Clerk, do we have quorum?

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

Serjeant-at-Arms, I am informed we now have quorum. Kindly, stop the Bell. Clerk, proceed to call the first Order, please.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of Senate, today, 5th December, 2023- The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) 2021/2022 Annual Report.

The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of Senate, today, 5th December, 2023- Report of the Standing Committee on Energy on its consideration of the Energy (Amendment) Bill (Senate Bills No. 42 of 2023).

Next Order, Clerk.

Sen. Methu, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53(1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources regarding the registration of Lake Ol’ Bolossat as a national reserve.

In the Statement, the Committee should-

(1) Explain the status of registration of Lake Ol’ Bolossat as a national reserve giving the status of surveying and beaconing of the land around the lake.

(2) Outline any measures in place, by the Ministry, to conserve the Lake Ol’ Bolossat ecosystem, including the protection of the streams feeding water into Lake Ol’ Bolossat.

I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Wafula, proceed.

The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Sen. Wafula is not here. Therefore, the Statement is dropped.

Sen. Okenyuri, proceed. Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, please approach the Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53(1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Education, regarding the career growth path for teachers hired by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on contractual terms. In the Statement, the Committee should- (1) State the total number of teachers currently employed by TSC on non- permanent and pensionable terms, and state how many are hired per each year of recruitment. (2) Explain whether these contract-employed teachers are eligible for employment within the TS on permanent and pensionable terms and ascertain claims that they are discriminated against during regular replacements, recruitments or employment of permanent and pensionable teachers by TSC. (3) Provide any plans in place by TSC for career progression to ensure growth and advancement in the careers of these young contract-employed teachers and indicate where in the TSC Human Resource Policy or Regulations such a plan is captured. Thank you.

We will now go back to statements pursuant to Standing Order No.52(1). We ought to have started with those ones, but they were not listed. Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, kindly proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.52(1) to make a Statement on a matter of general topical concern, namely; the progress made in the betterment of our nation and Kakamega County, in particular, since the General Elections that were held in August, 2022. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

On 8th December, 2023, this week, the Senate will proceed to a recess to mark the end of the Second Session of the current Parliament, a year and two months after the hotly contested 2022 General Elections. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am truly grateful to the people of Kakamega County who voted me in as their Senator, with more than 300,000 votes. I am grateful to the Speaker of the Senate and the Senate membership in general, including the staff who have made our work a stunning success. In particular, I thank fellow Senators who have allowed and supported me in the discharge of my responsibilities as the Majority Whip. Ladies and gentlemen, colleague Senators, I thank you. To the people of Kakamega County, I would like to address them on the following- 1. The Mumias Sugar Company, the sugarcane growing sector and the sugar industry; 2. Road infrastructure; 3. Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital; 4. Housing; and, 5. Kakamega Airstrip. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as we all know, the sugar industry has gone through very difficult times. Sugarcane farmers continue to endure difficulties very well known to us, ranging from the high cost of farm inputs, expensive labour, low payment per ton of produce, difficulties in accessing harvest permits and corruption within the industry. I have fought against all these challenges with support from some of our elected Members of Parliament (MPs). I am glad to inform you that the future looks bright. I thank Butali and West Kenya Sugar companies who have been accommodative of some of our demands and requests for the betterment of the sugar industry. I thank Mr. Sarbi Rai, the new investor of Mumias Sugar Company, for the zeal he has demonstrated for revival of Mumias Sugar Company. He has put the nucleus estate under cane and on 1st December, 2023, the new investor has started crushing cane. We are, indeed, grateful. Further, I thank the President of the Republic of Kenya, H.E Hon. (Dr.) William Samoei Ruto for his support in stamping out cartels from the sugar industry and writing off the debts amounting to Kshs117 billion that were owed by the sugar companies. This has allowed the companies to start on a clean slate. Allow me to say, we will never forget that mambo matatu was born in Kakamega. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am pleased that as we go on recess, Butali and West Kenya Sugar companies have announced an increased payment rate of Kshs6,020 per tonne of harvested cane and delivered by our farmers, with a commitment that farmers be paid within seven days of delivery. I am even more grateful to the new investor in Mumias Sugar Company who has announced a higher payment rate of Kshs6,030 per tonne. Similarly, I wish to congratulate the investor in Mumias Sugar Company for his unprecedented cane development programme as evidenced by the thousands of acres of nuclear farm that he has put under cane development. I wish to note that the Senate is The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

currently working on legislation from the National Assembly that seeks to improve sugarcane farming and the sugar industry. Even with all the progress registered, there is still much to do, particularly with regard to the importation of sugar that ultimately impacts negatively on the sugar industry. Therefore, I urge the Presidency and the National Treasury to develop a friendly sugar importation policy that could include an opportunity for sugar out-grower companies to be sharing in the benefit of importation of sugar when there is a deficit. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on the matter of road infrastructure, I am pleased that the President has lived up to his manifesto which committed to improve road infrastructure. In Kakamega County, this is evidenced by the ongoing upgrading to bitumen standard of the Ikoli-Kimang’eti-Malava-Samitsi-Navokholo-Chebuyusi Road and the Turbo- Seregea-Soy Road. The Government plans to also complete the Lurambi-Shikoti- Ingotse–Nambacha-Dorofu-Musikoma Road C41, that was advertised on Monday last week. I plead with the people of Kakamega County to appreciate that the Government cannot fix all our roads in one financial year. Therefore, I urge them to be contented with the completion of the above roads in the meantime, before embarking on the other deserving roads. I thank the Governor of Kakamega County--- Sorry! I beg your pardon. I thank the former Governor of Kakamega County H.E. Hon. Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya.

