I direct that the Bell be rung for 10 minutes.

I direct that the Quorum Bell be rung for another five minutes.

You may stop the Quorum Bell now. We may begin.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: Reports of the Auditor-General and Financial Statements for the year ended 30th June 2024 and the certificates therein in respect of:

(a) African Union and other International Organisations Subscription Fund. (b) Agri & Co-operative Training and Consultancy Limited. (c) Assets Recovery Agency. (d) Commission on Administrative Justice Staff Mortgage and Car Loan Fund. (e) Credit Guarantee Scheme – The National Treasury. (f) Democratic Party of Kenya. (g) Executive Office of the President. (h) Government Press Fund. (i) Kabete National Polytechnic. (j) Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examinations Board Foundation. (k) Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency. (l) Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service. (m) Kenya Water Towers Agency. (n) Kenya Wildlife Service. (o) Kisii National Polytechnic. (p) Migori Teachers Training College. (q) Ministry of Defence. (r) Movement for Democracy and Growth Party. 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.

(s) National Agenda Party of Kenya (NAP-K). (t) Privatisation Authority Mortgage and Car Loan Scheme Fund. (u) State House. (v) Tanathi Water Works Development Agency. (w) Technical University of Mombasa Enterprises Limited. (x) The Commission on Administrative Justice. (y) Tourism Research Institute. (z) Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority.

Thank you. We have another Paper. The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection. Yes, Hon. DK.

We are not on Statements yet, but on Papers. We will have the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection on its consideration of the Social Protection Bill (National Assembly Bill No.12 of 2025) . Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker

Thank you. Next Order.

The first Statement is from Hon. David Kiplagat, Member for Soy.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I rise to request for a Statement regarding the venue for the recruitment of the Kenya Prisons Constables from Soy Constituency. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs regarding the venue for the recruitment of Kenya Prisons Constables from Soy Constituency. Hon. Deputy Speaker, on 7th April 2025, the Kenya Prisons Service announced a country-wide recruitment of Kenya prisons constables. While the initiative is commendable and aligns with the Government's commitment to enhancing security and creating employment for the youth, the logical and administrative arrangements in Soy Constituency pose a challenge to the residents. The Kenya Prisons Service identified 64 Stadium in Eldoret City as the recruitment Centre for the exercise. However, the 64 Stadium are geographically and administratively located within Turbo Constituency. This action may disadvantage the residents of Soy Constituency given that the selection criteria gives priority to residents of the constituency where the exercise is undertaken. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, it is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs on the following: 1. Measures the Government is taking to ensure that the residents of Soy Constituency are granted a fair opportunity to participate in the ongoing recruitment of Kenya prisons constables by undertaking the exercise at a venue within Soy Constituency. 2. A report on the circumstances surrounding the selection of 64 Stadium in Turbo Constituency as the venue for the recruitment of Kenya Prisons Service officers from the Soy Constituency. 3. Steps taken by the selection panel prior to publishing the advertisement including providing evidence on the public participation and engagement with the stakeholders if any. I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Can I elaborate?

No. You have made your request. Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal, you are supposed to respond.

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Yes, Hon. DK.

As the Chairman responds on when I will get a response to the statement, let it be noted that the recruitment will be done on Wednesday, 30th April 2025. This is something that we hold dearly in Soy Constituency. There are venues where this exercise can be held. In fact, the venue for police and military recruitment has always been in Siwa-Sirikwa-Chepkigen Grounds. We do not know under whose guidance the Kenya Prisons Service took it to Turbo Constituency instead of Soy Constituency. So, as they respond, time is of essence. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. This is a very urgent statement that needs to be provided before 30th April. The only other and reasonable available time is Tuesday, 29th April 2025. That is the next Sitting after tomorrow. We need a little time to transmit it to the relevant Department of the Ministry and then wait for a response. In fact, I will send it directly. I will take a screenshot and send to two people so that they can prepare a response.

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Yes, Hon. Pukose. What is your point of order?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, this is a matter of urgency and it should not wait. If they will change the venue to Soy Constituency, this has to be gazetted. This is something that should be done immediately. It is unfair to put a recruitment centre in a different constituency to disadvantage the people of Soy. The Member should be assisted. I urge the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs to transmit the request today and give a response tomorrow afternoon so that the gazettement of the new venue for the people of Soy can be done by Monday, 28th April 2025 or Tuesday, 29th April 2025 to allow them to participate without being disadvantaged.

Hon. Murugara.

We will try but the process of relaying the statement to the relevant Government department takes a bit of time. I am 100 per cent sure that it will reach them in the evening. We will do our very best to ensure that this is sorted out. If it is brought tomorrow afternoon, it will be conveyed by the Leader of Majority Party on my behalf. This is because I may miss tomorrow's Sitting due to a commitment with the Government. I am sending this straightaway to the Principal Secretary and Commissioner General of Prisons so that they can hasten the process of getting a response. Thank you. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you. Our next request for a statement is from Hon. Karitho, the Member for Igembe Central. You may proceed

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provision of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding a ban by Ethiopian Airlines on cargo transportation of miraa. Hon. Deputy Speaker, on March 23rd 2025, Ethiopian Airlines issued a directive banning miraa cargo on its flight from Nairobi, citing unspecified security and aircraft safety concerns. This decision has caused significant disruption to the miraa exchange, particularly affecting key export markets such as Israel and Sierra Leone. Despite confirmation of the ban by Ethiopian Airlines cargo service in Nairobi, the precise nature of the security and safety risks prompting this action remains unclear. Given that Ethiopian Airlines is a crucial carrier for export from Kenya, particularly miraa exports, this ban poses a severe threat to the livelihood of farmers and traders, especially in Igembe Central Constituency where miraa farming is the primary economic activity. The ripple effects of this decision highlight the urgent need for diplomatic intervention to ensure the safety of Kenya's airspace, safeguard Kenya's miraa trade, and explore alternative market opportunities in regions such as Djibouti, Mozambique and Somalia to ensure a sustainable solution and protect the economic stability of miraa dependent communities. Hon. Deputy Speaker, it is against this background that I seek a statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure on the following: 1. Circumstances that led to the Ethiopian Airlines' ban on miraa cargo on its flights from Nairobi. 2. Measures being taken by the Ministry to urgently engage the Ethiopian Airlines on the specific security concerns that led to the ban on miraa cargo to ensure the safety and security of cargo transportation generally assume transmission of miraa cargo. 3. Efforts being made by the Ministry to explore alternative airlines or routes for miraa exports. I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Is the Chairman for the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure present?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. We will have a response the second week after recess. I also think this request for statement has something to do with the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. We will liaise with them so as to see what response we should give and what response they should give.

I thought the request for statement is about the ban of transportation of miraa by Ethiopian Airlines cargo. Is that not the issue?

That is the issue. I think the cargo is a major issue.

Cargo concerns transport.

I mean the goods being transported in the aircraft.

Yes, the goods being transported are agricultural products, but the issue deals with transportation. It is like when a person is banned from getting into an airline. That is purely a transport issue. The authority to land in Kenya and take cargo solely falls under Kenya Airports Authority (KAA). 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 totally agree with you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. That is why I said we will see what input the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock will make to enrich our response.

That is purely on your shoulders.

Thank you.

Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, I can see you want to say something.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I am surprised that the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure is trying to push the issue back to the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. We are talking about transportation of goods that are already finished and packaged for market. If this was about trade, it would be a little bit relevant. We have not heard about non-tariff barriers (NTBs) involved. He should have mentioned the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock if there were undesired pesticides or other chemicals.

All right. We will wait until two weeks after recess for a response from the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. Hon. Wanyonyi.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I am equally perplexed. We are trying to bring East African countries together to work as a bloc. The Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure should take up this issue urgently. If there is an issue with the sector, they should bring it before this House. As EAC countries, we depend on each other in terms of creating jobs and doing business. The committee should not suggest that the issue falls under the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. It has to do with business in the EAC.

Thank you, Hon. Wanyonyi, for the emphasis. We can move to responses to requests for statements. We will start with the Member for Runyenjes, Hon. Eric Karemba. The Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock is supposed to give a response to your request. Hon. Mutunga, do you have a response?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I do not have a response with me right now, but I can get it in the course of this morning.

When will your response be ready?

In about one hour, I am expecting it to be brought to me.

All right. We will see if we can slot you in later. The next response is by the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy to the request by Hon. Joseph Gitari, the Member for Kirinyaga Central. Hon. Karemba, what is your point of order?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, it is not a point of order. I am surprised that the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock is not ready with this Statement. I imagine he was properly briefed that I am in Parliament today purposely to get a response to the request I made. That makes me wonder whether he is keen to have the matter addressed. It is not an issue to do with me as a person but my people.

He has said that the response has delayed a bit and will come in an hour. So, let us give him that one hour. Proceed, Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. This is the response to a request for Statement regarding the Status of Electricity Projects in Kirinyaga County: Reference is made to the letter dated 1st April 2025 by the Member for Kirinyaga Central, Hon. Joseph Gachoki, who requested the Departmental Committee on Energy to look into the status of electricity projects in Kirinyaga County. The following are the submissions as requested— 1. Status of various schemes in Kirinyaga County: The projects listed in the request for Statement are part of the current Last Mile Project under funding by the European Investment Bank, French Development Agency and the European Union, secured by the Government of Kenya for electrification of various parts of the country. The first table shows 12 projects.

Just one minute, Hon. Gikaria. Is the Member for Kirinyaga Central here? He is the one who requested for the Statement. If he is not in the House, the case will be that you just table the Statement.

Much obliged, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Thank you very much.

Let us move to the next Order.

Hon. Owen Baya, for the Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move the following Procedural Motion: THAT, this House resolves to exempt the business appearing as Order No.9 in the 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. Hon. Deputy Speaker, Wednesday mornings are meant for Private Members’ Bills or Committee Bills. However, we have a very important matter for this country, the Social Protection Bill. Therefore, it is important that we allow debate on it so that we can pass it as soon as possible. Passage of this Bill will unlock billions of shillings that will be used for social protection. Regarding social protection, we have money that is usually given to Kenyans who require Government support for their livelihoods. This Bill is important. As I notify Hon. 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.

Osoro, the Chief Whip, to be ready to second this Motion, allow me to state that the Social Protection Bill is a piece of legislation that we must have as country. Going by the money that we give of Ksh3.4 billion to support wazee through the Social Protection Fund and many other funds that are given in kind, if we do not pass this Bill, we will suffer the consequences of not supporting the vulnerable people in our country. Therefore, it is important that we debate this Bill today and pass it in the Second Reading so that we unlock the billions of funds that will come from friends, donors, and partners who want to support the vulnerable. I can see the Member for Nakuru looking at me. There are very many vulnerable people in Nakuru. If we pass this Bill, the people of Nakuru, Kwanza, and Baringo North will be helped. There is consensus that we pass this Bill. A few Members should discuss the Bill then we pass it so that billions of shillings are unlocked to help the vulnerable people of Hon. Gisairo. I beg to move and request Hon. Silvanus Osoro to second the Procedural Motion.

