Hon. Osoro, what are you doing on your seat? Let the Quorum Bell be rung for 10 minutes.

Order, Hon. Members. I now confirm that we quorate.

Deputy Chief Whip of the Majority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to lay the following papers on the Table: 1. Reports of the Auditor-General and Financial Statements for the Years ended 30th June 2021, 30th June 2022, 30th June 2023, and the certificates therein in respect of: (a) Chelalang Secondary School. (b) Chesamisi High School. (c) Chewoyet National School – West Pokot. (d) Gakoe Girls’ High School. (e) Goseta Boys High School. (f) Keese Secondary School. (g) Kerio Boys Secondary School – Turkana. (h) Kiambu High School. (i) Kitale School Secondary. (j) Lenana School. (k) Lodwar Boys High School. (l) Morulem Mixed Secondary. (m) Namawanga Baha’i Secondary School. (n) Rumwe Mixed Day Secondary School. (o) St Brigid’s Girls High School. (p) St Joseph’s Boys High School – Kitale. (q) St Mary’s Kibabii Boys High School. (r) Uhuru Girls High School – Lokichar. 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.

2. Auditor-General’s Report on the Status of the Implementation of Recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee Report for the Financial Year 2020/2021. 3. Auditor-General’s Report on the Status of the Implementation of Recommendations of the 24th Report of the Public Investments Committee.

Chairperson of the Public Investments Committee on Education and Governance, Hon. Wanami Wamboka.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education on its Examination of the Report of the Auditor- General on the Financial Statements of State Corporations (Central Region) for the Financial Years 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 6th December 2023.

Hon. Members, for the convenience of the House, I want us to skip Order No.7 and go directly to Order No.8.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Procedural Motion: THAT, this House resolves to exempt the Business appearing as Orders 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 in today’s Order Paper from the provisions of Standing Order 40(3), being a Wednesday morning, a day allocated for Business not sponsored by the Majority or Minority Party or Business sponsored by a Committee. Everyone here knows that Wednesday morning sittings are set aside for Private Members’ Business. However, this Procedural Motion seeks to exempt Business that does not fall under that category, so that we can consider it for today. As we are all aware, we have about two weeks to go before we proceed for the long Recess, which begins from 1st May 2025. It is only fair that we dispense with very urgent business, which includes, the Reports of the Committees on the vetting of various principal secretaries, cabinet secretaries, and many other reports. We also need to consider the Anti- Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill. It is only fair that we exempt such Business, being a Wednesday morning, so that we can dispense with it as quickly as possible. I beg to move. I also request Hon. Junet Mohamed, the Leader of the Minority Party, to second.

Hon. Junet Mohamed, you are seconding this Motion. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to second.

Put the Question!

Is that the mood of the House?

Yes!

Next Order.

Hon. Members, we concluded the Committee of the whole House on this Bill. What remained was for the Question to be put.

Mover.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Finance Laws Bill (National Assembly Bill No.5 of 2025) be now read a Third Time. I also request Hon. Murugara to second.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to second. Before you put the Question, I have noticed that Hon. Ruku is here; yet, the Motion to approve his appointment as a Cabinet Secretary is on the Order Paper. Is it in order for Hon. Ruku, the great man from Mbeere North… The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Murugara, you are seconding a very special Motion, and I request that you proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to second.

Hon. Junet.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I would like to support the Third Reading of the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill. It is very important in combating money laundering and organised crime in our country. We have a serious problem on money laundering because a lot of our money is lost in this manner. For example, look at what is happening in the county governments. Look at what happened in Kiambu yesterday. A lot of money is stashed somewhere, and we do not know where it has come from nor its purpose. Why is that money not in a bank account? This Bill will deal with these kinds of things. Yesterday, the officers from Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) showed Kenyans many millions of shillings and dollars that had been stashed in homes. This is exactly why we are passing this Bill. People will be afraid of stashing money in their homes instead of keeping them in their bank accounts. If the money is in the bank account, there would be a formal way of accounting for it. People should not be allowed to keep any amount of money without accountability under the mattresses and beds in their homes anymore. I have been told the money that was found yesterday in Kiambu was covered with sufurias and plates. That is the information we got in Parliament. I do not know whether it is true. How does that happen in somebody's home? This Bill is timely. The President must assent to it as quickly as possible because it is going to help in the financial management of this country. With those few remarks, I support the Third Reading of the Bill.

Hon. Chepkonga

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As the Leader of the Minority Party has said, this Bill is indeed, very important because Kenya has been accused of money laundering. It will get rid of the shenanigans we saw yesterday. When people are arrested or called upon to account for money, they should not plead politics. They should just say they have been found with some money which are unexplained proceeds of crime, and go ahead and plead in a court of law. The rule of law will take its course. This law is very important. As it has been said, the President should assent to it as quickly as possible to deal with some of these untoward characters in Kenya.

Hon. Chepkonga, I am curious; you being a senior lawyer, is having money in your house evidence of crime?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is not evidence of crime. But as you know, we passed the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) Regulations recently. For you to have more than one million shillings, you should explain its source. If you are unable to, then under the Assets Recovery Agency, it will be treated as proceeds of crime. Nobody is supposed to hold huge cash in their house, and more importantly, an elected leader.

The last Member to contribute on this matter will be Hon. Elachi. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to start by thanking everyone who stood with me during the difficult time. We thank God for everything. The form of money laundering in this country has changed. You remember when the former President changed the system, people also changed. Others went to mini-markets. Most of the petrol stations are used for the same. When you look at it, you wonder how you will be selling here and another one selling there and all make profits. On top of the petrol stations, one would also have a mall. This Bill will assist the country in many ways. We must also be wary of the many foreigners who come to support and visit us. We must have checks and balances of what we are doing in this country. With those few remarks, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to support the Bill.

Thank you, Members. I want to put the Question. I confirm there is Quorum.

Next Order.

Hon. Members, as you are aware, debate on this Special Motion was concluded yesterday. Therefore, we wish that the House decides one way or the other.

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 Members. Members who are walking out of the Chamber, please take your seats. Hon. Members, debate on this Motion was concluded yesterday too. Therefore, I will proceed to put the Question.

Hon. Members, debate on this Motion was also concluded yesterday. It is now for us to decide this morning. Therefore, I will proceed to put the Question. 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. It is in our rules that you can consult at any time, but not when the Speaker is on his feet. You should not do anything; not even to open your mouth. Hon. Kaguchia was a Speaker of a County Assembly before and he knows that freezing, means freezing. Next Order.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Hon. Junet?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, Order No.13 has been called out. We are going to debate on the approval of nominees for Cabinet Secretaries and one of them is sitting here. You cannot skin a monkey when it is looking at you.

That is an African proverb where I come from. So, can he leave the Chamber so that Members can have freedom to speak what they think about him.

I have not seen any monkey in the House this morning.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is the point of order Hon. Farah Maalim.

I want to set the record straight. In North Eastern, we do not eat monkeys. He comes from Nyanza. We do not skin monkeys. For the record, that only applies where he represents in Parliament.

We will do this in a different way. I do not want to pronounce myself on the microphone on that matter, but the person concerned has been communicated to, accordingly. Of course, there are repercussions if he does not follow the reasons he has been given. The House could always vote either way. So, there are repercussions for refusing to follow what has been advised. Hon. Members, I am informed Hon. Junet is the one moving this Motion. Is that the position? I Can also see the Leader of the Majority Party in the House. Proceed with this Motion.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Special Motion: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Committee on Appointments in its Fifth Report on the vetting of the nominees for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 152(2) of the Constitution and Sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap 7F, this House approves the appointment of the following persons as Cabinet Secretaries: 1. Hon. Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku – Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes. 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.

2. Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo – Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage. Hon. Temporary Speaker, as I move, let me begin by thanking all the Members of the Committee on Appointments who availed themselves the whole of Monday, 14th April 2025, to go through the Motions of vetting these two Cabinet Secretaries, led by our Speaker, who is the Chairperson of the Committee on Appointments. They dedicated a lot of their time on Monday and yesterday morning to approve these two Cabinet Secretaries. In conducting the approval hearings on Monday, 14th April 2025, the Committee was guided by the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, and the provisions of the Constitution under Article 152(2). Further pursuant to Article 118 of the Constitution, on public participation, we invited members of the public to submit memoranda in contesting the suitability of either of the nominees. We received three memoranda, out of which only one complied with the provisions of the Act. In that regard, we examined the nominees on the issues raised in the memorandum as contained in the Report that I tabled on 15th April 2025 afternoon. Additionally, we were able to look at all the clearance reports from the various agencies, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the office of Registrar of Political Parties. I know Hon. Kiringa Ruku has previously claimed to be the party leader of the Democratic Party of Kenya, but it became clear that he was only doing so at times in jest. He is not an official of any political party, but was a member and an elected Member of Parliament under the Democratic Party of Kenya. We also had clearances from the Higher Education Loans Board and the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to see that none of them had criminal cases preferred against them. Further, we had clearance from the Commission for University Education, and of course, the Kenya Revenue Authority to ascertain that they are compliant in terms of payment of taxes. During the approval hearings, we also examined the suitability of the two nominees based on the criteria set out in the Act. To this end, the Committee observed that pursuant to Sections 6(7) 6(8) 7 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, both nominees demonstrated knowledge of topical administrative and technical issues touching on the portfolios to which they had been nominated. They have the requisite abilities, academic qualifications, and professional experience to be approved for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries. Notably, Ms Hanna Wendot, is an accomplished lawyer who has worked in the Ministry of Cooperatives in the public service, and also worked in the private sector, running as a managing partner in a law firm together with her late husband, the late Senator Cheptumo. Hon. Geoffrey Ruku is our colleague, and has been in public service, at least, for the last two and a half years. He has immense experience in the private sector. Hon. Ruku, having been elected by the people of Mbere North two and a half years ago, he has served them with a lot of commitment and dedication. It was also notable that Hon. Geoffrey Ruku has been a very dedicated Legislator. We noticed that even this morning, he was here very early. It is not because his name was appearing on the Order Paper but because he has been very diligent. Members of this House will bear me witness that he is among the best First-Time Members of this House. When he got to this House, he used to sit somewhere at the back. But at some point, he moved to the seat next to the Parliamentary Service Commissioners next to you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. From his height, you cannot fail to notice him. And maybe because of his height and physique, he has had the opportunity to contribute immensely to many debates on Motions and Bills in this House. I must give him credit because he has been an avid debater who has actively participated in legislating. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

There are Members who are usually in this House conversing, making noise, gossiping, but never debating. They never give those on the Floor time to even be heard. Hon. Ruku has been far from that. He has been an avid debater who takes his time to read and understand what is before the House. Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is not only in the House that you have seen how good Hon. Ruku articulates Government’s policy---

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Please protect me from the noise behind me.

Give Hon. Sirma the microphone.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, from the statement of the Leader of the Majority Party, he has described Members as gossips in this House. Is that parliamentary language admissible in this House? It is very demeaning to Members.