I thank him for having initiated the expansion of the former Kakamega Provincial General Hospital into a 750 bed capacity hospital. I also thank the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) for establishing a Medical School at the University. It is my dream to have the Medical School of MMUST to partner with the former Provincial General Hospital to ensure that we establish the Kakamega Teaching and Referral Hospital. I thank the President for his commitment towards this and MMUST for their commitment to the realisation of this project. I urge the current Governor of Kakamega County, Hon. FCPA Fernandes Barasa, to see the big picture and handover this project to the national Government and see the hospital become a Level 6 hospital in our region that will serve six million people. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on housing, I thank the President for kicking off the construction of 4,000 houses under the Affordable Housing Project in Milimani area in Kakamega County. The works are underway and everybody is happy. I urge the President to stay the course. I am aware of the hue and cry of the former residents of Milimani area over the ongoing demolitions of their houses. I assure them that once completed the ongoing project will mitigate the current pain, which will include them being given a first charge on the ownership of the new houses. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

I urge the President to go the whole hog and ensure the successful flushing out of all land grabbers, particularly with regard to Bukhungu Stadium land, former showground land, the Approved School land, Mudiri Estate land and Otiende Estate land, that are all in possession of land grabbers. This lands must be repossessed to pave way for the current ambitious plan of development. On to the final matter, I am saddened to report to the people of Kakamega County that the Governor and 12 MPs from Kakamega County, resolved to halt the expansion of Kakamega Airstrip at Ibwichina, Muranda Ward, Shinyalu Constituency. It was the pretext that the County Government could not afford the Kshs400 million meant to compensate the residents, to pave way for the expansion of the Airstrip. I vehemently oppose this resolution and note that it is cheaper to expand than to build an entirely new airport. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would also like to report that I sought a meeting with the President. In that meeting, he agreed to fund half of the Kshs400 million budget for the project. This agreement was communicated to the Governor of Kakamega County by the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen, thereafter, the Governor, together with the majority of MPs, further resolved in a meeting in a hotel in Mombasa County, that a new airport be built in Shikusa area. A position that was presented to the President through a Memorandum. I refuse to be party to this misadventure given the tortuous process of acquisition of the forestland to pave way for the airport. I am afraid that the future of this airport now remains bleak. I assure my people that the fight is not lost and reiterate that he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, Sir. Allow me, while still on my feet, to make my second Statement. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.52(1) to make a Statement on a matter of national and general topical concern, namely; the demise of former Bungoma South and Kanduyi constituencies MP, Hon. Lawrence Sifuna. He passed away on Saturday while undergoing treatment at an Eldoret hospital. We are seated here as the Senate, being a product of decades of constitutional reforms that can be traced to the relentless fight by our second liberation warriors in the 1980s and 1990s. These men and women risked life, limb and property to demand greater freedoms, free speech and sustainable constitutional order that could protect our democracy. Without them, we would probably still be under one party dictatorship with an emasculated Parliament. When the roll call of honour of these great sons and daughters of the struggle is unleashed, I dare say without a doubt that Hon. Lawrence Simiyu Sifuna will take his place of pride. Hon. Sifuna is survived in this House by his nephew, the distinguished Senator for Nairobi City County, Sen. Edwin Sifuna. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, many Kenyans who have kept abreast with our political history will certainly remember the famous phrase "seven bearded sisters", coined by the former Attorney-General, Sir. Charles Njonjo. Hon. Njonjo was referring to an indomitable cast of parliamentary firebrands and debaters, which included the Hon. Members of the following creed: Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, Hon. James Orengo, Hon. Abuya, Hon. Onyango Midika, Hon. Koigi Wamwere, Hon. Chibule wa Tsuma and Hon. Mashengu wa Mwachofi. What may not be clear to many today is that this name was based on the seven members who were uncompromising in their stands when national issues came to the Floor of the House. They were fearless and principled in defending the people. This group sowed the seed of liberation that would germinate in the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1992. There is no gainsaying that the contribution of Hon. Lawrence Sifuna was an integral part of this. Outside Parliament, Hon. Sifuna was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a farmer and a perennial defender of sugarcane farmers' rights. Sugarcane farmers are much the poorer today without him as, indeed, his recent absence from the public scene has coincided with the decline of the sugar sector under the weight of mismanagement and corruption. Hon. Sifuna is dying in shame about Nzoia Sugar Company. His charisma, gift of the gab and incorruptible ideology endeared him to the people in ways that modern politicians would envy. This is why the late Hon. Sifuna was elected Bungoma South MP in 1979, re-elected in 1983 and 1988, even though he was rigged out in the infamous Mlolongo voting system. This did not stop him and he romped back home in a landslide win as Kanduyi Constituency MP in 1992 on a Ford Asili ticket; in a region that riding against the Ford Kenya wave that had been initiated by Hon. Masinde Muliro. The wave had swept Bungoma District that year. It is true what they say that one's goodness follows them all through up to their grave. It may not be public knowledge that in 2022, Hon. Sifuna sought a return to elective politics with a run for the Bungoma Senatorial seat in that August elections. It is possible that he would be one of us here today. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is a point of reflection. What would we have learnt from his experience? long, flawless career and service to the people and his impeccable debating skills. I am sufficiently convicted to believe that we have many lessons to learn from him and his peers. They saw the map of Kenya as one indivisible entity and fought to keep it as one nationhood as a whole. The emergence of divisive politics based on ethnic rhetoric in the past decade or so, has threatened this nationhood. This is something Hon. Sifuna would have opposed in its entirety. The best way to honour the memory of the late Hon. Sifuna is to commit to sanitizing our politics and return our country to a path of growth; a path devoid of politics of ethnicity, a path to development and unity. As one more national icon rests, the rest of us have to relentlessly push a national agenda that leaves no one behind. May the soul of Hon. Laurence Simiyu Sifuna rest in peace. Sifuna is dead. Long live Sifuna. I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Hon. Senators, I will allow limited interventions, particularly on the Statement of the demise of the Late Hon. Lawrence Simiyu Sifuna. I will start with Hon. Sen. Osotsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I fully support the Statement by the Senator for Kakamega County, Hon. (Dr) Khalwale, on the demise of our great leader Lawrence Sifuna who was known to all of us. The late Hon. Sifuna is also the uncle of the Senator for Nairobi City County, Sen. Edwin Sifuna. The late Mzee Sifuna was a great friend whom I interacted with on numerous occasions. He was also a very strong Member of our Party; the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). He tried to vie for a Senatorial seat in the 2022 General Election, but did not fare well. However, the spirit to represent people remained with him. As Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale has said, he is a leader who represented the interests of the people. There is quite a lot that we can learn from him. When we are sitting in this House, the first interest is the people’s interest. That has been forgotten on many occasions. During the time of Hon. Sifuna, it was a difficult time. It was a time when we had one- party rule and dictatorship. However, leaders like Sifuna stood very firm and were on the side of the people. How I wish that when we sit in this House, the primary interest should be the people we represent; not even the political parties or the Government in power. That has to be demonstrated in the way we vote on Bills. We need to be very objective and put people ahead of any other interest. We are going to miss our great leader, Hon. Sifuna. Lucky enough, in Sifuna’s family, we have a very strong leader, Sen. Edwin Sifuna, who is the Secretary General of the biggest and most serious political party in this country, the ODM.