Proceed, Hon. Osoro.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. You know, the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party was a drama teacher in school. He speaks with a lot of expressions when making a point and that is very good. What we are seeking in this Procedural Motion is to exempt the business appearing as Order No.9 in today’s Order Paper from the provisions of Standing Order 40(3). Members know that Wednesday morning sittings are preserved for Private Members’ Bills. That can only be exempted through such a Motion. This House has to be in agreement with the Motion so that it dispenses with crucial Government business. One of the serious businesses that we need to dispense with in the Order Paper is the Social Protection Bill. Several Members are confusing the Bill with what is appearing under Order No.11 of the Order Paper and the Bill that was in yesterday’s Order Paper. I want to assure Hon. Members that the Bill that is in Order No.11 is a Private Member's Bill. It is very different from what Members think ought to be in the Order Paper. So, we seek to exempt the business appearing as Order No.9 in today’s Order Paper from the provisions of Standing Order 40(3) so that we can push forward the business of the Social Protection Bill. I was surprised when Hon. Owen said that the reason we are pushing for the Social Protection Bill is to support people like the Member for Kwanza. I do not know what he meant and whether the Member for Kwanza is 75 years old and he requires the Ksh2,000 every month.

However, if, indeed, he will require it when he eventually goes home, that will be good. Hon. Baya should have also mentioned other Members like Hon. Yusuf, Hon. Moroto, and many others who are 75 years old and above. With that, I beg to second.

I can give a chance to one or two Members to say something. Hon. Millie, would you like to speak?

No, I am okay.

Put the Question

Next Order.

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, this Bill had been moved, seconded, and proposed. We are now proceeding with debate. Hon. Millie Odhiambo, did you say you want to contribute to this Bill?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I wish to thank you for giving me this opportunity. From the outset, I support the Bill. When I first came to Parliament, I originally intended to Move a similar Bill. However, after I spoke with the late Hon. Joyce Laboso, who also had a similar idea, I agreed to cede my Bill to hers. This Bill is very good and timely. All my life, social work is what I have witnessed. My mother was a social worker, working with the County Council of Homa Bay those days. Social work is all that she did all her life, cushioning vulnerable persons. One of the things that was very clear then, was that we got used to people coming to our house when they did not get Government support. My mum helped a lot of young bright students to access the Starehe Boys Centre – we did not have Starehe Girls Centre then. She also helped a lot of people to get medical assistance. Now, we have different systems of assistance by the Government. I am happy that the Social Protection Bill will ensure that we take care of the vulnerable in a more cohesive manner. When Hon. Joyce brought her Bill, it was not actualised. So, the Bill coming from the Government will get the support that it needs. I know Hon. Masara proposed a similar Bill. I wish the Government side had spoken to him prior. Sometimes it is discouraging for a Member of Parliament, especially if it is a Member who is serving a second term, to put in so much effort then midway they are told the Government has a similar Bill. Of course, it is much better when a Bill is supported by the Government, but a Member has to be notified in good time. I have been here for a long time and I have ceded a few of my Bills to the Government. A few years ago, Hon. Duale told me that the Government would take over one of my Bills. It is okay for the Government to take over a Member’s Bill as long as it makes sure that it does not lose the core concerns and interests that a Member had in that Bill. It is orderly and courteous for the Government to talk to a Member when it wants to take over his Bill and agree with the Member on how to consolidate the Bill. One of the things that I like about this Bill is its principles. If you look at Clause 5, it says that the implementation of this Bill shall be guided by the following principles: equity, social justice, inclusiveness, non-discrimination, and participatory governance. When you talk about equity, it means that it will be focusing on the marginalised and vulnerable groups, including women, poor children, and areas that have been marginalised economically for many years and have not been included in the system. Hon. Deputy Speaker, when you talk about non-discrimination, it is the same concept that includes all those areas that have been left out. I am also happy that the other principle in the Bill is promotion of a rights-based approach in the delivery of social protection interventions. A rights-based approach ensures public participation and introduces a component of accountability. It includes an appeal system 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.

where one can raise concerns in cases where people are unhappy with a process. It also talks about adequacy, accessibility, and sustainability of social protection interventions. Regarding accessibility, one of the things I am hoping this Bill will do is to take into account the geographical variations in this country. A good example is Suba. Hon. Clive has just distracted me as I speak. I do not know if I have your attention, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Yes. Is Hon. Clive, who has since started calling himself Hon. Matiang’i, properly dressed? He is wearing sneakers in the House. I know he really supports Hon. Matiang’i, but he is wearing sneakers in the House. Is that proper dressing for a Member? Maybe you can direct him after my contribution.

I think the Serjeant-at-Arms can check that and advise me because I cannot see.

I know we both came back from Tashkent where he got a very good outfit. Is this the time to showcase what he got from there? The adequacy, accessibility, and sustainability of social protection intervention are important in ensuring we are not just talking about tokenism in order to feel that we have supported our vulnerable. I want to demonstrate why this Bill is important using an example of what I once saw in my constituency when I was going around the community. There was this lady...

On a point of order.

What is your point of order, Hon. Osoro?

Sorry, Hon. Deputy Speaker. It is not my wish to interrupt my learned senior, Hon. Millie. This is unrelated to her submission. I see that Hon. Gisairo is not properly dressed for the Chamber. He is actually in sneakers or sports shoes.

Hon. Osoro, I already ruled on that. I have asked the Serjeant- at-Arms to check if he is properly dressed or not and advise me shortly thereafter. He is not within my eye view. Proceed, Hon. Millie.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I had already raised the issue because I know Hon. Clive wants to show that he has come back from Tashkent in Uzbekistan. I was with him. I know he got some really nice outfits. He said that he would be using them, maybe, to welcome Matiang’i. However, the welcome is done. He should dress properly for Parliament.

I was giving an example of when I went to my constituency and the public asked me to assist one of the women who came to me. When she came to me, she literally pulled her blouse up before the public. Her breast was terrible, oozing pus. It is one of the things that I have only seen in textbooks. Unfortunately, Kenyans now think that social protection is the sole mandate of elected leaders. We are added other roles that include social protection when we go to the constituencies to execute our mandate. That is why sometimes I am abased to hear elitists who are divorced from realities of the ground saying how the NG-CDF should be removed. Even though NG-CDF focuses on infrastructure and not on social protection, it has actually ameliorated some of the challenges and pressures that were put on Members of Parliament. Social protection is one of the issues placed on Members of Parliament. I recently started my PhD studies. I seek to undertake my thesis challenging some age-old held theories that include separation of powers. The doctrine of separation of powers is a very good one. It talks about the role of a Member of Parliament being legislation and representation, but it 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.

forgets the reality on the ground. This will ensure that the public knows it is a by-the-way when I go to the ground. It is not my main role! The public knows that my role is social protection and development. Why do we have to fight what works where it works? If we see a system that works, must we remain true to something somebody developed in the 1800s? That person did not know my village called Kolo Kanyala in Rusinga Island, and its realities! We now have scholars and intellectuals who can come up with beautiful theories. I am one of such intellectuals who will come up with theories that will either improve or overthrow Montesquieu's Theory. It may take 20 years or so but something beautiful is happening in Africa, which is a different model of development that ensures infrastructure comes up and accelerates it. The core of our accountability is through election. If you do not work well for Kenyans, they will throw you out. Who wants to be thrown out? We have to re-conceptualise how we think. Social protection is one of the issues that will help Members of Parliament before it completely overwhelms them. We provide for people with medical needs, bereavement, mental health, and those paying dowry. Young men who want to marry but are unable are also a role of Members of Parliament. If I am asked to write a Curriculum Vitae of a Member of Parliament, it would be very different from what the elite write. They normally state that the role of parliament is legislation, representation, and oversight. However, we are pastors, intercessors, preachers, social protection systems, ATMs, and counsellors. The list is endless. We need to reduce our roles to what is manageable and look at the ones that work. One of our roles that works excellently, and people from all over Africa come to benchmark on, is the NG-CDF. To shield us, let us make sure that the Government, at least, through social protection, protects our vulnerable: women, children, persons with disability, and other marginalised and minority communities in the society. With those few remarks, Hon. Deputy Speaker, I support.

Next is the Member for Suna West, Hon. Masara. I know you had a similar Bill. Proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I think our gods are with us because this Parliament is going to pass a Bill that will help too many people. I want this House to remember the late Hon. Laboso Joyce. Hon. Millie assisted me to draft the Bill. She and I are undertaking PhD studies in the same line and we have been talking about this Bill. The Social Protection Bill is very important and I support it. I have worked on the Bill for the last seven years and it is the reason it is in this House today. It was supposed to go to the Third Reading. The beneficiaries of the Social Protection Bill are people who are really in need of our support as leaders. If I may give a brief to those who have not gone through this Bill, in Kenya today, the vulnerable members of society are benefiting. By the time the programme was started, they were being given Ksh2,000. At that time, a dollar was equivalent to Ksh100. Therefore, according to the UN ranking, anybody earning or living below US$2 a day is supposed to be supported. Sometime back, a dollar was equivalent to about Ksh160 but these people were still being given Ksh2,000. I support this Bill but on condition that we merge the two Bills because we do not want the Social Protection Bill to give people tokens. These tokens need to be managed; there needs to be a rationale on how monies are given to our vulnerable people in the society. In Section 2 of the Children Act, the objective of the Act is to cushion all persons against risks and contingencies throughout their life cycle, which is okay. It also seeks to build human capital capability and resilience of all persons and promote their well-being. It does not talk about how it will resonate well with the economic times, that is, when there is fluctuation The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

and recession in the economy of a country. The current Bill does not talk about that. My Bill says that all factors shall be considered each time with regard to what is happening in the economy. Therefore, Hon. Deputy Speaker, this Bill needs to be pushed and concluded together with mine which is at the Third Reading stage. How I wish Parliament, through the Leader of the Majority Party, could push it forward so that whatever is not in my Bill can be added then we merge them and come up with a Bill which is progressive. As it is now, it is static. If it is Ksh2,000, it remains so and if it is Ksh1,000, the same applies.

Therefore, Hon. Deputy Speaker, I want to support this legislation but with a rider: that all factors need to be considered. Part of it is not applicable, especially about all persons qualifying for this item. In my Bill, I am suggesting that somebody can be in this bracket over a period of time. When he is out of that time, he is removed from that support. However, this one is talking about all persons.

As I support this Bill, I will talk with most of the Members and the leadership of Parliament so that we bring them together and come up with a progressive legislation that will last for a longer period of time, and helping the needy as well. Through the NG-CDF, we have a provision of supporting these vulnerable people. We were paying for them the previous medical scheme which has now transitioned to SHA. When this Bill is implemented, the county government will also be given an opportunity to…

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

What is your point of order, Hon. Otiende?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I seek your direction under Standing Order 1 on a very simple matter. I am listening to Hon. Masara support the Bill, but he is also asking you to direct that his own Bill be brought forth so that the Bills can be considered together. It sounds to me as if Hon. Masara is not actually supporting this Bill. Procedurally, as I understand it, usually in such circumstances, both Bills would be referred to the relevant committee to rationalise, consolidate, and then present. Therefore, is it in order for Masara to be asking you to refer his own Bill to the House while also supporting a separate Bill? I seek your direction, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

I will let him ventilate. However, I think, eventually when we come to the Committee of the whole House, he will probably move or suggest amendments to it. That is how I understood it ― that the Bills are similar but there are some aspects that are not incorporated in the current Bill but are in his Bill.

