taxed more, it means we should come up with a prioritization strategy for expenditure so that at the end of the day we only fund what is core for the good of this country. That way, we will be growing the economy and helping this country. Hon. Temporary Speaker, our colleague and friend, Hon. Mbadi, with whom we have worked on budget matters for a long time, is the man who will be dealing with the Budget going forward. It is not going to be easy for him. We wish him well. He has had very good ideas together with me. Now he has the opportunity to implement what we have been saying should be implemented. I will still be reminding him of what we have been saying every day so that we help this country move to the next level. I appreciate most the fact that we have always agreed that those of us on this side of the House have brains which can help this country. We now want to make sure that we use this brain called ‘Mbadi’ to move Kenya to the next level. I am convinced that he has what it takes to move Kenya to the next level but he has to implement what we have been discussing with him. For him to implement that, he will require political goodwill from the highest office. I plead with the highest 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.

office to provide that political goodwill. If goodwill will not be there, we will be going back to where we have always been. With those remarks, I support.

Hon. Makali Mulu, you have a minute or two of your time remaining. You are a long-serving Member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Thank you for the compliments to our colleague, Hon. John Mbadi. Before you sit down, Hon. Makali, inform the House on something appearing on page 910, line R2044 now that you are in the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Do you see the last item there?

Yes.

The Budget line is for the Senate legislation and oversight. Is this inclusive of that thing called ‘Senate Oversight Fund’ or does it exclude it?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, in the detailed Report, we agreed that there was some money for Senate oversight. This figure includes a part of that money. However, what we said as a Committee, which is properly documented, is that there should be a very clear framework on how these resources will be utilised to ensure that there is accountability. In the past, they used the money as part of the normal office operations. This time round, we are insisting that there must be a very clear framework on how the resources will be used. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Are you saying that the Fund that was being created is not there?

No. The money is there. It was not a separate fund. They just budgeted for it as part of the normal Senate resources but we are now saying we need a very clear framework so that when the money is used by the Senators, issues of accountability are not overlooked. That is the position of the Committee.

Therefore, the Senators will be paid salaries for legislation and oversight, and they will also have a Senate Oversight Fund. Do you confirm that?

Yes. That should be the position.

Thank you. Let us have Hon. Johana Ng’eno for purposes of balance. He will be followed by Hon. Francis Sigei.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me an opportunity to delve into the debate on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill. We all understand that today we are dealing with the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill that went through a lot of turmoil, feelings and pains based on some of the cuts. I also want to weigh in and, first, support it in totality despite the many challenges that accompany this Bill. The Budget that we initially prepared was one of the most expensive budgets of this country. We all understand that the only avenues that we had so that the Budget could go through was funding it by ourselves through taxing the people of this country. The rest of what happened thereafter is history. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank the Chairman and the Committee for the support they gave to the Departmental Committees during the presentations that were made, and more so for the alignment of needs of the various departments with the needs of the country. Despite the cuts effected on the various budget programmes, those of us in the State Department for Housing 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.

