Order, hon. Senators! We have the requisite quorum. Let us proceed.

(Sen. (Prof.) Kindiki: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to give notice of the following two Motions:- THAT, pursuant to Standing Order No.16, the Senate approves the following Senators to be Members of the Chairpersons Panel and further, pursuant to Article 107(1)(c) of the Constitution, to be elected to preside at any sitting of the Senate in the absence of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker:- 1. Sen. Kipchumba Murkomen 2. Sen. Masha Elizabeth Ongoro APPROVAL OF SENATORS TO MEMBERSHIP OF SENATE COMMITTEES The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Sen. Nobwola Catherine, you have 10 more minutes to make your contribution to this Motion. Proceed!

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. Before we adjourned for lunch, I was commenting on the issues of the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) kitty. Whereas majority of Senators say that the CDF has worked very well in their counties, in the constituency where I come from, this kitty has in the past been misused. In my view, we should have proper structures put in place to ensure proper usage of this money. For instance, this money should be released by a bank where the Government has an interest, for example, the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) or the Co-operative Bank of Kenya (Co-op Bank). This money should not be given out for free. When you give out money for free, you are not motivating or helping the person you are giving the money in any way. I propose that we should have a time frame within which this money should be given out, for example, two years. Before this money is given out, banks should come up with various requirements and structures such as having a proposal, ensuring individuals have pin numbers, so that at the end of the day people can be able to contribute to the revenue kitty. If we keep dishing out the money without making sure these people pay taxes, then we shall not be helping our economy to grow. Mr. Speaker, Sir, another area where I wish to comment on is the jua kali sector. We need to put some structures in place so that this sector, which is very lucrative, can contribute revenue to the kitty. The President, in his Address, indicated that we will grow our tax base. How else will we do this if some sectors of the economy are not paying taxes? Five years ago, for instance, many buildings had not mushroomed in Nairobi as much as The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. Like my colleagues before me, first and foremost, I want to thank the people of Mombasa County, which is Kenya’s second biggest city, for voting me in as the inaugural Senator under our new Constitution. Mombasa County is also listed in the Constitution as County No.1. Therefore, constitutionally, Mombasa County has an obligation to be No.1 in terms of providing cutting edge leadership around devolution and many other things within the Senate. Like my previous colleagues, I also want to congratulate hon. Senators for having been elected as Senators of their respective counties. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to mention some few things that recapture the national mood in this country. This country has been talking about the generational change. My colleagues would attest that there are quite a number of young Senators who have been elected to this House despite the perception that was created before the General Election that The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

What is it, Sen.(Dr.) Khalwale?

I do not wish to interrupt my brother with whom we used to fight in Mageuzi but, indeed, when the Senator for Mombasa alleges in this House that the people of Mombasa have joined the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) because they have been shortchanged by people who think that they are more Kenyan than them, it is only fair that he substantiates. Otherwise, I am afraid that, that statement is not in the interest of national cohesion.

Sen. Omar Hassan, did you say so?