Yes.

I was going to get there. You can proceed.

Thank you, my senior and Hon. Deputy Speaker. Both of you are learned friends whom I am learning a lot from. I do not want to add or remove anything from what you have said. I will just proceed. Thank you for the support you have given me. I got ambushed because of this Bill. Getting a Bill to reach the Third Reading in this House is a real problem. I started my Bill in the first month of my first term in Parliament. We ended up finishing the 12th Parliament without concluding it. In the 13th Parliament, I have been speaking about this Bill almost every day and week for nearly three years now. Therefore, Hon. Members, to summarise since I know many of you want to contribute to this Bill, this Bill is important. However, mine is more important because it is progressive. If you want to bridge that gap which was there in previous Bill, and which was sponsored in this House by the Late Hon. Joyce Laboso, it is important to note that the Bill was good but it was never implemented. The Ministry took over the Bill and promised Parliament that it was going to enhance it. However, almost 10 years after the death of Hon. Joyce Laboso, it has never done it. That is why my Bill delayed. What I am asking now is that we must legislate on 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.

Bills which will serve the current generation and generations to come. In that regard, as you have ably advised me, we will have to merge these two Bills in the Third Reading and come up with a Bill which will support our people. Hon. Deputy Speaker, on the issue of NG-CDF as the lifeline of Kenyans, the devolved money which Kenyans are enjoying is from the NG-CDF. In Suna West Constituency alone, I have used the NG-CDF to build four police stations, four Assistant County Commissioners’ (ACC) offices, a County Commissioner’s office, an Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) office, and 27 new schools—23 primary schools and four new girls' secondary schools. One thousand two hundred people were enjoying the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) insurance cover using NG-CDF money and 500 students are fully sponsored in Suna West Constituency. We can kill any other fund but allocation for NG-CDF must be increased and released in a timely manner. The first allocation which the National Treasury needs to do is NG-CDF. Even before paying salary, monies for the NG-CDF should be released because all the 290 constituencies in Kenya are enjoying the fruits of NG-CDF. Hon. Deputy Speaker, having said that, we need to put our priorities right as a country. As a researcher, I know that when you have operated with an item for over 10 years… We need to re-look at our Constitution so that where the drafters erred or where there were gaps, they can be corrected so that Kenyans can enjoy. I am aspiring to become the Governor of Migori County in 2027 but the truth of the matter is that as it stands, the people cannot enjoy the fruits of devolution. Many people, including Dr. Odhiambo Mbai, died but their families and generations are not enjoying the fruits of devolution because of the gaps in the Constitution. You may remember that I was the last Mayor of Migori Municipality. I operated under the Local Government Act (Cap 265).

Let us give him a minute.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. You know there are very few mayors in this town. His Lordship the Mayor are very few. Right now, I am the only one here. The projects that we started with Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF), which was only Ksh57 million per municipality, are the ones that the county government is relying on, especially in the health sector. All health centres started by the Municipal Council of Migori are the ones still existing today. Therefore, Hon. Deputy Speaker, as we move on to legislate let us also introspect on what must be done so that Kenyans can enjoy the fruits of paying taxes. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you. Let us have the Member for Endebess. Hon. Members, if you want to contribute to this, please press the intervention button.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I stand to support the Social Protection Bill (National Assembly Bill No.12 of 2025). This is a very crucial Bill. As you are aware, social protection deals with the most vulnerable members of the society and is structured around several pillars, including giving money to the elderly. The Whip of the Majority Party was referring to my neighbour, Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi, as elderly. However, he is not. Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi is a young man. When I was growing up, I saw him engaging in political contests with Noah Wekesa Makalang’ang’a. He is energetic and still going very strong. Therefore, he is not elderly. I am being told by the County Women Representative for Kericho that he recently married a second wife. So, he is still young.

In this Bill, through the amendment to the Public Finance Management Act, the Social Accounts Fund (SAF) will be created. This Fund will have a board. Currently, it is under 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.

Ministry of Social Protection. As Members of Parliament, we only receive communication indicating that money has been credited to the accounts of the elderly. However, among the elderly, you may find someone aged 70 getting the money, while someone aged 75 does not. These people do not have a way of appealing. This Bill creates an appeal mechanism for people to appeal to the Board. It also creates a board responsible for disbursing the funds. The Board will also have extensions and mechanisms in place. This Bill addresses coordination between the national Government and the county governments and thereby, creating a comprehensive mechanism. We, currently, have a contentious County Allocations Revenue Bill in this House. Although we got devolution as a country, we unfortunately, devolved corruption to the counties. Most of the money allocated to the counties does not reach the ward level. Yesterday, I saw the Controller of Budget, Dr Margaret Nyakang’o, making a very serious allegation. She said that once the county governments have made a requisition for pending bills, they do not use the funds as intended. The funds released are not used to pay for what it has been approved for. Instead, county governments go ahead and reallocate the money. The Controller of Budget is not able to verify whether they are doing what they had requisitioned for. This is a glaring case of corruption. I do not know whom the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission (EACC) is waiting for, because this is very glaring corruption, and action needs to be taken. Even the fight over the Road Maintenance Levy is not about building roads for the people. We have seen what the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) have done. In the constituency, once KeRRA has built a road, counties often come and put up a board claiming the road was done by the county government. The money that was supposed to build that road then disappears. Therefore, the fight is not about building roads, assisting

or devolving funds, but about money being siphoned from the programmes they are supposed to implement As a House, we need to pass this Bill to establish a clear mechanism for supporting the most vulnerable members of our society, including the elderly, orphans and those in poverty- stricken areas. It is very sad that yesterday, in Nairobi alone, we lost about six people in Mathare and other places as a result of the heavy rains. These are risks that expose our people to unnecessary deaths. It is unfortunate that a stone fell into a house, and killed a mother and her children. This is very sad and should not be happening in this day and era. As we pass the Social Protection Bill, which establishes a board to protect the most vulnerable members in our society, it is important to ensure that deaths caused by heavy rains and floods no longer happen. I heard the former Mayor for Migori mention that his Bill needs to be merged with this Bill during Third Reading. That is not a possibility. That is not how laws are made. Since we already have this Government Bill, the most sensible thing would be for him to propose his amendments and put them into this Bill. We can then reject his Bill and proceed with the Government Bill to address this issue effectively. We should avoid duplication that may later prevent us from implementing it properly. Since this Bill is sponsored by the Majority side, we should be able to proceed. Our Standing Orders provide that a Bill sponsored by the Majority or the Government takes priority over a Bill sponsored by a Member. Therefore, this Bill, which is now at the Second Reading stage should be passed. And since it is a priority, we can move to the Committee of the whole House, pass the Bill, and send it to the Senate. The Senate can also fast-track it so that it becomes law. With those few remarks, I support this Bill and hope that we can fast-track it and make it possible for Kenyans to enjoy social protection. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

The Member for Kericho County, Hon. Beatrice Kemei.

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

From the onset, I want to support the Social Protection Bill of 2025. This is a very important Bill to Members of Parliament. The Social Protection Bill takes care of the vulnerable in our society. It includes Government policies and programmes designed to safeguard individuals against poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion throughout their lives. This Bill aims to prevent or mitigate risks and emergencies, particularly for vulnerable groups, and promote social inclusion. As the County Member of Parliament for Kericho, I want to make it clear that County Women Representatives have many responsibilities, especially when it comes to the people we represent, which include people living with disabilities, women, the elderly, children and the youth who fall within the category of vulnerable groups. With this knowledge, the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) allocation is not enough to cater for the needs of all those vulnerable groups. I am glad that we have this Bill because it will help us, especially when it comes to provision of basic needs. I have met many of these vulnerable groups, especially women, widows and those who have children living with disabilities. I have been able to help over 20 women get habitable houses through the NGAAF. There is a high demand for good housing and clothing, especially during this rainy season. Many do not have blankets or good shelter. Through the Social Protection Bill, the national Government, and to a large extent the county governments, will be able to help vulnerable groups such as those living with disabilities, the elderly and orphans. The Board will be able to provide social protection to orphans, vulnerable children, the poor, the elderly, and persons living with disabilities. There are many such vulnerable groups in Kericho County. We also have parents with vulnerable children who cannot work and provide for their families.

I support this very important Bill because it will also lift the burden on the church and the society at large. It will also lift the burden on leaders such as Members of Parliament who are expected to provide for every need be it personal, travel costs, food, clothing and school fees for vulnerable children, some of whom have dropped out of school. The NG-CDF) and the NGAAF will ensure that they stay in school. However, there are other needs that the NG- CDF and the NGAAF may not provide and that is where the Social Protection Bill comes in.

The Bill helps in form of cash transfers, transfers in kind, social care services and rehabilitation services for the needy in our society. Youths with drugs and substance abuse issues need rehabilitation services, which the Bill provides. They also require psychological support. The Bill provides a school feeding programme for some of our children who go to school without food and can only have one meal a day in school. The elderly need home-based care. It is not in our culture as Kenyans to take our elderly to homes for the elderly. We take care of them at home, which is a challenge. The Ksh2,000 cash transfer is not enough for the elderly, but the Bill will increase that amount. They will have more resources such as transfers in kind. We will then be able to take care of them at home. The elderly do not only need cash transfers or in-kind transfers, but they also need psychological support by having people around them. We still need them to ooze their wisdom.

The Bill provides that in the administration and provision of social protection, the county governments will have to implement national Government policies on social protection through county-specific legislation and strategies. They will also allocate resources for social protection interventions at the county levels. They will have to develop a registry for social protection. We will then be able to know how many vulnerable groups we have and how we The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

can assist them. The county governments may not be able to allocate the required resources. The Bill allows the county governments to collaborate with the national Government to reach those in the remote parts of the counties. Some of our elderly and the vulnerable may not have food. Even with the subsidised fertilisers, some of them may not be able to plant crops. With the cash transfers, the county governments would be able to identify them and provide the necessary resources. Some of them have very small pieces of land to grow food. Since food security is important, the county governments can provide as it is required. I support the Bill since it will help us assist the most vulnerable members of the society.

Member for Marsabit.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this very important Bill that concerns the vulnerable in our society such as the senior citizens. Senior citizens may have worked in the past but they now live in poverty in different parts of the country. They have no protection against danger. They do not have medical care, social protection or relatives to support them. We also have people living with disabilities in many parts of the country who have been disadvantaged in many ways. Many African societies view any disability as a curse on a family, and they hide those living with disabilities. The disabled are not exposed or given opportunities for education. They are not protected from danger. They do not have medical care and they end up suffering.