Urban Planning believe that what has been left is enough to implement the affordable housing programme as well as construct student’s hostels and other infrastructural projects. We believe that when the economy improves, we can have some of the activities that have been excluded reinstated. Many Members have talked about the fact that funds have been appropriated for confirmation of 46,000 JSS intern teachers as permanent and pensionable. This is a relief but we understand that confirming the 46,000 intern teachers does not mean that we are employing new ones. We still have the deficit that we always had. If you go to most of the JSS schools, you will realise that for every class, we have two or three teachers handling more than 10 subjects. You can imagine how strained those teachers are. I am also happy to note that amongst the areas that benefited from the budget is salary increment for police and prison officers. Police officers have not had salary increment for quite some time. This has contributed to low morale and laxity amongst police officers and prison warders, leading to deterioration of the security situation and an increase in corruption that has been witnessed left, right and centre in most parts of the country. Therefore, this salary increment will go a long way towards motivating police officers so that they do their work as required. Hon. Temporary Speaker, there are many other things but my greatest elation is the reduction on areas where there has been a lot of wastage. I have always said that if we really care about this country, we should collect taxes from our people and use the money prudently. This will ensure that the pain people go through while paying all those monies is eased through the work that is being done by the taxes collected. I insist on this because we cannot collect taxes painfully from Kenyans yet on the other side, spend them recklessly. I once said that we should reduce the unnecessary travels by Members of this House, the Senate, the county assemblies, governors and even those in Executive. That way, we can save a lot of money that can go towards development instead of what it is normally utilised for. However, when I said this, most of the Members, even of this House, condemned me. Let us focus on some areas like foreign travel and hospitality. How much money do we spend on hospitality? If you visit most of these offices, there are so many expensive things which are bought that have nothing to do with service delivery. Those are things I would wish that, often, the Budget and Appropriations Committee should ensure that their allocations are completely cut to minimize the wastage that normally occurs. Look at the number of vehicles in the public service. I am one of the people who always thank the great and third President of Kenya, the late Mwai Kibaki, for the austerity measures he introduced in the Government. I remember that before he took office, most of the Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, CEOs and other public servants were driving luxury vehicles comprising of fuel guzzlers. When he took office, he introduced small engine capacity vehicles for use by Government officials. That is something the current President should emulate so that whatever wastage is associated with Government vehicles is stopped. One vehicle should be enough for travels by a Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary. They should not use big vehicles because they only travel for short distances – between their homesteads and the offices. In my opinion, that is an area where we should introduce austerity measures to reduce wastage. Hon. Temporary Speaker, another area we should focus on is the counties. How much money do the county governments spend? Every year, we disburse over Ksh350 billion to counties but there is no clear development that has been done with these monies. About 80 per cent of the money that is disbursed to the countries goes to recurrent expenditure to fund people’s luxurious lifestyles, salaries and travels. Only 20 per cent goes to development. Every year, we strain in The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

terms of tax collection so that funds can be sent to the counties. However, the funds are spent recklessly on matters that do not bring anything to the taxpayers’ table. I do not know what kind of amendments should be introduce to the law on county allocations. For example, 90 per cent of NG-CDF expenditures go to development. Only 10 per cent goes to recurrent expenditure. I wish this House and the Senate could bring amendments to the County Governments Act, 2012 to make it mandatory for 80 per cent of the money that goes to counties to be used on development. Only 20 per cent should go to recurrent expenditure. If we do that, every village, ward and constituency in this country will experience development. However, if things remain the way they are right now, I do not think there is going to be any meaningful development in this country. Lastly, as a House, we must also ensure that whatever we budget and appropriate in this House goes towards real development – roads, electricity, water and, of course bursaries. The amount we appropriate every year in this House does not translate into roads in the villages. It is high time we ringfenced some of the allocations towards roads in the…