( Applause) As we prepare to bury our friend, the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, in Luhya they say when you cut a banana, another banana sprouts out. We are happy with the contribution that the Sifuna family is making to this country. We hope that the people of Bungoma will continue having strong leaders like Sifuna. Bungoma is known to be the home of Masinde Muliro, Wamalwa Kijana, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi and Captain. Bungoma is also known to be the home of Sen. Edwin Sifuna. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Wamatinga, you may proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I also support the Statement by Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale. People like Lawrence Sifuna, Njindo Matiba, Charles Rubia and the rest shaped the history and the destiny of this country. In the spirit of the demise of Lawrence Sifuna who has fortunately been survived by a strong politician in the name of Sen. Edwin Sifuna who I seat with in one Committee has demonstrated his commitment to liberating this country regardless of the Party position he holds, is something, we as Senators, are very proud of. It is important for politicians to learn from the likes of Lawrence Sifuna, especially those who wait until the President is out of the country and then list national assets and put them for sale. We urge the leaders who sit near the high offices to know The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

that they cannot and we will not allow them to put important national heritage assets such as the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) for sale. Today, I add my voice by joining the likes of the late Hon.Lawrence Sifuna and Hon. Koigi wa Wamwere that we cannot let a few people take us for granted by doing what they want to do in this country. It is unfortunate that as we work so hard on our promises to lower the cost of living for Kenyans, a few individuals are working on auctioning anything they can lay their hands on. We must stand as a House and oppose that move.

I stand in the same spirit of the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna and state that this country belongs to all of us. It took our parents so many years to get the country where it is today and then we hear that some people imported toxic oils. They spent billions of taxpayers’ money on oil that cannot be sold.

It is time we called out these people and tell them enough is enough. They must stop. It is such a moment when we should reflect on the things that are happening in this country. Are some of these people serious? Just the other day, I read a Statement from our former colleague who has sat in this House, the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transportation, which stated that Toyota Sienta cars, which have been bought by a majority of hustlers, should be banned from roads. I ask, are we losing our senses? When will we realize that we must work for Kenyans? In the spirit of the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, I tell Kenyans that we must stand up. We will not let anybody take advantage of them. We are going to pursue justice until we bring it to a logical conclusion. We should embrace this spirit. When we are gone, like the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, we want someone to stand in this House and say that as Senators, we spoke on the justice of the people. I stand to be counted as one who will fight for the justice of the people regardless of the people who are opposing and waiting for the President to travel out of the country to put national assets for sale. It is unacceptable. I urge my colleagues to stand up and oppose this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Oketch Gicheru, you may proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. It is a somber day. I take the opportunity to pass my sincere condolences to my friend, mentor and leader who has guided us on the Opposition side, Sen. Sifuna. I know it is a very tough moment. I understand where he has drawn some of his strength on how he sees the world. As the saying goes, the apple does not fall far away from the tree. We have seen the character The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

that Sen. Sifuna brings into politics not only in this House, but also in the country. There is somewhere he draws his strength. Mr. Speaker, Sir, being a young person in this country and reading books, left- wing politics has been one of the hardest to be in. This is because it is related to defiance and always being against the system. However, left-wing politics can also be about standing for social justice, economic equality and fighting inequality in whichever form that it comes within our borders. These are the characters and things that represent Hon. Lawrence Sifuna. If you read the history of this country, we stand today in a very strong democracy because of the giants that came before us. I wish that spirit can inspire us that, indeed, when it comes to left-wing politics, we can stand and have a country where ethnicity is not the functional equation for employing others. In our country today, you will find that two tribes are grossly over-represented in terms of employment. These are things that Hon. Lawrence Sifuna fought against. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you find that the vibrancy of Parliament is extremely compromised. This is simply because the tenets of democracy, which includes being able to separate the Executive from Parliament is completely compromised. Parliament has become an appendage of the Executive to the extent that parliamentarians that have been sent to these two Houses; the Senate and the National Assembly, are hugely compromised. They bend laws for the Executive. We have passed laws in the Senate that are against the spirit of devolution because we are constantly inclining our politics to those of being covered by the Executive. Lastly, I want to celebrate my leader, the Hon. (Rt.) Raila Amollo Odinga. I know that I should not bring him into this. However, I want to celebrate him in the context of the idea that democracy does not always mean that, if you lose elections in a number of times, you give up. I say this because in the early 1990s, Hon. Lawrence Sifuna went back home after being affected by a lot of Mlolongo voting and still won a number of elections that inspired generations. I hope that we can learn from him. As a people, we should fight for electoral justice as one thing that this country has never been able to solve. Therefore, even as we have elections in future and after the bi-partisan talks, the hardest thing that we have been able to crack even in the process that has just ended, is the issue of electoral justice. I hope that the spirit of Hon. Lawrence Sifuna will inspire the top most leadership of this country, starting from the President, the Deputy President to vigogo wa siasa, as the Waswahili will say, to solve one issue that can unite this country. After an election, a country can sit back and anybody who loses will do so genuinely and anybody who wins, does so genuinely. People will sit together and build a nation on the tenets of a functional democracy that has been elusive to this country for years. May the soul of Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, rest in eternal peace. I thank you.