We also have orphans who have no parents to take care of them. Many times, even their relatives take advantage of them and end up mistreating them. This Bill will give hope to many. That is why I stand to support it. It seeks to take care of the minority, the vulnerable, persons living with disabilities, the elderly, and orphans. I also wish to talk about the issue of drug addiction in our country, which is spiraling out of control. Many of our young people, driven by frustration, have turned to drugs and a significant number require rehabilitation. As a country, we must plan for them, support them, and find ways to rehabilitate and reintegrate them back into society. The parents of those drug- dependent individuals are suffering, as they lack the means to help their children. If this Bill can incorporate mechanisms to assist such families, it will be of great benefit. Another category of the vulnerable group in our society is people living with HIV/AIDS. We are fully aware that HIV/AIDS has plagued our society and has been here for many years. Numerous families are affected. These are the vulnerable individuals who require urgent attention. This Social Protection Bill will assist all the people who need Government support across the country. The Bill will also enable us, as Members of Parliament, to identify those in need and support them through this framework. We must have accurate data on all the categories I have mentioned. Without this data, we cannot adequately assist the vulnerable in our society. In Marsabit County where I come from, for instance, people live across vast areas, and the distance from the county headquarters to many settlements is long. Without proper records, it becomes difficult to identify those in need. The Government must therefore, take it seriously in the collection of data on vulnerable populations in every part of the country. As we do that, one guiding factor is the poverty level. Poverty in Kenya is alarmingly high. Over 39 per cent of Kenyans live below the poverty line. Specifically, the figure stands at 39.6 per cent, which is quite high. Worse still, the most vulnerable in our society have often been overlooked. The Ksh2,000 given to elderly individuals is insufficient, even for basic medication. In counties like mine, the poverty rate is over 66 per cent. That means a majority of the population is living in dire conditions. Once this Social Protection Bill becomes law, it will allow us to locate these individuals and offer them the necessary support. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

There is another challenge that I must raise, particularly concerning the registration of individuals from border counties such as Marsabit. Many people do not have national identity cards. We are grateful to the President, who has directed that identity cards should now be issued without excessive vetting. There are elderly individuals, some over 70 years old, who still lack identity cards, despite their children having completed university and working in Kenya. These people have been unfairly denied identification. As we push for the enactment of this Bill, I urge the Government to ensure the registration of elderly citizens, especially those in border counties like Marsabit, so that they may qualify for social protection benefits. As I conclude, we need to create enough awareness. There are numerous policies in place, but many Kenyans remain unaware of them. The best action the Government can take is to create awareness among the public, particularly at the grassroots, about their rights and the provisions of this Bill. This will empower them to claim what is rightfully theirs. With those remarks, I support the Bill and encourage my fellow Members of Parliament to contribute positively to ensure its enactment. Let us support our vulnerable citizens, the widows, orphans, persons with disabilities, those living with HIV/AIDS, and all others who require our attention. Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I support.

Those Members who have their hands raised on the majority side, we have already given three opportunities on this side, consecutively. Let the minority side also have a chance. Member for Seme.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for this opportunity. I rise to support this Bill. Social protection is one of the features that distinguishes human societies from animal societies. It is only human beings who, in their right mind who create programmes to protect the vulnerable. Animals do not. This is, therefore, an extremely important Bill. It aligns with our 2010 Constitution, which enshrines these protections. Chapter 4, the Bill of Rights, particularly Article 43, outlines the areas where citizens must be protected: health, housing, access to clean water and sanitation, and social security. This Bill is in full conformity with these provisions of the Constitution. We also have to look at the issue of poverty in our country. When defined by a daily expenditure of approximately US$2.15, poverty in Kenya ranges from 26 to 46 per cent in various parts of the country. Poverty is even more prevalent in urban areas than in rural settings. For instance, in urban areas, any household with a monthly income of less than Ksh8,800 is classified as poor, while in rural areas, the threshold is Ksh4,300. This Bill aims to protect individuals in these categories. It is not merely about offering protection, it is about ensuring survival. Many families, with minimal social support can thrive and their children can attend school. That way, they will not only survive but also improve human capital. If children from such families are educated and supported, they experience upward social mobility. Furthermore, social protection is an investment, not only socially, but also economically. It has been proven that where there are cash transfers, for every dollar given as a cash transfer, there is an economic return of approximately US$8 in the economy. It is not merely money spent; it is money invested. It is also a political investment. Some may recall President Lula of Brazil, who was even brought back into office by popular demand after imprisonment. This was largely due to the social protection programmes he implemented, which lifted many Brazilians from poverty into middle-income status. This Bill is something we must strongly support. There was a Bill that was sponsored by the late Hon. Laboso, which I participated in, but it was not implemented. Having this Bill is the right thing. I hope we are serious about it this time. Social protection is in all areas of our lives. The basic necessities of survival like food, shelter, education and The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

healthcare are all elements of social protection. Kenya has a lot of ongoing social protection programmes. This Bill will help to organise and coordinate all of them. A working social protection programme will be a huge relief to politicians and Members of Parliament. We contribute to all social ventures in families. A proper social protection programme will address some of them. We have many ongoing social protection programmes in this country. However, most of us think of the Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC), Older Persons Cash Transfer (OPCT) Programme and the Persons with Severe Disability Cash Transfer (PWSD-CT) Programme. However, school feeding programmes, agricultural subsidies and social health insurance like SHA are also forms of social protection and security. They have challenges because they lack a legal framework to take care of them. For example, a challenge that affects the cash transfers is the disbursement. We have never gone through a Session without a Member raising an issue on OPCT Programme citing irregular disbursement. Despite trying direct payments through mobile money, we still have a problem with the disbursement. Lack of coordination is the other challenge affecting these social protection programmes. When there is no proper coordination, a lot of double-dipping happens. You will find one family benefiting from multiple social protection programmes. Therefore, there is need for some coordination. Pure theft or graft is another challenge that presents as an outcome of poor organisation. Beneficiaries of the cash transfer programmes lose their allocation from the very people who help them, including the officers running the programmes. Some monies even get lost in the banks. Another challenge is lack of exit programmes. These are useful for change in circumstances. Orphans and vulnerable children should exit upon attaining a certain age. Income-generating programmes can also be used to absorb families which benefit from cash transfer programmes. I was involved in programmes where mothers and women groups which were beneficiaries of social protection programmes started their businesses, and they did not need assistance. We do not have these exit programmes. Our beneficiaries become perennial beneficiaries without exiting these programmes. We need to look at this. We also do not have the systems of responding to socio-economic changes. As a Member said earlier, we started with Ksh1,500, and this House moved it to Ksh2,000 through a Motion. Maybe, we need to make it even higher. We do not respond to the socio-economic changes like inflation. We need a system that will take care of this. I support this Bill because it addresses the very important issues that I have been talking about. Clause 5 of the Bill addresses Article 43 of the Constitution. It says that the implementation of the Bill shall be guided by equity, social justice, inclusiveness, non- discrimination, rights-based approach, and accessibility and sustainability of social protection interventions. Therefore, this Bill is very appropriate. Clause 7 of the Bill establishes a Board. Its functions are listed in Clause 8 of the Bill. It will design, implement, monitor and evaluate social protection interventions and programmes. It will also establish and maintain a social protection registry, and ensure continuous collection and dis-aggregation of data. We must appeal to our colleagues to support this Bill. When it comes to the Committee of the whole House, we will move amendments. We need to anchor our social protection programmes in this Bill. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Thank you. Member for Laikipia East.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Bill because it is timely. We all note that we have social protection programmes in this country. For the first time, there will be order because of this Bill. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Clause 7 of the Bill establishes a Board which will create order, predictability and consistency. The dignity of the vulnerable members of society who are beneficiaries will also be taken care of. The elderly people, who are beneficiaries, have served this nation. They laid the foundation of the nation and served us very well. They are now at an age where we need to take care of them. They still shoulder some burden and responsibilities in our society these days. We still look upon them for solutions. When our young are neglected or they neglect themselves and end up in drug addiction, they fall back to the same parents they are supposed to support. The elderly are now the ones supporting the young generation, yet they are supposed to benefit from them. When accidents happen in our society, issues of disabilities crop up. Family members run away from shouldering the responsibilities of taking care of the disabled who then end up with the elderly people. The issue here is that both the orphans and disabled end up in the care of the elderly people who shoulder all this burden. Members of Parliament and other representatives who have the opportunity to interact with the society on daily basis will be the first beneficiaries of this Bill when it goes through. We should make sure that some issues are in order. These are timely payment, identification and making sure that the vulnerable people in the society benefit and they are not discriminated against. If there is a way they will be picked, we should ensure that there is proper collaboration. The process should not be left to area chiefs alone. Proper teams should be set up on the ground to make sure that there is automatic qualification of the needy in the society. If you look at the mode of payment, it is cash transfer. These are some of the issues that the Board must be concerned with. It should ensure that beneficiaries do not suffer because they come from areas where modes of payments are not friendly. They must look at this country, especially at people from northern Kenya or areas that have banking facilities that are not well-established. They should also look at people who cannot access the internet, and make sure there is consistency in the way we do things. They should not rush into deciding this is the most applicable system, but rather look at an area individually so that people can benefit. Some people might look at the token they are given as very little money but, if we look at it in terms of the frustrations in the society, it is a lot. As a Member of Parliament, when you wake up in the morning, you find people who have lined up in your compound, and when you give them Ksh200, they are very happy and satisfied that you have given them a livelihood for the day. I am happy that Members of Parliament have identified this income as an economic stimulus, because at the end of the day it stimulates the economy of a particular area. A person earning an income of Ksh2,000 per month is enough to cushion these families from hunger. In a situation of famine...

Just a minute. There is a Member with her hands up all the time. Is anything out of order? Hon. Chelule, I cannot give you the microphone because you do not have your card, but you keep raising your hands up. Just get a card. Members, I assure you that this Bill has no time limit. The list is on my board so I know where you fall and that no one keeps raising their hands up. After the gentleman speaking, it will be Members for Kwanza, Nambale, Nakuru Town West, Runyenjes, then Nyatike, in that order. That is what appears on my board. I will give Members chances as they appear. Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. We shall guide them accordingly. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I was talking about the value of the money they receive. With Ksh2,000, a family can move on for more than two weeks. This gives them the ability to look 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.

at other areas to earn an income. Some of these people we are talking about need education and good healthcare. If they properly manage the small resources, they can save and also register with the SHIF which will cushion them when it comes to other problems. I hope Members of Parliament will come up with other issues and areas that need to be looked at. We need to expand the Social Protection Fund so that Members of Parliament do not have to take care of what the Government ought to. The interventions we make are what this Bill is trying to look at. We should not be looking at every problem the society faces. I always pity Members of Parliament because every responsibility is bestowed on them, such as medical care, education, and other shocks that we face in the society. I am happy that there will now be order and the Government is looking at this matter seriously. I hope in due time, progress will be made to ensure there is proper identification and payment, predictability, and dignity for our people. I beg to support.