Chairman, I will add you two minutes to wind up.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you for allowing me the two minutes. We should apply equity in the budget-making process and allocate Ksh2.5 billion to every constituency for construction of low volume 10-kilometre roads. The allocation is about Ksh145 billion. If we allocate Ksh72 billion and share it equitably, every constituency will receive about Ksh250 million for water and other such projects. Every village in this country will experience development associated with such share of the allocation. If we allocate Ksh100 million to every constituency towards electricity, every household, school and shopping centre will be connected to electricity. That would amount to Ksh29 billion of the whole budget. If we do away with the bursary funds that are normally allocated to the NG-CDF, the county governments, the national government and the presidential bursary kitty, we will save Ksh70 billion. This money can be used to fund secondary school programme and make secondary school education free. When you add the money for roads, water, electricity and bursaries to secondary schools in every constituency, you only get Ksh316 billion. How much are we appropriating today? A sum of Ksh4 trillion. However, if you go to the villages, you will find no road, water or electricity. It is high time this House re-examined how we prepare our budgets so that we ring-fence allocations to fund real development projects in our villages. Hon. Speaker, the introduction of the hustler fund was one of the best initiatives undertaken by His Excellency the President to try and stimulate economic growth in this country. However, the fund has not been felt on the ground. The Hustler Fund is now similar to the Fuliza financial service that is being operated by Safaricom. If you divide the Ksh50 billion that we allocate to the hustler fund amongst the 290 constituencies, every constituency will get Ksh172 million. If this money is injected into Uwezo Fund, it will support development initiative of several self-help groups in our villages, especially youth and women groups. As a result, this money will be properly in circulation and people will feel it. People have borrowed from the Hustler Fund, like they do borrow from Fuliza and disappear. Some people have thrown away the SIM cards they used to borrow the money, and they are not paying back. This House has to take up the role of appropriating the Hustler Fund so that it is allocated directly to the constituencies. The youths and women can form groups and get empowered through this money. With those remarks, I support this Bill. 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, Chairman. Next is the Hon. Commissioner, Ambassador Francis Sigei, Member for Sotik.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to also support this Bill. At the outset, I would like to say that this is a very progressive Bill. I thank the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee for the wonderful job they have done. More importantly, I thank the Chairman for the straight, clear and articulate manner in which he addressed the House on these issues. I want to mention a few things which I believe have come out clearly in this Bill. One, is the issue of subsidised fertilisers. I thank the President of this country for deciding to give subsidised fertilisers not only to maize farmers but to all sectors in the agricultural economy. It is published in all the newspapers of yesterday and today that we now have a bumper harvest in this country. I am particularly talking about maize. We have a lot of maize in the Rift Valley and other parts of the country. We were able to get a bumper harvest. Food security is an issue which was giving us a lot of problems. That problem has been addressed. What I would like the President to address regarding this Budget is the issue of buying maize, which is in surplus. For many years, the farmers who have been dealing with maize have been having a very raw deal for the mere fact that whenever they have a surplus of this produce, disposing it profitably becomes a problem. They do not get value of their money. I would like to ask the Budget and Appropriations Committee to address this issue. I am also very grateful for dairy farming. This Budget has addressed the issue of subsidizing dairy farming and price stabilization. It has been stated by the Head of State that the price of a litre of milk in this country will not go below Ksh50. Our farmers are therefore going to be very happy with this Bill. I once again thank the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee for addressing the issue of salary review for police officers. I sit in the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs. We were really disheartened when we had a big cut on security. I want to tell you and this House that police officers work under duress yet we know that they are very important officers in this country. I can also attest to the fact that our police officers are doing a good job. We had a lot of scepticism when our officers were leaving for Haiti. The officers are doing a fantastic job out there. We have, in fact, seen that they tackled the gangs that were in the streets in that country. We now need to address other issues concerning our officers. They live in pathetic situations. The houses they live in are in pathetic and horrible conditions. We need to address the issue of housing in the next Budget. We also had an issue with officers living outside the police stations. Again, we also want to address the issue of the officers who have not had uniforms. Uniforms is an issue that needs to be addressed. Regarding the issue of wastage, we need to seal the loopholes. This is because there is a lot of money that is going to waste. The Government should look at these loopholes and address them. I want to also mention the issue of public debt. When signing loan agreements with foreign nations or international organisations like the IMF and the World Bank, we need to thoroughly look at what is involved and the interest thereof. We should also have public participation so that we know what we are signing for. In the past we have had instances where loans were taken without knowing the details. I would like to see an audit of the loans that Kenya has borrowed so that we know what is happening. We also need to look at the issue of employment. When the Gen-Zs came to Parliament, there were pertinent issues that they raised. Unemployment is a big issue we need to address. Therefore, we need to look at the issue of direct foreign investment in this country. We need to 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.

attract foreign investors who should come to this country and invest in manufacturing industries and other areas which can give us employment. We also need to look at the issue of value addition. I know that this cannot be addressed now. Lastly, I want to speak about domestic borrowing. We need to focus more on borrowing from within this country. We can then stop over-relying on foreign borrowing. I wish to mention the issue of absorbing the 46,000 JSS intern teachers into permanent and pensionable status, which is a big plus for the Budget. People who were hired as intern teachers were going to give us problems. They were in fact demonstrating. We applaud the Budget and Appropriations Committee for retaining these teachers. That also goes for the intern doctors who are going to give valuable services to this country. We need to have more teachers. In the next Budget, I want to ask the Committee to address the issue of the 20,000 teachers to be employed so that we can reduce the teacher shortage problem that we have in education. There is an issue I want to address even though it is not in the Budget – the issue of peace in this country. If we are going to address the issue of the Budget, we need to equally address the issue of peace. When we had a problem in Parliament, everybody knew that security is paramount. Any one of us who was here had to run for their lives. Peace is important and everybody must address it. We must keep peace in this country and every Kenyan must take part in ensuring that it prevails. For any development to take place, there must be a peaceful environment. With those remarks, I support the Bill.