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Sen. Boni sometimes does not listen to English. He has listened to his own mind. I have given some of the factors that have caused this desperation within the people of Mombasa, as leading some of the young people to adopt some of those vices like the MRC. I do believe that it is simply an orchestration of the frustration of the people of Mombasa. I think that the Government has tried to be proactive even in addressing some of these pertinent issues. But I do believe that sooner than later, these issues must be redressed, and land, as I said, is at the heart of part of the discontentment of the people of Mombasa and the Coast in general. Therefore, it is about reviewing fundamentally the land ownership regime in the country, so that we can be equitable. Those who were dispossessed by previous Governments must ensure that these rights are restored equitably. Since Dr. Khalwale brought it up, I will address that issue. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I think that the Government also needs to look for creative ways to ensure that they deal with the issues surrounding the desperation and despair of the young people of Mombasa. In particular, are issues to do with employment, inequalities, land and historical injustices. Therefore, as the Government seeks robust ways to address some of the issues, it is critical that the political leadership and the Senate is involved as an avenue to bringing equity to all counties and ensure that whatever historical injustices that were partaken against the people of Mombasa and Coast, in general, are redressed. I The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Asante sana, Bw. Spika, kwa kunipa fursa hii kuungana pamoja na wenzangu na kutoa shukrani zangu, kwanza kabisa kwa wale watu ambao walinichagua katika Kaunti ya Lamu. Walifanya hivyo kwa kipindi kirefu na hivi sasa ni heshima kubwa kuwa mimi ndio Seneta wa kwanza baada ya Katiba mpya kuwa implemented. Bw. Spika, nataka vile vile kuchukua fursa hii kuwapongeza Maseneta na Wabunge wote waliochaguliwa, wakiongozwa na Rais wetu ambaye alichaguliwa kwa kura za kutosha. Hapa kwetu katika Seneti, nataka kukupongeza wewe, naibu wako na wale wote ambao wamepata fursa ya kuweza kutuongoza sisi. Bw. Spika, tukiangazia yale yanayofanyika katika kaunti zetu, ni wajibu wetu sisi wenyewe ambao tulichaguliwa kuweza kusema yale mengi yaliofanyika na yale mengi ambayo hayakuweza kufanyika kwa njia moja au nyingine. Ikiwa kiongozi anaweza kusema yale ambayo hayakufanyika, kama infrastructure, hasemi ya kwamba anapinga Serikali yake. Anasema vipi inaweza kurekebisha mambo ambayo hayakupatikana kwa miaka 50. Ikisemekana ni kweli ya kwamba katika Kaunti ya Lamu nzima hakuna barabara ya lami hata inchi moja, hiyo ni kweli na itabakia kuwa ukweli, iwe imezungumzwa na upinzani au watu wanaounga mkono Serikali. Hivi sasa kila mahali watu wanategemea serikali ya ugatuzi au county governments ipatiwe madaraka ya kutosha iweze kuwa ndio suluhisho ya mambo mengi ambayo hayakupatikana. Katika Lamu kwa miaka miwili au mitatu iliyopita tunapongeza Serikali kwa kuleta mradi mkubwa wa LAPSET. Lakini hata hivyo, hiyo vile vile imekuja na matatizo yake mengine. Watu ambao hawajulikani katika Kaunti yetu ya Lamu ndio wamepatiwa mashamba makubwa makubwa ya kutosha, kinyume na kuchukua nafasi ya kuweza kuwapatia wenyeji walioko huko. Watu wanaoishi katika Lamu Kaunti ni wa Kenya nzima; ni wa makabila tofauti tofauti na tunakaa kwa amani. Ingefaa ikiwa wale ambao wamekaa kule kwa miaka mingi wangepewa haki. Mimi ninaunga mkono mradi huo mkubwa. Tunaona ya kwamba mradi huo ndio suluhisho tu ya kuweza kuleta kazi kwa vijana wetu na mabadiliko ya kiuchumi katika Kaunti hiyo na kaunti jirani. Bw. Spika, nampongeza Rais kwa yale mengi aliyoyasema katika Hotuba yake ambayo alitoa katika kikao cha pamoja cha Bunge letu. Tunampongeza kwa miradi ambayo yeye mwenyewe amependekeza na mikakati ya kuonyesha ya kwamba atapeleka maendeleo katika kila upande wa Kenya ambao haukufikiwa. Hilo ni jambo ambalo kila mtu anafikiria. Wajibu wetu mkubwa kama viongozi wa kitaifa ni kuiambia Serikali The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