Proceed, Sen. Methu. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I support the Statement that has been read by the Senator for Kakamega, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale. I also join my colleagues in sending my most sincere condolences to the family of Hon. Lawrence Sifuna. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I have not had an opportunity of meeting the Hon. gentleman, the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna. However, from what I have heard and read since I learnt of his demise, he was a very successful politician. Those of us who are in this House and in the other House that are young, have much to learn from the Hon. Lawrence Sifuna. Mr. Speaker, Sir, having been elected for the first time in 1978, he was re-elected in 1983, rigged out in 1988 and re-elected again in 1992. He even run for office in 2022 to become a Senator for Bungoma. This tells you that Hon. Lawrence Sifuna was a great man. I send my sincere condolences to the family and especially our colleague, the Senator for Nairobi, Sen. Sifuna. The many good things that have been said about the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna are a reflection in the man by the Deputy Minority Whip, Sen. Sifuna. Just like Sen. Wamatinga has said, when we just joined Parliament, Sen. Sifuna was not a very tolerant politician. He actually believed that we must see things in the lens that he sees them. He did not believe and maybe to this minute, he might not believe that what we in the Majority see is not what he sees. However, over time and being with him in the County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), he has been able to appreciate that in the same vigour, mind and spirit that he thinks his party is the best to shepherd this country, is the same spirit, effort and energy that I feel that the right person to shepherd Kenya into prosperity is none other than, Hon. Dr. William Ruto. I am very happy that over time, Sen. Sifuna has been able to appreciate the position that we, in the Majority side, take. They also have their position in the Minority side. We can always disagree but always speak our minds. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I feel very bad that I did not know Sen. Sifuna, the man that I know today, the days that we joined this Parliament. He was fronted by his party to run for chairmanship of a Committee that I serve with him, and I worked very hard to ensure that he is defeated.

I am very sorry that I did not know him then. Perhaps, if I knew what I know now, maybe he would have gotten it easier because he had the blessing of his party. However, we worked very hard to ensure that we split the Members of his party, so that he does not win. However, those are stories and regrets that are not helpful at this moment. I echo the sentiments that have been made by my colleagues. We should ask ourselves what would be written about us after we have left this Parliament and base of politics. If anybody would read a Statement like the one that has been read by Sen. (Dr.) The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Khalwale, what would be said of Sen. Methu when he was a Member of Parliament (MP) in this House? What would be written about me when I am not a Member of this Senate, retired from politics and met my maker? I will not live forever on this earth. What will be said about the man, Sen. Methu? Therefore, I send my condolences to the family of the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, my brother, Sen. Sifuna and all of you. Please, may God comfort you and your family. May the spirit of this great man rest in peace.

Proceed, Sen. Wambua.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I want to join my colleagues to pay my tribute to the late Hon. Lawrence Simiyu Sifuna. I thank Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale for reading that Statement on the Floor of the House. Lately, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale is beginning to see the light and he is saying things as they are. He has also infected Sen. Wamatinga. If that infection goes around, then this country will be a better country to live in. Mr. Speaker, Sir, how I wish we could say the same things about our colleagues when they can still hear it and do something about it. I have heard Sen. Methu, a very hardworking young Senator with a bright future, say that he does not know what will happen and what people will say about him when he is gone. I will correct him because I am his senior. I wish we could all work towards doing things today, that great things will be said about us while we are still alive. We all go through moments.

Today, I was following Senate proceedings in the United States of America (USA). The President of USA is a worried man because the Senate is about to deny him funding for assistance to Ukraine and Israel War. The Senators from the Republican Party are ganging up against a Motion to continue with that support. The President must find a way of talking to the Senators to unlock that funding. How I wish, as the Senate of the Republic of Kenya, we get to a point of walking in the footsteps of the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, that the top leadership of this country would have sleepless nights thinking about what the Senators will say and do about the decisions it makes today. The Senate of the Republic of Kenya is not a lesser Senate than the Senate in the USA. We have what it takes to hold the leadership to account for the benefit of the people. Hon. Lawrence Sifuna played in the big league. He played in the same league with the late Hon. Kijana Wamalwa, the late Hon. Gorge Moseti Anyona, the late Hon. Martin Shikuku, Hon. Koigi wa Wamwere and the late Hon. Kennedy Kiliku. These are people who believed that they were leaders not because of personal benefit, but to take this country forward, even in their young age. As I said, we all go through moments. I am happy that the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna has left behind a courageous, strong, fearless and trustworthy leader in the name and character of Sen. Edwin Sifuna. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Even in his young age, Sen. Sifuna is focused. He knows what is good for his people and pursues it. He has not suffered a lot of midlife crisis like my friend, the Senator for Narok. He is suffering some mid-life crisis if you look at the hair that he is wearing.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have a duty of care in this country. We need to stop behaving as though we are in a rush to finish up with Kenya as we know it today, in preparation to get into another Kenya. This country belongs to each one of us, our children and grandchildren. Barack Obama, the former President of USA said, and I quote- “We have not inherited this land from our forebears, we have borrowed it from our children.” We have a duty to safeguard the interest and the assets of this country. As I conclude, I thank Sen. Wamatinga for seeing the light and speaking openly about it. We cannot auction this country for immediate benefit. Who sells Government assets such as the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) and the Kenya Pipeline Company? Who does that? I thank the team in Kenya Kwanza who have seen the light and are saying that these assets will be sold over their dead bodies. I thank you.

