Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell.

We now have quorum to transact business. Clerk-at-the-Table.

Hon. Members, you recall that last week we honoured our hero, novelist Ngugi wa Thiong'o. I promised to give you time to eulogise him today. We will do so after Order No.11 because we will only put Questions in the other Orders. I will allow the Leader of the Majority Party to lead the House in the eulogy. It will be allocated 30 minutes. So, immediately after Order No.11, we will give 30 minutes to the Leader of the Majority Party and all Members who want to eulogise to do so.

Hon. Members, I wish to introduce to you a delegation comprising Members of an Ad-hoc Committee on Pension Scheme for Members of Parliament and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions from the Parliament of Ghana, who are seated in the Speaker's Row. They are: 1. Hon. Joseph Appiah Boateng - Chairman, Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions - Head of Delegation. 2. Hon. Mavis Nkasah Boadu - Member, Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions. 3. Hon. Haruna Mohammed - Member, Ad-hoc Committee. 4. Hon. (Dr) Abdul Kabiru Tiah Mahama - Member, Ad-hoc Committee. 5. Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo - Member, Ad-hoc Committee.

The Honourable Members are accompanied by an Assistant Clerk of the Ad-hoc Committee and two technical officers from the National Pensions Regulatory Authority of Ghana. The delegation is in the country on a benchmarking visit to gain insights into the nature 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 operations of the Pension Fund for Members of Parliament as well as the regulatory framework governing parliamentary pensions. Hon. Members, on my behalf and that of the National Assembly, I welcome them to Parliament and wish them fruitful engagements during their stay in the country. I thank you. As they say in Ghana, akwaaba . Next Order.

Hon. Members at the Bar, take the nearest seats.

Hon. Tongoyo, where is your nearest seat? Hon. Members, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.41(4) relating to Messages from the Senate, I wish to report to the House that I received a Message from the Senate, dated 29th May 2025 regarding the passage of the Division of Revenue Bill (National Assembly Bill No.10 of 2025). The Message conveys that on Wednesday, 28th May 2025, the Senate considered and passed the Division of Revenue Bill (National Assembly Bill No.10 of 2025) with amendments. The Senate has now referred the Bill back to the National Assembly for reconsideration, in accordance with the provisions of Article 112 (1) (b) of the Constitution. You will recall that on Wednesday, 9th April 2025, this House considered and passed the said Bill without amendments, following which I referred the Bill to the Senate for consideration, in accordance with the provisions of Article 110 (4) of the Constitution. In this regard, the House is required to consider the Senate amendments to the Bill. Hon. Members, you will agree with me that the passage of the Division of Revenue Bill, 2025 is central to unlocking the consideration of other business related to the Budget for the Financial Year 2025/2026, particularly the consideration of the Appropriation Bill, 2025 and the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2025. In this regard and so as to facilitate the expedited consideration of the Senate amendments to the said Bill by this House, I directed the Clerk to schedule the Bill in the Order Paper for this Sitting. Indeed, as you may have noticed in today’s Order Paper, the Motion for Consideration of the Senate Amendments to the Division of Revenue Bill (National Assembly Bill No.10 of 2025) and the Committee of the whole House on the Senate Amendments have been listed as Order Nos.12 and 13 respectively. Additionally, I instructed the Clerk to publish the Senate Amendments to the Bill in the Order Paper. Hon. Members, in view of the foregoing, I urge the House to dispense with the Senate Amendments to the Division of Revenue Bill, 2025 in today’s Sitting. I also hasten to restate that the conclusion of the said Bill will pave the way for the consideration of the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2025 within the prescribed timelines so as to facilitate timely disbursement of the requisite funds to our county governments. It will also enable finalisation of the allocation of revenues raised nationally for the National Government through the Appropriation Bill, 2025, following consideration of the Report of the Budget and Appropriations Committee on the Annual Estimates for the Financial Year 2025/2026. The House is accordingly guided. 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.

Next Order.

Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table: 1. Annual Report of the Kenya Law Reform Commission for the Financial Year 2023/2024. 2. Annual Report of Activities and financial statements of the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission for the Financial Year 2023/2024. 3. First Half Report of the County Government Budget Implementation Review for the Financial Year 2024/2025. 4. Annual Report of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights for the Financial Year 2023/2024. 5. Annual Report and financial statement of Privatisation Commission for the year ended 30th June 2024. 6. Quarterly Report of the Economic and Budgetary Review of the National Treasury and Economic Planning, Third Quarter of the Financial Year 2024/2025. 7. The 2025 Economic Survey Report from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. 8. Reports of the Auditor-General and financial statements for the years ended 30th June 2023 and 30th June 2024 and the certificates therein in respect of: (a) Aldai Technical Training Institute. (b) Kipsoen Technical and Vocational College. (c) Masai Technical Training Institute. (d) Masinga Technical and Vocational College. (e) Mochongoi Technical and Vocational College. (f) Molo Technical and Vocational College. (g) Ngong Technical and Vocational College. (h) Nuu Technical and Vocational College. (i) Tarbaj Technical and Vocational College. (j) Wajir East Technical and Vocational College. I thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the Paper will be stayed because the Report has not yet been presented to the Speaker for approval. Chairman, Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table: Report of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs on its consideration of the Report on Approval Hearings of Nominees for Appointment as Chairperson and Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you. Next Order. Hon. Murugara.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to give notice of the following Motion: THAT, taking into consideration the findings of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs in its report on the Vetting of Nominees for Appointment as Chairperson and Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday, 3rd June 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Article 250(2)(b) of the Constitution, approves the appointment of Mr Erastus Edung Ethekon as the Chairperson, and Ms Ann Njeri Nderitu, Mr Moses Alutalala Mukhwana, Ms Mary Karen Sorobit, Mr Hassan Noor Hassan, Mr Francis Odhiambo Aduol and Ms Fahima Araphat Abdallah as Members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Thank you, Hon. Murugara. Hon. Members, allow me to acknowledge, seated in the Speaker's Gallery, students of Chebonei Girls High School from Bomet Central, Bomet County. In the Public Gallery, we have students from Oshwal Academy from Nyali, Mombasa; Kigumo Bendera from Kigumo, Murang’a; Sirua Aulo Junior School from Kilgoris, Narok; and Thua Secondary School from Kitui East, Kitui County. On my behalf and on behalf of the House, we welcome all the students, their teachers, and those accompanying them to the House of Parliament. Hon. Members, I will rearrange the business on the Order Paper. Having completed Notices of Motions, we shall proceed to Orders No. 8, 9, 10 and 11 to put Questions. Thereafter, we shall spend 30 minutes on the eulogy and in paying respect to the late Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Following that, we shall return to Questions and Statements. There are quite a number of Statement Requests to be addressed. Then, at Order No.12, if the House does not agree with the Senate on its Amendments to the Division of Revenue, Order No.13 shall not be considered, and Committees for mediation will need to be constituted immediately. Clerk-at-the-Table, please, call out Order No. 8 onwards.

Members on your feet, please take your seats.

Order, Mama Mombasa. Take your seat. Stop swaging. I did not know Hon. Zamzam could….

Order Hon. Member for Naivasha. Take the nearest seat. Laikipia North, do the same.

Members on your feet, take the nearest seats.

We can also dispose of Order No.12. Clerk-at-the-Table, call it out. Is the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee in the House? Leader of Majority Party.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, the Senate amendments to the Division of Revenue Bill (National Assembly Bill No.10 of 2025) be now considered.

Hon. Speaker, just a brief to Members. This Division of Revenue Bill, as approved by the House, had allocated approximately Ksh405 billion. However, the other House has since amended it and proposed an increase to about Ksh465 billion, which is Ksh60 billion above what was initially agreed upon. Bearing in mind the fiscal space available to us, it may not be practical to increase the allocation by Ksh60 billion. I hear the Member for Bumula stating that we should be reducing the allocation, not increasing 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.

Therefore, having considered these factors, we believe it is only fair to reject the Amendments made by the Senate to allow us to proceed into early mediation. Therefore, I beg to move that the House rejects the Amendments by the Senate in totality. I request Hon. Wamboka to second.

Hon. Speaker, we want to reject these Amendments in totality.

Begin by saying, “I beg to second”.

Hon. Speaker, I beg to second. Bearing in mind the fiscal space in which the country is currently operating, it is abnormal for anyone to propose an upward adjustment of these allocations. Therefore, I second Hon. Ichung’wah’s Motion to reject this proposal. We reject it. Kindly, put the Question, Hon. Speaker.

Put the question. Put the Question.

Hon. Members, that vote invalidates the inclusion of Order No.13 on the Order Paper. Consequently, Order No.13 is hereby struck out from the Order Paper. It is now time for me to grant the House approximately 30 minutes to pay tribute to one of the greatest sons of this country in the literary world, the late Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, whose books, I must say, I have personally read, each and every one of them, except, of course, those written in the Kikuyu language. I have read all those written in English. I hope each one of you has done the same. I now invite the Leader of the Majority Party to lead the House in paying tribute. I propose that we allow him five minutes and thereafter, the rest of the Members will each have two minutes.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to pay tribute, as you rightly said, to one of the greatest sons of our nation, and, indeed, also a great son of my home county, Kiambu. Notably, he was also an alumnus of a certain school, and when I speak of this school, I refer to the one he attended from the year 1955 to around 1959 before proceeding to Makerere University. Hon. Speaker, Hon. Otiende Amollo will also be aware of the school I am referring to, which is not Maranda High School, but The Alliance High School. He went to Makerere University, where he started his writing career and did exemplary well writing his first two novels in English. The first novel was ‘Weep Not Child’, which he published in 1964. Hon. Speaker, it is notable that this was around the time we became a Republic. He graduated from university in 1963, when this country was gaining independence. It is notable to note that Ngugi wa Thiong'o says and recalls in his writing how his village, Kamirithu in Limuru, where he was born, was razed down by the colonial masters. He went to Alliance High School. After his first term in school, he went back home and found the entire village razed to The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

the ground. Probably, this is what provoked him to, later in life, around 1967 to 1970, drop the name James Ngugi and adopt his name as we know it today – Ngugi wa Thiong'o. We pay tribute to this great man, a writer who not only taught literature and English language in many universities in Africa, beginning with his alma mater, Makerere University and the University of Nairobi back at home before he was imprisoned. He also taught at great universities like Yale University in the United States of America and Northwestern University, where he was a guest lecturer. He therefore contributed immensely not just to the growth of literature but also to the growth of African languages. I heard you say that you have read all his novels except the ones he wrote in Gikuyu, like Ngaahika ndeenda, meaning ‘I will marry when I want’; and Caitaani Mūtharaba-Inī, which means devil on the cross, which was later translated into English. You may have had the opportunity to read these novels, Hon. Speaker. Ngugi wa Thiong'o dropped his English name, James, and adopted his Kikuyu name, Ngugi wa Thiong'o. He also began to write in the Kikuyu language not because he was a tribalist but because he was such a nationalist. When he was sent to detention for a year in the 1970s by the past regime, he was imprisoned with many other political prisoners who were not necessarily of Kikuyu descent. He lived on to fight for justice and equality life in Kenya, irrespective of where he came from. He not only taught students from across the world from different backgrounds, but his associations in the literary world also speak volumes about the man that Ngugi wa Thiong'o was. He valued his ancestry and background as a Kikuyu from Limuru but he never allowed that to be anything to be used to lord it over others or even believe that there was a community that was greater than the other. He used African languages thus motivating and encouraged many other African writers to write in their mother tongues. This is something for which we pay so much tribute to him – not just his contributions in academia but also as a political thinker who shaped the thinking of many African students and many indigenous communities around the world, as he taught in many universities around the world. Therefore, I pay my tribute to this great son of Kenya, an old boy of my former school, the Alliance High School. He is also a great son of the County of Kiambu and my neighbouring Constituency, Limuru. The Member for Limuru is here. I wish they will consider the cultural theatre that was at Kamirithu to be further developed into a cultural centre for Kiambu County, for our country…

Time up. Hon. Members, the screen is full. I found it full and, therefore, it could not have been for this matter. Therefore, for those who will speak, I will request a show of hands. Every time a Member finishes, you do so. Hon. Otiende Amollo.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I take this opportunity to eulogise the late Professor Ngugi wa Thiong'o. He demonstrated defiance, first in terms of name. He had the courage to drop what was called his Christian name. Secondly, the idea of writing in vernacular, which at the time many people frowned upon. Ngugi wa Thiong'o shaped the literary thinking of virtually every other person living right now, including those who are older than him, but definitely more so those who are younger than him. Many of us have become what we are because we started reading Ngugi wa Thiong'o from primary school. Ngugi, unfortunately, remains one of those whose intellect may not have been shared in his later life because of political intolerance. There is a long list of his contemporaries who had to flee the country at the time, including the late Professor Ali Mazrui, the late Professor Shadrack Gutto in South Africa, and many others. His life is a lesson that we must have some level of political tolerance with even those with whom we do not agree because a lot of times we have them benefit others. These are giants who ended up benefiting others in other countries. 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.

Even though Ngugi wa Thiong'o may not have won the Nobel Peace Prize, he remains a towering giant in East Africa, Africa and in the world like no other. What we should do is name something serious in this country in honour of Ngugi wa Thiong'o. We should not just name everything after politicians. He is someone who deserves to be remembered.

Hon. Omboko Milemba.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I also take this opportunity to eulogise Ngugi wa Thiong'o; a great writer who influenced many of the readers of the time and the children. Young people would compete on how many books by Ngugi and other African writers they would have read during that particular time. What I find quite strong about Ngugi is that he had to compete with very good writers from West Africa. In that particular period of the 1980s and 1970s, West African writers like Chinua Achebe, and Alechi Amadi, the author of The Concubine, as well as Ama Ata Aidoo, among others, were doing very well. Ngugi wa Thiong’o came out very strongly from the East African region to also compete very competitively with the West African writers, and he was a celebrity among the East African people. Therefore, he was one of the greatest literary writers of Africa. Another thing I find very strong about him is the fact that he wrote about class struggles at a time when nobody wanted to tolerate the politics of class struggle, which remains with us to-date. That is partly why he was imprisoned and subsequently fled the country.

That is in the book; Petals of Blood .