(Hon. Peter Kaluma)

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support the Supplementary Appropriation Bill No. 2 of 2024. I take this opportunity to commend the Chairperson and the Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee for spending the allotted time to the last minute trying to come up with this Bill. Every Member, as I have heard, is in support of what has come out after the experience of the last Finance Bill. What has appeased me is the fact that we have learnt how to look at internal measures to enable us cut on our costs and spending. This House, ministries and parastatals have also taken cue and have reduced on their usage. I take interest in the merging of parastatals which have been duplicating duties and using taxpayers' money unnecessarily. I call upon this House to look at more ways of reducing unnecessary Government’s spending. As we tell Kenyans to tighten their belts, let us also tighten the belt of the Government. Many people including Government advisors have come out and they agreed that there is a lot of wastage in Government. It is upon this House, therefore, to look at where the wastage is, reduce the amount of money that is used in Government and put money where we can efficiently get full value of it. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we need to put our resources where we can conjure growth of our economy and ensure we have a healthy economy. That calls for the review of our big system of governance so that we can have a lean governance structure. While I welcome the allocations to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock on issues such as empowerment of farmers through subsidised fertiliser, the Ksh3.1 billion to tea, coffee and sugar farmers matter. I also call upon this House to look at ways which we can have a bigger allocation to the agriculture sector. We have a population of young jobless people who have been a burden. Going by the statistics, we have over 2.3 million graduates without jobs. That calls for measures that will ensure that we get jobs for our young people. We need to put more money where we can get jobs going 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.

forward. We need to look at the systems that are already in place and empower them. We need to ensure that we do not reinvent the wheel. However, whatever works in this country should be empowered. It is an issue that touches on the youths. We have a big population of jobless youths, and we need to empower them. I welcome the money allocated to employ JSS teachers and intern doctors to move them from interns to permanent and pensionable basis and the increment in allocation of money to TVETs. That is where our young peoples are. In the same breath, we need to see how we can enhance the lenders who give cheap credit to our young people who want to practise self- employment. It is high time the National Treasury looks at how to allocate more money to Uwezo Fund and the Youth Enterprise Development Fund as those are systems that are already in place. I am a witness of how we have empowered young people in Manyatta Constituency with only Ksh6 million. I have groups that have since developed. Some have opened small hotels and are already making money. Others are doing farming and poultry keeping, and I can see their results on how they have spent their money. I call upon Parliament to look into those things and see how we can do it better. I also want to see what we can do in terms of maintenance of our roads. We have a crisis in terms of the low volume roads that have been done around the country. It is a high time we changed the contract specifications for maintenance of our roads. We need to stop giving people contracts of one year to finish a road and go. We need to have contracts that run for five to ten years. We need durable roads that do not form potholes and lead us into a crisis after a year of its construction. There is an outcry on the statuses of our roads that were previously done in the last five years. In my constituency, there are many roads that require re-carpeting. This is something that would have been easily handled if the contractor had been given a five to ten-year contract to ensure that the said roads are in good shape. While we have allocated money to the counties, I support what the Members have proposed. There is no way we can have county governments using less than 10 per cent of their money on development and the rest of the money going to recurrent expenditure. It tells you there is wastage in the system. We need to re-look at how we can put in place laws that are going to ensure that most of the money that goes to our counties through devolution is used for development. That is how the NG-CDF money has worked. You cannot go to a constituency and find programmes of the NG-CDF stalling as it is clear in law. It has systems that enable the Fund to work. We need to empower the Fund more, as it has systems that have proven to work and has results that can be verified by the people on our roads. The issue of education is also key in this Supplementary Appropriation Bill. We have free primary education, but we have not matched the dream of Hon. Mwai Kibaki with infrastructure development. We have compounded the problem by introducing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) programme. We need to do a lot on that. There is need to ensure that we have systems that work so that we can have an educated population that is able to move this country forward. Let us put more resources or have a system that works. There is also need to give and ensure that information is shared well on the new funding model in our universities. Parents do not understand it. There is need for the Government to do more on information sharing so that parents can understand.

Let me add you a minute to conclude that important point.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the new funding model is a brilliant model, but there is a problem with information flow. Some parents can get 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.

stroke when they receive the purported school fee structures of Ksh400,000. Some parents even tell their kids to give up on the courses they want to do. Let us ensure that clear information from our universities and Government is shared for the parents to know and understand that this model is good, and have our kids learn in peace.

Thank you so much, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Erick Muchangi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to this very important Bill, the Supplementary Appropriation (No.2) Bill (National Assembly Bill No.39 of 2024).

I wish to start by thanking the Budget and Appropriations Committee led by Hon. Ndindi Nyoro, for a job well done. This is a Committee that has proven that they are indeed capable of doing what they are supposed to do as a parliamentary committee. We really thank them for what they have continued to do.