Sen. Chute, you may have the Floor.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. As I was watching YouTube last night, I came to know that Hon. Lawrence Sifuna was dead. What I did not know was that, the gentleman seated over there, the Senator of Nairobi City County, is related to Hon. Lawrence Sifuna. Now I know where his ability comes from. It is genetics. I also thank Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale for bringing this Statement. When I saw the video, I went through history to check what he did during his time in Parliament. I was surprised to know that he was among a very few Members of Parliament (MPs) then, who could speak against the Government when things were so bad that one could not even talk against the then Government. We had other leaders such as Hon. Koigi wa Wamwere, Hon. James Orengo, Hon. Abuya Abuya and Hon. Chibule wa Tsuma. Not forgetting others such as Hon. Onyango Midika, Hon. Mwashengu wa Mwachofi, Hon. Philomena Chelagat Mutai, Hon. Jean-Marie Seroney and Hon. Martin Shikuku. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are 47 elected MPs in the Senate. What we need to know is that history will remember us with what we have done for this country. These 47 Senators are representing 50 million Kenyans. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

I always ask myself, “am I representing people or an interest?”. It could be interest of an individual or my party, whether it is the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) or the United Democratic Alliance (UDA). Hon. Lawrence Sifuna was elected as the first MP for Bumula Constituency. Of course, he lost the seat to Morris Makhanu in 1988, who was the then North Eastern Provincial Commissioner (PC). I remember him as I was still very young. Hon. Lawrence Sifuna recaptured his seat in 1992 under FORD-Asili, if I am not wrong. He was an international accountant. If you look at history, those people who are gone decided to fight for this country and not their stomachs. If you fight for yourself, you cannot fight for the country. You cannot do both. You either choose to “eat” or fight for this country.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, Sen. Wamatinga talked about oil. If you can remember, five months ago, I brought a Statement to this honorable House. I had all the documents showing that the Government has lost billions of Kenya shillings through this oil. Many wondered what this guy from Marsabit County was talking about. However, today, they know the Senator of Marsabit was talking about money in billions of Kenya shillings lost under a deal which is supposed to reduce the cost of living in this country. Instead of reducing the cost, a few people sat in a hotel in Dubai and exaggerated the price by more than 30 per cent. That oil is in cans and drums just stored in over 11 go downs, yet, it can be sold. Mr. Speaker, Sir, two days ago, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBS) had a certificate that showed that the same oil was declared unfit for human consumption and should be returned to the sender within 30 days. If not, the responsibility will go to the importer, but the entire consignment will be destroyed. That consignment is going to cost the people of this country billions of shillings. I urge distinguished Senators that we should not talk about which party we belong to. Let us talk about this country. Let us put our country Kenya and its people as our number one priority. What is happening now is that people are very uncomfortable with the issues happening in this country. I see that we are heading back to the Nyayo era.

I am saying this because people have decided to sell properties that belong to the people of Kenya when the President is away. These properties belong to the people of Kenya. The Government holds brief for Kenyans. It does not own any property and the people of Kenya own whatever is in this country. Some months ago, I talked about the Buxton houses in Mombasa. As we speak right now, that land is gone and the people of Kenya have lost billions of monies. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also thank Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale who contributed to the issue of Buxton. Some people forget that our Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale has also contributed a lot for The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

this country, but because he is alive--- They will start talking after he has died. They will say he was good; he was this and that. I say today that Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale is also among those people I mentioned earlier. He has contributed heavily to this country and, of late, he has become neutral. This is what we should be---

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am seeing a trend in this country that ‘it is our time to eat.’

Mr. Speaker, Sir, please, Sen. Cherarkey to---

Order, Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale and Sen. Cherarkey. Sen. Chute, your colleagues are on queue. Kindly proceed to conclude.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I will conclude by giving my sincere condolences to the family and friends of hon. Lawrence Sifuna as well as my colleague, the Senator for Nairobi City County.

Sen. (Prof.) Tom Ojienda, SC. Sen. Olekina.

I thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I join my colleagues in eulogizing a true left-wing politician, someone whose contribution to the public service will be remembered because of his unwavering dedication to fight for the rights of the under- privileged. When I was growing up, the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna played a critical role in shaping the lives of many people in this country who went against the status quo. He fought against Government’s policies when people could not dare do that. He criticized a very powerful man, the former Attorney-General, the late Charles Njonjo, in terms of the policies we are witnessing today. It is the spirit of the late Lawrence Sifuna that is now troubling us. It is the one that is making us restless, such that you can hear my good friend and Chairperson of the Committee on Energy, criticizing a Government he helped form. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it is important and imperative that we remain committed to fighting for those people who have given us an opportunity to be seen and represent them in this august House. My good friend, the Deputy Minority Leader, stood here and said many things, but I want to remind him what the Bible says. In 1st Timothy 4:12, the Bible says that no one should despise the youth. The youth should be allowed to explore their lives and even keep the hair that they want to keep. When we stand here troubled by the spirit of the departed soul, the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, and talk about all the challenges, what is hypocritical is - Mr. Speaker, Sir, allow me to be as candid as possible - seeing my colleagues from the other side of the aisle criticizing policies of the Government they advocate for on a daily basis. They cannot even dare say thank you to the Rt. hon. Raila Amollo Odinga for going to court to stop this menace. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there is this culture of trying to line your pockets to a point where you think that when you will finally depart, you will go with those assets you have The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

amassed in this world. What is ailing this country? I do not know why we should stand here and all blame President Ruto. It is legislators who pass these laws. It is us to blame for all the challenges we are going through. Can we please bring a mirror, look at it and say that if the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) is sold, it is me to blame because who is President Ruto? Yes, he is the President, but you are the one giving him the power to sell it. We should stop lying to Kenyans and become honest. Let the spirit that is troubling us of the departed soul, a true left-wing who fought for the rights of the people who suffer, continue to trouble us to a point where we will say no because they are the ones who shaped the future of this country. They are the ones who started fighting for liberation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, it saddens me to see most of us, either Jewish, Hindu, Christian or whatever religion we confess, stand here and blame someone else, not knowing that it is you; and it behoves you as a person, to live this world a better place. Today, we are very spiritual and I am extremely spiritual. In Psalms 116: 14, the Bible says that- “I will pay all my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.” It is about time we start asking ourselves what enough is. Is our salary enough? Mr. Speaker, Sir, we talked about the issue of the oil and what people do not know is that our financial institutions, especially the ones that are partly owned by the Government, are being brought down to a halt. When a government pushes a financial institution to open a letter of credit for Kshs20 billion, then what happens? They import the oil; the oil comes here; it is frozen and then the manufacturing companies that were manufacturing it before, who were told that what they are manufacturing is substandard, are now forced to buy it. The problem is that we do not like being honest. They are being forced to buy, so that they can reprocess. No wonder people say: “What is happening in this country is that we are slowly killing ourselves.” When I was coming in, I saw a small clip of someone saying: “Listen, we voted for a government that will slowly kill you. You spend most of your time taking care of yourself; you go to clubs; you avoid getting HIV, but then you go home and buy oil that will give you cancer. However, do not worry. You can borrow Kshs500 from the Hustler Fund to go to hospital. Then when you go to the hospital, there is no medicine. So, you die forgetting that you do not have Kshs1,500 to pay for your death certificate. You leave that problem to all your neighbours.” People speak sense. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this spirit which is making us restless today of left-wing; I want to beseech my dear brothers from the other side of the aisle and even some more on this side, who believe in just selling and supporting every policy that comes in without thinking about the consequences and the other unintended consequences. May the spirit of the departed Hon. Lawrence Sifuna rest in eternal peace; as he leaves us in this country, where we have decided to rape it; we have decided to destroy it. May it trouble us to a point where we will wake up from our slumber land and remember that we must be our brother’s keepers. I want to see my Chairperson not only coming here to eulogize the late Hon. Lawrence Sifuna and take the opportunity to castigate policies of a government that he The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

really advocates for, I want to hear him proceeding further and questioning every single decision, so that when the Lord decides to call us and we all go, someone will sit there and say, ‘yes, he did this and that.’ Otherwise, we will not be remembered. I thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. On behalf of the great people of Elgeyo-Marakwet County, I take this opportunity to convey my sincere condolences to the family of the late Hon. Lawrence Simiyu, whom I knew while I was in school reading about him. Recently, I came to know that he is a relative to my colleague, who is also a Member of the Committee on Energy, Sen. Edwin Sifuna. May his soul rest in eternal peace. During the time of Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, when they were in Parliament, including Chelagat Mutai and others, they did great work for this country. I do not know what has happened to us of late because both sides of the aisle; the minority and the majority, we get directions from elsewhere. Let us not cheat ourselves. The reason the other side is speaking this way is because it is very easy to speak when you are in the opposition and bash the government. If they were on this side, there would be no difference because we would have done the same being on the other side. Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale has referred to the seven bearded sisters and Chelagat Mutai was among them. She was among the seven and she was a lady. In those days, the country was under a one-party rule. I believe we need to go back there or party less, so that we do not have to subscribe to party policies. You come to this House and talk as the Senator of Elgeyo-Marakwet County. You do not get instructions from anybody because every Member, including Bishop Sen. Wambua, gets instructions from elsewhere, and that is the truth.

I want to say the truth because---

What is your point of order, Sen. Wambua?

Mr. Speaker, Sir, is it in order for Sen. Kisang to impute improper motives on the person and character of the Senator of Kitui County and a member of the clergy by misleading this House and this nation that I receive instructions from somewhere every day? Can he substantiate that? Where do I receive these orders from and from who?

Yes, Sen. Kisang.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I know he gets instructions from the people of Kitui County.

Proceed. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, he is in this House because he is the representative of the people of Kitui County. They would all have been here, but the House is not enough. However, we need to reflect as a House. We need to check ourselves so that we also have independence of the House. We have the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive. It is high time that we ensured that we work as per the mandate that the Constitution gives us. We need to go back to those days of Hon. Lawrence Sifuna and Hon. Martin Shikuku. The people we are talking about died poor, but the problem that we now have as legislators is that everybody is looking for money. You want to be on the list of billionaires; I do not know why. I mean, our salaries should be enough. We are overpaid. If systems work properly, where we do not have to go for harambees every day, even that salary that we are paid should be cut by a half and we live on it. However, because systems are not working well. We have to pay school fees, funerals and all manner of things. Maybe that is why it is becoming very difficult for us to be independent. You want to go to this and that office and get a contract. You want to look correct. Even the Minority have joined the rest to look correct. I thank you.

Asante Bw. Spika kwa kunipa fursa hii ili kuomboleza mwenda zake Mhe. Lawrence Sifuna ambaye alihudumu kama Mbunge katika Bunge la Kitaifa. Kifo cha mwenda zake Sifuna kimepokonya nchi hii mmoja wa viongozi wa ukombozi wa pili ambao walijitolea kihali na mali kuhakikisha ya kwamba tunapata ukombozi wa pili ambao ulikuwa ni ukombozi ambao sisi zote tunaweza kujivunia. Kujitolea kwake na wale wengine ambao walipigania ukombozi wa pili, akiwemo Baba Raila Amollo Odinga na wengine ni ushahidi wa kutosha ya kwamba wale ambao wamepigania nchi hii, wameweza kuipeleka nchi mbele na kwa sasa tunajivunia demokrasia ambayo tuko nayo katika nchi yetu ya Kenya. Jambo la kusikitisha ni kwamba yale yote ambayo yameweza kupatikana katika ukombozi wa pili, katika hali tuliyo nayo, sasa yote yameanza kudidimia. Tumeona hivi majuzi baadhi ya rasilimali za nchi kama vile Jumba la Mikutano la KICC, Shirika la Kenya Pipeline na zingine zimewekwa kwenye mnada kuuzwa ili inasemekana itasaidia kupunguza madeni ambayo nchi hii iko nayo. Mashirika haya yalipoundwa, kulikuweko na umuhimu na dharura ya kuwa na mashirika kama hayo. Kwa mfano, Kenya Pipeline Corporation ambayo ilianza pale Jomvu, karibu na nyumbani kwetu, ni shirika ambalo limechangia pakubwa kupunguza gharama ya mafuta katika nchi yetu ya Kenya. Hii ni kwa sababu mafuta yanapelekwa na pipeline kutoka Kaunti ya Mombasa mpaka Kaunti ya Nairobi na Western - Eldoret - halafu inafikishwa nchi ambayo ni rahisi zaidi kuliko kutumia magari, kuyatoa Kaunti ya Mombasa mpaka Eldoret. Shirika kama hili lina kazi muhimu ya kuweza kuhakikisha kwamba bei ya mafuta haikurupuki tukashindwa kulipa. Likipelekwa katika mikono ya watu binafsi, itakuwa hasara kwa nchi. Hii ni kwa sababu huduma ambayo shirika hili linatoa ni huduma ambayo ikipeanwa kwa mikono ya kibinafsi, sisi wananchi hatuna uwezo wa kujua kitu gani kinaendelea na zile ambazo zinawekwa pale. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Bw. Spika, jambo lingine la kusikitisha ni kwamba juzi, Shirika la Kenya

ambalo pia liko Magongo, Kaunti ya Mombasa, lilipelekwa likawekwa pamoja na Shirika la Kenya Pipeline Company Limited. Kama Kenya PipelineCompany Limited ilikuwa yauzwa, kwa nini wakafanya haraka ya kuliunganisha na Shirika la Kenya Petroleum Refineries? Kutoka Kenya Petroleum Refineries isimamishwe mwaka 2013, mpaka sasa bado inaendelea kufanya kazi ya kuweka mafuta na wanapata faida ambayo inaenda kwa Serikali. Tunapoomboleza hayati Sifuna, sisi ambao tuko uongozini sasa ni lazima tuwe mstari wa mbele kulinda maslahi ya wananchi ambao wametuchagua. Hatuwezi kufanya hivyo ikiwa tutaangalia maslahi ya kibinafsi. Nimefurahi kwamba Sen. Chute na Sen. Wamatinga wameweza kuona ukweli na wanaendelea pole pole ‘kuokoka’ na Mwenyezi Mungu atawasaidia waweze kuokoka na lindi ambalo limetanda usoni mwao.

Hon. Senators, we will terminate at that point and allow Sen. Sifuna to speak last.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I say thank you to Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale for bringing this Statement and all my colleague Senators who have spoken about the late Lawrence Sifuna. On behalf of my entire family, I say thank you for also allowing colleagues to mourn this great gentleman. As Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale will bear me witness, there is a Luhya word for your mother’s brother, but there is not one for your father’s brother. We call them “our father”. That is why many people in the country naturally assumed that Lawrence Sifuna was my dad. In the family that my father comes from, there were five boys and my father follows the late Lawrence Sifuna. His public exploits are things that people can speak about the whole day. For us, we remember him for things that he taught us at a personal level. There is something he used to keep telling us all the time. The first one was that a good name is better than riches. In fact, we have a responsibility to put the reputation of the name that you bear before anything else. As somebody has spoken here, many of the Members of Parliament (MPs) who were elected in the 1970s and 1980s are not rich. He used to say this every time because sometimes we see some jokes and memes on social media where children are asking their parents, ‘when people were grabbing land on Mombasa Road when it was still a field, where were you?’ Not everybody is wired like that. The name ‘Sifuna’ was brought to the national and international prominence by Lawrence, and it has opened doors for many of us. Anybody who bears that name, including myself, has seen the benefit of having such a powerful and clean name. It has opened doors for me. I doubt that my path to leadership would have been as easy as it has been if I bore another name other than Sifuna. This is because everywhere you went in this Republic, the moment you mentioned the name, they would ask if you are related to Lawrence. He also used to tell us that it is only an open palm that receives things. In fact, if you receive things and you clench your fist all the time and do not want to share it with people, you are preventing other things from coming into that same hand. You need to be generous with the little that you have. He was generous; he would deny himself things. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

All of us in our family, from his brothers to us, his children, nephews and nieces, he took us to school; he had a path in our education. Nobody who carries that name can say that they did not pass through the hands of Lawrence Sifuna. He liked good things. He is the one who introduced me to whiskey. For some reason, he believed that a certain brand of whiskey called Bond 7 was the best in the world; I do not know why. He used to drink it with hot water and lime. For many years, that is how I drunk my whiskey because he could make you believe that this is the best whiskey in the world, just from describing it. While attending some of his speeches on the podium, it is just that those days we did not have the sort of filming equipment and television cameras like we do now, but Uncle Lawrence would move a crowd. We, as politicians, know. When you are speaking, you can tell when you have captured the imagination of the people. We would leave those rallies convinced that he was going to win the election. In 1988 I was only six years old. I was living in Kitinda Village where my grandmother’s house was. The reason I remember knowing that Lawrence had lost the election in 1988, is his people came back wailing. It was as if somebody had died. I remember my grandmother crying saying they have lost the election. The reason Uncle Lawrence was rigged out in 1988 is because although he was elected in 1979 on a Kenya African National Union (KANU) ticket, he used to speak truth to power. When things were not as right as they should be, he used to stand up the way Sen. Wamatinga has done today, and say it was something he would not support. I thank all of you for the kind words that you have sent. In fact, one of the other things he used to tell us is that cleanliness is next to Godliness. He insisted on cleanliness of body and mind. The way I am looking right now, I could not go and see Uncle Lawrence. You have to pass by a barber. Of course, Sen. Olekina would be kicked out at the gate.

He used to wake up every morning to brush his hair, so that it looks as neat as it looked. He believed that we needed to be presentable all the time. In fact, when I went to Eldoret to collect his body, it was the first time in my life to see my uncle unshaved. He used to wake up every morning and would be clean- shaven every time, and he used to insist on that. I take this opportunity to thank Members of the House for all your condolences. If you are able to join us on the 16th in Bungoma County, we will be laying him to rest. Up to now, I appreciate every single person in the country and even those outside the country who have sent us messages of condolences.

Before we move to the remaining Statements, allow me to make a Communication.