Yes, it is in Petals of Blood . You are a master. Thank you. In Petals of Blood, he tried to bring out that theme very confidently. We should have more tolerance in our times for literally works and with those behind such works. So, when I see writers of stage plays like ‘Shackles of Blood’ getting in trouble with the authorities, I blame it as invasion of the spaces of academicians and are not teachers. If we allow teachers to do these things without much competition and blocking, we would improve our literary world. Thank you, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Rachael Nyamai.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to eulogise our son, the son of the world, a linguist, a creative writer and gift to this country. I would like to go directly to the family that Ngugi wa Thiong'o has left behind for us. I could not move my eyes from the screen, watching the children of Ngugi wa Thiong'o. He has left us children who are well grounded, who he must have taught well and showed the right way to follow. This is a lesson we need to pick up as a House. We need to know that no matter how busy we are, no matter how many parts of the world we go to, at the end of the day, it is family we are working for. Hon. Speaker, Ngugi wa Thiong’o travelled to very many parts of the world. At times he was not happy with the situation at home but he remained patriotic to our country, making sure that he wrote books that showed love for this country. We have much to learn from him. I thank you for your Statement that day about how we did not see his face in all our dailies. We need to urge our media houses to be more patriotic and to love Kenyans like the late Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Ngugi wa Thiong'o left behind a number of children, showing us that we need to rethink our family planning policy. We must have a debate in future on whether we should have allowed the colonialists to encourage us to only have two children instead---

Hon. Murugara.

Thank you very much, Hon. Speaker. I join the rest of the House and Kenyans in eulogising this great man of the Republic of Kenya. I commend you because on the day after he passed on, you took time to inform the media that instead of writing headlines about non-issues, they should write headlines remembering 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.

late Professor Ngugi wa Thiong'o. That happened the following day, which was extremely good because Kenyans were able to recollect the lives and times of the late Professor Ngugi wa Thiong'o. When Ngugi wa Thiong’o left The Alliance High School, he went to Makerere University, where he met the late former President Mwai Kibaki, who was supposed to be his lecturer. The late former President Kibaki advised him to pursue literature or Bachelor of Arts in English, as it was called then, because he was not very good in Mathematics and Economics but he was extremely good in the written word. He had the gift of the gab. We encourage our learners today, especially those in school, to not only read the works of the late Ngugi wa Thiong'o but to also take cue from him. Take time to acquire writing skills so that we produce many more Ngugi wa Thiong'o who will tower in Africa like Chinua Achebe and the rest in terms of writing. Today we eulogise a great man of the Republic of Kenya, the late Ngugi wa Thiong'o. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Hon. Millie Odhiambo.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. On my behalf and that of the people of Suba North, I bring our message of condolences to the family of the late Ngugi wa Thiong'o and to Kenya as a whole because his death is our country’s loss. When I was a young girl, I used to work at my uncle's bookshop. I would struggle to read the difficult English words in the late Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s books. Just like you, I probably read all of them even though I did not understand many of them. Nevertheless, one thing stood out for me. I want to comment on one of his books, The River Between, which looked at the influence of British colonisation through the eyes of Muthoni. I want to specifically single out the way he dealt with the issue of feminism. A majority of the characters in the book are women whom he exalts and portrays as fighting tyranny and exploitation. He sees women as victims of African society and patriarchal systems. To liberate themselves, they endeavoured to shatter the patriarchal obstacles and bring about change. He was way ahead of his time. We are currently talking about some of the issues that he mentioned in his books such as intersectionality. He already dealt with issues that bring women down, like intersectionality of gender, race and ethnicity. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.

Member for Limuru.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker, for giving me a chance to eulogise one of our own, Professor Ngugi wa Thiong'o, whom I knew for a long time. I witnessed him write some of the books that my colleagues have mentioned. I also witnessed his journey as he was being persecuted. While he was in detention, I delivered to him a book written by the late Steve Biko. I was at the University of Nairobi (UoN), where we were told to remove all his books after his detention. I saw him off the first time he ran out of the country. He was a very good man to the rest of the world but it appeared as though there was a plan to ensure that Ngugi would never have peace in his own country. He was denied an opportunity to teach at the University of Nairobi. He was not allowed to go back to Kamirithu to continue with his theatre works. Above all, the regime that did not want him in Nairobi and Kenya continued to persecute his family to the extent that he had to part ways with them. As we now bid him farewell, my prayer is that his children will have peace and can come back to this country and contribute to its growth. The rest of us should ensure that Ngugi will not be forgotten for what he did for our country. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

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

Hon. Speaker, I wish to join everybody else in eulogising Professor Ngugi wa Thiong'o. He was definitely a literary giant in the 1970s. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), an online newspaper in the United Kingdom (UK), said about him; that, when he was about 33 years old, he was accepted as one of Africa's outstanding contemporary writers. His best books were those that he wrote under the name of James Ngugi, including The River Between, A Grain of Wheat and Weep Not Child . That is why the 1970s will remember Ngugi. Unfortunately, something happened to him later on. Just when the world was embracing him, he seemed to have retreated. He first retreated from Christianity. He changed his name, James, returned his baptismal card and retreated from Christianity. He then retreated from the English language, which had made him a giant, and started writing in the Kikuyu language with only Kikuyu characters and culture. That is perhaps one of the reasons as to why those who went to school after the 1970s do not remember him as much as you and I do. He must have suffered a lot when he was detained by the late President Jomo Kenyatta. The late President Moi released him as soon as he became president, and he immigrated to the West. However, this does not take away the fact that he was a prolific writer, artist and novelist who we shall always remember. His name is in the history records.

Hon. Baya.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to eulogise the late Ngugi wa Thiong'o. I am a student of literature, and I have taught literature at different levels. I remember the late Ngugi wa Thiong'o as a pioneer of the African Writers Series, where many Africans got opportunity to not just write books but also to publish them in one of the biggest publishing houses. Secondly, I remember Ngugi wa Thiong'o for his book Decolonising the Mind, one of the greatest works of literature that he ever wrote. It is a series of papers that he put together. It is in Decolonising the Mind that we find Ngugi in his true sense. One of his greatest books that people never talk about is The Devil on the Cross . This was one of Ngugi's greatest books. It is in this book that he ran crosshairs with the late former President Daniel arap Moi. The Devil on the Cross is one of the greatest satires that Ngugi wa Thiong'o has ever written. It is a book that when you read, you get the revolutionary spirit in the writer. In this book, you see Ngugi wa Thiong'o, the person who fights for justice, who fights for land rights, and a writer who stood up for the common man in this country. Ngugi wa Thiong'o will go down in history as one of the liberators of Africa. That is why he could not I agree with many presidents and could not find space in Africa, hence he chose to live in the United States. We have lost a great man, a literary giant, somebody who was respected not just in the continent of Africa but also in Europe and beyond. I thank you and may God…

Hon. Irene Mayaka.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me an opportunity to pay tribute to a very distinguished son of Kenya. As it has been said, Ngugi wa Thiong'o was initially called James Thiong'o. He decided to change his name and drop the English name so that he pays tribute to being an African. One of the things that I remember about Ngugi wa Thiong'o is a famous quote from one of his books. He said: The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

“To speak one’s language is to celebrate one's identity. But to impose a language is a way to divide people and it is a practice of tribalism of another kind.” Therefore, Ngugi wa Thiong'o was one of the very famous Kenyans who really spoke against tribalism. We also celebrate Ngugi wa Thiong'o because he is one of the most decorated writers in Africa in terms of receiving honours. He received a total of 38 documented awards, one of them being the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) award for Weep Not Child . Additionally, between 2006 and 2007, through The Wizard of Oz, which is one of his books, Ngugi wa Thiong'o received a total of six international awards. That was really something exceptional. The same way we normally benchmark with other people on the good practices and the good things that we do in Kenya, Ngugi wa Thiong'o is one of those people whom the rest of the world would want to emulate. To the people who are here and those listening to us who love soccer, a team like Arsenal should emulate Ngugi wa Thiong'o in terms of doing...

Hon. Member for Seme Constituency, Hon. Nyikal.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I take this opportunity to also eulogise the passing on of our great writer, Ngugi wa Thiong'o. His life epitomises the philosophical basis of life, the idealism that is associated with scholarship, and the ability to actually strive and go against all odds to fight for ideal. That is what really distinguishes human beings from animals. Animals do not fight for ideals, but human beings fight for ideals and sometimes they suffer like Ngugi wa Thiong’o suffered. Sometimes they have to make very grave decisions at great risks to their lives because there is something they stand for; something they believe will make a difference in the lives of the people and in society. He took his ability in literary writing to express this. He went to a great deal to ‘fight’ with the system that be and to express what he believed in. These are the people who show us the roles of universities. Universities are to be populated by people who seek ideals, not just the practicalities of life that take time for most of us. Therefore, losing a person like him is a great loss to this country. Thank you.

Member for Marsabit, Hon. Naomi Waqo.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me an opportunity to add my voice to this very important debate of eulogising a great man of this land. He is a person many of us may not have met physically but through interaction with his books, we have known him. I remember that when we were in high school, The River Between, one of his books, was like a must-read for all of us. We interacted with him through his writings. He has inspired many of us. I send my condolences to his family members, relatives and all his loved ones, on my own behalf and on behalf of the great people of Marsabit. This is because I know many scholars from my county, and many professionals, who have also gone through his books just as I did. It is not enough for us to just eulogise a great man like him – somebody who has always represented us in good ways, and who is internationally celebrated. We should also see how best we can extend our blessings to his family. As a nation, we should also see how he can be celebrated as his relatives prepare for his burial. We have great men and women who have served this country in different capacities and represented us, and it will only be good for us to appreciate them and recognise them as heroes. I believe he is one of our heroes and he should be recognised in that capacity even though he has left us. May his soul rest in peace, and may God comfort his family. Thank you. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Members, I wish to recognise the presence of students seated in the galleries. In the Speaker's Gallery, we have students of Noonkopir Girls Secondary School from Kajiado East Constituency, Kajiado County. In the Public Gallery, we have students of St Mary's Nyabururu School from Kitutu Chache South Constituency, Kisii County. I ask Hon. Donya Dorice to welcome the students on our behalf.

(Kisii County) Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. St Mary's Nyabururu is my former school. I schooled there in Class Two and Three, but I cannot say the year because you might guess how old I am. As parents and Members of Parliament, we must have nice things to tell our girls. Oh, girls, you should be smiling because I schooled in your school. Work hard. It has been the norm. Be humble, be kind and polite like your mama county. I have never even slaughtered a chicken. Education is something no one will ever take away from you. They can take your land and everything else, but not your education. Value your education, respect your teachers…

You have to be good girls, not bad girls like Hon. Millie Odhiambo. She has just confirmed that. She has told me, ‘Donya, tell them they must be good girls like you, Hon. Donya; and not bad girls like Hon. Millie.”

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Member for Tigania West, Hon. John Mutunga.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me an opportunity to join my colleagues in eulogising the family of the late Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Ngugi wa Thiong’o emerged as a self-made man, an African who found his space in this world. He satirised the political and the social intolerance that was there during that particular time. Ngugi wa Thiong’o was among the very few writers who took Africa where it should be and left a mark in terms of writing. He challenged all of us to do something. There are very many things we can do but we do not document. We rarely challenge the young people to think about the situations they are in at any given time and how they can develop out of such situations. Ngugi wa Thiong’o died in exile after he ran away. This was as a result of having been followed and reprimanded by past regimes. As a country, this is one person we should celebrate because he put East Africa on the map. He is not only a nationalist but also an internationalist because his books are read across the world. I read his books when I was in school and he influenced us as young thinkers and planners in this country. He will be remembered by many generations to come. Having interacted with him, it is a high time we also got challenged by what he did. I pass my condolences to the family. Thank you.

Member for Eldas, Hon. Keynan.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong'o was an academic giant, a philosopher and thinker who encouraged Pan-Africanism, fought colonialism and also tried to reduce the influence of new colonial ideas. As Africans, particularly in the academic world, there are academicians who are called social fools. However, Ngugi wa Thiong'o was a true academician who professed and believed in the academic world. He combined literature with the inherent and rich African culture. He The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

will always be remembered as a person who not only promoted African literature, culture, Pan- Africanism, but also promoted Africans and their continent in the global world. He will be remembered as a person who believed in democracy and the ideals of Kenyans. For many who believed in his literature, he has left a legacy in his many books, lectures and interactions he had. May God, wherever he is, rest his soul in eternal peace. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Member for Tinderet.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I rise to eulogise Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o, who was a great African literary writer. In his works, he displayed how one can communicate language, culture and traditionalism through the African art of words. Through his book, the Black Hermit, he showed how the African traditional way of life met modernity. This is how he explained colonialism and racism. He also showed how Europeans colonised Africans in his book, Decolonising theMind . One of the things he taught which should be emphasised, is that we need to have a lot of respect for our cultures, traditions and language. Today, at the United Nations (UN) the medium of communication is English, Arabic, French and other languages. African languages have not yet been recognised. It is important, as Africa that our languages, traditions and even the way we work should be ingrained in our school set-up. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I eulogise for we have lost a great literary giant.

Member for Bondo.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. We value Professor’s works. As a country, we also celebrate the experts we have made. I believe that the value of Ngugi's works is incomparable. He contributed immensely to the world. If you want to know how great he was, look at the amount of work he did in one decade versus now where virtually nobody is doing the kind of things he did in the 1970’s and the beginning of 1980’s. As a country, we need to recognise that people are mortal but what remains is their work. To us, Ngugi's works remains internal and we will be indebted to him for a long period of time. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Member for Dagoretti South, Hon. KJ.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Ngugi wa Thiong'o was a patriot and for this reason, on behalf of my family, the people of Dagoretti South Constituency, myself, thespians, artists and performers of this country, I pass my condolences to the family of this great Kenyan. Two great artists, Tony Njuguna and Walter Mong’are can bear me witness that as very young artists we were truly inspired by the works of Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Being a thespian and a critic, he taught us that there is a very big difference between insults and satire. Even with his very hard-hitting literature and stinging critique, he never once bowed down to the temptation of being an insulter, toxic or offensive. He knew there was great power in satire that is not insulting. Today, in the era of content creation, there is much to learn from the generation of creators and authors like Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Those creating content today must learn that intellect has way more power than the toxicity and malice that is trending left, right and centre. Finally, Ngugi championed two courses: decolonisation and promotion of culture. It will be great for us to honour him because we did not do that in his lifetime. We need to honour him now by preserving the great works he did using new technology that allows us to feed in our languages to speak to the new revolution: the fourth industrial---

Give him a minute to finish. 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 very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. There is a great opportunity for us with the new and emerging technologies to onboard all knowledge that is cultural, traditional and has great African heritage onto the new industrial revolution which is Artificial Intelligence (AI). We must ask ourselves, what languages will these technologies be speaking? If they will not be speaking our languages, then we will be doing Ngugi wa Thiong'o a great disfavour. I would like us to honour this great Kenyan by ensuring that we do not treat his memory the way we treated him in life. Thank you, very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Member for Westlands, Hon. Tim Wanyonyi.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me a chance to also eulogise Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o. I must confess that I have read his books. When reading his books, one imagines oneself in the situation because they carry you along. He is one of the greatest brains we have ever produced. This country has lost big. The younger generation that has not experienced the power of literature should read his books. When we were in school, we used to read books under the African Writers Series (AWS). Ngugi wa Thiong’o was one of the authors. Others were Chinua Achebe, Elechi Amadi and many others. We read all the books; they were readily available. We started reading books written by foreigners later on in life. I do not know if the AWS books still exist. They were the best. Ngugi wa Thiong’o was very creative. He showed Kenyans that it is good to preserve our cultures and languages. Some of our languages are now being diluted, others are even dying. Some of us are afraid to speak to our children in our own languages. We must preserve our African heritage, languages and cultures all the time, as we have learnt from Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o. Thank you.