(Sen. (Dr.) Kuti): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I would like to join my colleagues in congratulating you, your deputy and all elected and nominated Senators. I would also like to most sincerely congratulate the Kenyan electorate for participating in a very peaceful election; before, during and after the election. I would, in fact, like to congratulate also all the Presidential candidates, especially hon. Raila because of the manner in which he behaved after the election. This is because it is the coming together of the President and hon. Raila that further cemented the peaceful environment that we are enjoying now. But, of course, a lot needs to be done to heal the country. I would urge all Kenyans to put peace first because our country is above everybody else. Therefore, we need to move on. Mr. Speaker, Sir, having said that, I would like also to thank the people of Isiolo County for electing me for now the third time; the first two terms as a Member of Parliament and now as their elected Senator. I would like to pledge to them that I will do all my best to make sure that our county reaches very high levels of development by working together with other elected leaders and the community itself. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is a new dawn. Everytime we start; starting from the time there was a NARC wave, Kenyans have a lot of hope and expectations. The good thing now is that we have gone through this very peacefully--- We have had ten years of very progressive development and I think we are now at a stage to fly if our leaders – all the elected leaders from the counties to the national level – focus on development and put politics aside. This is the opportune time to take off and make Kenya reach a higher level of development, reduce poverty and create wealth. I think everybody should seize this moment and especially the President and the Deputy President. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Sen. Ong’era!

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving this opportunity as this is my maiden address. First of all, I would like to congratulate you for your successful election to the office of Speaker and all other colleagues here in the House, both elected and nominated. I congratulate all of you. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also take this opportunity to thank my party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), for nominating me to this House. First of all, I would like to salute one man who has been at the forefront of the reform process in this country. For over 20 years, the former Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, has been in the forefront in ensuring that we have the necessary reforms including a new Constitution that has brought us the desires we had, including this Senate. I raise my hands in appreciating the role that the Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga has played in this country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with regard to the President’s Address, these are just mere words and until these words are implemented, we cannot say that we have seen the taste of the pudding. As you know in English, there is a saying that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I say this by making the following three comments: First of all, while as women, we welcome the idea that we can have free maternity care, but maternity care cannot really be anything unless we have a health system that meets all the necessary challenges. We heard the President addressing issues of adequate resources and finances. We know that there are many issues to be addressed in the health care system and we do not have enough facilities and the necessary human resource. Our nurses, to-date, are not paid enough salaries so as to take care of these women. Women can have free maternity care but if there will be no nurses to help these women deliver, what will it help us? I expected to see the President, in his Speech, addressing issues of social and cultural barriers. How will our women address issues that hinder them from accessing medical care? These are many as you know. I expected to see the President dealing with the issue of utilizing maternity services. How will the perennial lack of adequate essential medicine be addressed? It is not just enough to say that we will have free maternity health care unless we know how the facilities and the necessary infrastructure will be taken care of. The other issue I want to look at is that of devolution. I want to support what my party leader, the Senate Leader of the Minority, said in this House. We know that the President has indicated that there is commitment with regard to devolution. However, that is not just enough. If this Government was serious, today being 21 days after the Speech was read, I have not seen any Motion being tabled in Parliament that is supposed to do The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Asante, Bw. Spika, kwa kunipa nafasi hii. Kwanza, ningependa kuwashukuru watu wa Kilifi Kaunti kwa kunichagua kama Seneta wao wa kwanza. La pili, pia vile vile ningependa kukupongeza kwa kuchaguliwa kama Spika wa Seneti. Pia, ningependa kuwapongeza Maseneta wenzangu kwa kuchaguliwa kuwa Maseneta. Katika Hotuba ya Rais, alizungumzia kuhusu kutofautiana kwa maoni na kuheshimiana. Ningependa kuongea juu ya mambo ya utalii. Ile Kaunti ambayo ninawakilisha hapa Seneti ina hoteli nyingi kuanzia Mtwapa mpaka Tana River. Hoteli hizo hutembelewa na watalii wanaotoka katika sehemu nyingi sana za nchi za ng’ambo. Watalii wanaokuja katika nchi yetu, baadhi ya wale wanaotembelea mbuga za wanyama na kutupa income tax, kunao wengine, katika sehemu ya Mtwapa na Malindi ambao sio watalii bali huja kufanya biashara. Biashara zao zingine ni zile za mihadarati na ngono. Hao ni watalii ambao hawaleti faidi kwa nchi hii. Katika ile Kaunti ninayowakilisha hapa ndani ya Seneti, kunao wafanyikazi ambao wanawachishwa kazi; kazi ambazo wanaandikwa bila kufuatilia sheria za wafanyikazi. Wakati mwingine, hali ya binadamu wanapoishi wawili wakiwa wameoana ama wakiwa hawajaoana, ni lazima mmoja apate mimba. Hali hiyo ikitokea, tunaona kwamba wafanyi kazi wengi katika hoteli nyingi huko Pwani, wanawachishwa kazi. Wanawake wanapotungwa mimba, wanawachishwa kazi. Rais, katika Hotuba yake alisema atazingatia mambo ya utalii vilivyo. Pia, tunaomba sheria za wafanyikazi ziangaliwe vilivyo. Kunao wengine pia ambao The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Muda wako umekwisha.