Member for Kwanza.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to support this Bill. This is a very serious case because there are very many vulnerable people out there. When we go to the streets, we see vulnerable people such as orphans, children born and thrown to the streets, the disabled, and the jobless. When I drive or walk around the streets, I wonder if this is the Kenya I was born in and if it is the country I am supposed to be a part of the leadership. As a Parliament, we should pass this Bill and act on it as soon as yesterday, not tomorrow. It is very shameful that the vulnerable are out there. When you walk on the streets, you hardly do ten metres from one group to another before meeting the vulnerable. We should do something about it. I suggest that once we pass this Bill, it should come to the Committee of the whole House so that we get the way forward. One suggestion is that we direct the Cabinet to form a department specifically to deal with this vulnerable group since they are our brothers and sisters; blood relations. I have had the chance to travel to Denmark and Poland. Once we pass this Bill, we should benchmark and see how these two countries dealt with the vulnerable groups. They set up a department that specifically deals with this kind of issue. We are not too far from it. Therefore, we should deal with this case by benchmarking. Secondly, it is on the infrastructure we are currently dealing with in our respective constituencies and areas where we represent the people. Infrastructure is very important. For example, in Nairobi, a friend mentioned Mathare where people live in very bad conditions. These are Kenyans like us. We cannot exclude ourselves from this group. Yesterday, I could not believe it when a family was smashed by stones that dropped from a cliff as it rained. We have a problem, and we should do something by, at least, dealing with the infrastructure by looking at the living standards of our people because they are with us. Thirdly, we should also look at the benefits that are to be accrued by setting up a department. It should be spread across all the 290 constituencies so that each constituency can deal with cases of disabilities, orphans, and the aged who do not know what to do, so that money can be transferred to these families. From my own observation without pointing a finger at any individual, you will be shocked that the cash transfer money is part of the corruption in this country. Money is not being transferred properly. Once in a while a family gets Ksh2,000 which is good enough, but sometimes that money never reaches the intended recipients. You find somebody signed off and says they transferred the money, yet it was not transferred to the intended recipients. I urge the House to pass this Bill and set up a department that can specifically deal with this issue as has been mentioned. It should list how people have benefited, who the beneficiaries are, and how we can go about it in terms of infrastructure. 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 Member for Kwanza, this Bill establishes a board.

Yes, I support it.

I am asking if you propose another body or agency.

No. After passing this Bill, we should come up with suggestions to reinforce what is stated. This is a very important Bill and I thank the Member who moved it. We have problems out here. When you walk on the streets you get embarrassed and wonder if you are a Kenyan. People run after you because they have not eaten or they slept on the streets or they do not have clothing. After passing this Bill, we will look at how to ring-fence its implementation. I support it and hope and pray that we will consider some of the proposals I have made. Let us see that our people suffering out there benefit from the same. I support.

Member for Nambale.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. This Bill is very timely. It is one of the Bills that will protect vulnerable members of our society. It will ensure that the vulnerable people realise the provisions of Article 43 of the Constitution on economic and social rights. Article 43 of the Constitution provides that each and every Kenyan has the right to freedom from hunger. Is this a reality when in our constituencies? Is each and every Kenyan free from hunger? There are elderly people who cannot even tend to their farms. They have no children, anybody to support them or have food on their table. Moreover, there is no means by which the Government can come in and help them. The Government has tried through the Inua Jamii Programme, but it did not mop up all vulnerable members of our society. There are people with disabilities. In Nambale, there is a family with five disabled children. None of them has even a wheelchair. This Bill will create a register of all vulnerable members of our society so that it is easy to identify and reach out to them wherever they are. They should feel happy like other Kenyans. I have gone through Clause 28 which lists the people and groups that require social protection. They include orphans, older members of society, persons with disability, persons in extreme poverty and persons affected by shocks. A father and a mother may die and leave children behind. The older child of such a family takes up the responsibility of taking care of their younger siblings. With this kind of legislation, it will be very easy to identify such people, so that the orphans can be given social protection by the Government instead of leaving the burden to an equally weaker member of the family. There have been complaints about the criterion of identifying beneficiaries of the Inua Jamii Programme. This Bill provides for any vulnerable member of society and not captured in the register to apply to the board for review. If the board declines registration, the person has a right to move to the High Court on appeal. These are very comprehensive provisions that will ensure that there is no favouritism in the selection of beneficiaries of the programme.

The creation of a board to manage the affairs of vulnerable members of our society is very important. It is not easy for these people to channel their complaints through the Ministry. Every time we visit our constituencies, we are faced with all manner of problems. We perform the functions of the proposed board to support vulnerable members of the society. We are approached by people with school fees needs, no food to eat, no housing and those in need of wheelchairs. All these problems will now be catered for by the Government. I am very happy about that and I strongly support this Bill. All Kenyans should realise the benefits of the provisions in our Bill of Rights under Article 43 of the Constitution. The right should not remain a mirage. I support the Bill. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you. Member for Nyatike. Hon. Odege, this is your chance.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Allow me to join my colleagues in supporting this timely Bill. In the last Parliament, I served on the Departmental Committee on Labour and Social Protection and I detected a lot of loopholes in the structures for supporting vulnerable people in the society. The Bill before us is an attempt to solve most of the issues. I urge the House to take this opportunity and panel beat the Bill to sort out all the issues. We face a lot of issues from vulnerable people. You may find yourself being changed from a Member of Parliament to a welfare officer. The majority of the people who cannot make ends meet will always knock at your door. They have no other way out apart from looking for us as leaders to help them solve their personal issues. This Bill can help to cure this, so that we dignify Kenyans. If you want to measure the success of a country, look at how it treats the less fortunate people. If you are in a country where less fortunate people are not considered and helped, that is a failed state. If hawking by the roadsides is a major activity in a country, that country is poor. A majority of the people in that country live below the minimum wage. A majority of the hawkers are vulnerable. Some of them walk using support and others beg by the roadside. Those are things we can cure if we thoroughly work on this Bill. Another area of concern is enrolment criterion. If you go down there to your home in the constituency today, almost every time you will find people who are over 70 and are not benefiting visiting you. Why are they coming? They are questioning why their neighbours are benefiting and they are not listed. We should come up with a very clear criterion where people are automatically listed when they attain a certain age and are vulnerable. It will bring equity, fairness, and make people have a very clear mind of those who are benefiting, so that we are not made to be welfare officers. We want a Government that is responsive and ensures those who deserve are given. If you go to the ministry and look at the criteria of recruitment, it depends on the available budget. If they have less money and have qualified people to be recruited but cannot fit in their budget, they will only go with what their budget can accommodate. The ministry will not have any criterion that clearly indicates who is supposed to be picked. We will be in a very fair country coming up with a Bill or a law that obligates and mandates the Government to ensure the qualified get money; that treats everybody fairly and people will be happy in Kenya. On how to run the Fund, I think creating a board is very good. The Fund is currently managed at the ministry level. There are no specific mandates coming out clearly or specific people who can be charged with the responsibility. The person available currently is the Principal Secretary and we know he has a number of issues around him. Creating a board that will look into the issues related to social protection will be very good. It will also help us define the kind of human resources we need to serve the board and help implement this good idea up to the lowest level possible. An identification criterion will be the fairest experience in our country if we get the right people charged with the responsibility to ensure that every qualified person in our society is rightly identified at the right time and given the opportunity to be served by the board. Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to join my colleagues in supporting this Bill. I thank you.

Member of Nakuru Town East.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to support this very important Bill on social protection. Just a word of caution from looking at how the Bill is structured and how to pick beneficiaries. It is important for us to note something. Much as the Bill indicates provisions on 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.

how to handle fraud and misinformation, it is important to look at the penalties seriously. How is a member delisted from the Fund? It gives criteria on how a name of a beneficiary is removed, either by voluntary leaving or by being out of the country for over 12 months. We really need to look at that area so that we do not benefit people improperly. Even dead beneficiaries who are already long gone are still on the list and their beneficiaries are still claiming that money and not putting it to proper use. When I was looking at definitions in the Bill, it defines old persons as those from the age of 60 years. We had a discussion this morning when taking tea there. They said one must be 70 years old or more to benefit. I am glad the Bill has now clarified that older persons will benefit because they are this programme’s most targeted population. Using 60 years to define older persons as beneficiaries of this scheme will go along. Implementation is key and well explained in the Bill where it talks about equity, and social justice. These things have always been forgotten. Officers in provisional administration, particularly chiefs, were in the past given the responsibility to identify people only for them to bring people who did not deserve. Therefore, implementing this goes towards people who should benefit. We now have inclusiveness, non-discrimination, and a participatory approach. It is key for us to identify the right people. Clause 6 talks about involvement of county governments. For example, we have a place called Alms House in Nakuru where the county government takes care of elderly people. It talks about how we bring county governments on board in this programme. The clause talks about how best different county governments can ride on this Bill to come up with their legislation to handle social protection matters. Alms House used to be very vibrant in Nakuru when we had municipalities. As we are talking, you could find only three or four wazees there. Sometimes there is none. It is important to involve county governments by including them as representatives in the board. I think we have one vacancy left for county governors to bring their representatives in the board to be part of this very important issue. We, as Parliament, need to look critically at the nine board members. We have been talking about the number of people who should be in boards. Must we have nine? Can we have fewer but very effective? It is understandable to bring a Principal Secretary of the Ministry concerned, and the National Treasury because of money disbursement. However, it is important to be keen as we give the Cabinet Secretary an opportunity to pick the other four outside Government so that we do not pass bad legislation and have litigation. An example is with the Climate Change Council. We were saying that we would get a representative from a certain organisation that deals with a specific specialisation then they end up taking themselves. They go to court if you pick from this association and not from the other. The Climate Change Council never worked for five years. We vetted people and were unable to give names to the President to pick because they went back to court. It is important to be clear on how the Cabinet Secretary must pick so that we avoid litigation. We should give direct appointments so that we do not end up having a board that will never work because of claims that we did not pick a member associated with the board. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) is only one body. They easily give you people when you ask them to. These other setups have different small bodies here and there and they bring problems. I have something on the experience aspect of board members. I had an opportunity to accompany the President when students visited State House during the Kenya National School Drama Festivals that happened in Nakuru. A play by one school here in Nairobi won in the 2025 drama festivals. It was talking about how life generally is. At one point it talked about experience before work. A student who had just finished college with First Class Honours could not be employed just for lacking experience. Experience is something that we need to look into. The 10-year experience requirement is improper in my thinking. I hope that we will bring some 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.