Leader of the Majority Party, act accordingly and desist from using terms that would cause many---

Hon. Temporary Speaker, unless you feel guilty, I have not named anyone. In support of Hon. Ruku, I said that he has been an avid debater in this House. That is a fact that speaks for itself. I am also referring to Members who are present in the House but do not debate, and the HANSARD can prove me right. If anyone wants to challenge me, I can adduce evidence of how many times each and every one of us has contributed to debates in this House, including those who have been very noisy without debating. Hon. Temporary Speaker, Hon. Ruku has also been very keen in articulating Government’s policy in the House, outside and even on national television by engaging in debates and informing the public on what the Government is doing, as well as his work as a legislator. Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, as I said, is an accomplished professional. This lady was welcomed into the public sector by a section of social media users because of an unfortunate statement she made inadvertently. I must say that thosse who were keen during the approval hearing will note that she was basically responding to something prompted by a Member of the Committee. She has not been welcomed kindly to the public sector by those on social media, but I can tell members of the public that Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo is an accomplished lawyer. She is a lady of immense professional attributes as a lawyer, defender of human rights, a fighter for women's rights, a lover and a firm defender of children, including our young girls and women. Although gender issues are not just about women, considering the cases of femicide and abuse of women's rights we have seen in the country, I am certain that as an accomplished lawyer, Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo will be at the forefront in defending both genders. During the approval hearings, I heard Hon. Junet, the Leader of the Minority Party, assert that there are also men who suffer quietly. They also look up to Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo to ensure that they do not continue to suffer in silence because gender-based issues are not exclusive to the female gender.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order? Please give the Deputy Speaker the microphone.

As much as I agree with the Leader of the Majority Party on the professionalism of Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, I still think that The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

the statement she made was unfortunate. It was completely politically incorrect, and she must- --

Order! Order! This Motion is coming up for debate shortly and anybody who wants to say something about it will have the chance then. Leader of the Majority Party, proceed and conclude.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I honestly did not understand what was out of order. That is a point for debate, and I merely asserted what transpired. I know the Deputy Speaker, who is a Member of the Committee on Appointments, was not present during the vetting process, therefore, she would not understand where we are coming from on that matter. I was asserting that this lady has what it takes to defend the rights of both genders; male and female. I also pointed out that Hon. Junet got the assertion from her that gender matters cut across both ways. I am certain that she will serve the Kenyan people and the Government. Without being an apologist for her, it is only right that we at times consider the context in which things are said. Someone who has never been in the space she was in that day is likely to make such small mistakes. When you have not less than 20 cameras facing you, and you are not used to it, people are likely to panic and respond in ways they never intended. That is why I said if the Deputy Speaker was listening to me and I suspect even now she might not be, the remark was inadvertent. I hope the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Gladys Boss, has heard what I said. The remark was inadvertent, and therefore, on behalf of the good lady, may I offer unreserved apologies, because I am certain it is something she regretted after watching what had happened. I have since spoken to her, and she has offered her unreserved apologies to the country, the Committee and this House for that inadvertent statement. In my view, it is only right that those of us committed to defending not just girls and women’s rights, but also the rights of men who, in some cases, are being battered in some quarters, stand in support of this lady and Hon. Ruku Kiringa Geoffrey. Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to move and request the Leader of the Minority Party to second this Motion in agreement. He is also a senior Member of the Committee on Appointments. I urge the House to support the appointment of these two Cabinet Secretaries so that they may go forth and serve the people of Kenya. Hon. Ruku will leave this House, if approved, to serve in the Executive. I remember telling him during the approval hearing on Monday that we have seen in the past Members who left this House for the Executive and became very arrogant. They became members of the Executive who hold Parliament in contempt. We told Hon. Ruku that he will be the yardstick or the International System of Units (SI) to measure whether it is now customary for any Member transitioning from the Legislature to the Executive to hold Parliament and the people of Kenya in contempt. We hope he will serve with dedication and the same commitment we have seen from him in serving the people of Mbeere North in the House, both in Committee and Plenary. We wish him all the best as he goes to serve in the Executive. We want to believe that he will serve even better than those who have been there. I know he is a very young man from Mbeere North. There are those who are full of bile, as I said yesterday because Hon. Ruku is seen as a son to many of them. They are angry that the replacement for the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service comes from Mbeere and is a young man who qualifies to be somebody’s son. Hon. Ruku has not been appointed because he comes from Mbeere, but because of his capacity and ability to serve the people of Kenya in the position of Cabinet Secretary, just as he served the people of Mbeere North, who had confidence in electing him as their Member of Parliament. 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.

With those remarks, I request for support for the approval of these two nominees for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries. I beg to move and request Hon. Junet to second.

Leader of the Minority Party, proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to second the Motion for the adoption of the Fifth Report of the Committee on Appointments on the approval hearings of nominees for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries. I wish to briefly highlight the specific observations the Committee made in respect of each nominee. Permit me to start with the first nominee, Hon. Geoffrey Kariuki Kiringa Ruku, who has been nominated to head the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes. Hon. Ruku, as we fondly refer to him, was until recently a Member of this House. We all know him as an excellent, principled and astute legislator. During his service in the House, his commitment to resolving issues of concern, not just in his constituency but the nation, was evident. He also has vast experience in public service, having served not just as a Member of Parliament for Mbeere North but also as a trustee of the Water Sector Trust Fund

Hon. Mathenge.

What is this, Hon. Temporary Speaker? These are farmers.

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He is saying it is a broad-based government and even his physical appearance is broad- based.

Hon. Junet, proceed with the matter at hand.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you remember we vetted another nominee whom the House rejected. This is the second nominee. If you asked me, the Cabinet Secretary for Gender should be a man because gender cuts across. I think a man would have served the interests of women better than women themselves. He would have made sure that gender parity is mainstreamed in this country. If I were made the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, I would ensure this House conforms to the two-thirds gender rule. I would make sure women get their rights. I would ensure that no appointment happens in this country without meeting the two-thirds gender rule. I think the right person to be Cabinet Secretary for Gender is a man. Why do I say so? It looks like women who are given an opportunity to deal with their matters do not take the task seriously. I hope Ms Wendot, if approved by this House, will take women issues very seriously. Secondly, she must apologise for the remarks she made about women who have been killed in Airbnb. Whether you are looking for money or not, you do not deserve to be killed. Death is not an answer to anything. You cannot affirm whether those ladies were after money or not. How do you know whether it was love that went sour? You cannot know. Because of her qualifications, I have a lot of confidence that she will do the work. She came before the Committee with a lot of confidence and a lot of experience. She showed that she can do the work. On that front, I support her and we should give her a chance but not on the issue of girls killed in Airbnb. Maybe when some people appear before Committees, they may panic. There was a Cabinet Secretary who appeared before a Committee one time, but she could not answer a question. I later asked her what had happened. She told me that she did not know whether she had been bewitched when she appeared before the committee. The Committee rejected her nomination, but later the House approved her appointment. In terms of qualifications, Ms. Wendot is a lawyer and she has done very well. She was the wife of a former politician. She has interacted very well with the public for the last 20 years. She is a leader in the church and a social worker. She has all the qualifications to advance the agenda of womenfolk in this country. If she finds favour with this House, she must give a clear statement of apology on the remarks she made to the nation and especially to the women of Kenya. From there, she can assume office. In fact, that should have been a condition precedent to our approval. We should have provided that we approve her on condition that she apologises to the women of Kenya. Femicide is a very serious offence in this country. Women are killed for no reason. She is the person we are putting in office to protect women, not to agree with the killers that the women look for money. Who told you that when a man is in a room with a woman she is looking for money? It could be the man who is looking for money. It could be the man who is poor. It could be the man who does not have money and wants to con the woman. Do not underrate women nowadays when it comes to money. Many women are rich. Some of them sitting here are very rich. Some of them are richer than us. There is one facing me and I know what she owns.

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She is a very rich woman. I know where she made the money from, but I do not want to say. She is very rich. Associating women with poverty - that any woman with a man is a gold digger - must stop. That is stereotyping our women. The lives of our women are sacrosanct. There is no life in this world without a woman. We must be defenders of women rights, whether we are men or women.

You see we are discussing women affairs and it is women who are shouting. This is the problem we have in Kenya. If women could elect one of their own, they would be the president of this country. They do not want to vote for themselves. They vote for men, then later they say they are being marginalised. If every woman voted for a woman, this House would be two- thirds women. The biggest voters who have brought men to this House are women. The votes you are sure of in your constituency are women votes. You know the way men are. They can talk to you in the morning and in the afternoon they are with your opponent but if a woman assures you of voting for you, you are sure of that vote. I wish they could vote for themselves to sort out the problem of two-thirds gender rule. In conclusion, let us give Ms Hanna Wendot a chance. God is a God of second chances. Let us give her a chance and see how she performs. The constitutional power to appraise Cabinet Secretaries is with this House. We can summon them any time to answer questions. If she does not perform, we have the constitutional mandate to impeach her. If we impeached a rogue Deputy President, what is a Cabinet Secretary? That can be done in a one-afternoon session. If we impeached a rogue man who said some Kenyans are not shareholders and members of this country but are from Tanzania and that Hon. Ichung’wah is from Ghana... If we impeached that man, what of a Cabinet Secretary? It will just take us one afternoon session to do that. We can deal with her perpendicularly in this House. What it will take is just for the Speaker to put the Question that, will as many who are of the opinion say aye and he will be gone.

Let us give her a second chance. I can tell you that this lady comes from a very hostile background. You know how Baringo is. It is a semi-arid area. she has heard more sounds of guns than sounds of music. She has seen a lot of problems. Recently she lost her husband. We know what the Quran and the Bible say about widows. Anybody who jokes with a widow--- According to the Quran, a widow is supposed to mourn for four months and 10 days. She is still within the four months and 10 days of mourning but unfortunately, she got her nomination within that period. We have no other reason other than approving her. Let us give her a chance by supporting and approving her. Let her apologise to the women of Kenya for the unfortunate remarks she made and we will say Hallelujah and God will guide her and we will have a prosperous country. May God bless all of you today. I second. Thank you.

Some Members are already raising their hands up, even those who have just walked into the Chamber now.

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On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Order! Member for Marakwet East, is it a point of debate or a point of order? On which Standing Order are you raising your point of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is a small issue as you have heard it from many Members here…

Order! If you are going to debate, I will give you a chance to debate.

It is not debate.

Order! Then you are going to tell me you are raising your point of order according to which Standing Order.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I want the leader of the Majority Party to be clear to this House. He said that Ms Cheptumo communicated her apology to the Leader of the Majority Party. It has to be clear if there was such a communication so that as we debate we know that the lady has already conveyed her apology to this House.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

The Member for Rarieda, what is out of order?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise pursuant to Standing Order 1 for your directions as read with Article 152 of the Constitution on a small but important point. Article 152(3) of the Constitution is very clear that a Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament. I need your direction on the point at which a Member of this House resigns after being nominated to the Cabinet. If that point had been made acute today by Hon. Geoffrey Ruku, he would not have come to the House. However, by coming to the House and letting the whole world see that he is in the House debating his approval, it brings into sharp focus the distinction between Parliament and the Executive. I would like it to be known that this case once arose in respect to another nominee who I understand was a dual citizen. When she was presented with that question, she said she will give up citizenship of the other country. My understanding is a pre-qualification must exist at the time of vetting, at the time of approval, and at the time of appointment and not only at appointment because then it means that at the point of approval, you are not qualified. If you say it is on a promise of subsequently resigning or subsequently relinquishing your citizenship, what happens if you do not? What happens if the President acts on the approval of Parliament without you acting? So, my very small point – and it is not about Hon. Geoffrey Ruku – is seeking guidance for this House and its committees if there is a pre- qualification that is necessary, whether on dual citizenship or holding a certain office. Should it be at the point of vetting or should it be at the point of appointment? I will make my remarks in respect of Ms. Anna Cheptumo when I get the opportunity. However, I associate with the idea that she should just correct what she said. I sympathise with her situation though. I will say that later. Thank you.

(Technical hitch) . I can deal with it. I do not need assistance on this matter. Just one minute, Hon. Junet.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, this issue that has been raised by Hon. Otiende Amollo was raised in this House in the year 2015. For those The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

of us who were here by then, the late Hon. Nkaissery was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government. At that time, the Speaker then, Hon. Justin Muturi – who has now become hivi hivi –, made a ruling.