Looking at some of the highlights from the Report of this Committee, we have noted the issue of the JSS teachers. For a long time, these teachers have appealed to Members of Parliament and the President to make sure that they are absorbed on permanent and pensionable basis. I am delighted that their cry, request and appeal have now come to reality given that the Budget and Appropriations Committee and this House will ensure that these teachers are employed on permanent and pensionable basis. Our schools are in dire need of teachers because of the new curriculum, the CBC. These schools should get teachers so that they can ensure quality in terms of teaching our children.

This Supplementary Appropriation Bill will ensure that police officers get a pay rise. This is very good news to the police officers in this country. They have been giving their services to the Kenyan citizens and sacrificing while working in very deplorable conditions. Some do not even have proper housing while others work in hardship areas. They truly deserve recognition in terms of a pay rise. The best thing this honourable House can do to our service men and women, is to give them a pay rise and proper housing.

The deployment of our police officers to Haiti has proven that our police officers are properly trained. They have gone there and there is already good and positive news that they are in charge of the security situation in that country. All our police officers are highly trained and qualified. Some have gone to school to acquire degrees. They have degree certificates. Others have even pursued master’s degrees. We need to ensure that the officers who have not been promoted and are earning small pay, get a pay rise. It is good to realise that some of them went to school on borrowed money and loans. They need to repay the loans. They acquired the skills and training, but they have not been promoted. Even as we give them a pay rise, it is also good to ensure that the police officers are promoted. They need to be motivated as they continue serving this republic.

It will be very good news for the farmers to continue getting fertiliser. In the recent seasons that farmers received fertiliser, we have all seen that this country can adequately provide for itself through agriculture. We must ensure that the fertiliser comes in time so that our farmers have adequate time to collect it, prepare and till their land. This will ensure that they plant and apply fertiliser at the right time, which can guarantee them good harvest when time comes.

It is also important that we do not overlook the challenges that our farmers are facing in the distribution of the same fertiliser. Some have to go very far to collect the fertiliser. In my Runyenjes Constituency, we sometimes have to go to Embu Town to get the fertiliser. We have to go to Ishiara, in our neighbouring constituency, to get fertiliser from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). We would like to tell the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock 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.

Development to ensure that when fertiliser comes, it is brought right at the doorstep of the farmer. We have existing cooperative societies and establishments of the sub-county offices, where fertiliser can be brought and systems put in place to ensure that farmers get them at their doorstep. If exams can be taken to the office of the sub-county director of education and are collected from there, why can we not take fertiliser there and tell farmers to pick it? During elections, we take election materials to primary schools or polling centres. Why can we not take fertiliser to the doorstep of the farmer? I know it is doable. Once the Government procures this fertiliser, it is important that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development ensures that it is delivered at the convenience of the farmer.

It is also important that we take precaution and great care so that our farmers are not given substandard fertiliser. That is a criminal activity. It is immoral to give farmers fertiliser that will not help their farms. So, even as we appropriate funds for this, we want to tell the Ministry officials and those who will be responsible for importation and ensuring that this fertiliser is good, to know that Kenyans are watching closely. We must get quality for our money.

On the issue of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, I want to state that they were brought on board in 2020, around the COVID-19 time. They were given a very funny engagement, namely, half salary, no gratuity, no allowances, no promotions, and no career progression. They have been earning half salary and have been working in that arrangement for four years. They have been patient for so long and it is time we gave them the dignity that goes together with their qualifications. These are people who are working in a very critical sector, health. So, they need to be motivated. I will be very happy when this House appropriates funds to consider these people. I want to thank the Budget and Appropriations Committee for factoring this in the Budget.

I also take notice of the fact that we need money for electricity. In my constituency, I have had to, every other time, answer a question on electricity. It is unfortunate that in the Budget we do not have enough money to connect homesteads to electricity. However, I hope that in the coming days, funds will be made available so that these people can be given what they truly need, and that is electricity.

I support, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Omar Mwinyi, because of rank.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for according me this opportunity to also weigh in on this very important Bill. First of all, I ask this House to focus on the national goals before Independence. We had goals which were very clear. They had outlined what was to be expected in each sector, for example water, education, health, equity and many more. If I can remind this House, it was envisaged that by the year 2000, every household was to have tapped water. But to date, that goal is still far-fetched and we do not even know when we can achieve it.

On education, we keep changing our education system, but we do not know whether the need comes from ourselves or being dictated by foreign governments. We do not know what will come after this Government goes. If you look at the health sector, by now, people were supposed to be enjoying a good coverage, but that is not there. We do not need pay rises for any organisation, be it police, parliamentarians or any other organisation. The Government should make it possible for the economy to be friendly and to allow everybody to breathe. If the Government takes its responsibility of making sure education and health are free for everybody, the money being stolen on a daily basis, as we were informed by the previous President, would do this work. If this burden is removed from parents, everybody would actually live a comfortable life. 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.

I know of a country in southern Africa where life is very comfortable because the Government has made sure that education and health are free. The middle class are also enjoying life. Even those in the lower category also enjoy life. So, we should shift from this idea of organisations of workers waiting for the Labour Day to ask for a 10 per cent increase or parliamentarians asking for pay raises for the police. This does not work. Even if we give them an increment, it will never ever address the challenges they face as a people. Remember police officers are supposed to be the most respected people in this world. In more developed countries, police officers are so much polished, official and they will never look for this thing that we call kitukidogo in whatever they do. They look very responsible. In our case, when the police looks at you, the first thing they think of is to draw something from you. It is not because of anything, but because life is unbearable.

We should also look at the budget that we are purporting to make or contribute to as a House. We know that we do not control these budgets. Even the Members of the Budget and Appropriations Committee come up with recommendations, but they are thrown into dustbins. This is very well known. Hon. Temporary Speaker, there are ministries and other organisations which are given funding that they cannot absorb. However, interestingly, they ask for more funds the following year and we disburse them. So, we are also culpable because we are contributing towards the pilferage of the funds that we collect which are supposed to be used for the development of the country. It is now common knowledge in this country that every Government comes up with a manifesto which does not reflect the original goals of the country. For example, education, water and health goals were set up during Independence. However, we deviate from them. This is similar to what my other colleague, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban planning and Public Works, was contributing about the hustler fund. How does it benefit this country? If we spend that money on health, education or improving infrastructure, it will contribute immensely to this nation. So, we should deviate from cheap politics and politics of deceit. We should get away from that because we are now in the 21st Century. We are supposed to come up with measurable and profitable policies which will make this country to move forward. We do not know the kind of manifesto the next Government will come up with which definitely will not help this country to develop. As Africans or Kenyans, we are used to cheering our political leaders. I can remember the days of Nyayo. He would come up with an idea where everyone cheered and said it was very good and nice. When it was opposed and got some traction, the President would retract and everybody would praise him for being wise and having foresight. This is also happening. We can see our colleagues who were very vehement in supporting the Finance Bill, 2024 and when the President receded, they also cheered him up. We, as a House, should stop to cheer our leaders when they are wrong. We should state our position because we are supposed to think and use our faculties. We are supposed to know what is good and what is bad for this country. If we continue with this habit of cheering our political leaders, then we will not take this country anywhere. Our education does not address the needs of our people currently. You find everybody who has a degree is expecting to be employed, yet we know very well that employment opportunities are very scarce. There must be a change in the way our students are being trained, so that they do not depend on employment. We, as a country, must also be honest. The political class should also be very honest. We have cases today like the allegation of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) being on sale. The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) which is a profitable organisation is being 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.

given concession which is not the right thing to do at this time. The Budget talks about the Senate being given oversight funds, yet we know their salaries are based on their representation and oversight, which are their roles.

Hon. Mwinyi, you have only 30 seconds because two people are yet to speak to this.

Is corruption rewarding? Does it contribute towards national development? Does it contribute to national wealth? Is it encouraged? Yes, it is encouraged. That is why we see political leaders who have stolen from the Government kitty going behind the Government of the day so that their cases are not activated in court. Corruption should be dealt with the way the Chinese do it in their country. It would even be better if we have people shot or hanged for being corrupt. That is our national anthem.

Thank you. Hon. Robert Basil, Member of Parliament for Yatta.

Thank you for giving me the Floor. Like my friends have already said, allow me to thank the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee for bringing this Bill to the House. This Supplementary Appropriation Bill has some positives and some flaws. I will begin with the positives. I will start with the education sector. For sure, absorbing the 46,000 teachers is a plus on this Bill because many teachers are languishing in poverty. A majority are not employed. Most parents are shouldering the burden of paying Boards of Management (BoM) teachers. In actual sense, the Government should pay teachers for the taxpayer. My Yatta Constituency is a case in point where more than 30 per cent of teachers are BoM teachers. That is a big burden to parents who are struggling to not only exist, but also meet basic needs in their families. It is very unfortunate that they have been doing so yet they are paying taxes. That is why I applaud this Bill for considering recruiting 46,000 teachers to pensionable and permanent terms. Allow me also to appreciate the consideration of medical interns under the health sector. For sure, you know sick people are a sick nation. It is very unfortunate when we do not consider recruiting medical practitioners to support promotion or discharge of health services. It is also worrying to see medical doctors striking at this point of time. It is a good thing to consider medical interns. That is why I applaud the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee for considering that. Doctors are not supposed to be on the streets. They should be in hospitals or health centres delivering services to our working force. Three, allow me to appreciate the recognition of the police. Remunerating the police under this Bill is very important considering the very pertinent role they play to make sure we are safe and to safeguard the country internally. Therefore, remunerating them is positive. I appreciate that. The school feeding programme is important. The Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee said that they have preserved the school feeding programme. I recommend that the school feeding programme be taken to all schools in the entire country and our constituencies. The school feeding programme is an essential component of education simply because students cannot concentrate when their stomachs are empty. I wish to commend the team under the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee for appropriating money for the school feeding programme. Hon. Temporary Speaker, let me begin with electricity. In my constituency, more than 40 per cent of households are not connected to electricity. Actually, when a person is connected to 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.

electricity grid, that is a new customer. That being a new customer, that is new revenue to be generated by the Government. So, we should invest our money where it is required and where it can be regenerated. That is why we cannot say no to electricity. Removing money allocated for electricity connection should be considered, reviewed and reinstated so that we can create a pool of new customers to generate more revenue. On irrigation, it is important to understand that food security is an important component of any nation. It is shocking to hear that money meant for irrigation has been cut. We should be talking of mega dams being constructed in this country. In my case, I will talk about the Yatta Dam, among other dams which could be important to boost food productivity and produce raw materials to support industries. I suggest we look at our priorities and put money where it is rightly needed so that we do not have a bloated budget which burdens Kenyans instead of refocusing on areas where money can be allocated and the economy of this country can be rejuvenated. That is why irrigation for mega dams should have been considered. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I agree with the Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee when he said that some State agencies need to be merged. It is unfortunate to see duplication of services within the Government. We have many State agencies in the Government. Today, we are talking of 290 parastatals. Do we really need them? The answer is no. Why can we not reduce that number to about 100 parastatals at maximum, so that we can have enough savings and direct the money to development? Additionally, why do we need 51 Principal Secretaries? Why do we not lower that number to about 22 or 21 to align with the number of Cabinet Secretaries? During the late President Moi’s Government, we used to have one Principal Secretary per ministry and one director per ministry. That is where we need to save more money and channel it to development. That is important and we should not throw it under the carpet if we are patriots and we are elected to represent our people across the country. On the Equalisation Fund, this money needs to be used wisely. The other time I spoke on this Floor that some areas were considered under the Equalisation Fund while others were left out. Why do we not use baseline data to know areas that have been marginalised so that resources can be allocated to areas that have been ignored since 1963? Let us put aside tribal and ethnic considerations that have been used in appropriation of resources. Allocate resources based on needs and areas where they are required. Importantly, I also join my colleagues who talked about the oversight fund for the Senators. Hon. Temporary Speaker, it has to go on record that the duty of a Member of Parliament including a Senator starts with representation, oversight and legislation. When we pay someone for doing their job that is good. But why do we need to create another fund to pay Senators when in actual sense they have been remunerated as people's representative in that capacity? That should be removed; it should not be in this Supplementary Appropriation Bill. We do not need the Senate Oversight Fund when in actual sense they are already paid to oversee as we equally do. Hon. Temporary Speaker, going forward, let us consider itemising our budget. This will allow us to know where our money goes to. Taxpayers will also know how their resources are utilised. It will also offset the agitation that we have seen with protestors across the country. We need to unite our country, heal our wounds and not bandage them without treating them.