Asante, Bw. Spika. Naunga mkono.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I hope you have noticed that I am walking with a limp. I have stood and sat so many times that I actually got a muscle pull. Thank you for noticing me. I also truly look forward to the time when we will be having devolved proceedings in this Senate; when Members of this Senate will be able to contribute to the proceedings of this House from their counties without having to come to this central location. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Order! Your time is up! Senator for Turkana County!

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me begin by saluting the people of Turkana County for electing me as the first Senator. I also give thanks to the people of Turkana North for electing me for three terms as a Member of Parliament and now the fourth time as the Senator. I also want to thank them for their prayers that went to the election of the Speaker of this House. I want to thank you for being the Speaker of the Senate. Coming from Turkana, my people are glad and know that you are equal to the task. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to challenge this Presidential Address. I want to say that the Speech lacked in specifics. The Address had a few proposals that I would call inappropriate. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

No, you eat when you are hungry!

Mr. Speaker, Sir, when they see us appearing big as we are, they think we have eaten when we have not eaten. When they see their son, who is as big as I am, seated on the Senate Chair, they think we have eaten. However, these people have not eaten. We The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this time. Mwanzo kabisa, nina furaha kwamba Rais wetu, Uhuru Kenyatta na Naibu wake, William Ruto, walichukua usukani na tutafanya kazi pamoja nao. Kwanza, ninawashukuru kwa sababu walitukumbuka sisi kama walemavu na nimefurahi. Pili, nashukuru chama ambacho kilinichagua kama mama kuwakilisha walemavu kwa sababu ni wengi ambao wangeweza kufika hapa lakini chama cha TNA kiliona ni vyema nije Bunge kuwakilisha wale walio walemavu.

Bw. Naibu Spika, nashukuru Katiba ya sasa ya Kenya kwa kuwakumbuka walemavu. Ni mara nyingi ambapo tumefikiria sisi tutakumbukwa lini lakini sasa tunashukuru sana kwa sababu tumekumbukwa. Nikirudi katika Hotuba ya Rais, hii ilinifurahisha sana. Tulipoona kwamba tulikumbukwa kama walemavu, hakika tulifurahi. Nikianzia na swala la elimu, jambo la elimu kwa mtoto mlemavu limekuwa ngumu sana. Lakini kwa wakati huu, tumefurahi kwa sababu tumeona kwamba tunakumbukwa. Tunahitaji vifaa kama vile brailers,scratches na vingine vingi. Tunaomba kwa sababu Serikali imetukumbuka, wakati inapopeana tarakilishi, nasi pia tukumbukwe wakati huo. Pili, katika mambo ya tarakilishi, naona ninaweza kuwasaliti lakini sio sana kwa sababu nilipozaliwa sikuwa nikiona lakini nilipomaliza kusoma shule ya nursery nilijua kusoma brail na kuandika. Kwa hivyo, hiyo ni changamoto kwamba tarakilishi zinaweza kufanya kazi. Wanafunzi wanaweza kutumia laptops katika masomo yao. Mimi ningependa kusema kwamba laptops zinaweza kutumika na watoto wetu.