In his ruling on the Question of when does someone assume office, he said that someone assumes office when he takes oath of office. When you are elected at the constituency, you remain a Member of Parliament elect until you come here to carry the Quran or the Bible to take an oath by swearing or affirming faithfulness to become a Member of Parliament. What is happening now in the case of Hon. Ruku is that the process of being a Cabinet Secretary is ongoing. The President nominates Cabinet Secretaries, forwards their names to the National Assembly for approval then appoints them thereafter. The ceremony of taking oath of office takes place--- Therefore, he is required to resign from the job that he is handling before he takes the oath of office. That is what the Speaker then said. However, yesterday I saw him saying that the NG-CDF is now illegal yet when he was presiding here, he defended the NG-CDF for 10 good years. I am really worried about lawyers. They keep on changing---

Order! We will not go there. The Leader of the Majority Party, you will take two minutes at most.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I want to agree with the Leader of Minority that this is a matter that has been dealt with in the past. Hon. Otiende Amollo knows that this matter has been dealt with in the past. In fact, Senior Counsel Otiende is the one who has been teaching me how to interpret the Constitution as a lawyer. He usually tells me that when you read the Constitution, you do not read one part of the Constitution to the exclusion of the other. He has read for us Article 152(3) which says: “A Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament.” However, Article 152(4) says that each person appointed as a Cabinet Secretary assumes office by swearing or affirming faithfulness to the people and the Republic of Kenya upon taking oath. That is the point when someone becomes a Cabinet Secretary and, therefore, Hon. Ruku is not a Cabinet Secretary. What I want to agree with Hon. Otiende is that Hon. Ruku ought not to sit in the House. It was wise of him to leave the Chamber at the time – Hon. Junet said that you cannot skin a monkey when it is staring at you – we were debating the nominees. In this 13th Parliament, the Speaker himself was an elected Senator for Bungoma County and the same question arose. It was the same Member, Hon. Otiende, who raised the issue that Speaker, Hon. Moses Masika Wetangula, was an elected Senator and, therefore, he ought not to qualify for election as the Speaker. The Speaker made a decision on that because he had not taken Oath of Office as Speaker. As Hon. Junet said, Gen. Nkaissery was appointed the Cabinet Secretary of Internal Security and Coordination of National Government when he was still a Member of this House. It is similar to the former Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum, Sen. Charles Keter, who was appointed when he was still the Senator of Kericho County. Therefore, you do not become a Cabinet Secretary until you are formally appointed and sworn into office. The exclusion is only upon appointment, not nomination. We were right in place to vet Hon. Ruku and consider him for appointment. He should not be in the House. I think wise counsel prevailed on him. He appeared in the House today to transact business, 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.

ahead of this business, because of his enthusiasm and diligence in serving the people. He kindly excused himself to have a cup of tea when we got to this business. I am sure he is watching.

I do not think I need to say anything on this matter. As recent as when we passed the appointment of the current Cabinet Secretary of Energy and Petroleum and the Cabinet Secretary of the National Treasury and Economic Planning, the Speaker gave a ruling on this matter less than four months ago. Let alone Nkaissery and the rest. We have proper precedent. Hon. Otiende knows this and I am sure he has addressed himself to this matter. I will not spend energy on this matter. The gentleman and lady are rightly being debated before the House. He will do what is needful in case this House approves him. That is the ruling I have made on this matter. I do not want to spend much time on this. Do not raise a point of order if you want to speak on it. I will not allow any going forward. We will debate and make a decision either way. The Member of Baringo North.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support the approval of the two Cabinet Secretary nominees. I have for some time known the gentleman, Hon. Ruku, as a Member of Parliament for Mbeere North. As the Leader of the Majority Party said, Hon. Ruku has been a very good defender of government and the policies that come before us. Sometimes, even during troubled times in this House, he stands tall to protect us from aggression. Regarding Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, I want to inform the House that she comes from one of the areas ravaged by banditry in my constituency. I knew her before she married the late Senator of Baringo County. This is a very diligent woman who can deliver on her mandate. It is unfortunate that she got shocks facing Members of Parliament. In the process, she made statements that are in my opinion not right or good for this country. She is a good person to become the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage. That is not what she is because I have known her for some time. As the Leader of the Majority Party said, I humbly request Members of Parliament to find favour in their hearts to forgive her if she has made a public apology. I apologise on her behalf and as a Member of Parliament that from that area because that was wrong. It should never happen again, especially from someone interested in that particular position to protect the interests of both female and male genders. I am very sorry for what happened because I know that is not her behaviour. She has the ability to run the Ministry. She has run the Cheptumo and Company Advocates law firm for many years when Cheptumo was busy with politics. Hon. Temporary Speaker, that woman stood firm with her family. I thank the President for finding favour to nominate Hanna Cheptumo as the Cabinet Secretary of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage. Her service to the people of Kenya is also a way of the President considering the people of Baringo who lost their Senator one month ago. This lady has been reeling in pain. It is only good that we find favour to give her an opportunity to serve as a Cabinet Secretary in this country. On behalf of the people of Baringo North, I thank the President and request these Members of Parliament with a lot of humility. This lady is still recovering from the loss of her husband, Sen. Cheptumo, who passed on. Let us not add pain to the children of that family. As one of your colleagues, I ask that you kindly forgive and find favour. 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. Farah Maalim.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I join my colleagues in supporting this Motion. Hon. Ruku has been a Member of this Parliament for the last two and a half years. You and I have sat on that Chair many times. We know how effective a debater he was. He has no hypocrisy. When he supports an idea, he supports and explains it. I have been with him in media houses on a number of occasions. I really liked how he defended what he believed in. You have already made a clear point that he only becomes a Cabinet Secretary upon taking Oath of Office after he resigns from being a Member of Parliament. As for the lady, Madam Wendot, I have served in this House with her husband, the late Senator Cheptumo. He was one of the finest legislators with whom I have had an opportunity to serve.

I want my friends from the other side to listen to this. In my faith, our Prophet was once asked: “Who has a right over me as far as my parents are concerned?” The Prophet said: “Your mother”. The same person asked, “Who is next?” The Prophet said, “Your mother”. He then asked: “Who is third?” Our Prophet, Alayhi salatu wasalam, said, “Your mother”. It is at the fourth time the Prophet said, “Your father”. I kiss my mother's feet every morning I come from home. She is still alive and about 90 years old. I thank God that she is still around. Let us respect our lady folks. Whatever has happened is a small thing. Somebody has already apologised on her behalf. I think we should give her all the support we can because of the situation we are all in now. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member of Marsabit County.

Thank you, Hon.Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity. I stand to support this Motion on consideration of nominees for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries. Hon. Geoffrey Ruku, has been an active Member of this House. He has been doing his oversight work and representing his people well. Most of the time we are here with him in the evening when very few people are in the Chamber. Because of his commitment and passion to serve his people and the Government, I have no doubt that Hon Ruku will perform well in his new docket as Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes.

As he goes there, he should put into consideration the entire country. We should have a representation of the face of Kenya in every docket. I will talk to him when he gets into the office but I have no doubt that he will represent us well and also treat Members of Parliament very well. Most of the time, you go to these offices but you do not even get a chance to meet the Cabinet Secretaries or Principal Secretaries and yet we work very hard for them to succeed in their offices. On the idea of working with the Government, I do not have a doubt. I want to tell him to represent our people well, give his best to the Government and I am sure God will bless his work.

On Madam Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, I watched her as she was being interviewed. She did extremely well. She is a professional who answered all the questions well. She presented herself well and represented her people in a good way. I want to congratulate her because of the courage that she demonstrated, putting into consideration that in less than a month’s time, she lost her husband, after having gone through all the challenges that she did. I know that she 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.

will not embarrass us but she will be there for women; she will stand and serve the women of this country in the best way possible. About what she said that rubbed everybody off the wrong way, especially the mothers and people who have lost their daughters or friends in one way or another, I know the statement did not go well with many of us. However, we are all human beings and that is why today I stand to request and plead with all the women of this country, to forgive Ms. Hanna Wendot Cheptumo. I am sure that maybe, she did not understand the context that we have taken her in. She will be able to serve our daughters well. Let us forgive her. Our God is a god of second chances. The Bible also tells us to forgive each other. Therefore, let us forgive her. For those people who may have lost their daughters or relatives, who feel bad about the statement, I know that it hurts but let us forgive this great lady and give her another chance. Hon. Temporary Speaker, my message to Ms. Cheptumo is, yes you are coming into this docket after we have waited to have the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage for several months, therefore, expectations are quite high. Women are eagerly waiting for your performance. Please give your best to the nation. Convince us that you are able to carry the responsibility that you are given. Remember that our women and young girls are facing a lot of challenges. Stand up for them and defend their rights. Hon. Temporary Speaker, with those few remarks, I support.

Member for Uasin Gishu County.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Melly, I already said I will not give anybody a chance to raise a point of order because I know you want to debate. We are not going to allow you to debate using a point of order. What is it?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise on Standing Order 95, that reading the mood of the House, may the Mover be now called upon to reply?

Yes!

Order, Hon. Members.

Hon. Member for Uasin Gishu County, take your seat. On this occasion, as Members, you would know that the Speaker is allowed to determine whether a point of order like the one raised now would undermine Members’ rights to contribute, and rule it out of order. A few Members will contribute then we will do what he wants us to do. Hon. Member for Uasin Gishu County.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on consideration of nominees for appointment as Cabinet Secretaries. First, I want to go on record and put this clearly that I support the candidature and approval of Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo but with a rider that we request her to apologise to the women of Kenya. That was indeed a careless statement. There is nothing wrong with making a mistake but you can correct it by following it with an apology. She can do a public apology on the social media, dailies or in a press statement. That is the minimum that we expect from her. I think it will be wrong for us women leaders, especially someone like me who has been in the women’s movement for a long time, to trivialise those statements and not say anything about it. We owe it to the women of this country. We also owe it to them, to take seriously the issue of femicide which is almost becoming a national problem. It is important 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.

because we do not want to look like we are ignoring it. We also need to make sure that the next people do not make the same careless mistakes in their statements when they are speaking. Yes, I support her approval and that of Hon. Ruku, who has been my desk mate while he was in Bunge. I also approve that. Even as I say this, Ms Wendot Cheptumo is somebody personally known to me. Not only was her late husband my classmate, but she was also my student at the University of Nairobi when she came to study law. So, yes, she is known to me but it would be wrong for me, having been her teacher not to acknowledge that what she said was unfortunate. That is all I have to say. Thank you.

I am going to give four more Hon. Members, a chance to contribute. If you took as little time as Hon. Deputy Speaker has done, then we would have more of you speaking. Take two minutes at most then we can proceed. Hon. Zamzam, you are next in line.