I support this Bill, but also request that my concerns be considered. There should be more focus on reducing recurrent expenditures and channelling more resources to development.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I submit. 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. Basil. Next is Hon. John Makali, the Member for Kanduyi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me the opportunity to weigh in on this Supplementary Appropriation Bill. We are living in unprecedented times and, therefore, we must make unprecedented solutions. As indicated by the speakers before, this Supplementary Appropriation Bill is unprecedented. As a House, we are dealing with a Supplementary Appropriation Bill barely one month after passing the last Budget. The last month has been a serious period for retrospection and introspection for us as a House. As representatives of the people, the last month has taught us several things. The recent events of 25th June 2024 have reminded us of the old American slogan: “No Taxation without Representation.” The message from Kenyans has been clear that they want openness, transparency and accountability. They do not want wastage and pilferage. As a House of representatives whose clarion call is, “For the Welfare of Society and the Just Government of the People,” we have no choice, but to listen to them. Hon. Temporary Speaker, Kenyans have told us that we need to consult them before making decisions. Public participation is a key constitutional imperative that we must consider. Looking at this Supplementary Appropriation Bill, I ask myself: Does it meet the aspirations of Kenyans, or are we still repeating the same mistake? While moving this Bill, the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee indicated that we are expanding our deficit by borrowing more. Kenyans have told us that we have to live within our means. Therefore, as we sit and discuss this Bill, Kenyans are watching us. Are we reducing our borrowing or are we borrowing more? The Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee says that we have to go up to a 4.8 per cent deficit from the 3.84 per cent deficit. We need to address this in the Committee of the whole House. All is not lost. Let us look at the critical sectors of our economy like agriculture. Agriculture accounts for 18 per cent of our GDP. We are happy that we will have subsidised fertiliser as indicated in the Report. However, we need to ensure that the subsidised fertiliser provided to our farmers is not fake, as it has been in the past. As a House mandated to oversee the Executive, we must raise our bar to ensure that the money allocated to the ministries is used efficiently. The committees of this House must actively oversee these ministries for the benefit of the people we represent. My only disappointment is that we are allocating a paltry Ksh700 million in the budget towards the sugar industry. The Nzoia farmers and employees are owed quite a lot of money courtesy of non-payment. In the Committee of the whole House, I hope we will increase the allocation towards the sugar sector reforms so that our farmers and employees who are in those particular factories can benefit and feel part and parcel of this Government. We will be insisting that moving forward, if we are not able to make up in this Supplementary Appropriation Bill, we should move in the second supplementary budget to ensure that we allocate more funds towards ensuring that we complete the sugar sector reforms which we had started in this particular budget. I am also happy that we are going to employ 46,000 JSS interns. However, I am worried that in my constituency and county, we have teachers who graduated as far as 2013 and they have never been employed. We need to invest more money towards this human capital. I met a teacher who graduated way back in 2013 and was saying he will demonstrate every Tuesday and Thursday because he has never got a job since he graduated in 2013. So, we need to create more employment opportunities, and as we move on, we need to allocate more resources towards employment of our 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.

young generation which is feeling left out in this Government. They do not feel that as legislators, we are taking up their issues seriously. In regard to the education sector, much as we have allocated a huge chunk of money towards education, we have problems in our educational institutions. If you go back to our secondary and primary schools, the capitation that is meant to go to those schools never reaches there as and when it is required. Currently, some of the schools have closed early for lack of capitation as head teachers are finding it very difficult to run those schools. We will be urging that as we move on, we need to begin allocating more resources towards the education sector because it is critical in the development of our nation. My other worry is towards infrastructure and rural electrification. Only 45 per cent of my constituency has electricity. It is unfortunate that in this supplementary budget, we have removed all those sums of money that were supposed to go towards the last mile rural electrification. On roads infrastructure, I have a road in my constituency, the Sang’alo-Dorofu-Musikoma Road which stalled way back in 2017. With these painful decisions that we are making in this Supplementary Appropriation Bill, it hangs in the balance. As we move towards the second Supplementary Appropriation Bill, I am hopeful that we will allocate more funds towards stalled projects. I am happy that we have tried to allocate some money towards our men in uniform, specifically our police officers. In the last one month, you would sympathise with police officers who had to put their lives on line to defend this country. Much as we are allocating some little increment towards their salaries…

Your time is up, Hon. Makali, but you made very good points. Hon. Timothy Toroitich.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute on the Supplementary Appropriation (No.2) Bill. In this country, it is never about how much money is allocated to a certain department within the Executive, but about how we play our oversight role as a House on how the money is utilised. I want to commend…

Order, Hon. Members. Let us arise. Hon. Timothy Toroitich, you will have nine-and-a-half minutes.

(Hon. Peter Kaluma)