The Member for Tetu.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I rise to also eulogise Prof Ngugi wa Thiong’o. I knew him and had an opportunity to speak to him about five or six weeks ago. His rallying call all the time, as he spoke to me as a young leader, was to always remember to advocate for small farmers and workers. He strongly believed in social justice for the small people. His brilliance and monumental contributions to literature are celebrated worldwide. I have a Petition, still doing the usual rounds in the House, requesting this country to bestow the highest honour on Prof Ngugi wa Thiong’o. It is sad that this man, despite having worked so hard and making great contributions to knowledge, lived about 22 years of his life in exile, away from his home country. It is only fair that Parliament recommends that he be honoured. We should also look for a national institution and a road to carry his name. I propose that the University of Nairobi, where he taught for many years should give him one more honour. This is a man who deserves a little more than what he received. Thank you.

Hon. Ombaka will be the last person. We are way past our time.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for this opportunity to eulogise Prof Ngugi. He was my lecturer at the University of Nairobi where I took literature. Prof Ngugi, Okot p’Bitek and Micere Mugo were our lecturers whom we really admired. This is because of the depth of their knowledge, artistic world and the way their works mirrored the world. Prof Ngugi was a politician, in as much as he was a great writer. His works show you that he was a politician. He talked about poor governance and promoted the rights of human beings. He also challenged the coming of the white man. In his book, The River Between there is a scene where a character says, “There shall come a people with clothes like butterflies”. Those were the white people who came to colonise. Ngugi wa Thiong’o talked a lot about 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.

effect of colonialism on the African culture and how it was changing. This is because Europeans came and took it away. He loved to call us by our African names. He kept calling me Achieng’ and told me to drop the name Christine, insisting I be called Achieng’. That is how I remember him. I became a teacher and I taught The River Between, a very inspiring novel. Many students loved it and passed their exams very well. The book is easy to read and is inspiring. It teaches us a lot about the coming of the white man and the clash between the two cultures. He will be remembered for his many books. Thank you.

Hon Members, we have exceeded our time by 15 minutes. Let us go back to the Order Paper. We had gone up to Order No.13 and skipped Order No.7, so we can go back to it. Read the next Order.

We will start with the one that was requested from the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock? I thought I saw Hon Mutunga.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order No.44(2)(c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on implementation of Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR) to support coffee, tea, milk and macadamia farmers. Whereas agriculture remains the backbone of Kenya’s economy and a key driver of employment and exports, sustainability and well-being of farmers are increasingly being threatened by high input costs, climate risks and global economic uncertainties. The rising costs of essential farm inputs, including seeds, herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers, animal feeds, fuel, labour and farm machinery, have significantly increased the financial burden on farmers. Further, adverse climate change on rain-fed agriculture, volatility in international commodity markets due to global conflicts, including the Ukraine war and supply chain disruptions, have also impacted on returns for farmers. On 5th August 2023, the government committed to implement a GMR programme aimed at providing direct financial support to farmers to stabilise their incomes amid market fluctuations. A key pillar of the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the GMR prioritises production subsidies and direct support to farmers over consumption subsidies, cushioning farmers from unpredictable market fluctuations, complementing existing market pricing mechanisms and enabling more stable and predictable incomes. Full implementation of the GMR programme is expected to protect farmers’ incomes and prevent artificial price distortions, enhance food security, boost rural incomes and drive economic development in Kenya. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

It is against this background that I request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on the following: 1. Measures being taken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development to ensure that farmers are cushioned from climate-related losses, price fluctuations, volatility in the international market and trade environment, inter-State conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war, supply chain disruptions and the recent trade tariffs imposed by the United States. 2. Efforts being made by the Ministry to introduce a price support mechanism for coffee, tea, milk and macadamia farmers to boost their income and ensure sustainable livelihoods. 3. Action being taken by the Ministry to ensure equality in the distribution of subsidised fertiliser and ensure that the distribution is informed by the region’s soil quality and topography types in different regions of the country. 4. Report on status of implementation of the Guaranteed Minimum Returns (GMR) programme. I thank you.

Hon. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, when will you give a response? Any Member of the Committee here? Okay, Hon. Deputy Leader of the Majority Party you can give an undertaking on behalf of the Committee.

I thought I saw Hon. Mutunga here.

Yes, he was here. He seems to have stepped out.

Alright. Probably we could do two weeks on the same. I will let them know.

Thank you. The next Statement is by Hon. Mary Maingi, Member for Mwea.

Thank you Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock regarding the status of rice importation into the country. Hon. Deputy Speaker on 26th May this year, it was reported that rice farmers in Mwea, Kirinyaga County are likely to suffer a loss of more than half a billion shillings, if the Government fails to intervene and purchase 5,000 metric tons of grain from their stores despite being full of grain sufficient for the country’s consumption. It was reported that the situation has been occasioned by the Government’s action of importing rice, which has flooded the market to the disadvantage of the local farmers. Hon. Deputy Speaker, a study conducted by the Sustainable Trade Initiative on Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose in 2020, reported that about 80 per cent of rice grown in Kenya is from irrigation schemes established by the Government, among them being the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, which accounted for more than 70 per cent of the produce. Failure by the Government to purchase rice from the local farmers is likely to occasion a delay in planting for the next season, which is likely to delay or affect rice production in the next period. This is against the Government's agenda of reducing over-reliance on the importation of products and encouraging local production. 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 Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on the following: 1. The total quantity of rice that the Government has imported in the last financial year. 2. Why the Government is reluctant to buy rice from the local farmers and has chosen to import the commodity despite having sufficient locally produced rice. 3. The total annual production of rice in the last financial year compared to the local annual consumption projections. 4. Measures being undertaken by the Government to ensure that a larger percentage of rice produced locally is purchased by the Government to reduce overreliance on imported rice. 5. The steps being taken to cushion rice farmers in the country from likely unfair market competition that could arise from over-saturation of the market by imported rice.

Thank you.

Again, that is also for the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. He is still not here, so let us have the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I will inform him to bring the Statement in the next two weeks. Much obliged.

Thank you. I think the next Statement is by Hon. Mishi Mboko, Member for Likoni.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order N.44(2)(c), I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding the status of upgrade of the Likoni Ferry Channel. Hon. Deputy Speaker, more than 300,000 people use the Likoni channel on a daily basis, which links Mombasa Island to Kwale County in the South Coast. In 2020, the Government commenced construction of the Mtongwe ramp with a view of decongesting the Likoni channel. Sadly, the construction is yet to be completed, worsening the congestion at the Likoni channel. In addition, the ferries in the Likoni channel keep developing mechanical failures. For instance, on 25th April 2025, a ferry developed mechanical failure and stalled while on transit, causing fear amongst the passengers. On 17th April 2025, the Kenya Ferry Services only had two ferries in operation following a breakdown of two other ferries. This caused congestion in the area and adversely affected the residents. The incidents raise concerns on the suitability of the vessels and the need for urgent attention to ensure the safety and security of the residents and prevent such occurrences in the future. Hon. Deputy Speaker, it is against this background that I request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure on the following: 1. Measures put in place by the Government to ensure safety and efficiency of ferry services, including an update on the status of maintenance and procurement plans for new ferries and upgrade of the existing vessels. 2. Status of the construction of Mtongwe ramp in Likoni Constituency. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

3. Long-term strategies being put in place to provide sustainable and reliable maritime transport solutions for residents of Mombasa County and businesses dependent on ferry services. I thank you.

The Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, is not present. Is there any Member of the Committee who can give an undertaking on behalf of the Committee? Alright, again this goes to the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I will inform Hon. GK, the Member for Ndia who is the Chairperson. So, that he can bring a response in two weeks’ time. Thank you.

Okay, before we go to your Statement Hon. Omboko. Allow me to recognise the presence of Lemek Namunyak Girls’ School from Narok West Constituency, Narok County. Also seated in the Public Gallery is Chepwostuiyet Secondary School from Chepalungu Constituency, Bomet County. I will call upon Hon. Mandazi the Member for Chepalungu to welcome the students on our behalf.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I take this opportunity to welcome all the schools visiting Parliament today, especially the school from my constituency, Chepwostuiyet Secondary School. I want to confirm that the students are very disciplined and hardworking. I welcome them to Parliament to witness what we normally do. That is legislation and representation of issues from various constituencies in our country. This is the place to be, so you should work hard and desire to work here in future. I wish you well. Equally, Hon. Deputy Speaker, allow me to wish those who will be sitting for their examinations at the end of the year, success. Feel welcomed in the precincts of Parliament. Thank you.

Thank you. Hon. Omboko give your Statement, Sir.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order No. 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security regarding the tragic fire tragedy in Makina area, Kibera in Nairobi City County. On the night of 24th May 2025, a devastating fire tragedy occurred in Makina area, Kibra in Nairobi City County. The deadly fire swept through the informal settlement, destroying property, rendering several people homeless and claiming the lives of eight people, seven of whom hailed from Emuhaya Constituency in Vihiga County. Among the deceased were five members of the same family from Esirulo Village, being a Mr. Ernest Ambani aged 36 years, his wife Laura Ambani aged 33 years and their children: Gertrude Amisi nine years, Silas Omboko my namesake, three years and Stephen Mukuna two years. Additionally, Mr. Harrison Liaha 24 years old, perished in the inferno together with his pregnant sister 18- year-old sister, Ms Yvonne Okwoku. Also, Ms Charity Eboso, wife to Mr. Harrison Liaha who perished in the tragedy, is currently hospitalised in critical condition along with their one child, who was miraculously saved from the inferno. The cause of the devastating Makina fire tragedy remains unknown to date, adding to previous fire tragedies that have occurred in informal settlements, particularly in Nairobi. Distressfully, fires in the informal settlements have become alarmingly frequent, often 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.

exposing the fragility of our urban disaster preparedness and response, calling for elaborate interventions. Hon. Deputy Speaker, it is against this background that I request the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security to apprise the House on the following: 1. A comprehensive report on the cause of the fire incident in Makina area, Kibera, including the details of the affected people and the findings on the systematic failures of the recurrent fire tragedies in the informal settlements. 2. The support, if any, extended by the Ministry to the survivors of the tragedy, including provisions of shelter, food, clothing, emergency treatment, and trauma counselling, including sending off of their beloved ones. 3. The steps being taken by the Ministry to expedite the release of DNA results for the victims of the fire tragedy to spare the families of the deceased from prolonged emotional distress and enable them to lay their deceased kin to rest. 4. The measures that the Ministry intends to put in place to prevent similar tragedies in the informal settlements in the future, particularly in terms of safety, community awareness, disaster response, and urban planning. Hon. Deputy Speaker, the families have been living here for more than three weeks. The Government Chemist indicates that they need 30 days to give the DNA tests. This means they will have to stay here for a whole month before they can put their beloved ones to rest. Based on this, I wish we treat this as an urgent matter. Thank you.

I will exercise my discretion and give a chance to the Member for Kibra to buttress that statement, since it is his constituency.

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I want to agree with my colleague, Hon. Milemba. The fire occurred in my constituency, as he has said. I totally agree with the sentiments of my colleague. The affected families and those who live in the informal settlements experience fires almost every two weeks. This one was one of a kind because people were burnt beyond recognition. When nine people were burnt beyond recognition, it was not a small matter. This has been happening in the informal sector in Nairobi for a long time. We have asked the Government and Nairobi City County Government to give us a place where we can put up a fire station. We have also asked the governor to give us a fire station so that when this happens, we have instant response. We asked the Government to help the victims and I must there was a good response. Some food was brought to the victims but this cannot fill the emotional gap these people experienced. When the President came, he was asked to visit the victims and he gave them full support. However, we must have a lasting solution to the fire outbreaks in the informal settlements. We need to get to the root cause of the fire outbreaks every time. The investigating agencies must do this with speed, because the families concerned, like my colleague has said, have been here for a very long time.

We also need to have the DNA tests and they must be hastened. So, that these families can be taken home as soon as possible. Otherwise, I sympathise with the affected families and ask the Government to take serious action. 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.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order, Deputy Leader of the Majority Party?

Thank you, very much. I heard the honourable teacher say that they perished and are recuperating in the hospital. How does someone who has perished be in a hospital recovering?

Those who perished and those who-- -

I found that statement very interesting. I do not know whether he needs to buy spectacles.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Order, Hon. Owen Baya. Hon. Milemba, why are you rising on a point of order when the Speaker is protecting you? Okay, what is your point of order?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for protecting me. I am really surprised that the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party is prejudicing with casualty and casualness the death of five family members: father, mother and three children. Another family lost two people and only one person and a child are in the hospital. He is laughing about it. He must apologise to Kenyans, the people of the Emuhaya and the families that suffered this tragedy.

Order, Hon. Omboko, I thought all Hon. Owen Baya was saying is that he needs clarity.

Order, Hon. Mboko Milemba. You are a Member of the Speaker’s Panel. When you are told by the Speaker, ‘order’, you stay in order. My impression is that Hon. Owen was seeking clarification on how many people perished and how many are recuperating. Am I right? Is that what you were asking?

Hon. Omboko has already given those figures. Yes, Hon. Oluoch.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to ride on the statement and comment as well. Mathare Constituency like Kibra has been affected within a span of two weeks. Also, on behalf of my colleague, the Member for Kamukunji, the House should remember there have been frequent fires in Gikomba. These issues touch on criminality. As the Chairman responds to this statement, if you look at the common nexus between these fires, the one that persists in Toi and Gikomba, one month hardly passes without these fires. There is a question of criminality that possibly touches on the land ownership issues. For us to deal with this thing conclusively once and for all, one of the suggestions that has been there---

Order, Hon. Memusi, allow Hon. Tongoyo to listen to what Hon. Oluoch is saying. He is the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security so it is important for him to listen. 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.