amendments in the Third Reading stage so that we do not lock out youthful members of the society who might not be able to join because they lack experience. Cash transfers and transfers in kind also bring about something very critical: the services. We cannot only focus on cash transfers and transfers in kind while forgetting about rehabilitation. This Bill addresses rehabilitation. You will find stressed wazee or even young people out there who need this. The Bill brings these services, whether psychological care or home-based care, and addresses them effectively. How are beneficiaries identified? The Bill mentions Kenyan citizens, such as orphans and persons with disabilities, as well as non-Kenyan citizens in emergency situations. That is key because at times, one may be in Kenya with an emergency without being a citizen. This Bill has taken care of that. Regarding applications, some elderly people are too old to apply on their own. This Bill allows a representative to apply on behalf of a beneficiary, which is a very good measure. On the matter of appeals, under Clause 33, if a person is dissatisfied with the board's decision, they have 30 days to file an appeal. On abuse of suspension or termination, the Bill makes it clear that if you abuse the system, you can be suspended. There is a lot even on data protection. Anyone handling data related to this must abide by the Data Protection Act to avoid disclosing information. Regarding penalties, this is an area that we will be bringing some amendments. A fine of Ksh200,000 and a six-month sentence for unlawful disclosure is too lenient. It will encourage people to be fraudulent. Maybe a fine of Ksh2 million and five years. That is where we should be. We will bring some amendments. Lastly is on transition. The board will take up all that was being done if the Bill goes through. We do not need to go through what we saw in SHA, where as a Member of NHIF, I had to register afresh. Transition is clear that you continue…

Hon. Member for Runyenjes.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. From the outset, I fully support this Bill. The matter to do with senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable people in our society is one that needs to be addressed as fast as we can. We will be judged by how we treat our elderly. It is improper when some elderly benefit from Government support while others of the same age do not. It is unfair. It is time we got a regulation that is able to organise these people properly so that we can have fairness in the manner in which this support is distributed so that we can build a just society. There was a time I had a chance to go round in my constituency and take stock of the affairs. I realized many people living with disabilities are not listed in Government records. Thus, there is no support that they get. They are hidden in the rural areas, and some in the urban areas. Many are unable to access any form of education or training. Most importantly, they do not get any support from the Government. I believe this stems from a lack of reliable statistics. I support having a registry. It will allow for a register of these people so that in every constituency, ward, and sub-location, the Government of Kenya is able to tell how many people deserve to be assisted. Referring to what Hon. Kiunjuri said, even as we think of how to support these senior citizens, and those that deserve this form of support, it is good to think about how we can support them to have extra income. I do not think it is sustainable. The funds used are from Kenyan taxpayers. It is the people of Kenya that contribute this money in the form of taxes. What if we facilitated them to make extra money from what they do? You will realise that a number of them have some pieces of land where they can do some basic farming. They can rear a cow or a goat. Some have a few coffee or tea bushes. How about if we ensured that they got more money from what they do?

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We acknowledge that the Kenya Kwanza administration promised that milk would sell for not less than Ksh50. While that is happening, we also take notice that we are buying animal feeds at a very high cost. The benefit we are getting from selling at Ksh50 and above is being eroded by the high cost of animal feeds. If we can address such, then the people who can rear a cow, goat, or keep chicken can supplement their income. It will not be sustainable if many people in this country become dependent. While we think of having a legal framework to assist them, I believe it is okay if we can legislate to support in a way that they can get extra income. Having said that, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support. To support the vulnerable, let us also legislate ways to boost their income.

Member for Kitui Rural.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to also support the Bill. From the outset, I support the Bill. Social protection refers to a set of policies and programmes aimed at protecting people from poverty, especially vulnerable groups throughout their lives. Kenya has tried to bring up social protection programmes. According to the 2023 Social Protection Policy, there are four pillars: income security, social health protection, shock- responsive protection, and complementary programmes. It is from this policy that we have this Bill that is supposed to actualise it. Currently, Kenya provides three types of social protection: cash transfers, access to basic healthcare, and enhanced social support. On cash transfers, everybody is aware that the Government has been disbursing Ksh2,000 to persons aged 20 years and above, as well as to persons with disabilities.

Did you say 20 years old and above?

Apologies, but we need to prioritise those aged 70 years and above and persons living with disabilities. This money helps them to cater for their day-to-day needs, especially for food and other essentials. I have also realised that some people use this money to pay school fees for their grandchildren. The disbursement of funds has been a challenge; sometimes, they go up to six months without receiving any payments. As a result, the impact of this money is not felt. Another issue is that, for a long time, there have been no new registrations for the elderly. Some individuals are 70 or 75, but they have not been registered. The Government needs to address this because, as a Member of Parliament, you do not want people approaching you for support when they get to 70 years. Inflation is another challenge. The Ksh2,000 they have been receiving since they registered, possibly over 10 years ago, has significantly declined in value due to inflation. The Government needs to seek additional funds and increase this stipend from Ksh2,000 to Ksh5,000, which will assist our vulnerable groups. Hon. Temporary Speaker, the other issue is access to basic healthcare. This is where the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) come in. Before SHIF, we had the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), but SHIF has faced several challenges, including the registration of participants. I understand that, as of last week, 21 million people were registered, but fewer than 5 million are contributing to the Fund. Therefore, when it comes to funding and disbursement, providing support for 21 million people with contributions from only 5 million is challenging. The money is not enough. In Naivasha, we were informed that they contribute around Ksh6 billion each month, but the demand exceeds that amount. 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.

Our health facilities across the country are wanting. Many are not up to standard, have no drugs, and are often located far from the people in need. Healthcare is not just about money; access is affected by both financial resources and distance. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I believe that where you come from, the health facilities are hundreds of kilometres away. We need to work on this. Regarding social support, back in 2000, we had pro-poor programmes in the country, but those seem forgotten now. We introduced the Uwezo Fund, Women's Fund, and Youth Fund. However, the administration of these funds is lacking. The initial seed money is still circulating, yet the population and demand for these funds have increased. The Government needs to find more money to ensure these initiatives can meet the needs of the people. Additionally, the Uwezo Fund, Women's Fund, and Youth Fund are too many. Why can we not collapse them into one? We could allocate enough staff to manage the funds effectively and ensure proper distribution and collection. In conclusion, passing this Bill and establishing the Board should help address the challenges faced by social protection programmes in the country. With those few remarks, I support.

Hon. Saney Ibrahim, Member for Wajir North.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. When we talk about social protection, what comes to mind is cushioning people from vulnerabilities—mitigating the risks they face and strengthening their ability to rebound. This makes them more resilient and able to continue with life as it was. Where I come from, northern Kenya, droughts and famine have been serious risks to the lives and livelihoods of people. Pastoralists keep livestock for their well-being. With droughts and, more so, climate change lately, there has been serious concern about people’s adaptability to emerging risks. Social protection has been with us for some time. Relief food has been a common intervention, but has not been effective. Then came the Hunger Safety Net Programme, co- founded by donor communities. The civil society has been the driving force behind that programme. There has been a shift from relief food intervention to cash transfers, which has been a very effective way of responding to vulnerabilities and risks. Cash transfers have effectively eliminated cartels and corruption around the sale of relief food. The funds are directed to the recipients without intermediaries. While relief food only targeted the food component, cash transfers have addressed a broader spectrum of needs within a vulnerable household, including food, clothing, and medical care, although the stipend has been relatively low. This Bill provides a holistic approach to protecting people from vulnerability, abject poverty, and social exclusion throughout their life cycle, with an emphasis on those who are especially vulnerable: the elderly, widows, orphans, and those living in extreme poverty. I welcome this holistic approach and believe we need to strengthen it further by increasing the stipend provided by the Government from around Ksh2,000 to Ksh5,000. While this may not be sufficient, I believe it would go a long way in meeting the needs of vulnerable households in urban centres and pastoral communities. This small amount can make a big difference in the lives of those who are most affected. Social protection is all about offering a safety net for people who have lost their livelihoods. I believe there is no better way to uphold our values as stated in the Constitution— values of equity, inclusion and good social standards—than by ensuring that our marginalised and vulnerable populations are integrated into society. This Bill has come at the right time to ensure that social protection is not only left to civil society but that the Government also takes an active role in addressing these vulnerable groups. 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.

Without taking much of your time, I support this Bill. I know my colleagues are on the queue.

Hon. Member for Bondo, Hon. Ochanda Gideon.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As we legislate around issues of social protection, I want to believe that as a country, there are issues that we have not been looking at adequately, and we need to consider them. Firstly, in the modern world, after college, every young person starts to seriously think about his or her life upon retirement. On the contrary, in this country, many of us hardly think about our lives after retirement. If you go to the West and other modern countries, young people start looking at how they are going to be in society after they get old and retire. This means that we need to start looking at this issue through different processes. We have to place some element of education in the curriculum towards the end of college so that young people get to know that there is life after retirement, and that life is not in anybody's hands; it is in their hands. Secondly, when we are looking at this Bill, we are dealing with around 5 million people who are in formal work, which includes around 900,000 who work in the public service. It is the 5 million that will be talking about the issue of pension. This means that the rest of the population who are doing their things privately are not being covered anywhere in a formal way. Thirdly, when one is in formal work, pension has had all manner of problems. You get that if you were on a pension scheme, and when you retire, you do not get your pension. The processing of pension takes forever. These are some of the things that really need to be looked at. Another major concern is for the people who are not on pension. How are we looking at their lives as they get older in society? What is the Government doing with the larger population that is not on pension arrangements? As a Government, some level of education and conscientisation needs to be done at a younger stage, where young people start to think about their lives when they are no longer working. That is very critical. We need to look at it as we do our things. As we do what we normally do, the Government and agencies that are there are learning very little. We are constantly struggling with things that are very easy. We hardly learn or do them right. I remember in the last one or two governments, we were struggling with the issue of intelligence. The National Assembly allocated Ksh6 billion for three to four consecutive years for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to identify the indigents in this country, but it did not work. We did not succeed. In those three years, that money was never used. We are now talking about it when UHC is dead. We never learnt from that. Also, we do not learn from what works. We are struggling with the structures of how to let the national Government functions reach the lowest level, yet we have had experiments. The National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) has done it. Despite there being these little scares here and there, the NG-CDF structure has given us a very good learning platform of how the national Government functions can reach the ground level. Constantly, this is never utilised. For example, there is the issue of cash transfers, but the question is, is that the only way we want to look at it? Regardless of this happening, it is good and working. If you individually track and visit the homes of the people whom you are trying to help with the Ksh2,000 stipend, you realise that they do not spend the money on themselves. It is spent by younger people like the grandchildren, who were left under their care. At the end of it all, the Ksh2,000 does not help these elderly people. So, despite it being good, are we able to trace and cross-check what exactly is happening? That is why the issue of older people's homes 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 critical, but it is neither being looked at by county governments nor the national Government. If we can avail an arrangement where older people can have food, water and proper clothing in every sub-location, we would be doing much better than the arrangement of transferring Ksh2,000, which we are not even sure whether the elderly people use it on themselves. Two days ago, I was amazed when I learnt that chiefs and assistant chiefs were taking Ksh1,000 from the elderly persons whenever they went to pick money in the initial arrangement, where they were going to the post office in the markets. Why can we not use the structures that have worked instead of seeing money go to waste? Why can the national Government not be firm and decide that its point of development is at the constituency level, and we have all these functions coordinated there? This way, we will be able to reach the elderly people. I am trying to emphasise that we are learning much less from what we are doing, be it failing or succeeding. We are also not building on the success. We keep repeating the failures. The national Government should sit and reconsider exactly what point they will place development at the lower levels of Nairobi. If they do not do that, we will keep having this problem where somebody sends circulars for the identification of indigents, it is done wrongly, and you wait for circulars, but it does not work. Some of these Government departments we are talking about do not have the structures at the ground level. They rely on National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) who have their tricks of doing things wrongly. These are some of the things we really need to consider very seriously when we are legislating on issues to do with social protection. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Is the honourable Member for Meru in?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to add my voice to this Social Protection Bill. I particularly want to talk about people living with disabilities. As I go round Meru County, I have realised that too many children are locked in houses just because their mothers have to get casual work to feed their families. It is very sad. The caregivers of people living with disabilities do not even have the slightest income. The older people need to get help, but I wish we also seriously consider the caregivers for people living with disabilities. They are not able to look for work because they have to take care of the children or the grown-ups that they live with. The other group is orphans. In the African setup, we think that orphans are taken care of by their uncles or their grandparents, but this is not the case. As we think of increasing the elderly people's stipend, the Ksh2,000 is not enough, we think about where the orphans live. That touches on housing. In my county, I have started a programme called “ Jenga Keja ” where we build houses for vulnerable people who have deplorable mud houses, which you can see inside from outside. I could not agree more with this Bill. I echo what my colleagues have said. The Social Protection Bill is timely. It should have happened like yesterday because there are so many problems. Members of Parliament have been caretakers for all the counties; giving money daily for hospital bills and school fees. They have also been offering other forms of support to their people.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support this Bill. Thank you very much.

The Member for Westlands, Hon. Tim Wanyonyi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me a chance to contribute to this Bill. The objective of this Bill is to reduce poverty, vulnerability and improve the well-being of people by providing assistance. Those who need assistance are normally senior citizens, people living with disabilities and some marginalised people in very remote rural areas. Senior citizens are usually 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.

who are 60 years, but the life expectancy in this country is about 45 years. I have been paying Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) for senior citizens in my constituency. Initially, we had set the age at 60, but it was nearly impossible to get the numbers. So, we had to reduce the age to 50 and that is when the numbers rose to 200 people. Very few people are 60 or 70 years and above, and so, I recommend that we reconsider and set the age at 55 rather than 60, so that we can include more people. Many vulnerable people have not yet been included. If you go to the village, people aged 40 years look like they are 70 years old because of poverty. All these people need social support. Hon. Temporary Speaker, cash transfer to people living with disabilities targets the household instead of the individual. However, if it targeted an individual rather than the household, it would have had more impact. When it is transferred to a household, it is rare that the person gets support from that money. As we provide social protection, we need to include assistive devices for people living with disabilities to enable them to move around, especially outdoors. People who need wheelchairs will be unable to move if they do not have access to one. The number of people living with disabilities in the rural areas is very high. During the national census, the question on disability was framed wrongly; the enumerators did not get the accurate numbers of people living with disabilities. They captured very low numbers. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that people living with disabilities make up 10 per cent of the population in every country, yet in this country, we estimate it at 2.2 per cent, which is not accurate. We need to check that because it marginalises people living with disabilities, preventing them from getting the necessary support they require. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we also need to look at the number of people supported by the Government and the level of support they are getting. I believe that Ksh2,000, given the current value of the shilling, is too low. It should be raised to Ksh5,000 and the number of people expanded. Very few people from our constituencies are benefiting from the Cash Transfer Programme. We need to change the way things are done so as to include more people. The numbers are very negligible. We need to reach as many people as possible. I am also not comfortable with the cash transfer being done through chiefs. There may be a better way to do it because some chiefs do not behave well. In fact, they even make it more difficult for these people to access their money. It would be better to use the constituency offices because they can provide more accurate information and be more effective in transferring the money to the people. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support this Bill. Thank you very much.

Hon. Phylis Bartoo.

The lady at the back, did you put in your card? It is not there. Can you approach the Speaker and explain? I cannot see your name here. Proceed, Hon. Bartoo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to this Social Protection Bill. It is a very important Bill because it will provide a legal framework on how vulnerable people in our society will be supported. As societies progress, they create more cases of vulnerability. For instance, we had COVID-19, which affected many families. We always have insecurity and banditry. We have had calamities that have killed sources of livelihood for many people in Kenya. As a result, it is very important to have a framework to ensure that vulnerable members of our society are protected. Registration is another important issue. It is important to identify where these people are in different parts of Kenya. All along, these members of our society have been left to 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.

Ministry, where the Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary, and the department staff are responsible for identification and registration. However, it is a very difficult task because they are also overwhelmed by other duties in their Ministry. It is important to have a very clear-cut way of dealing with vulnerable people. We have children, women and the aged. Many times, in my constituency, I encounter these people and they are always complaining. Some have been registered and they benefit, but others do not even know that this programme exists. We also have widows. So, it is important to make the process open and clear so that registration is not dependent on knowing the chief or village elder. I wish we had a desk or a centre in every constituency where vulnerable members of our society can just walk in and get assistance. This board should have data for everyone, so that with just the touch of a button, they can know who is there. Once money has been budgeted for these members of our society, disbursement should be consistent. Consistency is very important. They should not be at the mercy of someone who decides when to disburse the money, or claims that the National Treasury has not disbursed the funds. The vulnerable have problems, therefore, no one should take advantage of them or give them funds whenever he or she wants to. The funds should be consistently disbursed. We should not just give them cash transfers. We should empower them to have livelihoods. The Government may not be able to disburse funds every time. We can put them in homes for the elderly and homes for people living with disabilities, so that we can support them as a community. It should not just be about money. Sometimes family members take advantage of those who receive cash transfers. Sometimes the elderly receive cash and then somebody else transfers that money elsewhere. I have a case in my constituency where one elderly lady committed suicide because when she received the money, her grandson transferred the money to his phone and went on a drinking spree. She had received money in the bank for three cumulative transfers. She was so excited and thought that her life was going to change. Unfortunately, when her grandson transferred the money, she lost hope and committed suicide. We should have a legal framework to streamline the cash transfer process and also support the elderly. The elderly should also be trained on financial management, so that they do not get the money and spend it within one hour or one day, and eventually end up with nothing. I have an issue with the qualifications to be a member of the Board. For one to be a member of the Board, one must have a degree and 10 years experience. That qualification made me think about our youths. Our laws should be as inclusive as possible. The earliest that one can obtain a degree in Kenya is at the age of 21 or 23. The Bill adds the qualification of 10 years’ experience. That would mean that the earliest one can serve on the Board is at the age of 33. That will lock out our young people. That qualification should be revised so that the 10 years experience does not apply because it will disadvantage the youth. I support the Bill and look forward to it being operationalised so that we help the vulnerable in society once and for all. As society progresses, we are creating a gap between the haves and have-nots, the vulnerable and those who are not. The world is very unkind. If nobody holds the hands of the vulnerable, they will just be left on their own. It is our duty as religious people and as a Government to take care of the vulnerable. It is a biblical duty to support the vulnerable.

If we each take as little time as possible without repeating what has already been said, all Members will have an opportunity to speak because there is a lot of interest in this matter. Proceed, Hon. Tandaza.

Ahsante Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Kwanza naunga mkono huu Mswada. Huu mfumo naufananisha na ule mfumo wa zakah katika dini ya Kiislamu ambao unasema wale ambao wana uwezo wana jukumu la kuwasimamia wale ambao 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.

hawana uwezo. Hapa nina sisitiza neno uwezo. Katika mkataba wa uwezo, tunazungumzia mafukara. Fukara ni mtu ambaye hana chochote. Hajui atakula nini na atalala wapi. Maskini ni mtu ambaye anacho lakini alicho nacho hakimtoshi. Kwa mfano, maskini angetaka kula chapati mbili lakini hana uwezo hivyo basi inamlazimu ale chapati moja au nusu pamoja na familia yake. Mswada huu unafuata mfumo wa dini kuwa kama jamii, ni lazima tuwasimamie wasiokuwa navyo. Fedha ambazo wahitaji watapewa ni ushuru ambao unatozwa wafanyakazi na wafanyabiashara wanaopata faida. Kwa hivyo, ni mfumo mzuri ambao utahakikisha wahitaji wanasaidika. Sioni kama mwaka ni kigezo kizuri kutumika kwa sababu kuna uwezekano wa mtu kuwa na miaka zaidi ya 60 kama inavyosema sheria lakini ana uwezo. Katika mfumo wa NG-CDF ambao unafaa iwe ya kumfaidi mlala hoi asiyekuwa na uwezo, wale wenye uwezo hujaza form zetu na kusema kuwa hizo fedha ni za Serikali na ni za bure. Ninahofia kuwa ikiwa miaka ndio kigezo watakachotumia peke yake kutakuwa na uwezekano wa mtu aliyefikisha miaka 60 kusema anastahili kupata usaidizi huu ilihali ana uwezo. Hilo litasababisha upungufu wa fedha zitakazotolewa. Nataka kuongezea kuwa fedha hizi zisitolewe kwa usawa. Kwa mfano, ikiwa ni elfu mbili au tatu eti kila mhitaji apate hizo elfu mbili au tatu. Tunavyojua, watu wana mahitaji mbali mbali. Bodi ikiundwa, itengeneza kanuni zitakazotumika kubaini hali halisi ya watu ili anayestahili elfu tatu apewe hizo elfu tatu kulingana na uwezo wa familia yake na anayestahili elfu kumi apewe hizo elfu kumi kwa sababu ya majukumu au maradhi aliyo nayo. Watu wapewe fedha kulingana na mahitaji yao. Kusiwe na kiwango maalum cha fedha zitakazopewa wahitaji kwa kuwa mahitaji ya watu si sawa. Ahsante.

Hon. Dawood, the Member of Parliament for Meru.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I disagree with Hon.Tandaza. When he talks about some people getting more than others, that will be a leeway for corruption. On the Ksh2,000 that they get, the indigents should be getting more than Ksh5,000. That money should be pegged on inflation rate from the first time I joined Parliament in 2013; the 11th Parliament. We need to move the registration away. When people were being registered in my constituency during the Financial Year 2014/2015, there was a lady who was brought in a Mercedes Benz to register to get the Ksh2,000. It was a shame that at the end of the day she was registered. She was old but she was from a well-to-do family. She did not need that money to go to her account. We need to narrow down the registration. In the 12th Parliament, I went to the office of the Permanent Secretary (PS) for the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Mr. Marwa to ask for a list of the people who get the Ksh2,000. You may not believe it but I waited for two years and I never got the list. I went there five times to get the list so that I could know the people who were getting the money. There is no transparency in the register of the people who get the money. Money goes to the banks and sometimes we are told that money has not come for three months. Hon. Temporary Speaker, when the elderly people go to the bank for their money, they are told that it has not been disbursed. However, we are told in Parliament that the money has been disbursed. Who takes that money? That is what we need to be told. If this Bill will streamline that situation, we need to know how to devolve it. The whole constituency cannot be told to go to one place to collect the money. Imagine an old person on a motorcycle – which is sometimes an unsafe ride – risking falling during the rainy season. How do they make it to the station where the money is being disbursed? In my constituency, payments are mostly done at primary schools or outside Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) branch premises. We need a board to be appointed to streamline how people get paid this money. There are many 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.

who are yet to be included in list of beneficiaries. They need to be registered. How do we replace the people who pass away? We do not know. How are disabled persons being put into the roster? This will tell us what is happening. During the Committee of the whole House, I will move an amendment to increase the money. Secondly, the mode of payment should be one that ensures the money gets right to the villages. Registration of vulnerable people should also be done transparently. If you know a chief, you are registered. If you do not know a chief, you will never be registered. With those few remarks, I support the Bill but I will bring amendments.