Katika upande wa michezo na kazi zingine tofauti, kuna michezo tofauti ambayo walemavu wanaweza kuhusishwa kama vile michezo ya mipira. Vipofu hucheza michezo ya mipira. Ninajua kwamba hakuna kitu ambacho mtu mlemavu hawezi kufanya. Tupatie The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for seeing me at last, as tall as I am and having been sitting at the Front Bench, I have not been able to catch the Speaker’s eye between 9.00 am and 4.30 pm. Nonetheless, I want to start to contribute to the Motion regarding the Presidential Address. I want to start off, just as my colleague said, by thanking the people of Wajir County for having elected me as their first County Senator under the new constitutional dispensation. I promise to ensure that Wajir County becomes a model county in terms of development; a model county that will make a difference in the lives of people in Wajir so that we move at par with the people in the rest of the country. As I sat here since morning, I listened to a number of colleagues who spoke. Some of them, from the Jubilee Coalition, seem to be getting agitated when people speak, somehow about issues that relate to certain inadequacies with regard to this Speech. In fact, it is our role, as the Senate to interrogate this document. What we are doing is to interrogate the document and not creating or preparing faults on the part of any leadership. As the Opposition, we are expected to do constructive criticism of this document. It is only through that approach that we can enrich what has been put here so that Kenyans, wherever they are, feel satisfied with the legislation or policy issues and that our various interests are taken care of. Having said that, I ran through the Speech and I have a number of comments to make. Two or three days ago when we were in Naivasha, there were some discussions on the structure of Government. I have, personally, a bone to pick with that structure. I think that is what resulted in the failure of those who developed this document to incorporate the livestock sector. You all know that we had a stand alone Ministry of Livestock Development and the Ministry of the Development of Northern Kenya and Other Arid Lands which was also a stand alone through that blotted Government. I personally did not agree with the kind of blotted Government that we had. As much as I support a lean Government, which I feel will be much more efficient, I feel that there are serious imbalances in terms of developing this country. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to give my statement. Secondly, my appreciation goes to the United Republican Party (URP) that nominated me to serve in this Senate. Since Independence, this is the only opportunity that we have been given as the people of Upper Eastern to serve as nominated Senator. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to support the Motion. First and foremost, I would like to talk about insecurity in our country and, moreso, in northern Kenya. We cannot talk about devolution when we have the problem of insecurity in this country, especially in northern Kenya. So, I would like to urge the Government to take serious The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to make a few remarks. First of all, I want to take this opportunity to thank the people of Kisii County for electing and giving me the opportunity to represent them in this House and serve them. Like others who have spoken before, I also want to congratulate the Speaker and you on your election to lead this honourable House. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want, in particular, to take this early opportunity to support the Statement made in Parliament last week by the honourable Speaker. On that occasion, he articulated his views on the role of the Senate. I support the position he took. The Speaker and you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, have the greatest role to play to ensure that this Senate secures its rightful place in the management of the affairs of this country. I have had the opportunity to know both of you. I am confident that you have the capacity and quality necessary to lead this House and deliver your mandate. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, turning to the President’s policy statement, it reflects the wishes of millions of Kenyans. It gives hope to people whose aspirations have been shattered over the years. The President was very categorical that he wants to see higher economic growth rate achieved to enable Kenya to move to become a middle income country within the shortest possible time. He wants to see all Kenyans enjoy a better quality of life. He wants the cost of living reduced so that many Kenyans can be lifted out The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Asante sana, Bw. Naibu Spika. Kwanza, nakupongeza kwa kuchaguliwa kama Naibu Spika wa Seneti. Pili, nachukua fursa hii kuwashukuru sana wakaaji na wenyeji wa Kaunti ya Taita Taveta ambao wamenipa nafasi hii kuwa Seneta wao wa kwanza kuambatana na Katiba mpya. Pia ninawashukuru sana watu wa Voi ambao walinichagua kuwa mhe. Mbunge wao muhula uliopita. Ningependa kumshukuru Rais Kibaki aliyestaafu majuzi na Waziri Mkuu kwa kunipa nafasi kuwa Waziri katika Serikali yao. Bw. Naibu Spika, ninachukua nafasi hii kuwapongeza wenzangu waliochaguliwa na walioteuliwa na vyama mbalimbali kuwa Maseneta wa kwanza katika Seneti hii. Bw. Naibu Spika, ninataka nizungumzie kwa kifupi Hotuba ya Rais ya tarehe 16/04/2013. Hotuba yenyewe ilikuwa nzuri kwa sababu ilijaa ufasaha na malengo mengi. Mhe. Rais na naibu wake ni viongozi wa kizazi cha kisasa. Wao wanaamini kusema na kutenda. Wakati huu wamesema mengi na tunataka kuona matendo yao. Hii ni kwa sababu imani bila matendo haifai. Mhe. Rais alitaja nguzo muhimu sana katika Hotuba yake. Nitazungumzia kwa kirefu juu ya nguzo ya utaliii kwa sababu nilikuwa Waziri wa Utalii katika Serikali iliyopita. Mimi niliona furaha kubwa wakati mhe. Rais wa nchi ya Kenya aliposema idadi ya watalii wanaokuja hapa inaweza kuongezeka na kufikia milioni tatu. Utalii unaleta takriban Kshs100 bilioni kila mwaka. Lakini Wizara au shirika llinalopewa pesa za kuuza au kutangaza Kenya nje linapewa Kshs400 milioni. Kiasi hiki cha pesa ni cha chini sana. Ni lazima tumulishe nyasi ng’ombe anayetupa maziwa. Itakuwa bora zaidi kama Serikali hii itaangazia utalii kwa undani na kutenga takriban asilimia tano ya pesa inayokusanya kila mwaka. Ikiwa sekta hii inaleta Kshs100 bilioni kila mwaka, basi tuipe zaidi ya Kshs5 bilioni. Wakipewa pesa hizo, basi wanaweza kuuza Kenya duniani kote na watalii wengi watazuru hapa. Ni lazima kuwe na usalama nchini ili tuweze kuwavutia watalii wengi. Kila wakati nilipokuwa nikisafiri nje ya Kenya, jambo la kwanza lilikuwa ni kutangaza Kenya. Ninajua hata wewe Naibu Spika ulipokuwa balozi, watu wengi huko nje walipenda kujua hali ya usalama hapa nchini. Tumekuwa na ukosefu wa usalama hapa nchini kwa muda mrefu. Tunakubuka kila baada ya wiki moja au mbili, ikiwa si mlipuko wa bomu, ni wa guruneti. Watu walikuwa wakipigana kila mara. Kwa hivyo, ikiwa watalii watakuja kwa wingi ni lazima kuwe na usalama wa kutosha. Hakuna mtu anaweza kutembelea nchi jirani kwa starehe ikiwa katika nchi hiyo kuna vita. Usalama ni kigezo muhimu katika utalii. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for finally noticing me despite my height. I want to take this opportunity, first, to thank the Jubilee Coalition for giving me an opportunity to represent the youth in this Senate. I would like to comment briefly on the Presidential Address. Many people have been looking at the issue of provision of laptops as a negative thing. However, I want to look at it as an opportunity for the Government to create jobs for our people in our counties. There are young people who have studied Information Technology (IT) and software upgrading and content development. Therefore, when children are provided with laptops, we will be creating jobs for them. We know these laptops will need people to service and fix them. This is one way of creating job opportunities for the youth in our country. The other thing that Mr. President promised in his Speech is that he will have an open Government and a policy of honesty. In my opinion, this will help deal with the problem of corruption. In this case, we will reduce the cost of doing business. This will help us to build our economy and make things easier for the Government and private sector. On the issue of land, the President promised to support the Commission on Land Reforms. In my opinion, this will be good for our people. For example, the Nubians of Kibra do not have title deeds. They stay on land which is worth over Kshs6 billion. If they get title deeds, they will access credit using the title deeds. This will empower them. It will make them have a lot of confidence in this Government. The other issue is about building new stadia. We have many young people who play football, netball and volleyball in schools and colleges. However, after they leave schools or colleges, they cannot further develop their talents. Those stadia will help them nurture their talents and be professionals in their own right. Lastly, as much as opposing things is good, let us help the President to enact proper policies that will assist this country realise its potential. By so doing, we will help him place Kenya at an enviable position where everybody will want to work with us. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Thank you for noticing me. I almost fell down after standing. Thank you for this opportunity. I am very grateful, first of all, to the people of Elgeyo-Marakwet County who elected me overwhelmingly to become their Senator. If Elgeyo-Marakwet was another county, probably I would not have survived. However, those people, against all odds, money and big names, elected me to be their Senator. I was running against a self baptised total man, but people still voted for me. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to congratulate the people of Murang’a for electing you. I also want to congratulate other Senators who were elected together with those who were nominated. I also want to congratulate our Speaker who was elected by us. I hope that this group will deliver the promise of developmental devolved governance which we really yearn for in this country. I support the Speech of the President with no reservation, except to say that next time, he should be digital. I agree with Sen. Khaniri that he should not be walking around with pieces of paper anymore because this is a digital Government. So, the President, just like me, should be having his I-pad. One key issue in his Speech was the issue of marginalization. I come from Elgeyo-Marakwet County. It is one of the marginalized counties in this country. We all know and we do not want to deny marginalization was a factor of the Sessional Paper No.10 of 1965 where the Government was to put resources in high potential areas. The understanding of “high potential” was agrarian areas which were the former white highlands. More than half of Elgeyo-Marakwet County does not fall within that definition. That is the case for other counties like Turkana, Coast and Kehancha in Migori County which is a beautiful place, but underdeveloped. The reason we went for devolution under Article 124 of the Constitution was to equalize this country and to develop it. I believe that when the President promised among other things, that he would develop infrastructure and work on irrigating one million acres that will go towards equalizing the nation, it will be implemented. I have always believed that in places like Samburu, the reason policemen were attacked and why cattle- rustling goes on in those areas, is because the infrastructure is bad. If you did good roads in places like Suguta Marmar, among others, this would attract the best investors and boost tourism. Good infrastructure would have made a big difference. There are many places in Elgeyo-Marakwet County where people are still using donkeys as a mode of transport. I always remember the story of Jesus before he went to heaven. He used a donkey while going to Jerusalem. The same Jesus is about to come and yet my people are still using donkeys to go to the market. This situation must change. We must invest in infrastructure to make sure that these areas are opened up and that our counties harness their potential. The definition of high potential areas must include all areas in this country. In the past, we would not have believed that Turkana is a high potential area. But now that we have oil there, it is considered as a high potential area. Therefore, we need to invest in all parts of the country without discrimination. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to give my comments on the Presidential Speech which was delivered to us on 16th April, 2013. As has been said before, President’s from developing countries give a lot of promises, but actually implement only one per cent, or nothing at all. I stand here to give our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) the benefit of the doubt and to state that his Speech was full of content both positive and negative, but I want to be optimistic because Rome was not built in a day. Since he has not had time to implement, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. In his opening remarks, he pledged to work with both sides of the political divide. This is the test he is going to pass or fail by the time he is through with naming his first Cabinet in a few hours, days or weeks. He has already named four of them and we are yet to see more. If he really means that he is going to work from both sides of the political divide, we want to see him having the substance to appoint certain personalities who do not pledge loyalty to him, but who he believes have got what it takes to run those Ministries. He also accepted, and this I take with a lot of excitement, the under- performance of key Ministries like agriculture, manufacturing and transport. But in my opinion, I believe there are others like health and education. It takes somebody to accept that they are ill for them to start the healing process. For the CEO of this nation to accept that we are under-performing, it gives me the hope that he realizes that we need to change our governance structures and that he will do something about it. This is really going to be a logistics hub for the transport sector. I would have liked to see him encourage all key sectors to establish this kind of a hub, so that we have a hub for logistics in the health sector, agriculture, education and all that. We want to have a point of reference for most of the key pillars of economic development. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, he also promised to restructure the disbursement of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) and the Women Enterprise Development Fund (WEDF) in the format of the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). That was encouraging. It is actually devolving that to the grassroots. He also promised to respect the Constitution. I want to state that the nation was waiting to hear what he had to say to this, knowing fully that he led the brigade that actually opposed the new Constitution that was promulgated. We, as a nation, wanted to know what he was going to state about this. There has been fear among a majority of Kenyans that he does not have what it takes or the goodwill to implement the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