Asante Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Nachukua fursa hii kuwapongeza hao mawaziri wawili ambao wameteuliwa. Ndugu yetu Mhe. Geoffrey Ruku aliyekuwa Mbunge mwenzetu kwenye Bunge akiwa mmoja wao. Kwa hakika tutamkosa sana ndugu yetu Mhe. Ruku kwa sababu ni Mbunge ambaye alikuwa ameweka eneo bunge lake mbele. Alikuwa anashughulika na masuala mengi. Ameleta

na Statements nyingi kwenye Bunge. Nina imani kuwa watu wake pia haswa kule mashinani watamkosa sana kwa sababu alikuwa kiongozi mchapa kazi. Ila ushauri wangu kwa ndugu yangu Mhe. Ruku ni kuwa, mwenzako aliyetoka pale tulimwingiza vizuri lakini akafanya kiburi. Hivyo tunakuomba kwa kuwa umekuwa nasi hapa na unaelewa matatizo ya wakenya hivyo ukiingia pale, uwe na heshima na adabu. Ikiwa itatokea kuwa unataka kuondoka, utoke kwa heshima ambayo umeingia nayo. Inatamausha sana ikiwa waziri amechaguliwa na kuingia kwenye serikali anaanza kutoa siri za serikali. Tunasema “siri kali”, kwa maana siri ambazo ziko kule lazima wewe uziache kule hata kama unaondoka. Ni aibu kwamba waziri ambaye alikuwa anaheshimika anaweza kutoka nje akaanza kuelezea mambo ambayo hakuweza kutuambia akiwa waziri. Ndugu yangu Mhe. Ruku, najua wewe ni mchapa kazi na una heshima. Weka matakwa ya wakenya mbele, fanya kazi kwa bidii na Mwenyezi Mungu akutangulie mbele. Nikija kwa dadangu Bi. Hanna Cheptumo, Mhe. Spika wa Muda, huyu ni mama ambaye ameingia kwenye ujane na ametoka kwenye misukosuko. Najua kuwa amefanya makosa mahali kwa kutoa matamshi yale lakini kama Mama Mombasa County, namuombea msamaha hapa kama mama ambaye pia anaelewa matatizo wanayopitia wajane. Namwambia kuwa, tumekawia kupata waziri kwa muda mrefu katika hii wizara yetu. Nawe dada yetu Hanna Cheptumo ukiingia kule, angalia masuala ya wanawake, femicide na mambo ya gender-based violence yamekuwa donda sugu katika taifa hili. Wewe kama mama, twataka utoe mwelekeo mzuri. Najua katika docket yako, kuna Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe anayefanya kazi nzuri sana. Ikiwa mama hataelewa mambo atakayoyapata, mdogo wake atamuonyesha vile ambavyo mambo yanavyofanywa hapa na pale ili aelewe. Kama alivyosema mwalimu wake, dada yetu, Mhe. Gladys Boss, Hanna anapaswa kuomba msamaha kutoka kwa akina mama na Wakenya kwa sababu matamshi yake hayakuwa mazuri. Hata hivyo, haimaanishi kuwa hawezi kufanya kazi. Alijibu maswali mengine vizuri na nina imani kuwa atakapozingatia masuala ya sisi akina Mama 47 wa Kaunti, atatushika mikono ili tuweze kupigana na matatizo yanayowamaliza akina mama katika taifa hili. Akina mama wengi wamekufa. Wengine wametupwa kwenye mashimo. Watoto wetu wameuwawa katika AirBnB. Wote hawakuenda kutafuta pesa kama alivyosema. Wengine waliuwawa na wachumba wao walioingiwa na ubaya mioyoni mwao. 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.

Kwa hivyo, nampongeza. Karibu tufanye kazi pamoja. Pole kwa msiba uliompata. Kazi hii imekuja wakati ambapo bado anaomboleza. Naomba Mungu ampe ujasiri wa kuweza kufanya kazi.

Member for Eldas. Use the microphone next to you. You have two minutes.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have known the Cheptumos for quite some time. They have acted for me on certain matters before they joined Parliament. I know Hanna and I also knew the late Senator. Anybody can vouch for them. They are extremely honest and pragmatic. Her statements on Monday may have different interpretations, but it was a slip of the tongue. That is not the Hanna that I know. There is a reason why the framers of the current Constitution introduced stages in the approval process of a Cabinet Secretary. In the previous constitutional dispensation, individuals were just appointed by the President, which meant that they lacked public interaction, representation, and the image of being the interface between the Presidency and the public. Currently, the President nominates a candidate, his or her name is submitted to the House, the candidate is vetted, and the report comes back to the House for approval. That amplifies the persona of that particular individual. Therefore, I have no doubt in my mind that Hanna will serve everybody. I have total faith in her, I have interacted with her, and I believe she is the right person for that job. I support her approval.

Secondly, in my definition of a Member of Parliament, I view Hon. Ruku as a self- made politician. Hon. Temporary Speaker, you, Hon. Ruku, many others and I fall in that category. When he first came to Parliament, I saw a young man who was determined to create an independent political path for himself. That is a very rare quality. In Hon. Ruku, I see somebody who is open, brave, courageous, decisive and who has been working like a second or third termer. Therefore, I urge him to maintain his courage, to serve Kenyans and the President diligently, and to work for the image of the Republic of Kenya in his new position. I have no doubt in my mind that he has a promising future in our public affairs.

Finally, as Members of Parliament, our work is not just to be a conveyor belt. We give these people jobs, but equally, we are also supposed to oversee them. If they make mistakes, and the Leader of the Majority Party has alluded to that many times, we can invoke the necessary Articles of our Constitution. We can cite them for contempt, impeach them or deal with them in our relevant committees. Our work should not end with their approval; this is just the beginning. Once we approve them, I hope they will not feel like they have been given those jobs for eternity. We will be there to follow them and hold them accountable. Serve Kenyans without fear or favour. Serve the President and the community so that everybody benefits. Ms Hanna will not serve the ladies alone. The word “gender” encompasses both sides, therefore, the ladies who are only talking about the 47 Women Representatives, hapana . She will be a Cabinet Secretary for all of us. I support their approval.

Member for Baringo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to add my voice in congratulating these Cabinet Secretary nominees, starting with Hon. Ruku, who is our colleague. I knew and worked with Hon. Ruku before we came to Parliament. We served together when I was a volunteer with the United Republican Party (URP) and The National Alliance (TNA), all the way to the Jubilee Party. Hon. Ruku has proven to be a self-made politician. He has shown a lot of dedication in delivering matters 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.

I am confident that he will do a lot for the Government and Kenyans, specifically in the public service. When Kenyans need his services, he will give us proper direction and guidance. He has contributed a lot on the Floor of the House in coming up with reforms that will help Kenyans and the Government.

Secondly, I congratulate my constituent, Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, for being nominated as the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage. On behalf of the people of Baringo, we are glad. I thank the President for giving us this opportunity to serve Kenyans. I do not want to belabour what most Members have talked about with regard to Hanna Cheptumo. She is very capable. I congratulate her because she appeared very confident. If you consider all the parameters, her qualifications speak for themselves. On behalf of the leadership of Baringo, we apologise for her utterances. I will support her unconditionally and help her. The Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage deals with emotive and psychological issues. It is not easy. Leadership is very transient. We are all learning on the job.

Member for Emurua Dikirr.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to also weigh in on this issue of the nominees for Cabinet Secretaries. I will not belabour the point because I know both candidates. I know Mhe. Ruku. He has been standing tall with us in the House. He has articulated several issues. He is a first- time Member of Parliament, but he has tabled many Bills in the House. He has been a very good debater and astute Member. I do not want to say much about him, but I will support him. On the issue of Ms Wendot Cheptumo, the last time we were considering a nominee for such a position in this House, we sacrificed a lady who had been proposed for the same position. In our culture, lightning does not strike twice. We do not want to “strike” this lady just like we “struck” the other lady who was supposed to have held this position during the last round of nominations. Despite what she said, in our culture we say, ng’ombe anateleza na ako na miguu

, na binadamu je ? We all make mistakes. No one in this House is perfect. We all make mistakes and that is why Jesus came to the earth to die for us. I support her appointment and encourage her to ensure that she performs well and does not let down the nation. She should perform as per the Constitution and also respect the State. Lastly, even as we vote for these two Cabinet Secretaries, we must state clearly that these positions are meant to serve the nation and the people of this country, not an individual. We must respect the Constitution and the people of this country. Thank you.

The Minority Whip.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for granting me the chance to speak on the issue of the two Cabinet Secretary nominees. I will speak very briefly on Hon. Ruku, whom we have worked with here in Parliament. He is very hardworking. In the short time he has been here, he has introduced many Bills that reflect his diligence. The only point I wish to raise regarding Hon. Ruku is that his proposed Bills reflect a narrow view of democratic issues. I raised this concern during the vetting process. I encourage him to undergo a mental paradigm shift and gain a deeper understanding of what the Constitution entails, adopting a broader perspective on democracy and the rule of law. Otherwise, I believe he is qualified for the position. On the issue of Hon. Hanna, which many Members have spoken about, I sat through the vetting. One of the clear takeaways was that she is a very good lawyer, even as seen in her curriculum vitae. She is a confident person. This is a person who seeks to improve herself. She pursued law at a much later stage in life, which shows commitment and willingness to learn. 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 wish to address the issue that everyone has mentioned, her unfortunate statement that appeared to imply victim-blaming. I am pleased to state that she has apologised, and I have personally seen the apology on her X handle. Members were asking her to apologise, which she has done. I want to emphasise that beyond the apology, we are dealing with a broader issue. She, too, is a victim of societal socialisation. That is why, whenever we vet a nominee for a gender-related ministry, issues often arise. I appreciate that she has apologised, but she must go further and recognise the need for capacity building. Personally, as an expert in this area, I am willing to handhold and help her so that she can serve Kenyans more effectively. It is also unfortunate that this particular ministry has now seen three Cabinet Secretaries rejected in a very short time. Since July, it has remained without a substantive Cabinet Secretary. The responsibility falls on the appointing authority. We must take this ministry seriously and not treat it as a placeholder for fulfilling political obligations. I am not saying that this woman is incompetent. I have stated that she is a very competent lawyer. However, when assigning additional responsibilities, we must think more seriously about it. Otherwise, she has apologised. Let her also learn, just as she studied law late in life. Let her take up courses on gender. The women Members of Parliament are here and willing to support her. I support.

Members, I have noted a great deal of interest in this matter, but we must close it. I will give the Floor to the Member for Kilgoris, and we shall conclude with the Member for Kilifi North.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, indeed, I shall be brief. I support the appointment of Hon. Geoffrey Ruku, because I know him very well. We have served together in the Committee on Delegated Legislation. He is a very active Member of that Committee, and I have greatly benefited from his contributions. We had the opportunity to travel together to Rwanda after the vote that led to the Gen Z mess. From that experience, I know he was a staunch supporter of the Kenya Kwanza Government. At that time, you may recall, we had voted "no", and during our trip to Rwanda, many people were calling him and criticising him for voting in favour of the Finance Bill. He, however, remained firm. Of course, he did not enjoy the Rwandan trip as much as we did, and he did not contribute much during that time, but he is a strong supporter of this House. He has moved many Motions and is an ardent attendee of House sessions. I only hope that Hon. Ruku remembers that he carries the miraa tag with him. He is a strong supporter of the muguka and miraa trade. I hope he will leave that outside the door and serve the broader public, many of whom do not consume muguka . Nevertheless, he is going to be a good Cabinet Secretary. He is a strong person. I have listened to Hon. Makilap and others defending Ms Hanna Cheptumo. I watched her on television. The qualities mentioned by the Leader of the Majority Party were not easily visible from what she said. One could not judge her good qualities by listening to her on television. Perhaps those qualities were well concealed. I only gather from Hon. Makilap and the Leader of the Minority Party that we are being asked to approve this nomination on the grounds of sympathy, that she is a widow and has suffered greatly. However, we must acknowledge, Hon. Members, that in future we should not come to the House and approve Cabinet Secretaries based on sympathy.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

(Hon. David Ochieng’

(Suba North, ODM

Thank you. Hon. Sunkuli.

(Kilgoris, JP

Hon. (Dr) Nyamai.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I support this very important Motion. I would like to thank the Committee. They did an excellent job. We observed them challenging the nominees and posing important questions. Regarding Ms Hannah Wendot, I came to know her during the 11th Parliament due to her career as a lawyer. She is extremely hardworking and compassionate. She will be a very good Cabinet Secretary if approved by this House. She has supported widows outside this House. She has supported boys and girls in the church and has mentored both genders. I believe she will do an excellent job. She answered our questions very well. Hon. Temporary Speaker, even for the statement that has been mentioned, I must say that Ms Hanna Cheptumo is not that way. Sitting on that hot seat is not easy. Someone can have a slip of the tongue. She is going to defend those girls, whom we are talking about. She will collaborate with the relevant Ministries, including the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, which she must work very closely with. She will do a wonderful job. I ask the House to have confidence in her. Concerning Hon. Ruku, who is our colleague, he is a wonderful and outspoken man. He also takes time to read. At times when Hon. Speaker gives us a chance to sit where we are seated, we get a chance to understand Hon. Ruku better than other Members. When you require any form of support as the Chair, he is always there, especially in the Committee of the whole House. The person running it requires support of a Member who has read and understood a Bill. Hon. Ruku is always there. He is highly educated, compassionate and vocal. I believe that the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes requires a person who can speak. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support both nominees. Thank you very much for giving me a chance to speak.

Thank you. Hon. Baya, proceed.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Firstly, I congratulate the Committee on Appointments for a job well done. Secondly, I would like to speak on Hon. Geoffrey Ruku, the nominee for the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes. One of his key characteristics is that he is always present, which is very important. For you to succeed, you have to show up and be present. He always shows up. That is why most of the time, you find him in this House doing his job. I am sure that when he goes to the Ministry, he will do a good job. I would like to speak about Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo. She has a big docket, which is the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage. The focus has only been on the gender 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.

aspect. However, we have the other three aspects. I am very sure she will ensure that the youth in this country benefit from their arts, talents and performances. Many countries in this world profit immensely from heritage. We have the opportunity of having the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) protected areas in this country such as Fort Jesus, which have never been fully exploited for tourism or other purposes. I urge Ms Wendot to ensure that the heritage sites we have are exploited for the benefit of this country once she is approved and appointed to the docket. The music, videos and talents of our young people should be used. They have been left out for a long time. We now have a lady who is a mother, lawyer, mentor and a person of high-level integrity, whom I believe will help the young people in this country achieve their dreams. Hon. Temporary Speaker, with those remarks, I support the approval of Hon. Ruku and Ms Wendot Cheptumo. I thank you. You can put the Question now.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise on a point of order, pursuant to Standing Order No.95(1). Having listened to Members debate the Motion on appointment and approval of the two nominees, I have read the mood of the House. I have listened to what Members have said about Ms Hanna Wendot Cheptumo and Hon. Ruku, who is my friend representing my neighbouring constituency of Mbeere North. I also represent Mbeere people in my constituency. The mood of the House is to call the Mover to reply. We accept that these two people are well-qualified to serve the country as Cabinet Secretaries. Thank you.

Is it the mood of the House that the Mover be called upon to reply?

Yes!

Thank you. The Mover may proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to take this opportunity to thank all the Members who have contributed the Motion. As I stated earlier, Ms Hanna Wendot tendered an apology on 14th of April, the same day of the vetting, on her X handle, @hannawcheptumo. She said, ‘First and foremost, I sincerely apologise for this statement, and wholly withdraw it. No woman deserves to be killed under any circumstances.’ The apology is on her X handle for Kenyans to read. I thank the Members for the support they have expressed for these two nominees. We congratulate them and ask that as they get into public office, they should serve with dedication.

Hon. Members at the back, take your seats.

They should serve with the same dedication they demonstrated while serving in their other capacities. I beg to reply. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Members, thank you so much. I now want to put the Question.

Order.

Hon. Thuku, I stated this morning that when the Hon. Temporary Speaker is on his feet, you freeze. That means you keep quiet.

We have four Members who have Statement requests. Let us go back to Order No.7 quickly.

We will start with the Member for Isiolo County.

Hon. Temporary 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 Education regarding the implementation status of enhanced salary packages for teachers within Isiolo municipality. Following the 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), it was agreed that teachers working in municipalities would receive increased house allowances. In 2018, Isiolo Town was officially recognised as a municipality. However, to date teachers serving within its jurisdiction have not received a salary increment as stipulated in the CBA. This delay has adversely impacted their motivation and overall well-being, potentially undermining the quality of education.

Order, Hon. Members. Hon. Member, go ahead.

It is against this background that I request the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education to apprise the House on the following: 1. The current status of the implementation of enhanced salaries and allowances for the teachers in Isiolo Municipality. 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.

2. Measures TSC is taking to ensure timely and fair remuneration for teachers in gazetted municipalities, including the outstanding payments since 2018 and the timeline for implementation. I thank you.

Member for Tinderet, you are the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education. How long will it take you to respond to this matter?

I will respond in two weeks’ time, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member for Isiolo County, follow up with the Member after two weeks. Next is Hon. Rashid Bedzimba.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No.44(2)(c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding the criteria for recognition and equation of certificates and diplomas obtained from schools offering international curricula in the country. There exist two curricula in the Kenya education system – the International Curricula and the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), which is replacing the 8-4-4 Curriculum. International curricula are recognised by the world's best universities and employers, giving students a wide range of options in their education careers.

However, students who complete their studies under the international curriculum often face challenges seeking admission to local university or employment in the public sector due to restrictive guidelines set by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC). One of the core functions of Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) is to carry out the equation of certificates and diplomas issued by credible examining boards. However, the guidelines published by the Council on 31st May, 2024 stipulate that institutional-based certificates or courses, whether local or international, similar to those offered by KNEC are not equitable. Currently, over 11,000 students are enrolled in various institutions offering international curricula in the country. This policy effectively bars these students from admission to local universities and from employment within the public sector---

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Order, Hon. Members. Hon. Rashid Bedzimba should be heard in silence. We are not even able to hear what he is saying. Please, proceed.

The policy bars these students from admission to local universities and from employment within the public sector solely due to lack of an equivalent certification. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

It is against this background that I seek a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education on the following: 1. The reason for the inordinate delay by KNEC in formulating guidelines on equations of certificates or diplomas obtained from schools offering international curriculum within the country. 2. Measures undertaken by the Ministry of Education to facilitate the equation of certificates and diplomas obtained from international schools in the country, thereby allowing these students to access local university admission and public sector employment opportunities. 3. Action taken by the Ministry of Education to address the challenges faced by students of international curricula who are impacted by KNEC’s policies. Thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. The Statement Request is referred to the Departmental Committee on Education. Chairman, Hon. Melly, when will you be able to respond to this request?

I will respond in two weeks' time, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): In two weeks’ time it will be. Thank you. Next is Hon. Abdul Haro, the Member for Mandera South. Please, proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No.44(2)(c), I rise to request for a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy regarding the status of retrofitting the Elwak diesel- powered off-grid power station with a hybrid solar photovoltaic system. Elwak is the largest town in Mandera County with a steadily growing population and a rising demand for electricity to support domestic business and public utility needs. In order to enhance electricity access in areas far from the national grid, Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) commissioned a diesel-powered off-grid stations in remote regions, including the Elwak off-grid station in 2008. However, this diesel-only model has become unreliable, unsustainable and costly due to frequent generator breakdowns, high fuel costs and the rising electricity demand. To address the issue, a hybridisation project was initiated in 2016 to retrofit the Elwak station with a solar photovoltaic system in combination with the existing diesel setup. Although the project is at nearly 80 per cent completion, it stalled since July 2024 due to failure by KPLC to meet the donor condition of onboarding a consultant to assess the work done in order to facilitate payment for the contract. Currently, Elwak is facing the worst power outage since the inception of its electricity supply and there is need to resolve the issue, restore the grid to its full capacity, and fast-track completion of the hybridisation project. It is against this background that I request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy on the following: 1. Steps that the Ministry of Energy is taking to restore Elwak off-grid power station to its required operational capacity of 600 kilowatts to address power outages. 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.

2. Reasons for the prolonged delay by KPLC in procuring and onboarding a consultant, including the status of onboarding the consultant as required by the donor. 3. Report on details of monthly diesel fuel supply requirements for the off-grid stations located in Elwak, Takaba, Banissa, Rhamu, Lafey and Mandera towns, and the KPLC operating costs for the Elwak Power Station from 2017 to 2024. 4. The status of the hybridisation project of Elwak Off-Grid Power Station, including specific timelines for completion of the remaining part of the project, deviation in timelines from the originally projected completion date, and the cost implications, if any. Thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. The Request is referred to the Departmental Committee on Energy. I understand that the Chairman is out on official business. Is the Vice-Chairman in? In the absence of the Vice-Chairman, is there any Member of that Committee? Hon. Elisha, I am told that you are a senior Member of the Departmental Committee on Energy. When are you going to give a response to this Statement Request? Are you able to undertake anything on behalf of your Chairman?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I undertake that we will reply to the Statement Request within a maximum of two weeks’ time.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Two weeks maximum. Thank you very much. Next is Hon. Ong’ondo Were, the Member for Kasipul.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to provisions of Standing Order No.44(2)(c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining regarding the indiscriminate and illegal mining activities in Kowidi Location, Kasipul Constituency. The number of miners is steading increasing in Kowidi location. The miners engage in unregulated mining activities that endanger the residents. They leave behind deeply excavated trenches and boreholes, some of which extend to depths of over 150 feet. These hazardous excavations pose significant safety risks to livestock and residents, particularly to children, and have resulted in a number of fatalities. Furthermore, the use of highly toxic substance such as mercury in mineral extraction process not only contaminates water sources, posing a severe health risk to residents, but it is also detrimental to the environment. This is in violation of the provision of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), Cap 387, and the Minamata Convention on Mercury, to which Kenya is a signatory. These dire environmental and safety situations call for stricter enforcement of compliance with environmental regulations in order to guarantee public safety and conserve the environment. It is against this background that I seek a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining on the following: 1. Measures that the Government has put in place to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Mining Act, 2016 and the Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), 1999 to regulate mining activities and safeguard public safety in Kowidi Location. 2. Immediate and long-term actions that the Government is undertaking to mitigate environmental degradation, including compelling illegal miners to refill deep trenches and boreholes and address the drying up of local wells and boreholes. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

3. A comprehensive list of all legally registered and licensed gold mining companies operating in Kasipul Constituency and Homa Bay County, their compliance status and the revenue collected by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) from their activities in the last five years, including allocations to the devolved government. 4. Following the unfortunate resultant deaths due to these unsafe mining activities, whether the government can confirm that the affected families will receive compensation and if so, what is the proposed compensation structure given that the deceased were primary breadwinners in their respective families? I thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. The Statement Request is referred to the Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining. Is the Chairperson in the House? What about the Vice-Chairperson? Do we have any Member of that Committee? In the absence of Members of the Committee, I would like to pass this to Hon. Naomi Waqo to make an undertaking on behalf of the Committee Chair. When can the Member for Kasipul get a response to this Statement Request?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, since we are going on recess in two weeks' time, I promise that the Chairman will work hard and provide a response two weeks after the recess. Thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. Next Order.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Special Motion: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations in its report on the Approval Hearing of a Nominee for Appointment as Principal Secretary, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 155(3)(b) of the Constitution and sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap. 7F, this House approves the appointment of Dr Caroline Wanjiru Karugu…

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): I would like to, first of all, confirm that you are the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations. This is a very important Motion.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am the Vice-Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations. I am moving the Motion on behalf of the Chairperson, who is away on other official matters.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you. You may proceed.

Thank you. Let me start again. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Special Motion:

THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations in its report on the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Approval Hearing of a Nominee for Appointment as Principal Secretary, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 155(3)(b) of the Constitution and sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap. 7F, this House approves the appointment of Dr Caroline Wanjiru Karugu as Principal Secretary, State Department for East African Community (EAC) Affairs.

In the spirit of public accountability and constitutional fidelity and guided by the wisdom of Julius Nyerere, who once said, “ Leadership is not about power. It is about responsibility’’, the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations undertook the solemn task of vetting a nominee destined to serve at the fulcrum of Kenya’s regional engagement within the East African Community. Pursuant to Article 132(2)(e) of the Constitution of Kenya, and in accordance with Section 5 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap. 7F, His Excellency the President transmitted to the National Assembly the nomination of Dr Caroline Karugu for appointment as Principal Secretary for the State Department for East African Community Affairs. In keeping with established parliamentary procedures, the Speaker, acting under Standing Orders 42(2), 45(1), and 216(5)(f), duly referred the nomination to this Committee for vetting and reporting.

In examining the nominee, the Committee was guided not only by legal statutes, but by conscience and public expectation, fully aware of the words of Thabo Mbeki: “The people of Africa are not indifferent to good governance; they are hungry for it.” Thus, those who seek to serve must be judged not by their promise, but by their preparation, their record and their vision. The Committee’s vetting exercise was conducted in a public forum, anchored in the principles of Chapter Six of the Constitution, the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, the Public Service Commission Act and the Leadership and Integrity Act, and was focused on assessing the nominee’s academic credentials, professional experience, leadership vision, moral standing and public acceptability. With respect to her academic background, the Committee noted that Dr Karugu holds a Doctor of Business Administration degree; a Global Executive Masters in Business Administration (GEMBA) Strategy degree; a Postgraduate Certificate in Small and Medium Business Management; and a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Dr Karugu's academic and professional portfolio demonstrates intellectual rigour and technical competence and satisfies the requirements of Section 47 (2) (ii) of the Public Service Commission Act. These qualifications are not just academic achievements but instruments of public utility.

Dr Karugu’s intellectual foundation speaks to such readiness. In her over 24 years of service across public and private spheres, including her role as Deputy Governor of Nyeri County, Dr Karugu led programmes on public finance, intergovernmental coordination and citizen empowerment. These are competencies directly transferable to her prospective role in regional coordination. As Wangari Maathai reminded us, “ You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people and you cannot empower people unless you include them.” Dr Karugu’s track record reflects such inclusive governance and this was actually presented to us as a Committee during the vetting. On strategic vision, the nominee presented a clear and actionable framework for deepening Kenya’s role within the East African Community. Her priorities include trade facilitation, infrastructure connectivity and harmonisation of policy and standards, all geared towards elevating Kenya’s regional leverage. On matters of integrity, the nominee was cleared by the relevant statutory agencies including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Higher Education Loans Board 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.

(HELB), amongst others, with no adverse records. Her ethical disposition and commitment to transparent service was apparent. On public participation, the Committee fulfilled the provisions of Article 118(1)(b) of the Constitution by inviting written memoranda from members of the public. No objections were recorded. Instead, her integrity and competence were endorsed by Gershom Otachi through a sworn affidavit. Taken together, the Committee found in Dr Caroline Karugu a candidate of distinction and depth, whose intellectual capacity, professional grounding, strategic vision and ethical fibre place her in a good stead to advance Kenya’s objectives in the East African Community. The Committee believes that her appointment will strengthen Kenya’s regional diplomacy, enhance institutional coordination and amplify Kenya’s voice in shaping the future of the EAC. In the enduring words of Patrice Lumumba, “The future of Africa lies in the hands of its own people.” The Committee is confident that Dr Karugu represents the calibre of leadership required to carry this future forward. In my many years of vetting individuals, I can confirm that Dr Caroline Karugu stood out as one person who performed to the best standard required by this Committee. In fact, if I compare, she stood out as the only person that this Committee vetted and answered all questions with distinction. She was prepared physically, psychologically and mentally. She answered all our questions in a very positive manner and will handle the rigours of this office. She will ensure that Kenya’s standing and position in the EAC are well maintained.

Accordingly, the Committee recommends to this House that it approves the nomination of Dr Caroline Karugu for appointment as Principal Secretary, State Department for EAC Affairs. I beg to move and urge the House to adopt the Report. I request Hon. Kwenya Thuku to second the Motion. I thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Kwenya Thuku, please proceed to second.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise with both conviction and clarity to second this Motion. At the onset, allow me to salute the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations for executing its constitutional mandate with diligence and discernment of statesmen. In the words of Amílcar Cabral, “Tell no lies, claim no easy victories.” This Report is an honest statement to the Committee’s dedication to transparency, justice and fidelity to the law.

On Monday, 7th April 2025, Dr. Karugu stood not as an aspirant but as an embodiment of experience and vision. She spoke with authority on EAC matters; Kenya’s treaty obligations and the latent opportunities that lie in a stronger regional bloc. Her academic record speaks for itself to date. She holds a doctorate in Business Administration. She has held different portfolios in different fields, both in the public sphere and the private sector. She is a go-getter. From a young age, she served in different managerial capacities. She came out as one of the best decision-makers, especially among the young generation she represented then. Kwame Nkrumah once said, “Those who judge us merely by the heights we have achieved would do well to remember the depths from which we started.” Dr Karugu’s journey reflects both achievement and endurance.

In her public service, notably as the Deputy Governor of Nyeri, she led governance and development initiatives with distinction. Her prior tenure at the Geothermal Development Company (GDC), Britam Holdings and the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) provided her with a panoramic view of economic planning, institutional finance and policy harmonisation.

In the last Parliament, I interacted with Dr Karugu when she was the Deputy Governor of Nyeri, where we had domiciled a pilot project on Universal Health Care (UHC). Since she 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.

was the one heading that docket, the piloting was one of the best among the four counties that were running the programme. Under her leadership, we saw what UHC can do. She registered a lot of success.

In her interview, she articulated the linkages between trade, infrastructure and competitiveness - the true building blocks of integration. She committed to fortifying Kenya’s presence within (EAC), bridging borders through capital market integration, energy connectivity and trade facilitation while promoting value addition to Kenyan products. Dr. Karugu demonstrated a good understanding of what EAC entails. She may be the best Principal Secretary that Kenya has produced so far. In this docket, she is going to leverage all opportunities that lie within the EAC. Kenya, being the regional leader with a robust and fast-growing economy, stands to benefit immensely.

As I conclude, I want to quote the words of Barack Obama, “Africa does not need strong men. It needs strong institutions.” Dr. Caroline Karugu is an institutional builder. She is focused on building strong institutions. That way, Kenya can be the bedrock of institutional strength to propel and propagate the East African agenda.

Upon conclusion of hearings, the Committee found no legal, ethical or professional impediment to her appointment. Her name rose above scrutiny, not because of an absence of questions but because of the presence of answers that were clear, reasoned and visionary. I urge this honourable House to consider the appointment of the Dr. Caroline Karugu as the new Principal Secretary for EAC Affairs. Thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Ndindi Nyoro.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to say something very briefly, in regard to not just this appointment but all of them. This is based on my experience from where I served before and something I reflected upon yesterday. As we talk about people joining various Government Ministries and departments, it is important for all of us to understand the challenges they will solve. As a country, we all have to move together in the same direction. I am saying this because I know the enormity of the situation. Even as these people seek to serve, we must put in concerted efforts as Parliament, the Executive and every Kenyan because Kenya belongs to all of us.

The challenge I want to highlight cuts across all ministries and departments. We have to move together in one direction and find a solution to this country’s revenue and debt strains. We are considering an appointment to a State department that is in charge of our regional trade. The challenge these nominees will have is to concertedly find solutions to our debt and revenue problems. Yesterday’s debate on release of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) money arose because of the revenue strain. This is after collecting Ksh2.4 trillion.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Order, Hon. Ndindi. I have a point of order. What is out of order, Hon. Odhiambo?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am listening to Hon. Ndindi Nyoro and it is like he is in a lecture hall. We are talking about the competence and competencies of individuals nominated to serve in this Government. We are considering their suitability. We are not talking about revenue.

May I have the microphone. What is out of order, Hon. Elisha? 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 think he has a hangover of having been the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

You are out of order. You are obviously out of order. Well, I will allow him to debate. Hon. Ndindi Nyoro, you have a few minutes. Please conclude.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Some statements do not need a response. As I was saying, approximately half of Ksh2.4 trillion which we collected as revenue will go into debt repayment. Therefore, it is important for us to find a solution as a country. I am not blaming anyone. Therefore, there must be concerted efforts by the legislature and the other two Arms of Government regarding the existential threats to our economy. One of them is debt which is tied to revenue. Servicing the current debt portfolio would not be a challenge if we had more revenue. Secondly, we must give entrepreneurs and investors the primacy role they deserve as we talk about trade in East Africa. Investors are accorded the support and respect they deserve in many countries. When you come as an investor in Kenya, the country is not doing you a favour but you are doing the country a favour. We must not only rely on our internal capital for trade. We can also rely on external capital from other economies entrepreneurs. The Principal Secretary of the state department we are debating this morning, must be very abreast to the fact that investors are heroes of this country. As we attract them, they must not come get a feeling that this country is doing them a favour. It is them who are doing our country a favour given that there are many parameters and other alternatives for them to invest their money in. Overall, I congratulate all the nominees. I call upon them to be sincere in public service and to make our country better. With those few remarks, I submit.

Thank you. Hon. Irene Mayaka. Hon. Members, you may choose to make your comments brief so that others get a chance.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Leader of the Minority Party?

Looking at the time we are remaining with in the morning session and the important Motions we have on the Order Paper, I request that the mover be called to reply after Hon. Mayaka.

That is well noted. We will have two Members seated on the left and right. Let us start with Hon. Irene Mayaka.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Given the time constraints, I will be very brief. I take this opportunity to support the Special Motion on the approval of Hon. Caroline Karugu. She is well-known to me. I have had an opportunity to interact and work with her. Her academic qualifications and having an opportunity to work in the public space speaks for her. As the Chairlady of the Committee on Regional Integration, I am very happy to have Caroline on board. Her sentiments about our relationships with other regions, especially the EAC and Pan- Africanism are clearly right. I like that she spoke about the economic aspect and how to strengthen our relationships. I have absolutely no doubt that Carol is the best person for this job. I wish her the absolute best and support the approval of her nomination. I thank you.

Thank you very much. Hon. John Waluke, Member for Sirisia. Apparently, the card is indicating that he is in the House. Hon. Jared Okello, Member of Nyando. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also want to join my colleagues in supporting the Motion before us of passing the name of our dear sister, Her Excellency Caroline Karugu. I have known her since our Azimio la Umoja days. Although the country was balkanised along Azimio la Umoja and Kenya Kwanza lines, Hon. Karugu chose to stick with Azimio la Umoja even though coming from a region that was dominated by Kenya Kwanza. This is because she had faith in what Azimio la Umoja could achieve for this country. There are people who flip-flop in politics. Even though Azimio la Umoja faced a loss that we contested and are still trying to figure out how it came to pass, Hon. Karugu never deviated from the bigger vision of sticking with Azimio la Umoja. She played a pivotal role in Baba's African Union Chairpersonship quest. She was part of the team that was putting everything together. When Baba did not make it in Addis Ababa, I remember seeing my sister Hon. Karugu as I walked out of the auditorium where I played a role as the chief agent. She was very devastated and almost in tears. I encouraged her and told her that, “the hyenas have not eaten the earth, there will be another opportunity”. That opportunity has come. Little did she know that she will be part of the Executive and will be making critical decisions in running the affairs of our country and the East African region. We have much confidence in what she will do. She is part of the experts we have graciously donated to this Government. In fact, she will be working under a Cabinet Secretary who is also part of the experts we have given. That is my friend Hon. Beatrice Askul. Therefore, with her support and that of the Government led by our brother Dr William Samoei Ruto, we know she will create an enabling environment for the EAC to trade and do things right. I support my sister Hon. Karugu in the office that she is to occupy. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Hon. Members, I do not see interest on my right. I will go to the left and Hon. Millie Odhiambo will be the last one.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Of course, I support the appointment of Hon. Caroline to this position. If you look at her Curriculum Vitae (CV), she is qualified for this position. Let me not say “overqualified” because it has a negative connotation. She responded very well when undergoing vetting. She is personally known to me. As Hon. Jared said, we worked very well with her in Azimio la Umoja. Consistency pays. I encourage even those who are in politics that you need to learn that consistency pays. She was actually nominated from our side. We can vouch for her that she is hardworking and will do very well. I want to indicate that, indeed, women support fellow women. I know earlier on, my good brother, Hon. Junet, had indicated that women tend to not support fellow women, but they do. In Suba North, I am supported by women for all the three terms. You can see that even now we are supporting Caroline and the previous nominee despite the challenges that she faced. I want to encourage Members of this House to understand that when dealing with issues of gender, it means both men and women. Although, when we talk about equality it is sometimes lopsided against women. She is going to this docket at a time when the country is facing a lot of challenges. Looking at the issue of trade with her innovative mind, I am sure she will do a lot to help spruce up the country. I want to note that Hon. Ndindi Nyoro, the former Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, has raised very pertinent issues. Even yesterday, I heard him raising the same issue about the ballooning debt and the revenue raising challenges this country is facing. I am sure, as an excellent economist, he knows The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