Tongoyo, have you heard what Hon. Oluoch has said? Please listen. Hon. Oluoch, repeat what you had said.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, as I was saying, there is an element of criminality. These fire tragedies are not mere coincidental fires. There is a cabal of people who feel that they can forcefully circumvent and appropriate public land where ordinary traders carry out business. This is by frustrating them with ordinary fires. One of the things, other than looking for the culprits, is for this Committee to consider compulsorily acquiring those lands and putting them either in the name of the Nairobi City County Government or National Government. Further, we should allow the traders at Toi and Gikomba to build modern markets. This is an issue that the security department, as well as the Departmental Committee on Lands must take seriously. Having said that, I thank the Government for the role it played when we lost six people who were burnt beyond recognition during the fire tragedy. This morning, we paid for the DNA services and mortuary fees for those people. I insist that these are criminal activities. There is an element which the DCI must investigate. The fire began, fuelled by petrol, in a place where there is neither a fire engine nor an opportunity to save people. Why do people continue to needlessly lose their lives? I thank the Government, led by our former colleague, Hon. Ruku, who was recently appointed to the Cabinet. He visited the constituency and we got help. His Excellency the President did the same. We also thank the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, Mr Omollo. However, the Committee must expedite the investigations and look at the elements of criminality and the questions of titling and compulsory acquisition of these lands. I thank you.

Hon. Owen Baya, do you have a point of order or you want to contribute?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I would like to say that the issues of fire in Nairobi City County are just too many. The County Government of Nairobi, knowing that management of fires and fire brigades are devolved, should be proactive. First, they should ensure that they find a way to stop these fires. Secondly, in the event that they occur, they should be there to ensure they do not destroy property. We cannot have a perennial issue of fires in this county. This is a City County, the gateway to everything in Kenya; this is Nairobi. Who will respect this country if we cannot manage such frequent fire incidences in the City? The Governor of Nairobi, if you are listening, please, protect your people and the property of this town by ensuring that we do not have these frequent fires. I thank you.

Mama Zamzam, would you like to enrich the debate? If not, I would like to call upon the Chairman to give a commitment as to when he will have the response. Go ahead.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda, kwa kunipa nafasi hii ili nitoe pole na rambirambi zangu kwa watu wa Kibra, hasa viongozi ambao wameleta hili jambo ndani ya Bunge. Poleni sana kwa kupoteza wapendwa wenu.

Hili ni jambo ambalo limekuwa likirejelea mara kwa mara. Kwa hivyo, ni wakati yafaa uchunguzi ufanywe ili tuweze kutambua ni kina nani ambao wako nyuma ya maafa haya. Haiwezekani kila wakati familia zinapoteza wapendwa wao na pengine kuna mtu nyuma, kama vile nimesikia Mhe. Owen Baya akisema; hasa mambo ya mashamba. Si sawa mali ya watu kupotea. Hata kule Kongowea, wanabiashara waliathirika pia na moto mkubwa sana ndani ya hilo soko na kupoteza mali yao lakini hakuna fidia ambayo wamepata mpaka leo. 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.

Pale Ziwa la Ng’ombe pia moto mkubwa ulianza na kuathiri familia nyingi; watu walipoteza wapendwa wao. Katika National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), tuna disaster funds ambazo yafaa tupate ili tusaidie watu wetu lakini hutuzipati. Naomba haya mambo yaangaliwe kwa kina. Poleni sana Mhe. wa Kibra na Mhe. Omboko Milemba. Mwenyezi Mungu awape subra kwa wakati huu mgumu.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda.

Mhe. Tongoyo, Mwenyekiti wa Kamati, nakupa fursa hii ili upeane ahadi kuhusu hii Kauli.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Ordinarily, after giving the response, I had expected Members to react in the manner in which they have done. Nevertheless, I appreciate the interest in this. Given the urgency of the matter, I may need a week to respond. There is one item that needs a quick and urgent attention; the issue of the DNA. This is to ensure that the families can get the opportunity to bury their loved ones. The Member who raised the Statement can attest that while we are seated here, I have already made some intervention with the Government Chemist. I have told him to expedite the issue of DNA so that the affected families can bury the bodies of their loved. We will respond to the rest of the issues in a week or so.

In a week?

Yes, in a week. However, we are already addressing the urgent issue.

You said that you will address the urgent issue immediately.

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker, we are actually on it. It can be ready even by tomorrow.

The comprehensive response will be in a week’s time. Is that so?

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker, but the issue of DNA may not necessarily wait until we have the response for the rest of the item. We are already on it. We will see whether we can do it even this week by Friday. We already have that undertaking by the Government Chemist.

Okay.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have an issue that needs your attention, but it is not related to Kibra and other fires. Last week, our constituencies received communication from Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) offices with regards to reduction of allocated funds towards our rural roads. This stems from a court case that, out of goodwill this House chose to do the necessary. We allowed the passage of revenue allocation, under the guise that governors, through the Council of Governors (CoG) would withdraw the case. Even though we did so the governors walked back on that promise. Therefore, the allocation has been reduced from Ksh42 million per constituency, under 22 per cent, to Ksh28 million. This is a travesty. 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 allocation under 10 per cent, has moved from Ksh19 million to zero, just because the governors have reneged on a promise that they made. It is a behaviour akin to not wanting anything from this House going forward. It is like the governors have confirmed that they do not need this House either way with regards to their budgetary allocation. We need your guidance on this matter. Do we have to transact on goodwill or make certain provisions that will make it very difficult for anybody to walk back on a promise. Even though our constituencies have received that reduction, most of the Members of Parliament have advised their KeRRA committees not to reallocate or reduce those budgetary allocations. So, how do we move on this matter? Remember, all these roads had been tendered for and awards given. There are usually very stringent conditions that underpin contracts. Hon. Temporary Speaker, how do we, as constituencies benefiting from these funds, move forward?

I now call upon the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport to respond. Is he in the House? The Majority Party Whip, Hon. Osoro can you respond?

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. What Hon. Jared Okello has raised, in as far as the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF) is concerned, is indeed true. He has also correctly outlined the facts that culminated to us passing what the governors wanted as part of the negotiation. This was to ensure that we unlock the stalemate that had arisen from the court order that led to the freezing of the Ksh10 billion. It is important to inform the House that the matter was thoroughly canvassed by the House Business Committee in the previous two sittings. Last week, the Rt. Hon. Speaker nominated a few Members of Parliament from this House to mediate with the Council of Governors (CoG). At this point, I wish to report that we have made positive strides. I do not know whether Hon. Jared Okello is listening to me, as this is very important. He asked a question, but I do not see him. I am not sure whether I should proceed. He is now here.

The judgment on that matter will come on Thursday at 2.00 p.m. Hon. Jared Okello, from what you have said, we sought to stop the judgment from being delivered at that point, and it was postponed to Thursday. Today, the National Assembly and the Council of Governors (CoG) were in court and it was directed that we proceed with the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). I want to confirm to this House that tomorrow we will be meeting with the Council of Governors, if they show up. If they do not show up and ignore the directions the court has given, we still have our cards. It is wrong for the governors or the Council of Governors to hold the entire nation at ransom. Ksh10 billion is lying idle in some account, and with these rains, the roads are impassable. Even if we decided to give this money to the governors, they would still not do the roads. Trust me. I am on record as having said that we need a microscope to see what governors do in their counties, besides recruiting huge battalions for events and harambees. They have a group of people who move around with them to every meeting, and their work is just to cheer and clap for them. That is why they are pushing to get the money. It is important for this House to know that.

Fair enough.

Let me conclude.

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

It is the same governors who are sponsoring cases against this House. The National Council Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) case was sponsored by the Council of Governors. Even the RMLF case, they are the ones sponsoring it. There is no problem if they fail to show up for the ADR session tomorrow ahead of the ruling on Thursday. Today, under Order No.12 we have the Division of Revenue Bill. It has already been rejected so we are heading to mediation. We cannot continue holding the country at ransom because of our bloated egos and the obsession with moving around with red carpets and such things.

Fair enough. I thought you meant you cannot hold the country hostage. Let us have Hon. Adan Keynan.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have always supported consensus. Some of us fought hard for devolution during the countdown to the promulgation of the current Constitution. As someone who represents a constituency that has been marginalised for years. What I had in mind about the devolvement of resources when I jealously fought for the enactment of the provisions to provide resources to the ground, is not what we are seeing today. What is happening now is completely different. You were the Deputy Speaker at the time. I want to go on record that I am a firm believer in devolution and will always support it. However, I will not support a convoluted, corruptly managed system of devolution that fails to ensure the trickling down of resources to the common people. I want Hon. Silvanus Osoro to listen to this: we acted in good faith. As Members of the National Assembly of the 13th Parliament, we acted in good faith to allow the passage of that Bill and formed a dialogue committee. Hon. Silvanus Osoro, who is also the Majority Party Whip and a seasoned lawyer, briefed us today in the House Business Committee. Although, the Members are not being told the truth. It is my responsibility to speak plainly and tell the truth because I only fear God. The governors have withdrawn that case. The court made a determination against your interest. The last chance is tomorrow morning. If the negotiating team does not deliver a favorable result on roads, NG-CDF and all other contentious issues, I shall stand here as the father of this House to reject what is contained in Order No.12. You know that is what you alluded to. Please do not accept Order No.12. You are finished. Whatever you have done, let me leave it there. It is not the end. My conclusion is this: nobody will be allowed to take this House for granted. I want to remind you to read Article 1 of the Constitution. Why did the framers of the current Constitution equate representation with sovereignty? Do not allow that to disappear into thin air. Stand firm for your right. The NG-CDF must exist. The RMLF must come back. NGAAF must exist. That road money must come back to be managed by the Members of Parliament. The counties have enough funds and we will not continue to entrench corruption, wastage of resources, abuse of office and other evils in broad daylight. Stand firm to be counted by your constituents.

Fair enough. The only thing is that you have said you are the father of this House. You were still in the university when yours truly was already here, then you must be calling me a grandfather.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

What is your point of order, Hon. Kangogo Bowen.

I think the question by Hon. Jared Okello was answered by Hon. Silvanus Osoro. There is an ADR meeting tomorrow morning between the parties and there will be a ruling on Thursday. Our senior, Hon. Adan Keynan has spoken about it. Am I in order to suggest that we go back to business? There is nothing more to debate since we have already been told about the ADR tomorrow.

Fair enough. Hon. Wanami Wamboka, I will give you one minute, then we proceed to the next Order.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I think we are taking this matter lightly and that is why the governors are taking us lightly. Everyone in this Republic knows that governors handle a lot of money, yet nothing happens. In my own county, Bungoma we get about Ksh14 billion from the Exchequer and our own revenue is about Ksh2 billion. That adds up to about Ksh16 billion. In a county with only nine constituencies, you can hardly see a project that goes beyond Ksh10 million. This must go on record. Governors have gone behind our backs and discussed with the Judiciary. They have pulled out of the negotiations with us. So, the Judiciary will give its ruling on Thursday. We must do something punitive to them and fire a shot. We must fire a shot at the governors. We cannot wait for them to find us flat-footed. Beyond this, I urge the Members to have a

tomorrow morning. We can no longer appropriate funds for them to go and loot and allow them to come back for more. We cannot give them money to go and bribe their way, and take everything from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RMLF). It will not be business as usual. Most of these governors are just thieves. They do nothing with the money that we appropriate for them. We have students who are suffering at their homes and schools that do not have anything from the counties. Even as we speak, some roads which are supposed to be constructed by the governors remain undone. They leave road projects to us, Members of Parliament. Why are they demanding for more money? Do they want to continue looting? We say, no. We demand for a Kamukunji so that we can take a very punitive approach. Kama ni vita, sisi wote ni wanasiasa na tunaweza pigana.

We will go to the next Order.

Hon. DK, what do you want to say? This matter has already been ventilated enough. Please take less than a minute to contribute.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I am also in the Mediation Committee. I want to state categorically that power lies with the House. What we do with that power is what makes some people out there to laugh at us. If they will come for the mediation, let us exercise the power this time. I dare say, we should start with the Division of Revenue Bill. That way, they will know there are men and women in this House who can act as per the Constitution, which states clearly that it is only the legislators in this House who can appropriate money to anyone. Thank you.

Hon. Atandi, the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, initially I had asked if you would like to contribute. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have information that I would love to share but in view of impending court ruling, I am afraid I am unable to. However, there are good consultations going on involving the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Public Works, Parliament and the highest office in the land. I am optimistic that we will shortly have a solution that is going to be helpful for Members. We are determined to ensure that all the resources that are stuck are disbursed to the constituencies so that the stalled road projects are completed. I also persuade Members that the Division of Revenue Bill is a precursor of the passage of the Supplementary Estimates. There will be no Budget before we pass the Division of Revenue Bill and, therefore, let us be tolerant. Governors are very responsive. They are cooperating with us, even as we engage. If we threaten not to pass the Division of Revenue Bill, it means there would be no Budget in the first place. I know these are weighty matters that touch the hearts of most of our colleagues. However, let us embrace dialogue. I know that very soon we will have a solution to both of those issues. We will go for mediation on the Division of Revenue Bill. Let us approach it with an open heart and engage our colleagues in the Senate, so that we can move these processes forward. Otherwise, I assure Members that as from our last meeting on resolving this issue, there is sufficient goodwill. I am certain Members will be very happy shortly, whether the court case goes against us or in our favour. We will have a solution. Thank you.

Fair enough. Let us go to the substantive Business in the Order Paper.

We are on Responses to Statements that were sought. We will start with the one for Hon. Katana, Member for Kaloleni. Is he in the House? I know Hon. Chiforomodo, who sought this Response, is not in the House. Let us go to the next.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, last week, the substantive Speaker made a directive that where a Member has asked a Question and has not asked for it to be deferred, and the relevant Chairperson is present, he should not be asked to do it. He should just table the answer on record, and proceed.

There is a communication from Hon. Chiforomodo in this case. He requested Hon. Katana, Member for Kaloleni, to be present on his behalf. But now that Hon. Katana is not in, we will defer giving the response. Let us be fair to him.

Hon. Chairperson, will you follow up on the call for clarification sought? It is only fair that you do it, given that the Member already made a communication that he would not be around. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is true he assigned the issue to a colleague. All the same, the response is not ready, but I have been promised by the Ministry that it would be ready by tomorrow.

Fair enough. We will defer this to a date when the response is ready.

The next Statement is by Hon. Samuel Gachobe, Member for Subukia. Proceed.

The response is ready, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Is the Member who raised his hand, Hon. Gachobe?

Yes, I can confirm he is in the House, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

I am a little bit short-sighted and unable to see far.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Hon. Samuel Gachobe requested for a Statement regarding the murder of Ms Wanjiru Mutonga and the general rise of insecurity in Subukia Constituency. In particular, the Member wanted to know: 1. The steps being taken to ensure thorough and expeditious investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and the murder of Ms Wanjiru (Shiru), and the swift apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators of her murder. 2. The strategies being deployed to guarantee safety and insecurity of residents in Nakusi, Baraka, Limuru and Kiborojo Town in Subukia Constituency and the surrounding areas, in light of the prevailing fear of potential attacks. On 18th April, at around 9 p.m., Esther Njiru reported the disappearance of her daughter, Ms Wanjiru, at Kiboronjo Police Station vide OB No.0618-0425. She indicated that Wanjiru did not return home on the previous day from the garage where she was on industrial attachment. Later that day, at around 10 p.m., a report of a dead body found within the Kakanga area of Limuru farm was made at the station vide OB No.0818-0425. The police officers from the Kiboronjo Police Station, together with the officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Subukia visited the scene in the company of Esther Njiru. They later positively identified the body as that of her daughter. The scene was processed by DCI Crime Scene Investigation officers and all matters of evidential value were documented. The body was moved to Nyahururu Hospital Mortuary for preservation, awaiting post- mortem examination. The investigations were immediately commenced, and a police case file, reference No.7023 of January 2025 opened. Statements from several witnesses were recorded to aid in the inquiry. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

On 22nd April, a post-mortem examination was conducted by one Dr David Komen at Nyahururu Hospital Mortuary, witnessed by the deceased father, Mr Patrick Ng’ang’a. The pathologist found all body parts intact and in normal condition. According to his expert opinion, the cause of death was asphyxiation. Investigations are still ongoing, with efforts intensified to identify the perpetrators. Regarding the strategies being deployed to guarantee safety and security to residents of Akusi, Baraka, Limuru and Kiboronjo Town in Subukia Constituency, the government is undertaking the following measures: 1. The increased police mobile and foot patrols. 2. The Nairobi Police Service has circulated the Fichua kwa DCI toll Number 0800 722 203 and encouraged Kenyans to report and share intelligence, and anonymously, guarantee confidentiality and safety of the whistle-blowers. 3. The revitalisation of Community Policing Committees to strengthen collaboration between the police and the local communities. This will promote real-time information sharing and enable quick response to suspicious activities, including potential threats to public safety. The response has been signed and submitted by Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration. I submit.

Hon. Gachobe, do you have a clarification you are seeking in this?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I wish to thank the Chairman for the response. I, however, feel I am not satisfied with it because he continues saying that investigations are ongoing. Where the lady used to work is 500 metres from the police station. The people around that area have not been interrogated. The said incident happened not far from the police station. Residents, family members and I, have shared the names and numbers of the suspects, but no one has been arrested. What I expected from the Chairman was to tell us how many suspects have already been arrested. If the information on the peripheries tells us that those people who did whatever they did come from the area, we would have been told that a certain number have already been arrested and interrogated. If they were innocent, they would have been released, but up to now, nothing has been done. The police tell us they have circulated police hotline numbers. Some people have shared the information. I have shared it too. Despite the information, including the numbers, nobody has been arrested. I, therefore, find it unsatisfying, and I do not think I will accept this answer.

Fair enough, you have made your point very well.

Secondly, they are telling us that they are going to intensify patrols. The said police station, after finding out, has fewer than ten police officers who cannot cover the area. The area is a bit vast, and therefore, telling us that they are going to intensify the patrols, I find it very difficult. What I have heard from the Chairman is that they are making every effort to add more police officers so that they can intensify patrols. The said station has no patrol vehicle, which makes it difficult to patrol the area. I will plead with the Chairman for additional information. I feel like what was presented here is not satisfactory.

Hon. Martha Wangari.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for indulging me to ride on this Statement by my counterpart from Subukia. The issues Hon. Gachobe has raised are widely Nakuru issues. Just yesterday, a gang killed a police officer. Last week, we had a child who was butchered in Barnabas. The issue of insecurity in Nakuru is getting out of hand. We do not have enough policemen. We do not even The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

have motorcycles. The station at Pakawa, which is shared between me, Hon. Gikaria and Hon. Njoki in Bahati, has no single motorcycle or vehicle. Gangs are roaming day and night. I would wish that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, through the Chairman of the Committee here, takes very serious cognisance of the issues happening in Nakuru. The killing of that police officer should be a wake-up call to what is happening. Thank you.

Hon. Whip of the Minority Party.

On a point of information.

Yes, what is your point of information?

Sometimes, the Standing Orders are misleading. Considering the seriousness of this issue and the answer given by the Chairman, Committees are limited in getting proper and responsive answers. Will I be right to suggest to Hon. Samuel and other affected Members to file a petition through this House? It will be referred to the Committee, allowing it to for public engagement. In that process, the Committee will write a report that will reflect on the evidence on the ground for this House to also get an opportunity to get answers that befit the situation that you are describing. Thank you.

Hon. Millie.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity. My concern is that there is an alarming rise in cases of femicide. Many young girls are being found dead. Last week, two girls in Siaya were found dead. One, a student who was called, God knows by who, was found raped and murdered. I know the President has tried and given some money towards sensitisation, but when the security agencies are very minded in finding the culprits, they act fast. Would I be wrong to ask that they prioritise the issue of gender-based violence? We are losing many of our young girls. When you have such cases, in the same way that we are moving with a lot of speed over other crimes, we should move with the same speed to arrest the culprits. Otherwise, they will continue murdering girls because they know they can get away with it. Thank you.

Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Dr Makali, what exactly do you want to raise?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you very much. I just wanted to ride on the issue raised by the two Hon. Members, and this issue of insecurity in most of our areas. Hon. Gachobe said something which also touched on my issue. He says he has even given the police the names of the people suspected of having committed this criminal act. This has become very common. Even where we come from, you give information to the police in confidence, but nothing happens. We appreciate the limitations of our Chairman because he is our colleague. I do not know whether we should add another petition. A question could be better so that we get the Cabinet Secretary coming to this House to respond to some of our issues. It looks like there is a problem with the security issues in this country. Unless we address them early enough, we are likely to face serious challenges.

Fair enough. You have made your point. Hon. Keynan, and for the benefit of the Members of Parliament, you do not have to have a petition for the committee to do an exhaustive investigation to invite Members of Parliament, the Cabinet Secretary or anybody else. Hon. Tongoyo, do you hear me? I was trying to get The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Hon. Memusi to leave your side of the House so that it does not--- Somebody else has also come. Hon. Kiborek.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I really want to---

My position is that it does not have to be a petition for you to investigate this.

I agree. Before I respond or add my voice to that, I really share my colleague’s frustration. We will appreciate the complicity in these things. They come in different ways. Majority of these perpetrators are experts. They kind of conceal their footprints. Currently, more than 10 Statements are being sought from different Hon. Members in this House.

Of late, we are of the opinion that the Cabinet Secretary should appear before the Committee so that we can have an interaction. We can give an opportunity to all Hon. Members who are probably dissatisfied or have Statements that need further engagement to appear before the Committee and the Cabinet Secretary for a more robust interrogation. That is my suggestion. I need your indulgence on the same.

We have done sufficient ventilation on this matter and the Chair will do the needful. Let us proceed to the next one on Education.

Is the Chair of Departmental Committee on Education in?

No.

What about the Question? Hon. David Kiplagat, the Chair is not around, so what happens?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I take it with a pinch of salt. Kindly, hear me out.

Yes.

When I requested for a response to this Statement, the prelude response from the Chair was a bit encouraging at that time. The Speaker ordered that the first day we come back from recess, he should be able to respond to this Statement. This is now the second week after recess. I have been sitting here purposely, waiting for that response but the reason I say I am taking it with a pinch of salt, is because it seems the Chair is not taking my Statement seriously. May I demonstrate why this Statement is very clear?

I have a 50-year-old teacher in Bwayi Primary School. He has a Teachers Service Commission (TSC) number but has never been employed yet he has about 10 years to retirement. May I explain to you so that we understand? To make it worse, he told me that last year, another teacher who is about 24 years old, was employed yet he has been waiting patiently for 50 years. That day, he went to sleep and woke up at 3.00 a.m. crying until his wife asked him what was wrong. He asked: “How unjust can this society be?”

I, therefore, wish the Chair takes that Statement seriously and ensures affirmative action is taken to ensure all the teachers who are above 45 years old are employed watoe jam so that we can employ the young ones. That is all.

On a point of information, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of information, Hon. Keynan? Do you wish to be informed? In any case, he was on a point of order and therefore, you cannot inform a point of order.

Maybe I can finalise. I beseech you, Chair. 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.

He wants to inform the House something.

I think he has given up.

No, he has not given up.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, if Hon. Kiplagat accepts, he is aware that today, there was a change of leadership at TSC. I am not in any way trying to advocate or talk about the absence or presence of Hon. Melly. The long-serving Commission Secretary, Ms Nancy Macharia, has exited today and passed the button to Eveleen Mitei. And because of the change, and considering the environment, I am sure Hon. Melly, an astute and a good former teacher, is somewhere trying to make sure that the transition from the good former CEO, Nancy Macharia, to the acting CEO, takes place in a friendly, conducive, legally driven, people-friendly, TSC-oriented and teacher-placed environment so that teachers all over can benefit.

Order, Hon. Member. You made your point. Hon. DK, I direct that this matter be put on the Order Paper for tomorrow. I am sure Hon. Melly will understand the urgency, need and seriousness of the Chair on that matter. If he was told to have it on the first day Parliament resumed and this is the second week, I appreciate that he might be involved in something fairly significant in the teaching fraternity in this country. But nonetheless, he should have the answer tomorrow.

Next is the response to the extension of the national power grid from Garissa to Wajir, Mandera and the North Eastern region of Kenya

Where is the Chair for the Departmental Committee on Energy?

I am here, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Proceed. Do you have the response?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, my apologies. I think my Committee needs to act against the Principal Secretary who was supposed to have given us this response. For the second time, I do not have it but I plead with the Member of Parliament to give us an additional week for responses to both Questions asked, four and five.

How about the response sought by the Member for Nyatike, Hon. Tom Mboya?

I also do not have it.

Hon. Keynan, are you okay with next week?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you know we have waited for 63 years to be connected to the national grid. Therefore, waiting for seven more days is not far-fetched.

It is not a big deal.

The seven days will come. Hon. Temporary Speaker, you can count 63 years. However, I want to clarify something; having watched the performance of the different Heads of State Departments, the Principal Secretaries, I want to confirm that Hon. Alex Wachira is one of the best performing Principal Secretaries. Under his watch, that region will be connected to the national grid. As we wait for the answer, I do not want to pre- empt. 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.

Fair enough. I direct that this be put on the Order Paper exactly a week from today.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, as he does that, let me put this rider: You also come from that region so you understand this and I know you are not prejudiced. Hon. Chair, you chaired the same Departmental Committee on Energy in the last Parliament. By the grace of God, two and a half years down the line, you were brought back as the Chair, and there must be a reason that informed that.

Can you also take it upon yourself that Northern Kenya, which comprises of 70 per cent of the landmass of the Republic of Kenya, is connected to the national grid so that it is not considered as a national shame? Please, bring that answer.

You have made your point. Chair, are you willing to give that undertaking now or at another date? I think you can give it now. Give the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Energy the microphone.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

I, totally, agree with Hon. Keynan.

That you give an undertaking?

Yes, I give an undertaking that by next week, I will have that.

No. You have not heard his question. He asked, “Can you give an undertaking that under your watch, the North will be connected to the national grid?”

Yes. That is where I was headed.

Great.

The commitment by this government to put North Eastern Kenya on the national grid would be done.

Both Responses four and five are deferred to Tuesday afternoon next week.

Next is to the Departmental Committee on Health.

Is the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Health in?

Yes.

Where is he? Member for Seme, this is on challenges teachers and police officers face in accessing medical services under medical insurance. Is this under medical insurance? This Statement was sought by Hon. Muchangi Karemba, Member for Runyenjes. Is he around? Let us give Hon. Karemba the benefit of the doubt because he and I, along with the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, Hon. Murugara, were held up somewhere for three days. We are all, extremely, tired. I do not know where he is. That Response to a Request for a Statement is also deferred to the same day, next week.

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 have to get to the Responses to Requests for Statements from the Departmental Committee on Labour before you can rise. Wait. The Request for a Statement requires a Response from the Member for Seme, Professor Nyikal, by Tuesday afternoon, next week. The other Response to a Request for a Statement is by Hon. Joseph Tonui, Member for Kuresoi South. Is he around? Is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works in? Is the Vice-Chairperson around?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have the Response, but the Member is not around.

Order, Hon. Vice-Chairperson. The person who sought the Response, Hon. Joseph Tonui, Member for Kuresoi South, is not in the House, and he has not delegated to anybody else to ask follow-up Questions. We will also give him the benefit of the doubt. We do not know what has happened to him. I direct that this Response to a Request for a Statement be put on the Order Paper on Tuesday afternoon, next week.

Most obliged. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Lands in the House? Sorry, I meant the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Labour. Is he around? Hon. Mule, why not shout and say; “Yes”? You have a microphone in front of you. Is the Member for Nandi County, Hon. Cynthia Muge, in the House? I also direct that this Response to a Request for a Statement be deferred to Tuesday afternoon, next week.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Let us just be fair to them. Is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Lands in the House? Can you use the microphone next to you? Is that Hon. Machua Waithaka?

Hon Temporary Speaker, I am the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Lands.

What about Hon. Machua Waithaka, Member for Kiambu?

He is not around, but I confirm to the House that this Request for a Statement was answered on 5th December 2024. It is appearing on the Order Paper for the second time. I do not know how that came about.

Fair enough. It has to be expunged from the Order Paper because it has already been dealt with. Am I right? That matter has been addressed.

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 last Response to a Request for a Statement is by Hon. Feisal Bader, Member for Msambweni. Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Lands, are you in possession of the Response to Hon. Feisal Bader’s Request for a Statement?

I request for seven more days. The Response to the Request for a Statement is not ready.

I direct that this Response to a Request for a Statement be put on the Order Paper for Tuesday afternoon, next week.

Let us go back to Order 14.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation on its consideration of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, laid on the Table of the House on Thursday, 17th April 2025, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 8(4) of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act, Cap 4D, approves the Ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.