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Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Speakers gallery this afternoon, of visiting delegation from the County Assembly of Turkana. The Delegation comprises eight Members and five officers of the Committee on Delegated Legislation, who are on a benchmarking visit to the counterpart in the Senate. I request each Member of the delegation to stand when called out, so that they may be acknowledged in the Senate tradition- 1. Hon. Phillip Ekuwam

2. Hon. Mary Arupe

3. Hon. Julius Apron 4. Hon. Samuel Aliwo 5. Hon. Anaclet Lemuya 6. Hon. Michael Apem 7. Hon. Francis Ngimusiya 8. Hon. Martha Namiin 9. Mr. Kevin Brown 10. Ms. Rhoda Atabo 11. Ms. Kennedy Lerot 12. Mr. Mark Akede 13. Mr. Justus Ajore On behalf of the Senate and my own behalf, I extend a warm welcome and wish you a fruitful visit.

I will allow the Senator for Turkana County, in under one minute, to extend some words of welcome to the delegation from Turkana County, The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

and the Senator for Nandi County, in under one minute, also to extend words of welcome to the KNUT delegation, in that order. Sen. Lomenen, kindly proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I join you in inviting Hon. Members of County Assembly (MCAs) from Turkana County. Secondly, we were in Turkana County for Senate Mashinani . I appreciate that we hosted it. Turkana County is the cradle of mankind. All of us seated here originated from Turkana. As we prepare for the December festivities, remember to go to Turkana and identify yourselves with the cradle of mankind. The hon. MCAs are committed to their legislative agenda. I also want to inform you that whatever we do, God remembers and records what we say. Turkana is a reservoir for oil. The cost of living, which is high now, will go down in the coming 10 years. The renewable energy such as solar and wind that we have been praying for is rich in Turkana. We suffer now, but I know in 10 years, God will use Turkana County to improve the economy of Kenya. We will stop being supplied with yellow maize. God will remember us at one time.

Madam Temporary, Speaker, as I finish, I would like to say that Turkana County is a fast-growing county with a land area of about 77,000 km square. I have a lot of respect for the hon. Members who are here because they changed my title from MCA to a Member of the National Assembly and now a new title of a Senator. I know---

Sen. Methu, you must allow the Senator to continue with his journey and express the dream he has of what the people will make him.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I thank the hon. Members who have visited us. I also encourage them that there is a word that says everything in this world changes. Even truth changes at one time and falsehood will also change at one time. What I can say is that they will never remain the same. After five years, they will be in several levels and not the levels they are in right now.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I need your protection.

Please wind up. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Thank you. It is important to learn from the Senate; the Upper House. To the hon. Members, as you visit this House, learn more and teach other people what you are supposed to say when you go back home.

Madam Temporary Speaker, as I finish, I know---

Sen. Dr. Khalwale and Sen. Wambua, you are about to be ruled out of order. You cannot consult like that in the House.

Madam Temporary Speaker, as I finish, as we go for recess on 7th December, 2023, I want this House to remember that Northern Kenya, especially Turkana County, is very insecure. People are dying almost every week. As we proceed for recess, the Government of Kenya must remember that the bandits---

Hold it, Sen. Lomenen. What is your point of order, Sen. Kinyua?

Madam Temporary Speaker, I heard the good Sen. Lomenen from Turkana saying that the truth changes and he quoted a certain book. I do not know what book that is because I know the truth does not change even if you bury it, it will come out as truth. I would want that book so that I can refer to it. I support him 100 per cent on what he says about banditry as we go through that in Laikipia. However, let him clarify the truth.

Sen. Lomenen, which book are you quoting?

I did not quote any book.

Sen. Kinyua, can you be more attentive when the Senator is debating?

I said this world is dynamic.

Proceed.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I said everything that we do in this world is recorded somewhere and one time, it will be retrieved. I also said that we will be going for recess and what I request from the Government and this Senate is that our people in the North are suffering and the bandits are not aware of recess and will never go for recess. When we go for recess, they will be killing our people and taking our property. Let the Government be aware that as we go for recess, the bandits and the terrorists such as Al Shabaab are not going for recess. Thank you.

Sen. Lomenen, you do not speak with such confidence that when you go for recess, the bandits will be killing the people, unless you have proof to that effect. Sen. Betty Montet, you have a statement. Resume your seat for a minute. Sen. Cherarkey was to welcome the delegates from Nandi County. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. At the onset, I want to join you and on behalf of the Senate, to welcome the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Nandi Branch to this august House. I know all of them by name; they basically come from Nandi County. I am happy they have come where they need support. I join you in welcoming and wishing them well as they do what they have to do. They are hardworking, I am happy and I congratulate them. I am told they have a new first vice-chair. Unfortunately, we lost one who used to represent them at the KNUT. Madam Temporary Speaker, I would like to mention two issues. First, is on the issue of Junior Secondary School (JSS) interns and teachers. We met the CEO of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Madam Nancy Macharia. We asked her what would happen to the interns at the expiry of their term on 31st December 2023. We want the interns on contract to be absorbed immediately under permanent and pensionable terms. Parliament had appropriated enough resources to the TSC to ensure that the JSS interns and teachers on contract are given opportunities to be on permanent and pensionable terms.

Sen. Cherarkey, confine your comments to welcoming the delegation.

Madam Temporary Speaker, you did not guide Sen. Lomenen. It is within the topic because these are teachers. Secondly, on the issue of Presidential Working Party on Education Reform, I would like to call upon the KNUT to be part of the conversation, especially on the issues of the working party on education reforms.

Sen. Miraj and Sen. Orwoba, please do not turn this Chamber into a market place. Resume your seats.

Madam Temporary Speaker, the KNUT has a critical role to play on the issue of Competency Based Curriculum (CBC)---

What is your point of order, Sen. Faki?

Madam Temporary Speaker, Sen. Faki is not on record.

Serjeant-at-Arms, please ring the Quorum Bell for ten minutes.

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Hon. Senators, there being no quorum and having rung the Bell pursuant to provisions of Standing Order No.42, the Senate stands adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday 6th December, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.

The Senate rose at 4:22 p.m.

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