that one of the drivers of economic development is innovation. I would have hoped that with his brilliant mind, he would have actually raised an innovative idea. This has nothing to do with whether you are left or right, east or west. I think the challenge our country is facing right now, is the ballooning debt and raising revenue without over taxing our citizenry. I wish as Kenyans; we could think of innovative ways of raising revenue. I have thought of a very basic way which I will be sharing as a layman. If I can think of a basic way, why can an economist not think of a more complex way? That does not involve Kenyans paying more taxes but a way of raising revenue to help us repay our debt. My challenge is back to you, why do we not think and be more solution-oriented? Can we find a solution? I will put my proposal, however absurd it may sound, but I think it will raise revenue without taxing Kenyans. With those few remarks and being harassed by the Leader of the Minority Party, I support. Thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much, Hon. Millie Odhiambo. Hon. Junet Mohamed rose on a point of order, asking that I call upon the mover to reply. I would like to establish whether that is the mood of the House so I can go ahead and call the mover to reply.

Mover? Proceed, Hon. Vice-Chairperson.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, can you protect me from Hon. Osoro and the rest? They are trying to dictate--- Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I do not want to take much time. I want to appreciate the Members who have spoken very well and interrogated the report that the Committee has brought. I want to make a clarification to the Member for Nyando and this was presented to the Committee during the vetting process. Dr Caroline Wanjiru is not Her Excellency, she does not hold an ambassadorial position. She is just Dr Caroline Wanjiru. Otherwise, I beg to reply.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Members, for the convenience of the House, I reschedule that the Question be put in another sitting, as will be scheduled by the House Business Committee.

Next Order.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): The Chairperson Departmental Committee on Education. Hon. Melly, please proceed.

Thank you. I rise to prosecute this Motion, which was tabled yesterday. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Education in its report on the approval hearing of a Nominee for 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.

Appointment as Principal Secretary, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 155(3)(b) of the Constitution and Sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, CAP 7F, this House approves the appointment of Prof. Abdulrazak Shaukat as Principal Secretary, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation. Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to Article 155(3)(b) of the Constitution and Section 5 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act and Standing Order 45(1), His Excellency the President communicated to this House the name. While referring the matter to the Committee, the Speaker directed the Committee to undertake the vetting process which we did through several sittings. Further directed by the Clerk of the National Assembly, we notified the nominee and the general public by placing an advertisement in two newspapers of nationwide circulation and on the parliamentary website, of the time and place of holding the approval hearing by Thursday, 27th March. In compliance with Article 118(b) of the Constitution and Section 6(4) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act and CAP 7F, the Clerk of the Assembly also placed an advertisement in the print media informing the public of the nomination date, time, and place of the approval hearing. He further invited the public to submit memoranda by way of written statements on oath or affidavit, on the suitability or otherwise of the nominee in conformity with Section 6(9) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act. Hon. Temporary Speaker, in line with that by Thursday, there were no memoranda against the nominee. The Clerk of the National Assembly also wrote to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), the Commission for University Education (CUE) and relevant Government agencies, seeking evidence and background checks relating to the suitability of the nominee. All those Government agencies returned a clean record with no problem concerning the nominee. On the same note, the nominee was vetted as was scheduled on Friday, 4th April 2025 on key areas of qualification, experience, grasp of Government policy, framework, administrative capacity, integrity, ethics, among other parameters as provided by the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, CAP 7. On those particular areas, the candidate showed a lot of knowledge and expertise especially in the field of research and he was an excellent candidate. The Committee having undertaken the extensive and thorough vetting of the nominee recommended that the National Assembly approve the nomination of Professor Shaukat Ali Abdurazak for appointment as Principal Secretary, State Department for Science, Research, and Innovation. The nominee showed that he was a distinguished scholar and a qualified professional with a lot of expertise in research, science and technology. He holds a doctorate from Shimane University in Japan, a Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Sciences and a Master of Science in Applied Sciences both from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Animal Nutrition from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom, and a diploma from Egerton University in Kenya. His foundational academic journey began at Allidina Visram High School in Mombasa where he passed his exams. Prof. Shaukat indicated that he has a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in academia, public life and international leadership. He currently serves as a Director at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) whose headquarter is in Vienna, Austria. I will not read everything. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

You need to protect me from the Chief Whip of the Majority Party.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Order, Hon. Osoro. You may conclude Hon. Chairperson.

The Chief Whip of the Majority Party is harassing me.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for protecting me. Professor Shaukat is a renowned scholar. He has a wealth of experience. He served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Egerton University. He has been a research fellow and has worked extensively in this country. He is the founder and CEO of the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). He indicated that if this House approves him, he has a very clear plan on how to develop research and development in this country. He noted how much research can improve our country’s economy, create jobs and encourage innovation. Prof. Shaukat told us to allocate at least 2 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to research so as to develop youth innovation centres. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to move and ask Hon. Gisairo to second.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Go ahead, Hon. Gisairo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. At the outset, you need to protect me from Hon. Farah, who is my leader and Hon. Osoro because they have started attacking me.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Did you say that someone is attacking you? I have not noticed anything like that.

They have told me to just say, “I second”.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): You are protected. I did not notice them attacking you.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I was just bringing the matter to your attention. As the Chairperson of the Committee has said, we cannot be a productive and innovative country without research. Prof. Shaukat proved to us that he is capable of leading this new State Department because of his vast experience. It has been separated from universities because they are struggling. So, this State Department will be a standalone. With the support of the House in terms of funding, we will move Kenya in the right direction of innovation and become a productive country. I will not say much because time is limited. I beg to second.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Junet, Leader of the Minority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I want to thank the Executive for setting up this very important State Department for Science, Research and Innovation. What is happening in the world now is about innovation and technology transfer. If you watch the news today, President Trump has frozen US$200 million for innovation in Harvard University. This tells you how important this conversation is. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Secondly, Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat is a renowned scholar in this country. He is a man of impeccable credentials. He has helped and served this country all his life under many capacities. He has given his life to public service. There is no better person to be in charge of the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation than Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat. With those few remarks, I support the Motion.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much, Leader of the Minority Party. Hon. Farah Maalim, contribute for two minutes.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to contribute. I have known Prof Abdulrazak for more than three decades. He has a powerful wealth of knowledge. At this stage, he is serving in that unique position as the only African in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This is a man who will take research in this country to a much higher level. As one of my old friends has said, we need to dedicate not less than 2 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to research, so that we can benefit from Prof Abdulrazak while he still has the energy and mind. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support the Motion. We should not waste more time on it.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Ndindi Nyoro contribute for two minutes.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. What we call Silicon Valley today is out of a policy in the United States of America (USA) called Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) a few decades back and also the proximity to Stanford University. STEM Policy gave the USA many immigrants who were very good and smart in those areas. The availability of money from Wall Street gave them seed money to commercialise those ideas. This goes on to show how important research and development is for the growth of the country. I challenge the nominee that in many developed economies, the budget for research and development actually comes from the private sector. That way, it is given room to thrive. For example, if you look at the research and development budget for a company like Amazon, it is bigger than the entire research and development budget for Germany. In the USA, if you take only two technology companies, their research and development budget is bigger than the physical research and development budget of the USA. Lastly, as a House, we must look at the size of the Government. This is a new State Department. I do not think that the previous one ought to have been split. One person can handle our universities and this State Department can stay where it was before. The actual roles are done by the Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs). We have universities on one side. In this State Department, we have National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) which duplicates what the Principal Secretary will be doing. I submit, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): The Woman Representative for Mombasa County, please summarise.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Prof Abdulrazak anatoka Mombasa na nimefurahi sana kupewa nafasi hii ili nimpongeze huyu msomi. Anaye chukua idara hii ni mchapa kazi. Ukiangalia historia yake, sehemu tofauti ambazo amefanyia jamii kazi yeye ni mtu wa kujituma. Ana uweledi wa uongozi. Kwa vile hatuna muda, nachukua fursa hii kumpongeza ndugu yangu, Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat. Namwambia afanye kazi na kumsaidia Rais kuongoza hili taifa kwende mbele. Asante sana.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Owen Baya contribute for two minutes please. What is out of Order Hon. Bashir? The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, looking at the mood of the House and the competencies of Prof Abdulrazak Shaukat, I request the Mover to be called upon to reply.

Yes.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Baya, I know you want to say very good things about Prof., but there is a request by Hon. Bashir. We really would have wanted to say good things about Professor, but there is the request by Hon. Bashir. Can I give you a minute?

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The person of Shaukat is what we need as a country to develop research. When he was the Chairman of the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) he really stimulated research in universities, but when he left everything went down. We have the right person for the job. He comes from Kilifi and he is Prof Shaukat. Thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Members, Hon. Bashir rose and called upon the Speaker to call upon the Mover to reply. I would like to find out whether it is the mood of the House that I call upon the Mover to reply.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Mover.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to reply that the House approves.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. For the convenience of the House, I defer putting of the question to a time as will be scheduled by the House Business Committee.

Next Order.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): The Hon. Chairman, Departmental Committee on Regional Development, please, proceed.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Special Motion: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Regional Development in its report on the approval hearing of a nominee for appointment as Principal Secretary, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 155(3)(b) of the Constitution and Sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap 7F, this House approves the appointment of Mr Michael Loikianu Lenasalon as Principal Secretary, State Department for Devolution. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, The Departmental Committee on Regional Development held the approval hearing for Mr Micheal Lenasalon, nominee for appointment as Principal Secretary, State Department for Devolution as requested by His Excellency the President and communicated to the House by the Speaker on Wednesday, 26th March 2025. The nominee appeared before the Committee on Friday, 4th April 2025 for the approval hearing. The Committee examined his suitability based on the criteria set out in Section 7 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act. In addition, the Committee examined his academic credentials, relevant experience, knowledge of sector issues, leadership and integrity.

The Committee paid due regard to the procedure used to arrive on the nominee through the report of the Public Service Commission on the recruitment exercise. The Committee also considered any constitutional or statutory requirements relating to the office in question and suitability of the nominee for appointment proposed, having regard to whether the nominee’s abilities, experience, and qualities meet the needs of the State department. Having held the approval hearing of the nominee regarding the suitability, the Committee observed that due process was followed in the recruitment process as provided for under Article 153 (3) (b) of the Constitution and the Public Appointments Parliamentary Approval Act (Cap. 7F).