Member for Samburu East, Hon. Lekumontare.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Bill. Currently, elderly and disabled persons in our constituencies are suffering very much. This Bill will help us solve some problems. When social protection was rolled out, I remember that it came as a trial with a start-up of Ksh2000, which we know does not help anymore. People may not know some places in this country. If you look at how these people get money, they get nothing. We need a law that will ensure they get what they are supposed to get. Previously, whoever was responsible for issues of the elderly would want to verify whether a registered beneficiary was still alive. However, the verification method was a challenge. If there is a body responsible for the affairs of elderly people, those responsible will have a way of verifying that registered beneficiaries are indeed alive. In some places, like in Samburu East, which I represent, many people were left out of this programme because they were unable to go to the verification centres. We need this Bill to identify and verify that these people are alive. We are not equal in this country. A sum of Ksh2,000 can help people in some places but some constituencies in this country are vast. The Ksh2,000 does not even get to the people it is supposed to help. The intention is good but implementation of the social protection scheme is not well taken care of. This Bill will help us solve some of the problems that elderly and disabled people are facing in the country. I realised that even when you were disabled, you would not be allowed to go and get the money that you are entitled to if you were on a wheel chair because you would not be considered to be disabled at that time. You would need somebody to sign on your behalf for the money to be dispatched.

Nowadays even your own brother or someone else who is closest to you is not genuine when it comes to money. We lost very many people as they got paid this money. Some people are carried in wheelbarrows to the payment centres, which gives a very bad image. This Bill will help us to have a body that will be responsible for the welfare of these people. If the Government really wants to help them, we need to put these regulations in place to prevent people from suffering. As an Hon. Member said, in some places, hiring a motorbike to ferry a beneficiary to a payment centre that is located 70 km away takes up all the entire Kshs2,000. A beneficiary will, therefore, get paid, spend the entire amount on motorbike transport and run back to us asking for bus fare to go back home. Such scenario defeats the purpose of one getting paid this money.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, this is an important Bill. We need to work on it. This is because in most cases, the beneficiaries do not know how to read and write. Even though bank agents use beneficiaries’ biometrics for identification, sometimes the fingerprints do not reflect on the system. I heard that some of them are told that their blood is cold and, therefore, they should go and take some chang’aa to warm it up. People are going through a lot of problems on the ground. I do not understand why they use fingerprints to identify them when it is well known that fingerprints of elderly people may have issues. The Government should have another way of identifying them if the fingerprints fail. Those who have never taken alcohol are told to do so for the fingerprints to work. That is very bad. I also think there is a lot of The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

corruption where these funds are concerned. People are told to give something so that they can get their money. We need to stop that practice. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we need to pass this Bill so that our people can get what the Government intends to give them at the right time and in the correct way. With those remarks, I support.

Next is Hon. Abdul Haro, who will be followed by Hon. Chelule.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. At the outset, I stand to support the Social Protection Bill, 2025. The Bill and the programme it intends to create are important. It has come at a timely moment in our country. The principal object of the Bill is to reduce poverty and vulnerability. A lot of Kenyans have fallen into poverty as a result of vulnerabilities resulting from many things happening around us, including conflicts, pandemics, recessions, environmental disruptions and economic crisis. The Bill is aimed at improving the well-being of the people by providing assistance and services and programmes that build human capital and cushion people against risks and contingencies throughout their life cycle. It aims at expanding the already existing social safety programme. Currently, the Government spends up to Ksh31.3 billion to support the elderly, persons with disabilities and orphans. This Bill intends to expand that bracket to include and cushion workers affected by disruptions such as loss of job.

The Bill defines a person in need, which includes orphans and vulnerable children, people in poverty, the elderly, persons with disabilities, persons in extreme poverty and persons affected by shocks. The Bill also defines the benefits these vulnerable people will get. It is very innovative in the sense that it does not just target providing assistance such as cash transfers and transfers in kind but it also includes assistance in terms of services, including rehabilitation, psycho-social support, respite care for services, feeding programmes, home-based care and skills and knowledge promotion.

I recall that the last regime had intended to come up with what was called ‘Unemployment Insurance Fund’, which was supposed to be contributory. An employer would pay part of it and an employee would pay the other part. Because of the tax burden Kenyans face, this regime has come up with this innovative idea of giving direct support from the national Government. It is important for Kenyans to know that many countries have a similar system. For example, Australia has a non-contributory social welfare system like the one we are introducing. South Africa has a contributory system where employers and workers pay. With those few remarks, I fully support this initiative and thank you for the opportunity.

Hon. Chelule.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda kwa kunipatia nafasi nichangie Mswada huu. Huu Mswada umenifurahisha na utawafurahisha wale ambao wametuchagua. Mswada huu umeletwa bungeni kwa sababu Serikali inataka kuweka mikakati ya kuwasaidia watu walio na shida katika hii nchi yetu ya Kenya. Watakaofaidika ni wale wasiojiweza katika jamii wakiwemo wazeee, wajane na mayatima. Huu Mswada utaleta raha kwa watu ambao hawajiwezi katika jamii yetu. Huu ni Mswada wa maana sana. Mswada huu utatoa nafasi kwa Serikali kupeleka mafunzo hadi mashinani ndio ijulikane ni nani ana shida ndio Serikali itengeneze mikakati ya kujua ni nani atafaidika na mambo kama haya. Wakati wa uongozi wa His Excellency, the late President Moi, watoto walikuwa wakinywa maziwa ya Nyayo.

Hoja ya nidhamu, Bw. Spika wa Muda.

Hon. Obo Ruweida, what is your point of order?

Bw. Spika wa Muda, Mheshimiwa amekivuruga Kiswahili. Anasema namna ‘how.’ Tafadhali, naomba arekebishe. 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.

Proceed, Hon. Chelule.

Asante, Bw. Spika wa Muda. Kama unavyojua, tuko ndani ya Bunge ambapo sisi sote tumechaguliwa na wananchi kuwawakilisha. Hakuna kiongozi anayefaa kumpeleka mwingine shule. Ninazungumza Kiswahili cha nyumbani, na hatuwezi kukilinganisha na Kiswahili cha Lamu au Mombasa.

Proceed.

Asante. Yale yote niliyosema yameeleweka na watu wangu. Pengine watu wake hawawezi kuelewa Kiswahili changu. Lakini nimechagua kuzungumza kwa Kiswahili kwa sababu ninataka watu walionichagua kuelewa ninachosema katika Bunge hili. Na watu wangu wanaelewa. Kwa hivyo, kuhusu Mhe. Ruweida, yeye ataendeleza masomo kule kwao. Samahani, amenipotezea muda. Huu ni Mswada unaoanzisha mkakati wa kuwasaidia wale wanaohitaji msaada. Wataweza pia kupata taarifa kuhusu mpango wa Serikali. Kwa hivyo, wanaponisikiliza hivi sasa, wanajua kuwa kama wao ni wajane, pia watapata usaidizi kutoka kwa Serikali yetu. Kitu cha maana ni mkakati unaoandaliwa na Serikali kwa ajili ya wananchi wake. Sisi ni tofauti katika nchi yetu ya Kenya. Wale tunaowazungumzia ni wazee wasio na usaidizi wowote; hata hawana makazi. Mambo tunayojadili katika Bunge hili yamewekwa ndani ya Katiba ya Kenya. Kwa hivyo, Mswada uliowasilishwa hapa umetayarishwa ili kutoa mkakati mzuri wa kuwanufaisha wananchi wa Kenya. Mimi, kama Mwakilishi wa Nakuru, nimewasikiliza. Ninaunga mkono kwa asilimia mia moja.

Asante. Sasa tumsikize Mhe. Caroli Omondi, ambaye atafuatwa na Mhe. Bady, kisha Mhe. Ruweida Obo. Alafu tutamsikiza Mheshimiwa Sabina Chege.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I will try to be brief. Let me begin by acknowledging the commendable effort towards providing social protection for the vulnerable members of our society. I am aware that this forms part of the conditionalities agreed upon with the Bretton Woods institutions.

Samahani, atakayefuata baada ya Mhe. Caroli Omondi ni Mhe. Bedzimba, si Bady. Nimeelewa.

As much as that is the case, I foresee a few challenges which I believe we ought to point out in good time to avoid running into headwinds. What we are establishing here is a non-contributory social protection programme. That means the cost shall be borne fully by the National Treasury. The baseline indicator of poverty is what we refer to as the food poverty line. In other words, it outlines the nutritional or caloric requirements that the human body needs per day. This is then translated into monetary terms as food expenditure, which is used to draw the poverty line. If one refers to the latest review by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the food poverty line showed that the incidence of poverty ranged from 16.5 per cent in Nairobi County, which was the lowest, to about 82.7 per cent in Turkana County, which was the highest. That notwithstanding, there are other variances in between. If you look at Section 28(3), where we are listing the vulnerable—orphans, persons with disabilities, those affected by shocks, among others—one will clearly see that these categories are not a measure of poverty or need. We need to re-look this Bill and figure out the tool we are going to use to create a clear baseline of who a poor person is. The listed categories can be used for priority consideration 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.

or first intervention. They cannot be the measure of poverty, just going by what I have said about the baseline poverty line.

As a matter of fact, the risk I foresee is in the wording of Section 28, which says the objective is to provide social protection to all persons in need. In other words, somebody somewhere will go to court and say they are not being catered for. We will likely get a court order halting the entire process. Therefore, we need to be very careful with what we put in this Bill so that we identify the truly needy persons. Secondly, in the Memorandum of Objects and Reasons, the Leader of the Majority Party has not provided the projected cost of running such a programme. As a House, we need to know. I am sure that the Parliamentary Budget Office and the National Treasury have done some maths as to what this project will cost. As Parliament, we need to see that working.

Thirdly, there are other forms of social protection yet we have only listed two here. That is cash transfer and transfers in kind. However, there are many forms of social protection. We have subsidised foodstuff like what happens in India, where the poor have special shops where they go to get their food. There could be waiver of certain Government fees when the poor want services. Some jurisdictions have free medical care. We are struggling with our SHIF and SHA. There is a component of community health workers.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Order, Hon. Member. Hon. Caroli Omondi, you will have additional seven minutes when the debate resumes. Hon. Bedzimba, Hon. Obo and Hon. Chege will follow you in that order once we resume debate on this matter.

Hon. Members, the time being 1.00 p.m., the House stands adjourned until this afternoon at 2.30 p.m.

The House rose at 1.00 p.m.

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

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.