The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies was adopted at the 12th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Marrakesh, Morocco in June 2022. The Agreement’s main objective is to promote sustainable fishing by curbing harmful subsidies, protecting marine resources and ensuring fairness in the global fisheries trade. Article 2(5) of our Constitution, 2010, provides that the general rules of international law shall form part of the laws of Kenya. Article 2(6), further, states that any Treaty or Convention ratified by Kenya shall form part of the laws of Kenya under this Constitution. The Agreement seeks to balance the livelihood of fishing. It incorporates special and preferential treatment provisions, offering flexibility and extended implementation timelines for developing the least developed countries.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to highlight to Members what the Treaty is all about. This Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has several Articles. Article 1 of the Treaty specifies that the disciplines apply only to marine wild capture fishing and fishing-related activities in the sea. The Agreement covers activities such as the on- board processing and trans-shipping of catch, but excludes the onshore, pre- and post-harvest activities such as packaging and processing. Article 3 of the Treaty prohibits members of the WTO from granting subsidies to vessels or operators found to have engaged in illegal and unregulated fishing. This provision is The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

activated upon determination by the coastal State, the flag State, or the relevant regional fisheries management organisations, or that kind of arrangement. The Agreement also establishes an institutional arrangement for monitoring and implementation.

Article 9 of the Treaty creates a committee composed of representatives from each member State. The committee will meet bi-annually to oversee the operations of the Agreement and to review information provided by members at least, every two years. The Committee noted that upon ratification, Kenya would be required to align its laws, regulations, and administrative procedures with the Agreement, which includes providing a description of its fisheries regime, citing relevant national laws and procedures within one year of the Agreement’s entry into force and promptly, notifying the WTO of any subsequent changes.

The Committee further observed that Kenya must regularly notify the WTO Fisheries Subsidies to facilitate surveillance of implementation, effective stock assessment, and related programmes, which would be key to fulfilling this obligation. Additionally, the Committee noted that the Agreement does not allow State parties to enter reservations. However, Article 9(4) of the Treaty provides for a comprehensive review after five years. If there are some reservations from a country, after every five years, they meet to conduct a review. These reviews could result in an amendment based on a practical implementation experience. This is a Treaty of fisheries subsidies. Kenya is still new in this economic front of the blue economy. Many countries are ahead by years. They get most of their revenue through fishing. This is a subsidy Treaty which countries sign to make sure that those who come in to fish in their country and those who have the capacity to do deep sea fishing, are regulated. It also provides for some subsidies so that, as a country, if we have to tap our resources in the deep sea, we provide subsidies through taxation to those who want to invest. So, this is just a regulatory Treaty. It has been signed by many countries and especially, those that border the Indian Ocean and other coastal lines. That is why we need to ratify the Treaty as provided for under Article 2(6) of the Constitution. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Members of the Committee because when we received the Treaty, we sat and carried out a public participation with stakeholders. The Attorney-General's Office told us the implication of the Treaty from a legal perspective. They told us how it will affect our existing laws. They appeared before us because we already have some other laws like the Kenya Fisheries Act of 2016. We also have the Tuna Commission which we signed. The Attorney-General told the Committee that signing the Treaty will improve our fishing and it is not going to conflict with our existing laws in any way. We also had a meeting with the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs because the Treaty touches on other countries. The Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry also appeared before the Committee and made submissions, and they were all in agreement. Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is the duty of this House to approve the Treaty so that Kenya can benefit from it. I appreciate my colleagues, Members of the Departmental Committee on the Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation who participated in the writing of this Report. I also thank the Clerks attached to the Committee. They supported us in the drafts of this Motion and were with us throughout; taking notes from all the stakeholders. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move this Motion. I ask Hon. Muthoni, the Member for Meru County, to second. Thank you.

Hon. Dorothy.

(Nominated, UDA) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Fish farming is a major economic activity. That is why this Agreement seeks to balance the livelihoods of fishing communities with the need to maintain marine health. It also aims at 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.

preventing market distortion by prohibiting subsidies that provide unfair competitive advantages. Specifically, the Agreement bans subsidies for vessels engaged in illegal fishing. Illegal and unreported fishing is a major source of unaccounted for revenue. This is the more reason why we should be part of this Agreement so that we can monitor fishing activities in our waters and also be able to target the overfished stocks. It is important for us to note that countries that invest in fishing normally undertake stock taking of fish so that they can to know when their stocks are overfished. It is also equally important that we have this Agreement so that we can, at any one time, monitor the vessels that fish in our deep seas. It is, therefore, very important that I urge this House to join us in ensuring that we all join in the ratification of this Agreement on Fishery Subsidies. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to second.

We shall start with Hon. Dekow. If he is not in the House, let us have Hon. Nyikal.

Thank you. Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Motion. This report should be adopted basically for three simple reasons. One, our Constitution obliges us that once we are involved in an international treaty, it must be part of our laws. Therefore, it is important to ratify it. Two, this seems to be more on deep sea fishing. I know that this is an area that is dominated by foreigners. Actually, there is a lot of infringement of our local waters in the pretext that it is actually international waters. If we do not look at these areas and make sure that local fishermen who venture into deep sea fishing are protected, they will actually be exploited by foreigners. Moreover, these people are very sophisticated while our fishermen do not use sophisticated equipment as the foreigners. Therefore, if there is need for them to be subsidised within the confines of the Treaty, we should support that. The third reason is that it gives me an opportunity to address the Chairperson of this Department Committee. Locally, in the inland lakes, we actually have a much bigger need and our blue economy is addressing this by trying to improve the fishing, improve the gear that we use, and trying to support our people. The fish stocks are dwindling. The fishing gears that are used are actually deleterious to the fish stocks, so, they literally catch everything. This is a big problem, particularly in Lake Victoria. There are a lot of clashes with our neighbours, particularly Uganda and, to some extent, Tanzania. Many fishermen are often arrested and their fishing gears are confiscated and destroyed. So, as we protect deep-sea fishing and international waters, we must also look at local fishing.

The second point is that fish farming, particularly in the lake, is an area with big potential that can be exploited. We need to look at how to protect fish farmers and give them subsidies. Fortunately, this Treaty deals with deep-sea fishing, which means we can support and subsidise our local fish farming. We are likely to get more output from our lakes than from the deep sea. So, as we protect deep-sea fishing through this international Treaty, let us also look at what is happening locally. I do not know what is meant by deep sea. Does Lake Victoria, for example, which is shared by three countries, qualify under this Treaty? If it does, then that is the more reason we should sign the Treaty to protect local fishermen.

With those remarks, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I support.

Hon. Owen Baya.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity to support my brother, Hon. Bowen, who crafted his name from mine. 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.

Anything to do with fisheries touches on the Coast. The coast of Kenya is one of the country’s major fish baskets. For many years, fishermen have been seen as poor. There is kind of a correlation between poverty and fishing. Fishing communities have never come out of the cocoons of poverty because of the fishing regime that exists in this country. A fisherman can be very rich if properly enabled. But without support, they remain artisanal, doing what you might call subsistence fishing. They go out to catch fish for the family and sell a few pieces. The cycle continues in the family: from the grandfather to the father; father to the son; and from son to the grandson. They cannot escape poverty unless they pursue another trade. As a country, we need to change this matrix. It is hurting families that could otherwise, be richer if we gave them proper fishing gear and a proper legal regime. It will shock you that when a fisherman leaves home with his nets and gets to the beach, he is asked by KWS officers, “Do you have a fishing licence from KWS?” This is because KWS has demarcated some places as marine parks. When he finishes answering the question, a person from Kenya Fisheries asks, “Do you have a licence for this net?” When he gets into his canoe to start fishing, somebody from the Kenya Maritime Authority asks, “Do you have a licence for this boat?” Before he goes into water, the Kenya Coast Guard asks, “Who allowed you to come into these waters?” After that, forestry officials ask, “Did you use wood to make this boat and did you have a licence for the tree?” There is a plethora of licences that a fisherman must have. Even the tourist police might come and say, “You are not allowed within these boundaries because there are tourists we must protect.” When he finishes fishing, fisheries officers ask, “Why did you catch this species? Is it illegal to catch it?” Fishermen in this country cannot make money. Fishermen are sleeping hungry yet the ocean is a few metres away. They eat ugali with salt and vegetables while fish is available. Fishing has become nearly impossible because of the existing legal regime. That is the where the problem is.

As we ratify this Treaty, I want to be sure that Hon. Kangogo and his team have perused it to ensure we do not introduce foreign and unacceptable laws into our fishing sector. This Parliament passed the Fisheries Management Act, which was later declared unconstitutional. Hon. Kangogo asked, “How do we operate?” We were supposed to pass regulations but we could not. We adopted some Treaties and put them in---

You have a minute to wind up.

Hon. Kangogo was not in the 11th Parliament that passed the Fisheries Management Act.

Okay, you were here. The law banned the use of monofilament nets yet people have used them from time immemorial. They argued that the nets trap the seabed, and kill the fish. Fishermen are required to use bigger nets, but the government has not provided resources to replace monofilament nets with better ones. Many traditional fishing gears were outlawed. Fishermen have no nets, canoes nor equipment yet we say we want to invest in the blue economy. Before we think about big vessels and huge investments, let us empower the fisherman so that he can take his child to school, pay his bills and put food on the table. The Committee chaired by Hon. Kangogo Bowen should protect the fishing people. Give them resources and allow them to eke a good living from the sea. That is what I beg of this House. As we ratify this Treaty, I hope that we do not adopt foreign things which will hinder and hurt the common fishermen. I support.

Hon. Murugara. 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 very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to also support the adoption of the Report. Once we ratify this Treaty, it becomes part and parcel of our domestic laws and binds us as a country.

There is a pending Treaty-Making and Ratification (Amendment) Bill. Its purpose is to compel the Executive to involve this House in treaty negotiations and international contracts. By so doing, we would not be caught unawares ratifying an agreement or a treaty whose contents or particulars we are not familiar with. Once the Bill comes to the House, we will be debating it and trying to pass it. On behalf of Tharaka Constituency, Tharaka-Nithi County, it is good to inform the country that we have a lot of interest in the Blue Economy. That is the reason we have donated to the Broad-Based Government an expert in Blue Economy, the Principal Secretary, Ms. Betsy Muthoni Njagi, who comes from Tharaka-Nithi. She is doing a fantastic job there. As the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation, Hon. Kangogo Bowen would confirm. We debate this with passion, knowing very well that we have an expert who is going to ensure that it is implemented the way it is supposed to be, for the benefit of the Republic of Kenya. The agreement talks about fishing in “Least developed countries.” I thought we had stopped using that term? But it shows that these people still believe that we are down there in terms of development and they have to come to our aid. The aid is acceptable, provided it has no conditionalities which make it untenable or unequitable. We have our territorial waters where we do a lot of fishing, but we are also at risk of being invaded by pirates from other countries who come to steal our fish because we are not able to guarantee security along those territorial waters. Agreements like these, including subsidising fishing, are of benefit to this country. As we diversify our food security strategy, fish comes in handy. We do not have to go to China to bring in fish whose source is unclear to us. Sometimes, we are given interesting stories about plastic fish coming from certain countries. There is also a lot of wealth in the high seas and the deep seas, but we do not have the resources to go into deep waters to mine. If this agreement is going to assist in fishing by giving subsidies, it is a welcome development. We should agree with it, ratify it, and then prepare our country to mine in the deep sea so that we are able to bring to the shore seafood, which is important and nutritious to our country. With those remarks, I beg to support.

Thank you. Hon. Timothy Kipchumba.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me an opportunity to speak to this very important Motion before this House on the ratification of this particular treaty. Kenya is a member of the global community. We have a very progressive Constitution in this country. If you read Articles 2(5) and 2(6) of the Constitution, they provide that any treaty ratified by Kenya shall form part and parcel of the law of this country. I thank Hon. Kangogo Bowen’s Committee for complying fully with the relevant legal provisions as far as public participation is concerned. I have read the report of the Committee and it is very clear that they conducted public participation.

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. Timothy, if that is your phone, you will need to put it on silent mode.

I was actually looking for it, Hon. Temporary Speaker. This Report by Hon. Kangogo Bowen’s Committee captures clearly that they conducted public participation. That is in clear spirit with the Constitution, which provides that the people of this country must have a say in any document that Parliament passes. As Members of Parliament, we speak for and on behalf of the Republic of Kenya. We must also get the public’s views before passing any document in this House. This document has, therefore, qualified as far as public participation is concerned. Hon. Murugara, the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, has raised a very fundamental issue, which I wish to associate myself with. I am happy that there is a pending amendment to the Treaty Making and Ratification Act, so that matters of public participation can be addressed by this House. Sometimes, we find it awkward when we encounter these documents for the first time on the Floor of this House. The current provisions of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act provide that Parliament has a limited role, either to accede in full or provide reservations. That is not enough. The amendment to the Act is very important, so that Members of Parliament can have a say on these treaties before the Chairperson of the Committee brings them to the Floor of this House. I have also read the report of the Committee. It is important for this House to ratify this treaty so as to guarantee security to our fishermen. Many times, our fishermen have been harassed in the high seas, which affects them in one way or another. It is incumbent upon this House to protect our fishermen. That is an area in which we must invest as a country so that we can earn revenue. The Report also states that it will promote sustainable fisheries, support food security, help with poverty alleviation and aid in the preservation of marine biodiversity. If there is any form of biodiversity that has been left out in law and must now be protected, is marine biodiversity. I believe that ratification of this particular treaty will promote the issue of marine biodiversity in this country and it will be progressive if we ratify the same as a House. The treaty will also provide a level playing field for fishermen and fishery-related industries. This is so that we compete as a global community and progress as a country, we must be part and parcel of the international community, especially in terms of establishing proper frameworks for sustainable fishing.

One more minute for you, Hon. Kipchumba.

We should be part and parcel of the global community, as far as protecting our marine diversity is concerned. We must ratify this Protocol. Additionally, for us to sustain the fishing industry in this country, there is no way we can do so without being part of the global community. Several countries have ratified this treaty. There is absolutely no reason why, as a country, we cannot ratify it. The report further states that it will grant access to targeted technical assistance and capacity-building support for developing country members and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). We are a developing country and we appreciate that. Therefore, if we are to progress, we must do more in terms of technical assistance and capacity building, especially to support our fishing industry in this Republic Therefore, I support the Motion to the extent that the agreement complies with Article 60(1)(e) and Article 69(1)(a) of the Constitution. These Articles are for productive and sustainable exploitation, utilisation, management and conservation of the environment and natural resources as well as equitable sharing of accruing benefits. The agreement complies with Articles 2,5 and 6 as well as Articles 60(1)(a) and 69(1)(a) of the Constitution. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

Thank you.

Very well. Member for Nakuru Town East. He is not in the House. If there is no more interest in this Bill, I will call upon the mover to reply. Hold on Hon. Kangogo. Let us have the Member for Nyando.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for the opportunity. I want to support the Motion on the Ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Fish is a staple food in Kenya. The story has it that consumption of fish provides Omega-3 which helps in brain development. For any family that wants to have a lot of calcium in their bodies and Omega-3 that feeds into developing brain power, fish is the best diet for them. Our country has been importing fish for the simple reason that we are not producing enough for our local consumption. This agreement will help in the importation of fish to cater for the shortage that we have as a country but, as a nation we need to put emphasis on growing more fish, both in our lakes and outside our lakes. We also need to preserve species of fish that are rare in our country such as the Nile Perch that attract a lot of market outside our borders. In the last two years, we tried to impose certain tariffs on imported fish but that was defeated. We wanted to pay a lot of attention in growing more fish to service our country. There has been something going on in our blue economy which relates to the fishing industry. This is about stock taking which my friend, Hon. Kangogo, is aware of. Why do we take stock of fish in our oceans and seas? The results of the stock taking gives a global quarter. Not all countries can fish, import or export fish, without international players. Stock taking has been happening. It is from these results that we get our quarter as a country on what we need to fish and exploit to the outside market, particularly tuna and sword fish which attract a lot of market in the international community. This agreement is important. It will create a level playing field to countries that participate in fishing as a trade. I support. Thank you.

Hon. Kangogo, reply.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to thank Members who contributed to the Motion on Ratification of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. This treaty has been adopted by so many other countries; about 65 countries. Even if we do not ratify it as a country, it will be operational. The treaty will benefit us as a country and, therefore, there is need for us to adopt it so I thank Members who have contributed. Where they have raised concerns like the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party… I want to thank the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Owen Baya. He contributed immensely on the fisheries’ regulations. The regulations cure what the Malindi Court pointed out when it nullified the Fisheries Amendment Act, 2016. I want to assure Members who have raised concerns, and the fishermen in western and coastal parts of Kenya, that the new fisheries Bill which is before this house – it come for the First Reading – is going to cure all the concerns. I do not want to say much. I beg to reply. Thank you.

Very well. We shall defer putting of the Question.

Next Order.

Hon. Members, this is resumption of debate. Hon. Bisau was on the Floor. He has a balance of eight minutes. If he is not in the House, we will open it up for debate. If you are interested to contribute you can press your button and if not, we can call the Mover to reply. Hon. Wamboka, is this your Motion? Are you ready to reply? There is no more interest. Kindly reply.

Hon. Muthoni, I called twice for Members who are interested in contributing. Is your intervention on the same? Proceed to make your contribution.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I will be very brief. I want to thank Hon. Wamboka and the entire Committee that came up with this Report. I listened to the debate on State corporations. If we are not careful, this country will go to the drain. I say so because the Report has revealed very worrying trends in our higher education institutions. One case in point is Kenyatta University. The Report tells us that an area has been occupied by people who got into the institution’s compound and decided to put up highrise buildings. That is worrying because that happened in full glare of the institution’s management. When the Report was being presented by the mover – who is in the House – it was very clear that public resources are going to waste. The committee visited the institution and it was told that a Ksh600 million building was constructed. When the Committee asked where the building was, it was told that the building was just somewhere. Hon. Temporary Speaker, if this is how public resources are being used, then it is very worrying to the country. The trend is extremely worrying. I want to urge this Committee in particular that as it tables this Report before the House, let it be very clear that after tabling it we go even deeper to ensure that those who are culpable of misappropriating public resources are brought to book. Public land cannot just disappear. We are told there are 200 to 300 acres somewhere, then by and by you find that the land is no longer public but belongs to private individuals.

I want to thank the Committee for coming up with this bold Report that is unearthing the evils in our public institutions. I support the Report. As a country, time has come when we should call a spade a spade. Get these reports and act so that the reports do not just come to the Floor of the House and we wait for another season when the same report will be brought here again before we act on the previous one. I thank the Committee and support the report that they have tabled.

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

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also want to support this Report by the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education.

In line with what my colleagues have said, it is really a worrying situation that we compromise the quality of education through the report that has come on how the universities together with Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) are run. The best way to kill a society is by compromising the standards of education. You come up with half-baked doctors who during an operation will leave sponges and other medical equipment inside a patient. Buildings will come tumbling down in the hands of quacks masquerading as engineers. You will have a society that does not pay much attention to research which is a component of education.

If these reports are anything to go by, then we must be afraid as a nation. Education, as has been said times more than number, is the key to a better living but if we compromise that very key then the future of our generations and the generations that will come will be very bleak. The competitiveness within and without our country then becomes compromised. You do not necessarily have to work in your country. When jobs are advertised, especially those that attract international attention, we need people who can compete with others who perhaps enjoy better education than us.

If our universities together with TTIs will channel out people who are not well versed with the job trends and requisite qualifications for placements, then we do not have a remedy. If we are killing our universities, the University of Nairobi (UoN) to boot, which has brought so many people into the lime light…Very many people went through this most prestigious university of our country. A university that ranks so highly in Africa and internationally but just because of poor management and the appetite for corruption, we are killing the UoN. It is a travesty and this must be looked into. If it is about management, we still have men and women out here who are qualified to run these universities. Let us put them into the universities and bring them back to life. When we were going to school, any person who got admission into a private school was a failure. In fact, we used to call them harambees to simply mean they belonged to people who are not government. The government institutions were the in-thing and each time we got letters from government institutions, we definitely knew that we had passed exams. How it turned around that private institutions do better than public ones is a wonder. It is the government that comes up with regulations. If we allow private institutions to fester, then who will control the fees that have to be paid? If we kill our public universities and only allow private universities to thrive, who will afford education in these private universities?

That is why I was even afraid that we are selling government institutions at the altar of private investors. Public universities must be the barometer upon which every standard is measured. That is why you have Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) which is not a private but public entity and Bureau Veritas in the international community. They are public institutions.

If this Report is adopted as is, we must reset this country and take it back to where it has been. Unfortunately, even with the advancements that we now have with digital platforms, our management becomes a problem to us. You would have expected that with all these advancements, we would have better management of our institutions and firms but, the reverse is becoming true. The current generation cannot run institutions that our grandparents put a lot of their efforts through sweat and blood for them to be going concerns. As a nation, there are many things that have gone wrong but we have to step back, reflect and retool anew for our country to move forward.

I support this Report, Hon. Temporary Speaker and thank you for the opportunity

Very well. Hon. Chairman, you can now reply.

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

Firstly, let me sincerely thank the leadership of this institution, the National Assembly, starting from Hon. Speaker, the Clerk of the National Assembly, our Committee Clerk, Ms Christine Ndiritu, and my Committee Members starting with my able Deputy Chairman, Hon. Anthony Kibagendi, Hon. (Amb) Francis Sigei, Hon. James Wamacukuru, Hon. Maurice Bisau, Hon. Rebecca Tonkei, Hon. Alpha Miruka, Hon. Mark Mwenje, the Deputy Minority Whip, Hon. Bonaya Gollo, Hon. Shadrack Mwiti, Hon. Moses Kirima, Hon. Daniel Karitho, Hon. Chiforimodo Munga Mangale and Hon. Mwalimu Joseph Tunoi. I want to thank them because since we started, when we were constituted initially and reconstituted a second time, we have never lacked quorum as a committee. That is something we do not take for granted. We thank our Members for their commitment and contribution. Hon. Temporary Speaker, in line with the mandate and in a bid to reduce the audit backlog, the Committee resolved to first consider the Report of the Auditor-General for the Financial Years 2018/2019 to 2020/2021. This decision was made to ensure that the past audit queries are addressed and that the institutions under our oversight are held accountable on time. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that the Committee has since commenced consideration of audit reports for the Financial Years 2021/2022 and 2023/2024, which brings us up to date. This is in line with the requirement of the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, which demands timely scrutiny of public investments for effective financial oversight. If this House may recall, there is a case between officers of the City County of Nairobi and the Auditor-General. The Court ruled that the Auditor-General must table these reports in this House upon which the House audit committees must, within three months, dispense with. I want to report to this House that we are now almost at par with the constitutional requirements. In a few months, I think our Committee will have dispensed with all the issues that we are supposed to deal with and we will be good to go. Having tabled the Committee's Report, I now wish to urge the Committee on Implementation to move with speed and follow up on the implementation of the recommendations contained therein. This is particularly important as some of these recommendations are time-bound and have far-reaching implications on the quality and efficiency of service delivery in our public education institutions. When I was moving our report, I mentioned that the Departmental Committee of Health and the Committee of Implementation reached some decisions on some of these institutions, precisely the Kenyatta University Referral and Training Hospital. The Kenyatta University students are supposed to have full access to this institution because that is the purpose for which the institution came to be, but five years later you realise that decision has not been implemented. We call upon the Committee of Implementation to be firm to ensure that decisions of this House are followed to the letter. Another incident is the issue pitting the trustees at the Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) against the Board of Governors. The Technical and Vocational Education Act of 2013 put the last nail in the coffin for these so-called “trustees” issues, that the institution has to go back fully into the hands of the management of the school and the Board. The trustees have, without mandate, gone ahead and even taken loans on the titles of these institutions. It is an immoral thing. This is something that we need to follow up on very quickly. Upon approval, I will ask the House…Hon Murugara wants to inform me. I do not know if that is...

Do you want to be informed?

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

It is purely because the line he is taking is like moving the Motion while this is supposed to be a reply. A reply is a response to what 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.

contributors have said and where you feel you need to clarify, otherwise, the line he has taken is like he is moving the Motion again.

I agree with you.

Hon. Murugara was not here when these issues were raised by Members. It is on that basis that I am clarifying that two Committees in the last Parliament reached a decision about this and up to now it has not been implemented. We are asking the Committee on Implementation to be firmer and to ensure that the running of the KIST institution goes back to the TVET itself. That is what we are saying. Hon. Murugara, next time, just be attentive to some of these things. You are a senior Member, and you know I respect you. Among the key Committee's recommendations is that the embargo placed on the Government from initiating new projects must be followed to the letter. The Government must ensure that it completes stalled projects in most of these institutions before starting any new project to avoid resource wastage and ensure value for public funds. The Committee remains committed to its role and will continue to work diligently to ensure accountability, transparency, and efficiency in the utilisation of public resources in the education sector. Most importantly, we urge the Government to deal with disbursements of capitation monies to the relevant institutions in time to ensure that vice-chancellors and principals of these schools are not stressed and that the students' learning process is not disrupted. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to reply. Thank you.

We shall defer putting of the Question on that Motion.

Next Order.

Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move that the Political Parties (Amendment) (No.2) Bill (Senate Bill No. 26 of 2024) be now read a Second Time. By way of introduction, the Bill seeks to amend the Political Parties Act 2011. As I set off, the import of this amendment is to replace the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties with the Independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission. That is simply what it is about. I can go into the details, but I would like Kenyans and everyone to know what this Political Parties Bill is about. We have been used to the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and the Registrar of Political Parties, but we are transforming the office of the Register of Political Parties now into a commission so that it can have the independence as provided in Chapter 15 of the Constitution on the commissions and independent offices in the Constitution. As a background, the National Assembly and the Senate resolved to establish the famous National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) to facilitate dialogue, consensus-building, 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 recommend appropriate constitutional legal policy reforms on issues of concern to the people of Kenya. At that particular time, when the NADCO Committee sat in the bipartisan talks, the talks were narrowed down to the following thematic areas. One of them was electoral justice and related matters; outstanding constitutional matters; fidelity to political parties or coalition parties and the law on multiparty democracy; entrenching funds into the Constitution; and establishment and entrenchment of state offices. This Bill is born out of that NADCO discussion and the Report that was tabled in this House. With respect to fidelity to political parties or coalition parties and the law on multiparty democracy, NADCO recommended amendments to the Political Parties Act 2012 to establish the Political Parties Regulatory Commission. This is what this Bill is about. Hon. Jared Okello, I can see you are listening attentively. Following the adoption of the NADCO Report by both Houses, the Speakers and Leadership Offices deliberated on the modalities of implementing the recommendations contained in the Report and agreed that the Political Parties (Amendment) (No.2) Bill (Senate Bill No. 26 of 2024) be introduced in the Senate. It is an agreement that some Bills be introduced in the National Assembly and others be introduced in the Senate. This Bill was introduced in the Senate with amendments on 5th December 2024. The Bill was then referred to the National Assembly and was read a First Time on 13th February 2025. Pursuant to the Standing Orders, the Bill was committed to the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, chaired by Legal Counsel, Hon. Murugara, the Member for Tharaka, to facilitate public participation and thereafter report to the House to inform debate. I always think Tigania and Tharaka are the same.

Allow me to delve into the contents of the Bill so that we can easily understand it. The Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2024, proposes a raft of amendments to the Political Parties Act of 2011. Clause 2 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 2 of the Principal Act by deleting the definition of the word “commission.” We aim to replace this definition specifying that the commission shall mean the Independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission, which is established under Section 33 of this Bill. The clause also deletes the definition of the term “registrar.” If you recall, we now have the Registrar of Political Parties. Hon. Temporary Speaker, clause 3 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 21 of the Principal Act by deleting Section 7. This will be substituted with a new subsection allowing a political party that is dissatisfied with a decision made by the commission to appeal to the High Court. Initially, one would go to the tribunal to appeal, but now one may appeal directly to the High Court against the decision of the commission if there is disagreement with that decision. Clause 5 of the Bill repeals the whole Section 14(a) which provides for the resignation from a political party. I am sure Hon. Murugara will speak more on this because he will second the Bill. I am actually preparing him to second, so Hon. Murugara, get ready. Clause 6 of the Bill amends Section 32 of the Principal Act by deleting subsection 1 and substituting it with a new subsection. Further, subsection 2 of the Act is substituted and replaced with further sub-clauses to address the issue of financial audit reports and the accompanying documents to be filed at the end of every financial year and submitted to the Attorney-General. This amendment is a deliberate step towards fostering accountability within our political parties. Political parties are funded by taxpayers' money, and therefore, we demand accountability. Just as Hon. Jack Wamboka demands accountability in universities and colleges, we also require accountability in political parties. 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.

We fund these political parties; they receive a significant amount of money but, we often do not see any activities from these parties. Frequently, only the Chairman, the Secretary- General, and a few members hold a couple of meetings and utilise these funds. If we are going to fund political parties and if they must continue receiving money from the Exchequer, we expect accountability from them. Some individuals form briefcase parties, secure one or two members in the National Assembly, one in the Senate, and a few in local assemblies, such as the one where Hon. Jack comes from then they end up receiving money from the Exchequer.

On a point of order.

Hon. Speaker, you cannot allow a point of order because I am moving the Bill. We want those parties, even if it is a village party with only three Members of the County Assembly in that village, to account for every cent they receive. This new subsection ensures that accountability is prime. Clause 7 of the Bill repeals and replaces the whole Section 33 of the Principle Act. This clause provides for the establishment of the Independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission, which seeks to replace the current Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP). Subclause 2 establishes the Commission as a body corporate with perpetual succession, capable of acquiring and disposing of properties, suing and being sued, and performing all such acts and functions as a body corporate. This is a common clause across all commissions, so I do not need to belabour that. Clause 7(3) highlights the functions of the Commission, emphasising that in the performance of its functions, the Commission shall be independent—I appreciate the importance of the word independent—and not subject to the direction or control of any individual or authority. This is what Kenyans have been demanding. The Office of the Registrar of Political Parties was perceived as an appendage of the Executive. It fell under the Office of the Attorney-General, thus lacking much independence. Much like the Chapter 15 Commissions established in the Constitution, this Commission takes on a new form where it remains independent and is not subjected to any individual or authority, including myself. Clause 7 also outlines the membership of the Commission which will comprise five members: two members, one man and one woman, nominated by the majority party or coalition of parties in Parliament; two members, one man and one woman, nominated by the minority party or coalition of parties in Parliament; and one member nominated by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), representing a non-parliamentary registered political party. Thus the majority will have their share of two members, the minority will have their two members, and those not in Parliament will also have an opportunity to nominate one member. I do not know whether we will experience the same saga as we did during the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission nominations, where various names were proposed without reaching an agreement, thus delaying the entire process. I think we also missed an important point, which is open to debate, and which Hon. Murugara will elaborate on for us: what about the independent members currently in Parliament? Do they have the opportunity to make a nomination, or should we disregard them simply because they are independent and do not require any affiliation? This is certainly food for thought. Clause 7 also outlines the qualifications necessary for appointment as a member of the Commission. These qualifications include the requirement to hold a degree from a university recognised in Kenya, demonstrated knowledge and experience in any of the specified fields, ten years of post-qualification experience in relevant areas of expertise, and compliance with the requirements set forth in Chapter 6 of the Constitution. Furthermore, this clause elaborates the grounds for disqualification from appointment as a member of the Commission. The ten years of post-qualification experience is crucial, as is the requirement for a degree. I appreciate this Bill because it does not limit us to the conventional notion that one must be a lawyer or a judge. Almost all commissions require one to be a lawyer or in that field. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

It seems as though the prevailing view is that law is the only profession of significance in this country. This is commendable legislation. Clause 7 also emphasises that the tenure of the office will be a term of six years; this aligns with the structure of independent commissions. Members will serve for six years and will not be eligible for reappointment, and they shall operate on a full-time basis. Additionally, the clause specifies situations in which a seat on the Commission can be declared vacant and outlines the procedures for replacing that vacancy. This clause is packed. The Bill lays out the grounds for removal from office, which include serious violations of the Constitution or this Act, gross misconduct in the execution of the members' or office holders' functions, physical or mental incapacity to perform the duties of the office, bankruptcy, incompetence, and other reasons that may warrant removal from the Commission. Clause 7 also details the procedures the Commission must follow to conduct its business and affairs in accordance with the Sixth Schedule. The terms and conditions of service for the Commission state that the salaries and allowances, as well as other terms and conditions for the members of the Commission, shall be determined by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). Furthermore, Clause 7 of the Bill further provides for the position of the secretary to the Commission. It outlines the qualifications for appointment, the tenure of the office, and grounds or reasons for the removal of a secretary. Clause 7 of the Bill seeks to give the Commission powers to appoint staff necessary for the proper discharge of its functions under this Act. When the Commission wants to hire, it must do it in consultation with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) in terms of the salaries available to them. For those people looking for jobs, I want to tell them that new jobs are being created here. The salaries will be good and so they can apply. Clause 10 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 34 of the principal Act by deleting the words “or is deemed to have resigned from the political party and the registrar has been notified of the resignation appearing in Paragraph C”. Sub-Clause (b) deletes and substitutes a new section that reads: ‘‘if a political party if dissatisfied by the decision of the Commission, it may appeal to the High Court. Hon. Temporary Speaker, as I wind up, Clause 15 of the Bill amends the Sixth Schedule of the principal Act and substitutes it with a new schedule in respect to the newly established Commission. This is a new Commission, and so, Schedule 6 is substituted with a new Schedule, which is available in the Bill. Members can look at it and familiarise themselves. The Amendment Bill is part of the Bills highlighted in the National Dialogue Committee (NADCO) Report, which plays a pivotal role in the realisation of the National Development Agenda. In conclusion, I urge honourable Members to support this Bill because it promotes fidelity to political parties. Currently, we are witnessing members of a certain political party pay allegiance to other parties, either new or old, and end up moving out of the parties they swore to defend. My party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which is the majority party, has always upheld fidelity to the law. A few errant members who want to subscribe to other funny parties are free to do so, but the law will catch up with them. I ask Members of Parliament to remain within their parties and subscribe to them. They should stop the idea of going out to look for new suitors while already married to someone. They need to stop that, and I urge them to listen to me: please stop. If you belong to the UDA party, belong to it and subscribe to it. If you have a new suitor, you should resign and seek re-election under the new suitor instead of having one leg here and the other one there. That is one way of destroying political party democracy in our country. We must guard against this destruction. As a party, we will not poach members, but we will enter into coalitions as provided for in this Bill. We will look for friends to work with, but we are not telling them to join our party. We are telling them to remain The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

in their party, but let us collaborate and develop Kenya. We must respect our parties and stay there. I beg to move, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I request the legal counsel, the Member for Tigania, Hon. Murungaru, to second this important Bill. Thank you very much.

Hon. Owen is confused today between Tigania and Tharaka, and also between Murungaru and Murugara. It is Hon. George Murugara, Member for Tharaka.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to second the Political Parties (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill (Senate Bill No. 26 of 2024), from the Senate. It has been ably moved by the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, and from his speech, Members have learnt what this Bill is all about. For those who may not have fully captured the speech, please note that we have the Report of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, which was tabled in this House last week during the consideration of the Bill. We went clause by clause giving justification of each clause, and its compliance with the Constitution as required. The Report is elaborate. I urge Members to obtain copies and especially look at public participation under Article 118 of the Constitution where members of the public, stakeholders and interest groups came before us and made their representations, which were put into consideration in this Bill. We may not have agreed with some of the proposals that were being made, but it is important to point out that we agreed with some of the proposals that require amendment of certain clauses in the Bill. We have made proposals on this in our Report. It is a schedule of amendments that is annexed to the Bill so that we can harmonise the proposals in the Bill, with what came out from the public during public participation. We must emphasise the importance of public participation. This is where everybody who has an interest comes to voice that interest to the betterment of the laws that are being enacted for the benefit of the country. We have a schedule that will appear when we go to the Committee of the Whole House, with those proposals and the justifications. We will move that this House either adopts or rejects, depending on how the House will take the proposals. Very quickly, I will go through the proposed Bill so that everybody, including Kenyans, know what we are doing here this late afternoon or towards this evening. First and foremost, it is important to note that we are undertaking a fundamental step, which is to replace the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP) with a commission. This commission will be known as the Independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission. It is a statutory commission and not a constitutional commission. That means its independence is derived from a statute. Therefore, if any of its Act contradicts the Constitution, those Acts are likely to be declared unconstitutional because it is not a constitutional commission. It is established under the Political Parties Act which we are now amending. The first several clauses of the Bill proposed are purely to align the office to the commission such that where the ORPP appears, we replace that with the commission. We have also defined the word commission so that anybody who does not know which commission we are talking about here can know that it is the Independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission which we are establishing under the new section 33 that is being introduced in the Act. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor.

What is this commission all about? This is clause 7 of the Bill which seeks to amend section 33 by repealing the entire old section 33 and introducing a new section 33, and more sections that will follow to establish this commission. As I have said, it is purely an independent commission established by a statute. When it is independent, it means that it cannot be interfered with by anybody, unless where it has conducted itself in a manner that is unconstitutional. Most of these constitutional matters are declarations by the court and seldom by this House; not by anybody else. The first provision is the powers it has under Section 33. Section 33A are functions. It has the power of perpetual succession, therefore, it can sue, be sued, can acquire property and succeed itself from time to time. The functions of the Independent Political Parties Regulatory Commission are set out in the new proposed Section 33A. They run from (a) to (n). We have a new Section 33B which is on the membership of the Commission, which the mover elaborated on. It shall have five members, all of whom will be nominated as proposed in the Act. However, he did not move that Section 33C gives the qualification for appointment as members of the Commission, though he alluded to the fact that most of them have to be lawyers but, it is not solely law in this case. The provisions require that one must hold a degree from a recognised university and have proven knowledge and experience in the following fields: finance, management, political science, electoral matters, and the famous law, that is, governance or public administration. If you qualify in any of these fields, then you can be nominated by the nominating entity, including the Majority and Minority Parties, which shall nominate two members each. Non-parliamentary parties who sit in Parliament are not the parties outside, but those that sit here without sufficient numbers to be recognised as parliamentary parties. That is why it is always the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), and the third one is the Jubilee Party. There is a debate as to whether the Wiper Democratic Movement (WDM) qualifies, but the rest are in coalitions because they do not qualify to be recognised as Parliamentary Parties. These are the parties that the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) will represent and make a nomination on their behalf. All these persons must have at least 10 years post-qualification experience in the relevant field. For instance, if you are an advocate you must have practised for… I am sorry to use the word advocate. If you are a lawyer, you must have practised for at least 10 years. All advocates are lawyers, but not all lawyers are advocates. However, anyone with a law degree qualifies for this. You must also meet the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution on integrity. A person who has conducted himself in a manner that offends Chapter Six of the Constitution is automatically disqualified. Disqualification has also been discussed. There is a new proposed Section 33D on tenure of office, which we have agreed to be six years, non-renewable. This means that once you have served, on your marks, you go home so as to allow a new team to come in. Section 33E relates to when a vacancy arises. Section 33F is on removal from office. The new Section 33I is on the appointment of the secretary, who is to be the Chief Executive Officer, and by extension, the Accounting Officer of the Commission. Section 33J is on the grounds for removal of the secretary. Finally, we have the concluding clauses that include Section 34(C) of the Principal Act which we need to amend especially when you are deemed to resign from a political party. This is very important because that “deeming” word has a problem and we know for sure it is the courts that have kept most Members of Parliament here, because immediately you are seen to associate with another party, you are deemed to have left that party and you are liable to be disciplined. We agree there must be hygiene in political parties, and there must be a level of cleanliness but again, we keep on asking how many political parties can be trusted in this country? We have seen it before, and we shall continue to see it because there comes a time 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.

will think about political parties’ overreach. Since they have their own constitutions as societies, then they are bound by those constitutions to act when they feel there is a breach. Political parties funding is a very important element of our budget especially when we shall budget for this office. Huge sums of money are supposed to be paid to political parties and there are huge arrears. This year alone I think we are paying about Ksh1.9 billion to political parties in the proposed Budget. I know the last couple of years we have had to reduce that budget to cater for more urgent needs because we felt funding political parties may not be equivalent to even making provision for the Kenya Prisons Service. It is now clear-cut that political parties have to be funded. This is where we are calling for accountability such that if a political party was lucky enough to get a Member of County Assembly (MCA), a Member of Parliament or certain votes which qualify it to get some money from the public coffers, then that political party must be prepared to account for the money in the most meticulous manner. The auditors, including the Committee of Hon. Wamboka, would have to move in and ensure… Hon. Wamboka, I think is on Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education but we have the Public Accounts Committee. They have to be audited so that this money is accounted for. For sure we know that some of parties are out there waiting for the money because they have no other source of income. If that is the case, we are going to grow our political parties by making the provisions. There will be no problem except if the money is sent to political parties for hungry politicians who will actually swindle the money immediately it is received. This will have nothing to do with any political party and therefore it will be misapplication of public resources. This goes with what I keep asking: which parties are we growing in the country? Some of the parties that were started at Independence today are pale shadows of themselves including the long time former ruling party Kenya African National Union (KANU). Today it is a pale shadow of itself. Other parties like the Democratic Party of Kenya on which I was elected on during my first term here today cannot boast of anything apart from one Member of Parliament, and one Senator. Now that the Member of Parliament has gone to the Public Service, it has only one Senator. There are many others that have not been able to live like FORD – Asili and others; all of them are gone. Which political parties are we growing? Would they stand the test of time? If you look at the English position, there are two parties; the Tories and the Labour Party which have been existence from the 17th century or thereabout. If you look at the Americans, they have their Republican and Democratic Parties. They have also been existence since the early 18th century and they have withstood the test of time. Will our parties withstand the test of time or will they continue being a one man show dominated by the principals who once they change their minds, those parties also change their minds into the new outfit that is going to form? We will be asking all these are questions as we continue to study the relevance and implementation of the Political Party’s Fund to see whether it is serving the desired purpose or not. With those very many remarks, I beg to second. Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Catherine Omanyo, do you want to contribute to this Bill?

Hon. Caroli. 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 very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this Bill.

I will begin by observing that the proposed Political Parties (Amendment) (No.2) Bill (Senate Bill No.26 of 2024) can only be described as one of the most insensitive Bills to public interest that I have ever seen on the Floor of the House. The Bill seeks to elevate the interests of the political class above public interest. It serves the short-term political interests of the two current dominant political parties.

We should debate the Bill objectively and candidly, and hopefully substantially amend it or reject it in totality. Why do I say so?

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Hon. Wamboka?

I rise under Standing Order 35 to notify the House that we do not have quorum, yet we are dealing with very serious issues. I beg that we continue…

Point taken. Serjeant-at-Arms, ring the Quorum Bell for 10 minutes.

Order, Hon. K.J. You cannot exit the Chamber while the Quorum Bell is ringing.

Hon. Caroli Omondi, you will have the balance of your time the next time this Motion is on the floor. The catch is that you will have to be in the House. If you are not, you will then forfeit it.

Order, Hon. Members.

Hon. Members, the time being 6.52 p.m., this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, 4th June 2025, at 9.30 a.m.

The House rose at 6.52 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.