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Chairman, please, do not read the report. You can summarise.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am just coming to the end of it. The nominee was cleared by the Kenya Revenue Authority on tax compliance, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) on payment of education loans, the Ethics and Anti Corruptions Commission (EACC) on Integrity. The nominee was also cleared by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on criminal status and the office of the Registrar of Political Parties (RPP) on membership of political parties.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): You need to move.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the Committee recommends that the National Assembly approves the appointment of Mr Michael Loikianu Lenasalon to the position of Principal Secretary, State Department for Devolution. I beg to move. I request Hon. Abuor, the Vice-Chairman of this Committee, to second the Motion. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Proceed, Hon. Abuor.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to second the Motion. When the nominee appeared before the Committee, he was very knowledgeable on issues related to devolution. He also has the requisite academic qualification for this job. On that basis, I second.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): The Leader of the Minority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you could hear as you read that name that Members of Parliament were shocked. They were wondering how someone with that kind of name found himself on the Floor of this House to be approved as a Principal Secretary. You can just hear that they are all shocked. 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.

Finding a name like Lenasalon on this Floor is not easy. This is part of the implementation of the new Constitution and the broad-based system of government, where we must take care of minorities, marginalised communities, people who have been left behind for many years, those who never expected to serve in these offices of high calling, women, and people living with disabilities. We have a beautiful Constitution as a country. Today, I am a very proud legislator because we have someone in the name of Lenasalon, being approved in this House as a Principal Secretary. When that man appeared before the Committee, you could clearly see that he did not have any godfather. He appeared to be a man who could only find his way through the broad- based government, ODM or Raila system. You could just see it.

These are people who have suffered for many years. They have lived in the forest for many years and have now found themselves in the cities. With those few remarks, I propose that we pass this nominee. I hope he will do a good job for the country.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Naisula Lesuuda. Your names seem to rhyme.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to thank His Excellency the President and the former Prime Minister. I also thank the Leader of the Minority Party for the role he played in ensuring that my colleague, Loikianu Lenasalon, is appointed as a Principal Secretary. It is true that he is a young man. He just turned 36 years old on the 2nd of April. He comes from the slopes of Mt. Nyiro, in the farthest corner of Samburu County. I want to say that he is capable. He is one of my mentees and I know his capabilities. He will deliver in this Ministry. More importantly, the issue of equity and fairness is very important for us as a country. Every Kenyan should be able to serve in any capacity in this country. It is true such nominations that…

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Naisula Lesuuda, I know you are speaking very well about the nominee. However, we have a point of order from Hon. Kitur.

I am about to finish…

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Kitur, what is out of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I think we are all in agreement that the mood of the House is that we can call the mover to reply.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Yes, that seems to be the mood of the House. Hon. Naisula, I will give you a minute to conclude, and then I will find out if it is the mood of the House.

I am very happy that the House is eager to pass Mr Loikianu Lenasalon as the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Devolution. It is important to give every Kenyan an opportunity to showcase what they are able to contribute to the growth of our country. With those many remarks, I support.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Letipila, I give you one minute. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. First of all, I would like to... Members of this House are really excited that I am supporting.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): I request that Hon. Letipila be given a longer microphone. He is struggling. Please, move to a longer microphone. Thank you.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I appreciate the fact that the Members of the House are excited about Mr Michael Loikianu Lenasalon. He comes from my constituency. I recognise and recommend him for this position. He has been my friend since childhood. He comes from my village, Bendera. He also hails from the slopes of Nyiro as Mhe. Naisula mentioned. I support this nominee. In the interest of equity in this country I do not think we can get a better candidate for this kind of high-profile role on matters of devolution. Devolution came to cure the ills that were affecting the northern frontier counties due to the system of marginalisation that was brought about by Sessional Paper No. 10. Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you very much for giving me an opportunity to speak on behalf of Lenasalon Michael.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. Hon. Members, Hon. Kitur rose on a point of order requesting me to ask the mover to be called up to reply. I would like to find out if it is the mood of the House that I call upon the mover to reply.

The ‘ayes’ have it. Mover, please, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I sincerely want to commend Members who contributed to and supported the Committee’s Report. I, therefore, beg to reply.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): For the convenience of the House, putting of the question is deferred to another Sitting as will be scheduled by the House Business Committee.

Next Order! The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. Hon. Kibet, are you doing it on behalf of the Chairman?

I am acting on behalf of the Chairman. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure in its report on the approval hearing of a nominee for Appointment as Principal Secretary, laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 15th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 155(3)(b) of the Constitution and sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap 7F, this House approves the appointment of Mr Aden Abdi Millah as Principal Secretary, State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Article 155 (3)(a) of the Constitution and Section 47(3) of the Public Service Commission Act, Cap 188, and Section 5 The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

of the Public Appointments Parliamentary Approval Act, Cap 7F, His Excellency the President submitted the name of Mr Aden Abdi Millah as the nominee for appointment for the position of the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. By Section 6(9) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, the Clerk of the National Assembly invited interested members of the public to submit any representation by written statements on oath or affidavits, with supporting documents, on the suitability of the nominee. The invitations were made via advertisement in the dailies on 3rd April 2025. The notification was followed with a letter to the nominee inviting him to attend the approval hearing and requesting him to submit a completed questionnaire as directed by the National Assembly. Pursuant to provisions of Article 118 of the Constitution, Section 6(3) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act and Standing Order 45(3) of the National Assembly Standing Orders, the Clerk of the National Assembly, by way of advertisement in the print media, notified the general public of the intention of the Committee to conduct the approval hearing.

The Committee conducted the approval hearing on Friday, 4th April 2025, and in conducting the approval hearing, the Committee observed as follows: 1. That Mr Millah started his career as a technician at Kenya Power. He also has extensive experience in different corporations, both within and outside Kenya. 2. The nominee holds an MBA from Mount Kenya University. He portrayed considerable knowledge and understanding of the shipping and maritime sector. He exhibited exemplary knowledge of topical, administrative and technical issues in the maritime sector and has the requisite qualifications and experience to serve as Principal Secretary for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. 3. The nominee meets the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution and provided all the documentation necessary for approval as Principal Secretary for the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. 4. The nominee has the experience, knowledge and qualification to be appointed to the position of Principal Secretary for the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. He showed great enthusiasm and great ideas to harness resources within the maritime sector for the betterment of Kenya. Based on the observations, the Committee recommends to this House to approve the appointment of Mr Aden Abdi Millah as the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move and request Hon. Hussein Weytan to second.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Weytan.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I can confirm, as a member of the Committee, that the nominee displayed a high level of professionalism, integrity, and maritime skills. If the strategies the nominee displayed are implemented, Kenya can go to the next level and attain double-digit economic growth. I beg to second.

Put the question! 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. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Leader of the Minority Party. I hear Members shouting that I put the question, but the chance is for the Leader of the Minority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. If there is a committee that has done a thorough vetting job this time, then it is this one. They have looked at every aspect of this matter. You can see them categorically say in their Report that the nominee has shown a lot of enthusiasm to do the job for which he is being nominated. The nominee is somebody known to me also. I must declare that he is a distinguished career civil servant. He has worked in Kenya Power, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), and many other sectors. More importantly, the vetting and appointments this time round are God sent because this man comes from a far-flung area of the country, that is, at the border with Somalia where the mother and father of Hon. Farah Maalim stay. It is somewhere we cannot go. If we were to go there today, you and I would need five days to reach there. We will not even attempt to go there. Only them can go because they know how to navigate the situation there. We must congratulate the President for identifying somebody from a place like Dadaab. Some Kenyans here think that part of the country is part of Somalia.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Leader of the Minority Party, you have spoken very well about the candidate. However, in the morning, Hon. Farah Maalim told us that the mother was in his house.

No! He has two homes. He has one there and one here. You cannot know the one in which the mother is staying. She could be in that one.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): You may proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you do not know which one she is staying in. These people have ten homes. As we speak, Farah has 40 homes. Anyway, this is a great man. He will help the country. I urge the House to support his nomination.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Thank you very much. I will give a minute to Hon. Farah Maalim. You will get a chance, Hon. Mishi.

I want to begin by thanking His Excellency President William Ruto and His Excellency the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for having seen us. This is the first time my constituency, one of the biggest constituencies in terms of population in this country, has appeared in ten years. I repeat, in ten years.

You are right in terms of population. We have a bigger population than even the whole of Kilifi County. I know the young man right from the days he was here at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) doing a diploma course. He was top of his class. He then did a first degree in electrical engineering and came top of his class. The man has a Master's degree now. He has unmatched integrity. I remember he was working in a place earning him a very big salary at one time. He said he did not deserve that salary because he was not doing enough for the people. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

You never get somebody like that in this country today. You do not get somebody who says he is earning more than he deserves and that he needs to put more into an organisation. He has been a career civil servant and I appreciate him very much. I appreciate the House. Thank you very much to Members of Parliament for supporting me on this one. For Junet, his mother comes from our side. I am his uncle. He did not declare that interest. Thank you.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Commissioner Mishi Mboko.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika. Nami pia naunga mkono Hoja hii ya uteuzi wa kijana wetu Aden Abdi Millah. Namshukuru sana Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kenya pamoja na Mhe. Raila Amollo Odinga kwa kufikiria kabila ama jamaa ambazo zimetengwa. Tuliona Fikirini kutoka huko Pwani. Tulimwona Profesa Shaukat kutoka Pwani. Leo tumeona kijana wetu Michael kutoka Samburu. Sasa hivi tuko na kijana Abdi. Jamani, lazima chenye sifa kipewe sifa. Nasema kwamba ubaharia na ubahari ni muhimu hususan kwa watu wa Pwani. Namjua kijana huyu kwa uzoefu wake wa elimu na kufanya kazi katika taasisi za umma na taasisi za kibinafsi. Atasaidia hata mambo ya uvuvi kule Pwani na ziwa letu la Victoria. Atasaidia pakubwa sana. Pia nimeona ni mtu ambaye amesaidia jamii kwa kiwango kikubwa sana. Tajriba yake, haswa ya elimu, itamwezesha kuleta mageuzi katika sera na katika sheria zile ambazo zinatakikana kupigwa msasa. Pia itahakikisha ubaharia na mambo ya bahari kwa jumla yameleta tija. Ataweza pia kugeuza uchumi wa taifa hili haswa tukiona kwamba kilimo samawati ni kilimo ambacho Serikali ya Kenya Kwanza imekipatia kipaumbele. Ni Serikali ya mseto sasa. Imechanganyika. Kwa hivyo, mimi ninasema kijana huyu anaweza na anatajiriba ya kuleta mageuzi ambayo yataleta tija katika mambo ya ubaharia. Naunga mkono Mhe. Spika wa Muda.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Mhesh. Abdikadir. Two minutes, please.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity. I have known him for about 30 years. We were schoolmates and I was one year ahead of him in high school. When he was in Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) I was in the University of Nairobi. Our history is intertwined. He is a person of integrity and experience. Professionally, he is someone who has worked through the system. He has worked for Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) and National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) for a long time. If given a chance, I think he will do a better job in maritime and shipping affairs. With those few remarks, I support the nominee.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Member for Kwanza Constituency.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say that I know Mr. Abdi very well. When he was in NTSA, I met him personally. I think he is up to the task. I, therefore, want to ask this House to give him this opportunity so that he can work. He is somebody I know; a person of very good integrity. I met him at NTSA and I find him very capable. Let us give him a chance, and if there is anything else we will direct him. I support.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Members, I hear voices that I call upon the mover to reply. I would like to find out whether that is the mood of the House that I call upon the mover to reply.

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Mover.

I thank you for the discussions, comments, and ideas with regard to the approval of Aden Abdi Millah. I beg to reply.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Members, for convenience of the House, I defer putting of the question to a time that will be scheduled by the House Business Committee.

Next Order.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Members, in the interest of time, I defer order No. 18 to a time that it will be scheduled by the House Business Committee.

(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Hon. Members, there being no other business, and the time now being 12.58 p.m., the House stands adjourned until today, Wednesday, 16th of April 2025 at 2.30 p.m.

The House rose at 12.58 p.m.

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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.