Order, hon. Senator! Your time is up!

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you very much for sparing the eye to see me this evening. I started standing from yesterday and I was almost giving up, but all is not lost. I start by congratulating you for being elected as the Deputy Speaker and I also congratulate everybody here for having got the slot to come to the Senate and be a Member of the Upper House. I salute the President for being what he has been and for winning the presidency. I also want to thank the residents of Kirinyaga for electing me to the Eleventh Parliament. I was here in the Ninth Parliament where we did a lot of work with the present speakers. I do agree that the Speech was good and up to the point. That is the reason most of us are here so that they can talk about the Presidential Speech. It was an inspiring speech. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Speech talks about the constitutional changes and constitutional making. I am sure you were here in 2004/2005 to make this constitution and it has now come to be in place in this Eleventh Parliament and with the Government that we have been looking forward to. It is important, therefore, to note that I being one of the victims of the Constitution, I have noted that it has brought a lot of reforms, especially in the judiciary where it is possible to dispense 180 petition cases unlike before. I had won in 2007 and stayed in the cold for almost four years, when I was still petitioning. I won the case and Kriegler came all the way from South Africa to say that I had won the election. So, it is through that struggle that we get to know that a lot of reforms are underway and that is why we can afford even to talk here about devolution, petitions which will be dispensed off within six months and the good things which have been initiated, as is read in the Presidential Speech. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I was seated here from yesterday, I heard and noted quite a lot of contradictions from the Members of this Senate. Some of them have been senior Ministers in the past Government and did not do much when they were in those positions. They were not able to arrest the numerous corruption scandals which took place in the Government that they served. What they said towards the end was that the infrastructure is bad and roads have not been developed. They also said that some The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. Sen. Karaba has alluded to the fact that “tractors” were taken to a certain area and we know these “tractors” meant the settlements in Mpeketoni. If the hon. Senator---

What is your point of order?

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, is he trying to imply that the local community there could not have ploughed that land?

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is true. If tomorrow we are treated to another lecture by the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), you will note that Mpeketoni itself as a region has a higher GDP than the whole of Lamu District. That is true and there is nothing to hide. So, we should specialize in maximizing production of the natural resources that we have in our areas. I would expect those people who are good in fishing to continue fishing, so that we get more fish. That is all I am trying to say. Those people who are good in agriculture should be allowed to farm and provide food to those people who need the food so that we can talk about food surplus. That is what should happen. If you go the United States of America or Israel, that is what is happening. It is not that all the states of America are good to live in; there are some states which are very bad. They have been marginalized the way you are talking here, but in America, some states are over- productive. That is what they tend to share in the form of subsidy levels and payment to those people who cannot afford to grow cotton during the time of crop failure. That is happening even today. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, so, whatever is happening in those great countries like America, it is also possible to also do it in Kenya. Those people who have good agricultural lands like those who live in the five water towers in the Mau, Elgon, Mt. Kenya and Cherangany, should continue harnessing that water which is coming from there and make use of it. The surplus water can be harnessed in dams. We should construct dams along those rivers. This is possible because it has happened elsewhere. That is the only way we can grow more crops even during drought because, every three months after the rainy season, people start crying that there is shortage of food whereas today they crying about floods. That is something that can be stopped. In Kirinyaga, we have three major crops; tea, coffee and rice. We have the best rice in Africa and, possibly, in the world. I hope that during this period, we are going to form our own cartels---

Order! Sen. Karaba, you will have five more minutes when we next resume. Hon. Senators, it is now time for interruption of business. The House stands adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday 25th April, 2013, at 2.30 p.m. The Senate rose at 6.30 p.m. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate.