Hon. Members, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 41(4), I wish to report to the House that I have received seven Messages from the Senate regarding its consideration of six Senate Bills and one National Assembly Bill. Hon. Members, the first, second, third and fourth Messages convey that on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, the Senate considered and passed the following Senate Bills, with amendments:

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table:

We have a request for a Statement by Hon. Aden Daudi to the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Proceed.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security regarding alleged irregular processing of Electronic Travel Authorisations (eTAs) for foreign nationals seeking entry into Kenya.

It is alleged that Somali passport holders who require an Electronic Travel Authorisation to enter Kenya experience inordinate delays in the processing of applications submitted through the official online platform, notwithstanding payment of the prescribed fees. It is further alleged that such applications are only expedited upon payment of between US$ 200 and US$ 250 to intermediaries who purportedly facilitate approvals through irregular channels.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation system is a critical component of Kenya’s border management and national security framework, designed to facilitate the screening and vetting of foreign nationals before they are authorised to travel to the country. Allegations that approvals are influenced by unofficial payments or involvement of third parties raise serious concerns that the integrity of the system has been compromised. This therefore undermines the credibility and effectiveness of the country’s immigration controls, thereby exposing the country to significant national security risks in which persons are admitted without proper vetting of their backgrounds. Further, such practices foster corruption and result in the loss of revenue amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars allegedly collected through these irregular payments on a daily basis.

It is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security on the following:

Where is the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security? Is there anyone who can undertake on their behalf? (Hon. Gabriel Tongoyo spoke off the record) Yes, when do you confirm to get back?

Two weeks, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Thank you. Two weeks it is. Hon. Member for Mwingi Central, did you want to welcome the students from your constituency? Give him the microphone.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. On my own behalf and that of Parliament, I welcome all the schools and accompanying delegations to Parliament and in particular, Kiviu Ikusia Primary School from my constituency. I am very proud of you. I encourage all of you to work hard and aspire to be leaders in the future.

Thank you and God bless you.

Member for Teso North.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I also want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to welcome all the schools that have come to Parliament today to observe the proceedings of the House. In particular, I wish to welcome Amagoro Junior Secondary School, which has around 150 students present here today, headed by their Headteacher, Mr Orodi. This school comes from my constituency. It is one of the biggest schools. I urge the students to observe the proceedings, work hard and learn. Some of them will come to join this august House in future.

Thank you.

Thank you. Hon. Mary Maingi, Member for Mwea, proceed.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I rise to seek a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding a tragic road accident near Murubara Bridge along the Mwea-Embu Highway in Mwea Constituency.

On the early morning of 1st August 2026, a grizzly road accident involving a parcel truck and a tuk-tuk occurred at the Murubara Bridge between Red Soil and Nice Digital Area along Makutano - Embu Highway. The accident occurred when a parcel truck that was being driven from Mwea towards Embu veered off its lane and rammed into a tuk-tuk that was headed towards Ngurubani. The head-on collision caused the death of one occupant of the parcel truck,

Is there any member of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure? Hon. Leader of the Majority Party, you can undertake on their behalf.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, let me inform the Chairperson to probably respond within a week.

Okay, thank you. Next is Hon. Munyoro, Member for Kigumo. Is he here? Proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I wish to request a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding the stalled construction of the Ngonda-Gatumbi-Gachocho Road in Kigumo Constituency.

The Ngonda-Gatumbi-Gachocho Road serves as a critical transport infrastructure for the people of Kigumo Constituency, facilitating the movement of agricultural produce, access to schools and health facilities, and connectivity between several villages within the constituency. Regrettably, construction works on this road have stalled despite the contractor, Triple N Capital Ventures Limited, purportedly having been paid all outstanding dues. Consequently, the road has continued to deteriorate at an alarming rate, with several sections rendered impassable, especially during the rainy seasons.

It is against this background that I request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure on the following:

Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, proceed.

I will respond in the next two weeks or before 21st August.

Okay. Proceed, Hon. Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I just want to inform the Chairperson. I had not seen him here. Hon. Betty Maina, who is a member of the Committee, had actually indicated to me that she had since, through the Committee, pushed for payment of the contractor's dues and Hon. Munyoro, the Member for Kigumo, knows that Hon. Betty Maina is a constituent of Kigumo Constituency and all the pending bills have since been settled. I am sure the Chairperson will get that information from the Ministry and give you a formal response. The contractors should be mobilised to get back to site. I am sure within two weeks the Chairperson has indicated that he should be able to give you a very comprehensive answer on the work that the Hon. Betty Maina has been doing in pushing for the contractor to resume on this road.

Hon. Munyoro, what do you want to say?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. You know, I never like engaging the Hon. Leader of the Majority Party, because he is senior in a profession I am in, but I think he did not understand my statement, which is requesting why, despite the contractor having been paid, they are still not on site. Two, I wanted clarification before they come back on site, whether they can maintain that road, because it is in a terrible situation.

Thank you.

I believe, Hon. Chairperson, you have noted that concern.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, that matter has been raised by Hon. Betty Maina, who is a member of my Committee and so Hon. Munyoro should relax because that matter is being pursued by a very competent Member of Murang’a County.

Thank you.

You know, I cannot raise an issue here as a Member who represents Kigumo Constituency, then the Chairperson tells me someone has raised it elsewhere. I am in this Parliament, having been elected by the people of Kigumo. I am not asking about an arbitrary matter out on the streets and I cannot be told that there is someone who has somewhere along the streets...

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

What is your point of order?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. With due respect to my good friend Hon. Munyoro, elected Members of this House have a role as per the Constitution to represent their people. Therefore, Hon. Betty Maina coming from Kigumo which is part of Murang’a and having been duly elected from Murang’a County to represent the people of Murang’a is duty bound to represent them. Hon. Betty Maina has prosecuted the

You can finish your sentence.

This is the height of disrespect by a fellow Member trying to tell me that when I am raising a pertinent question affecting our people that someone else had raised it in a committee or when they were having tea. Hon. Rutto does not come from Kigumo Constituency. So, he should leave Kigumo matters to the duly elected Member of the constituency. When I raise a matter, I am not raising it so that we debate, but I am raising it so that we get answers in this Parliament.

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

We have another point of order.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I ask the Hon. Member for Kigumo, first, to calm down because every Member of this Assembly is elected to represent the people. He is elected in Kigumo to represent the people of Kigumo. But that does not exclude the Member for Kesses who is a representative of the people in the National Assembly. The National Assembly is for Members of the National Assembly representing all the people of Kenya. That is why when we legislate here, we do not legislate only for the constituents who elected us. Therefore, the Member for Kesses has every right to speak for the people of Kigumo just like the Member for Murang’a County, Hon. Betty Maina, has every right, as a Women County Representative of the people of Murang’a, to speak for the people of Kigumo, where she hails from.

I know this because I was in the meeting with the Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary and Hon. Betty Maina where she pushed for the construction of roads in Kigumo Constituency and other constituencies in Murang’a. That is why I am offering this information. Despite that, I ask the Member for Kigumo, Hon. Munyoro, to relax. Hon. Maina is his constituent. She votes for him and, maybe, he will want to vote for her as the County Women Representative and so will all the people of Kangari and the entire Kigumo. Therefore, he should not belittle a leader because she is a woman. Women leaders have every right to speak for the people who elected them. I know where Hon. Munyoro is coming. I do not know if that has anything to do with his name, Munyoro. This is because he has a penchant for disrespecting women leaders. We must protect women leaders, whether they apply lipstick or foundation on their faces or not. They are beautiful ladies and they have every right to represent their people.

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

What is your point of order? Leader of Majority Party, there is a point of order.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I am on a point of order. Let the Member relax. She will have her say. I rose on a point of order because I have a duty as a leader in this House to protect other leaders. I have to protect the Member for Kesses and Hon. Betty Maina from being belittled by those who believe that women leaders should not speak for anybody. We must protect women leaders in this country and in this House. Therefore, when Hon. Betty Maina raised the issue, if I were the Member for Kigumo, I would have been very happy, just as the Member for Kikuyu I am very happy when my County Women Representative for Kiambu County, Hon. Ann Wamuratha, raises issues with ministries pertaining to Kikuyu Constituency. I invite Hon. Munyoro to speak for the people of Kikuyu at times, if I am not here or if I am too busy with other politics elsewhere and he finds a matter pertaining to Kikuyu Constituency. There is nothing wrong when another Member raises it.

Because Hon. Munyoro was probably busy elsewhere, that is why Hon. Betty Maina did what was right. This House transacts business in Plenary as we are doing now. The

Before you proceed, let me recognise our visitors before they leave. Hon. Members, I wish to introduce to you a delegation of senior parliamentary officers from the Senate and National Assembly of the Kingdom of Lesotho who are seated in the Speaker's Gallery. Hon. Members, the delegation is led by Hon. Khotso Manamolela and Ms Lubusing Majoro, the Deputy Clerks of the Senate and National Assemblies of the Kingdom of Lesotho respectively.

They are here on a study visit to the Parliament of Kenya to share experiences on operations and mandate of the Parliamentary Service Commission and the Parliamentary Budget Office among others. Hon. Members, on my behalf and that of the National Assembly, I welcome them to Parliament and wish them fruitful engagements during their stay in the country. Thank you.

I also wish to recognise the following schools seated in the Speaker's Gallery: Kamogoso Secondary School, Bomet Central Constituency, Bomet County and Potters House Academy, Kapseret Constituency, Uasin Gishu County. Seated in the Public Gallery is St. Kizito Mayanja School, Bumula Constituency, Bungoma County; Mogoiyuet Primary School, Narok West Constituency, Narok County and, lastly, St Mary's Primary School, Chepalungu Constituency, Bomet County. I will allow Hon. Wamboka, before we proceed, to quickly welcome them. Hon. Munyoro, we will get back to you thereafter.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I welcome all our students who made it to come and see what we do here, on behalf of the House. Particularly, I welcome Mayanja, a school from my constituency. It is one of the most popular schools. Last year, they had 352 students who sat for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). One hundred and ninety-two students went straight to university. We congratulate the head teacher of the school and the head teachers of all the schools that are here and are doing a good job. This is where we legislate; this is where we debate and this is where we oversee Government business. I would like to inform them and let them know that their Member of Parliament is one of the best debaters of this House.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Let them feel welcome.

You may proceed, Hon. Munyoro.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I want Hon. Ichung’wah to withdraw the statement that I have, in any way, disrespected my colleague. This is because I never raised the name of Hon. Betty Maina.

Secondly, requests for Statements are taken to the Speaker’s Office. The Statement was approved by that office and it was brought to this House. Is the Leader of the Majority Party telling us that the Speaker's Office is incompetent? What is he saying?

Lastly, should I consult any colleague here before I raise any matter affecting my people in Kigumo so that I am advised whether to request for a Statement or not? Hon. Ichung’wah has raised a diatribe that he is used to. He comes here and lectures us like children. We are not his children. Those things should be reserved for his house.

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

What is your point of order, Hon. Ichung’wah?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, Hon. Munyoro is attempting to put words in my mouth because he is saying that I am insinuating that the Office of the Speaker is incompetent. Just to advise Hon. Munyoro, there is a directorate in this House called the Directorate of Legislative and Procedural Services, headed by Director Kirui. That is the one that has gone through your Statement and passed it to the Office of the Clerk for approval by the Speaker. You have every right as a Member for Kigumo to ask questions and to request for statements. We were only informing you that before your Statements, another Member of this House had prosecuted that matter appropriately in the relevant committee. I even offered to tell you, when the Chair came in, that the Chair will, within two weeks, give you what Hon. Betty Maina has been doing before the committee in writing, in response to your Statement.

So, I am not saying you have no right to ask for a Statement. You have every right, but I am also duty bound, as a leader in the House, to inform you that there is another Member of this House who has done her work diligently as a representative of the people of Kigumo, Kandara and Mathioya, as a Woman Representative for Murang’a. There is nothing wrong with that. Hon. Munyoro, I have no business lecturing you; I would never want to lecture you. But of course, I will guide you and help you to be able to serve the people of Kigumo better without emotions and without being agitated over nothing. Please just relax and allow the committee to give you that Statement in two weeks, and you will be happy. You will be very happy that the people of Kigumo are being served very well by this administration. You will also be a happy man. Do not worry, Hon. Munyoro.

Next, we have a request for a Statement by the Hon. Mark Mwenje, Member for Embakasi West.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I pray that the Leader of the Majority Party will not interfere with my question by saying it has been asked by somebody else.

Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Before we proceed, allow me to just recognise a delegation of 18 students from the following schools seated in the Speaker’s Gallery:

Hon. Deputy Speaker, before I indicate the length of time it will take us to respond, let me remind Hon. Mark Mwenje, that His Excellency the President, Dr William Samoei Ruto, has committed billions of shillings for the rehabilitation of Nairobi roads. Nairobi County Government, together with the Members of this Assembly, are working hard to ensure that these roads, some of them in Kilimani and other parts of the city, are rehabilitated. Hon. Mark Mwenje, I am sure that if you interact a bit with the Nairobi County Assembly and this Assembly, you will get good information on what the President is doing to ensure that our roads in the city are motorable and to ensure that our people are able to use good roads.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, having said that, we will avail a more comprehensive Statement in two weeks. If not possible, because I have a number of Statements to respond to, we will do this after recess. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I commit.

Yes, Hon. Mwenje.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Ordinarily, I would not respond, but once again, you can see the mischief here. The Chair is telling me that I consult the Nairobi County Assembly on roads that are being done by the national Government, that the President has discussed with Nairobi County Assembly. Last time I checked, the Governor of Nairobi was Sakaja, it was not the President. But more importantly to inform him that the roads being done under that rehabilitation programme under whatever arrangement, are separate from the roads that are supposed to be maintained in Nairobi, especially by the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA).

Chairperson, Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure.

Hon. Deputy Speaker. I just want to remind Hon. Mwenje that we, as Members of this Assembly and Members of the County Assembly, do not implement Government projects. We just oversee. I just spoke about oversight and administration of these projects. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I will avail a more comprehensive response that I am sure will satisfy Hon. Mwenje, but please engage with Hon. Members like my friend, Hon. KJ. Hon. KJ is very well connected and he will be able to help you before I avail the Statement.

On a point of information, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. GK, there is a point of information.

Yes, you can inform me briefly.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I just want to inform the Chair that indeed what he is saying is very true. As the people’s representatives, we have an oversight role, just as Members of the County Assembly have an oversight role over county implemented projects. Hon. Mwenje knows that in his constituency there is a Member of the County Assembly (MCA), called Hon. Roro, who has been very keen on following up on many roads in Embakasi West Constituency. He has done exceptionally well especially in fostering collaboration between the county and national governments in the implementation and construction of roads, particularly in Embakasi West. Hon. Roro is a very active Member of the Nairobi City County Assembly, therefore, Hon. Mwenje should relax. He has very good MCAs.

Hon. Mwenje, let me allow Hon. Mbui, then you have the last word.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I am concerned about the direction that the business on Questions and Statements is taking. I am serving my third term in this House, and what I have witnessed today has never happened before. Is it in order for Members to respond to questions raised by fellow Members, purporting to provide answers that ought to come from the relevant authorities?

When the Member for Kigumo raised the issue of roads in his constituency, he was told to consult his Woman Representative. Now, the Member for Embakasi West has raised concerns about roads in his constituency and the Chairman talked of consulting Hon. KJ, while the Leader of the Majority Party is saying that he consults an MCA from his area. What direction are we taking as a House? Can we agree that when a Member raises a question, the response should come from the relevant Cabinet Secretary through the Chairperson of the relevant Committee? No other Member should purport to give answers to the questions that Members are asking. If not, I will be told that an MCA in Kathiani would respond to me on Kahani Road that I had asked about the other week.

I request that you rule on this matter so that we stop this kind of jerrymandering and campaigning for MCAs who may be intending to contest against some of our colleagues.

Yes, Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I have tremendous respect for the Member for Kathiani and the Deputy Leader of the Minority Party. However, Hon. Robert Mbui is imputing improper motives to the Leader of the Majority Party. I have not campaigned for anyone, but I am duty-bound to guide Members, just as Hon. Mbui is duty- bound to do.

All I did regarding the Member for Kigumo was to guide him that the matter had already been prosecuted. If I were the Member for Kigumo, I would have asked the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure why he was to wait for two weeks, if the matter had already been considered by the Committee following a request by the Member for Murang'a County. The Chairperson ought to have tabled the report as early as Tuesday. That is what I expected the Member for Kigumo to raise. Instead, he deviated into fights between him and the Member for Murang’a County.

My good brother, the Member for Embakasi West, knows that I am his good friend. He also knows that MCA Hon. Roro is our good friend and is aware of the work he has been doing. I have not said anything to campaign for MCA Hon. Roro. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, he had intended to run for the Nairobi Senate seat. Therefore, Hon. Mbui, when I stand here to set the record straight, I do so in the best interest of the people of Kenya. Just as you stood in your place during the Finance Bill debate and made inaccurate statements, I stood in my place to correct you. Just as I corrected your party leader, Hon. Kalonzo Musyoka, when he claimed that the Government intended to convert all freehold land into leasehold land. I stood here to set the record straight. I am duty-bound to tell Kenyans the truth. I cannot dwell on misinformation and propaganda the way some people do all the time.

In fact, I want to make peace with my brother, Hon. Robert Mbui, by asking him to bear with me because I will continue setting the record straight all the time. I am not averse to the truth. As a leader in this House, Hon. Mbui, you should allow Members to debate. Do not curtail debate simply because it does not favour you. This is a House of debate, not a church or military barracks where people take orders.

Hon. Mbui. Let us close this.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I rise because the Leader of the Majority Party has invited me to set the record straight on the matter that I had raised on the Finance Bill.

I stated that there was an attempt to increase taxation on mitumba. The word mitumba may not appear in the Bill, but "used garments" refers to what we commonly call mitumba. That provision was indeed in the Bill, and the Leader of the Majority Party knows it. It was later dropped. It had proposed moving used garments from one VAT category to another. He has invited me to clarify the matter, and I appreciate that because I also believe in the truth. Let us now put that matter to rest. But it is good that he has raised it for me to respond to it.

The provision was amended during the Committee of the whole House. Before that stage, we met with the Speaker and agreed on how we would conduct ourselves. That is the reason why I did not raise the issue on the Floor that day. For him to invite us into that debate today, then we may need to reopen the Third Reading of that Committee of the whole House and we bring that report to it. I will show him where it was before it was dropped. Therefore, when he says there was no proposal on used garments in the Finance Bill, that is incorrect.

On a point of order, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Let that be the end of that matter because we have now completely deviated from the subject before the House.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I rise under Standing Order 91 on a point on statement of fact. I am glad that my brother, Hon. Robert, the Member for Kathiani, acknowledges that I invited him to this. In fact, I was doing it deliberately.

Hon. Members, I believe the point has been made. I will now bring this debate to a close. Hon. Mbui, just respond.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. As I said, I was invited by the Leader of the Majority Party to clarify the matter. Section 31 proposed moving used garments from the exempt category to the zero-rated category. (Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah spoke off the record) Not from the standard rate.

Hon. Robert Mbui, you are debating something that is already an Act.

I just want to point out to him where it is. It is Clause 31. It was one of the changes. The change is on Paragraph 169, which talks about worn clothing and other worn articles of tariff, heading 6309, other than upon importation. So, yes, mtumba was in the Finance Bill and it is good that it was in the Bill. I also want to clarify that the proposed amendment was dropped during the Committee of the whole House. When he says that I was lying and that it was not mentioned, he is the one who is lying to the country.

Thank you.

You have made your Statement. That is sufficient. Let us close that Statement.

Hon. Members, before we proceed, allow me to... (A Member spoke off the record) I will get to you. I just want to recognise the students who are here. Hon. Members, I wish to welcome students from Kithegi Senior School from Manyata Constituency, Embu County and Kaliati Day Senior School from Tigania West Constituency, Meru County who are seated in the Speaker's Gallery. Seated in the Public Gallery is Tulwamoi Primary School from Eldama Ravine Constituency, Baringo County; Pendo Primary School from Lurambi Constituency, Kakamega County; Karigini School from Maara Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County; and St. Francesco Amani School from Chesumei, Nandi County. I will allow Hon. Mutunga, the Member for Tigania West, to welcome the students on our behalf.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to welcome the students from Kaliati Day Senior School and the other schools that have visited us today. Kaliati Day Senior School is one of the best performing schools in my constituency. I thank the teachers and parents for making it possible for the students to come and witness what happens in this House. Their progressive improved performance has enabled the mean score of the constituency to improve. To the students, this

Thank you. Allow the Member’s request to be responded to. I want an undertaking from the Chair, Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. (Hon. Musa Sirma spoke off the record) Okay, you may proceed to welcome the school.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for the opportunity. I would like to welcome Tulwamoi Primary School that comes from the neighbourhood that I come from. I want to encourage them to take interest in what is going on in Kenya. Today they are at the centre of it.

As they go back home, I want to wish them a safe journey. I encourage them to work hard and consider coming to this House in future to lead other Kenyans in our constituency, Eldama Ravin to greater heights.

Thank you. (Students from Tulwamoi Primary School clapped)

Very well. What has just happened? Who is clapping? Hon. Musa Sirma, the students are used to clapping for you in the village. That should not be the case in Parliament. Kindly, next time alert your students that we do not clap in Parliament. Everyone is shocked. However, we can see that they are very fond of you and they are very happy with your statement so we will excuse it for today.

Hon. Members, the next person with a request for a Statement is Hon. Pukose, the Member for Endebess.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security regarding the disappearance of an Administration Police Officer and the murder of a resident of Endebess Constituency.

Mr Osaya Kemei Kipketer Kaptila, ID No. 285xxx16, an Administration Police Officer of Personal Force No. 21060/2015/065202, who hails from Toboo Farm in Endebess Constituency, was last seen at the Administration Police Staff Lines in Naivasha on 29th April,

Very well. Hon. Tongoyo. Take note that there are very many cases of disappearances around the country. Give the Chair the microphone.

That is true, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As you may be aware, there was a time we had planned to have the Cabinet Secretary for Interior to appear before the Committee so that we can transact that issue in the Plenary, but that did not happen. We have given him another invitation in two weeks' time to address, largely what we had said. However, on this particular one, two weeks will be okay because I have a huge workload.

I know you have very many requests to respond to so, two weeks is fine. (Hon. Robert Pukose spoke off the record) What is it, Hon. Pukose?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, over the weekend, the father of Hosea Keter, Mr Andrew Nabukwesa, came to my home. He was crying. He has not traced where his son is since he disappeared and yet he is a police officer. I wish to request the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security to expedite the matter, preferably within a week, because it is causing great distress to the family. Nobody is speaking to them or addressing their concerns, and the matter is extremely serious.

Hon. Pukose, since you have raised the matter on their behalf, I will give the Committee a maximum of two weeks. If you receive a preliminary report earlier, kindly submit it to the member before then.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(d), I rise to make a Statement regarding the status of the Kenya–United Kingdom Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) and the steps taken to implement the House resolutions arising from the inquiry into the conduct of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). There has been grossly misleading and unfounded commentary by Hon. Rigathi Gachagua regarding the status of the Kenya-United Kingdom Defence Cooperation Agreement, specifically in relation to BATUK.

For the record, Kenya and the United Kingdom have a long history of defence cooperation and cordial diplomatic ties. Indeed, the British have maintained a military presence in Kenya since Independence through bilateral defence cooperation arrangements aimed at enhancing the defence capabilities of both countries, promoting the safety of citizens, tourists and investors, and strengthening the training of their respective armed forces. The BATUK is a permanent training support unit based mainly in Nanyuki, with a smaller element in Kahawa, Nairobi. It provides advanced military training, including preparation for peacekeeping and stabilisation missions.

The BATUK has been operating in Kenya under the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) that was ratified in 2015 pursuant to Article 2(6) of the Constitution and Section 8 of the Treaty Making and Ratification Act, 2012. In view of the five-year term of the DCA, a new agreement was submitted to the House for ratification on 6th September 2021 by the Cabinet Secretary for Defence. However, the term of the 12th Parliament lapsed before the proposed DCA could be approved.

On 24th November 2022, the DCA was resubmitted to the 13th Parliament for ratification. Following public participation, the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations recommended that the House approve its ratification on the condition that it would only come into force after amendments had been made to Articles 6(5) and 23.

Article 6 of the DCA assigns jurisdiction between Kenya and the United Kingdom over various matters, including criminal offences. Offences that do not arise in the course of official duty and are subject to Kenyan law and the jurisdiction of Kenyan courts include sexual offences, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, transnational organised crime, slavery, offences against national security and robbery.

In light of concerns raised by Kenyans, particularly regarding the unsatisfactory handling of cases involving local victims, including the murder of Agnes Wanjiru, which brought BATUK under intense public scrutiny, the National Assembly approved the proposed inclusion of murder under Article 6(5) as an offence triable by Kenyan courts. The proposed inclusion of murder in the list of offences would strengthen accountability and provide greater legal certainty for serious crimes over which Kenyans rightly expect their courts to exercise jurisdiction.

Article 23 of the Agreement requires BATUK to respect local communities, protect vulnerable persons, provide compensation where liable, and engage local communities with the consent and participation of the Kenyan authorities. Communities in Laikipia County have consistently complained that they have been sidelined by BATUK, which has concentrated

Chairperson, I have indulged you to speak outside the Statement because I sit in this Committee, but under Standing Order 44

Hon. Temporary Speaker, first, I thank the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, a committee you also sit in, for setting the record straight. The members of the Committee, you included, were accused of demanding Ksh3 billion, but fortunately, because you hail from a community that is not the Kalenjin Nation, you were not mentioned. Hon. Nelson Koech was purposely and deliberately mentioned by Hon. Rigathi Gachagua, an attempt to ethnically profile people in the Kalenjin community, which he has now perfected. It is the same attempt you saw yesterday where he tried to ethnically profile officers commanding police stations in Nairobi. I am happy that the Chair is tabling the list indicating that out of 65 officers serving police stations in Nairobi County, only 16 hail from the Kalenjin sub-tribes while 17 hail from the Mount Kenya communities; that is Kikuyu, Meru and Embu.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you can see what this person is attempting to do with the social fabric of our nation to poison the people on ethnic basis. I think the people of Kenya now know him better. I am glad that last night I saw Hon. Munya vindicating this Assembly for impeaching the former Deputy President. Hon. Munya indicated that he is indeed a bully. He is now bullying them in the Opposition.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member for Ndia, what is out of order?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have heard the Leader of the Majority Party mention Hon. Gachagua. I am seated here with Hon. Gachagua, and he is complaining that he has nothing to do with such utterances. Please clarify whom you are referring to.

Hon. GK, the Member you are seated next to would have protested. He knows it is not him.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is good to note that that name should not be used in this Parliament. He is Rigathi and not Hon. Gachagua. Thank you.

Leader of the Majority Party, you may proceed.

My apologies. I did not mean to refer to the Member for Ndaragwa, the good Hon. Gachagua. I meant the former quarter-term Deputy President and one-term Member of Parliament for Mathira, Mr Rigathi. I was saying that Mr Rigathi purported that Members of this House, under the leadership of Hon. Nelson Koech, were demanding Ksh3 billion from the Government of the United Kingdom to ratify this agreement.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to profoundly thank the immediate former Speaker, Hon. JB Muturi. Despite him being in Opposition, he stood for the truth. He set the record straight and spoke for the people of Mount Kenya and Laikipia, affirming, as the Committee has illustrated today, that the Committee and this House declined to approve the DCA, as it were, without reservations, for very good reasons.

I would like Rigathi to tell the people of Laikipia, whom he purports to speak for— although he speaks for nobody—how right it is that the family of the late Agnes Wanjiru continues to suffer in their quest for justice. They cannot get justice because the United Kingdom Government has refused to ratify the reservations that this House, under the able leadership of Members of the Departmental Committee on Defence and Foreign Relations, brought forward. Hon. Temporary Speaker, you are aware of the reservations because you, along with our Deputy Minority Whip, are Members of that Committee. Murder was excluded in the agreement. The Committee included the offence of murder.

When the DCA came in September of 2021, and Mr Rigathi was serving his first term as the Member of Parliament for Mathira. He was seated in this House. On one of the rare occasions he spoke, he stated that the House must protect local communities. That is what the House has done. We sought to protect local communities. Hon. Members from Laikipia will tell you that there are people who have been maimed by landmines left in the ground by these forces as they train in the jungles. As pastoralists graze their animals, either the animals or individuals are blown by landmines too. Those are some of the issues that were raised.

Since I became the Leader of the Majority Party, I have had at least two engagements with the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom in my office. In no uncertain terms, I have informed the High Commissioner that the reservations raised by the House must be addressed by the UK Government, and they must be addressed without exception. Agnes Wanjiru must get her rights posthumously. The Committee sought that if there are human rights violations, the victims must be compensated.

The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) submitted before the Committee that there have indeed been grave human rights violations against the people of Laikipia and neighbouring counties by the British forces, and they must be held to account. What problem

Hon. Members, there is no point of order at this time. I know this is an emotive issue. I have given the Leader of the Majority Party some time, but note that we are still on Statements at 4.00 p.m. Let us limit our time as we move ahead. I say that because I have been part of this process with the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations. The report we submitted is public and before this House. So is this Statement, which very well enumerates the issues contained in that report and provides background on how far we have come and why we took the decision we did. It shows it was for a good cause.

Before I give the next speaker, allow me to recognise the learners and teachers from Bambino Academy, Kilifi South Constituency, Kilifi County, who are seated in the Speaker's Gallery. In the Public Gallery, we have ACK Emmanuel School from Mbeere North Constituency, Embu County. They are welcome to observe the proceedings of the House.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this discussion. I will start by thanking the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations for a job well done. I have always heard that this House is a House of records. I want to appreciate that when you came to Laikipia County, you listened to the people, took down their complaints, and, when it came to presenting the report, you did it very well in this House.

That said, I get very concerned when I hear a former leader in this country say that people asked for bribes to renew the contract and the agreement, and yet we are speaking about a life; the life of Agnes Wanjiru, for which the people of Laikipia keep demanding that the person responsible be charged and convicted. This is the case, and yet 14 years later, the killer still walks free on the streets of the United Kingdom (UK) untouched.

I was sworn in to this House to protect and represent the people of Laikipia County, which is not a county of a lesser god. When it comes to discussing death in this country, a death in Laikipia County is treated as though it is not a case worthy of discussion. In fact, it is trivialised into an issue of bribes and whether money was collected. Let me give an example.

Very well. Member for Tetu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have listened to the Chair, and I indeed support the report on its merits. As a country, we have to do everything it takes to safeguard our territorial integrity and the rights of our people. However, this Motion is taking a sad, unnecessary and irrelevant turn. Whether one agrees with Hon. Gachagua or not is, for me, completely irrelevant to the question before the House. The issue the Chair is raising is whether the agreement adequately safeguards Kenya's sovereignty, ensures justice for victims, protects the interests of communities, and protects the livelihoods of those people in Laikipia, who, by the way, have lost jobs, contracts, and everything, and have to wait.

I wish to raise a concern in this House. Hon. Gachagua is becoming almost like a Motion. Even when we are debating water, the speaker contributing to matters relating to water somehow goes around everything. Instead of dealing with the issues affecting water in this country, he starts blaming him, perhaps, for a water shortage somewhere in Eldoret. When there is a power outage, instead of addressing the issues surrounding it and how we can improve power efficiency, one goes around the debate and somehow finds Hon. Gachagua in it.

I want to tell this House that it is doing a good job. This is because I am a follower of Hon. Gachagua; we are simply amplifying him and enhancing his national importance. Let us debate issues. Hon. Gachagua is on record as being a truthful man.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, please add me half a second. You know, they say…

On a point of order.

There is a point of order.

They say, if Hon. Gachagua tells you...

There is a point of order. Hon. GK.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, my good friend, the Member for Tetu, keeps reminding us that he is a follower of Hon. Gachagua, the former Deputy President. Many of us here are also followers of Dr William Ruto, yet you keep mentioning him in your meetings and rallies. Is it fair for us not to keep mentioning your leader, yet you keep mentioning ours? Therefore, please be balanced. If you are uncomfortable with us mentioning your leader, you should also be balanced about it.

Hon. GK, you have made your point. Member for Tetu, your time is almost up.

I think what Hon. GK is raising is very important. He is saying the right thing. If you can protect me a little so that I can finish…

Hold on.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Member for Tetu, Hon. Geoffrey Wandeto, who is a member of my church, is misleading the

You have made your point. Member for Tetu, you have 30 seconds.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, let me finish. I was agreeing with Hon. GK that it is completely unnecessary for us to drag any of the leaders into this issue. This is a House of debate. Mentioning a leader is something we do at political rallies, and it is correct. So, all I was saying is that let us focus on the substantive issues. We are losing focus as a House. We are amplifying Rigathi Gachagua here every day, rather than focusing on how we move.

Very well. Member for Lamu East, I see you in the queue. Would you like to speak to this? Very well, Hon. Bedzimba, you will be the last one on this.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda, kwa kunipatia nafasi ili niweze kubonyeza sauti yangu. Kwanza, naipongeza Kamati ya Ulinzi kwa kusimama kidete kuleta heshima katika hili taifa. Watu wasitumie urafiki ama uwezo wa taifa lao kuja kutukosea heshima ama kutofuata Katiba katika taifa letu. Nakubaliana nao mia fil mia kwamba wamesimama kidete kulinda heshima na haki ya Wakenya. Lazima wakiwa hapa nchini wafuate kanuni na sheria za taifa kama vile tunavyoenda kwao ukikosea kidogo, hawasemi kwamba wewe ni Mkenya ukashtakiwe Kenya, wala ufuatilizwe kule. Wanakushtaki pale pale. Kwa hivyo, nakubaliana na Kamati na nawaheshimu sana. Sote tuko pamoja katika hayo maamuzi ambayo mmefanya.

Kuhusu watu wanaotoa uvumi kwenye mikutano ama mitandao, nawaambia kitu kimoja: tunaweza kutofautiana kisiasa lakini taifa ni moja. Hakuna Kenya ingine. Wazee wetu walituachia Kenya hali ilivyo sasa ya utulivu na amani mpaka sasa tumekaa hapa. Nasi pia tunajukumu la kuhakikisha kwamba tumeleta amani. Wale watoto wetu na wajukuu wetu tuwaachie taifa lenye usalama na amani. Nakemea wale wote wanaotumia lugha mbaya na chafu ambayo inaweza kuchochea machafuko ya hili taifa. Hatuna mahali pa kwenda. Majirani wetu Somalia hatuwezi kwenda kuna matatizo. Ukienda Ethiopia, kuna shida. Ukienda South Sudan, ni balaa. Ukienda Tanzania, hawewezi kuturuhusu kuingia kwa sababu juzi tuliwatukana, hawatakubali Wakenya waende huko. Sasa tutaenda wapi? Taifa letu ni moja. Tushikane kama Wakenya licha kuwa tuna tofauti za kisiasa.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda.

Ahsante sana. Tutafungia hilo jambo hapo. Mhe. Ruweida, nilikupa nafasi ukasema hutaki kuchangia huo mjadala. Hon. Members, as I directed, we close the debate at this point and proceed to the responses.

There is still a lot of business ahead of us. Before the responses, we do the usual Statement by the Leader of the Majority Party.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, this is the usual Statement on behalf of the House Business Committee. Pursuant to Standing Order 44(2)(a), I rise to make the following statement.

With regard to business scheduled for next week, the House is expected to consider the following Bills at various stages, some of which are listed in today’s Order Paper, should they not be concluded today:

Hon. Members, before the next Statement, as we had said earlier, there are very many learners visiting Parliament. Allow me to recognise Eldoret GK High School from Moiben Constituency, Uasin Gishu County, in the Speaker’s Gallery. In the Public Gallery, we have Kapkolei School from Nandi South Constituency, Nandi County; Mulukusi School from Mbeere South Constituency, Embu County; and Kienganguru School from Mara Constituency, Tharaka Nithi County.

We welcome them to observe the proceedings of the House.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Hon. Mwenje?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise under Standing Order 42A(5). Allow me to read it:

You have made your point, and on this, Hon. Mwenje, I agree with you. Cabinet Secretaries have taken quite some time. Like the issue of disappearing children and the issue of hijackings that were to be discussed are still pending. If you heard what Hon. Tongoyo said, the Cabinet Secretary has still not been able to come to the Floor, let alone sit with the Committee. So, maybe you can give a way forward because it should have been in your Statement.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, it is true that during the budget cycle, understandably, we did not have the luxury of time on the usual Wednesday afternoons to have Cabinet Secretaries here. The Cabinet Secretary was also scheduled to appear before the House.

Hon. Mwenje knows it is not the Leader of the Majority Party who asks Cabinet Secretaries to appear. It is Members who ask Questions. I do not remember Hon. Mwenje asking any Question that requires any Cabinet Secretary. I was keenly listening to him, while I was away, to hear if he might have asked a Question that needed to be answered by any particular Cabinet Secretary. He has not tabled any Question. So, I cannot just wake up one day and ask Hon. Duale, Hon. Murkomen or the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Hon. Alice Wahome, to appear before the House. What will they answer if you have not asked Questions? However, for the Members who have filed their questions, we have scheduled Cabinet Secretaries to come and answer the questions already filed in the week after next. Therefore, I advise Hon. Mwenje that if you have any questions, file them with the Table Office. We will call any Cabinet Secretary, including the Prime Cabinet Secretary, to appear before the House.

The last person to send an apology was the Prime Cabinet Secretary, who was out of the country. The Senate does not have as much work as we do.

That is also true, Leader of the Majority Party, regarding the filled questions. However, I remember that the issue of pending questions was also raised at some point last week. I think it is also good to go through it.

Is it on the ones that are filed?

Yes, the ones that are filed, not the ones in newspapers or political rallies. They have to be filed in this House. Hon. KJ.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I agree with Hon. Mark Mwenje and also take into cognisance what the Leader of the Majority Party said. However, we are the ones in control of this House, up to and including our Standing Orders.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I suggest that, as we propose Standing Orders for the next Parliament, we be clear about the manner of invitations to Parliament, especially regarding the roles. This is because we have instances in which the Senate invites Members of the Executive to non-Senate roles. They are not devolved and have nothing to do with devolved governments. This is to ensure we also retain the time for our Cabinet Secretaries and government officials to remain in office; to serve the country and deliver their mandate, and not have them in the corridors of Parliament for an entire week, jumping from one committee to another. The roles of the Senate and the engagements with the Executive will be clearly defined. We shall also define what we need to do in Parliament for those who ask questions of the Executive.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I think there is a role for us to get this right, even as we review our Standing Orders for the next Parliament. The appearance of Cabinet Secretaries before the House has been a trial. We all know that this did not happen before. This is the first House to attempt it. We have learnt our lessons. Let us now put them into law, which is our Standing Orders.

You have made your point, Hon. KJ. I want to inform the House that amendments and proposals to amend the Standing Orders for the 14th Parliament are already underway. You can write to the Procedure and House Rules Committee, the Clerk of the National Assembly or the Hon. Speaker and it shall be debated and considered for amendment. Let us not just complain that the Senate is taking this and that; we are in control, and we can also do something about it. Therefore, the season is already here.

Hon. Members, let us go to the response to Statements. We will start with the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. I know Hon. Tongoyo has left to attend to an emergency. So, this will be deferred. The one by Hon. David Mbooni will also be deferred to next Tuesday. Regarding the response by Hon. Mutunga, Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, are you ready for Hon. Lilian Siyoi’s request for a statement?

Yes.

You have the Floor.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to respond again to the request for a statement by Hon. Lillian Siyoi concerning the shortage of fertiliser in Trans Nzoia County.

She wanted to know the causes of the ongoing shortage of top-dressing fertiliser at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots in Trans Nzoia County. The Ministry maintains that there was no national fertiliser shortage, stating that adequate stocks had been procured through framework contracts with multiple suppliers. They also said that fertiliser redemption in Trans Nzoia County increased during the 2026 long rains compared to 2025, and they have provided figures to support that. In 2026, 571,186 50kg bags of fertiliser were redeemed, compared to 544,408 in 2025. They also indicate that the planting fertiliser increased

Sorry, Hon. (Dr) Mutunga. Let me stop you for a minute to recognise a school. I stop you because I see visitors in the Speaker's gallery are leaving. I recognise Kabutiei Senior School from Tinderet Constituency in Nandi County. We welcome you to observe the proceedings of the House.

Yes.

I hope you have served Hon. Siyoi with the response. Hon. Siyoi, are you satisfied, or do you have follow-up questions?

Thank you. I am dissatisfied with the answer. I want to go directly to the answer where the Cabinet Secretary says that the rains came earlier than expected. I am just wondering who is supposed to advise farmers of this country on when the rains are going to come. Who is supposed to inform them if the rains will be delayed or come earlier?

Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, I see the Chair of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure is distracting you. I hope you have listened to Hon. Siyoi. I see on the Order Paper that you have two related Questions because Hon. Josses Lelmengit’s Question is on the prolonged drought and food security. It is quite a concern. Maybe you need to go back to the Cabinet Secretary on some of the issues.

I also think there needs to be some improvement in the relationship between the national Government and county governments. Items like distribution to the zero mile, and going towards villages call for working with county governments. You may respond to what Hon. Siyoi has asked, even as you look at what the other Question asked. It is still very relevant, although the person asking is not in the House.

Thank you very much. The Cabinet Secretary planned a breakfast meeting to understand better certain issues raised by the Hon. Members asking Questions. It would indicate exactly what they want from the questions so that the Ministry can prepare a brief. Maybe the Hon. Member never got the communication. Let the Member draft specific Questions so that we can invite the Cabinet Secretary here; he will answer all those Questions, plus others related, and that will do justice to this sector.

Hon. Chairperson, this is the second time you are responding to this Question. So, what were the follow-up questions? Are you saying that you did not know what you were responding to?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, what I said is that we were required to go back to the Ministry for further answers and the Ministry planned a breakfast meeting.

Did you inform the Member?

We invited all Members who had asked questions. Some of them came, but others did not come. They were supposed to say exactly what they needed from the question. Sometimes there could be a misunderstanding about the Question itself, the context and content of the Question and the answer that is given. So, they needed to give the breadth and depth of what they required from the Questions so that they could be answered adequately.

Having said that, I would also like to indicate that it is good for Hon. Members to re- draft any part of a question that has not been sufficiently answered. We can even invite the Cabinet Secretary to come and answer the Questions on the Floor of this House.

Hon. Chairperson, I do not know how we should ask the Cabinet Secretary the same Question three times. It looks like something is amiss.

Hon. Siyoi, did you get the communication for the meeting? What I have seen with these follow-up questions is that when the Cabinet Secretary appears before a Committee, you are able to also prosecute your issue better.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I was away and I communicated. Now that I have asked this Question more than three times, probably, my next question would be, what measures he is going to take to ensure that we do not have food insecurity in the next few months now that we are going to have a very bad harvest. If that happens and there are no measures put in place, we are going to be in trouble.

My advice would be, Hon. Siyoi, in case this matter is still not satisfactorily dealt with, you can also ask it as a Question. As the Leader of the Majority Party has said, the Cabinet Secretary can be made to appear but that can only be prompted by a Question from Members. So, I request that if you are still not satisfied, you do the same.

Hon. Pkosing?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you read my mind. I think we have come from the same place all the time for the last 15 years. I want to advise my colleague, Hon. Siyoi, to put it in the form of a Question so that the Cabinet Secretary comes here to sufficiently answer supplementary questions. What would my colleague do when the answers he has received are inadequate? He sits in this House just like myself. He will not answer supplementary questions. His response is written by someone else. So, I persuade Hon. Siyoi, my neighbour, to ask that the Cabinet Secretary be invited to appear here and ask him the Question. Let her ask the Question and let it be the first one and the Chair can help her to clarify the issues. It is true that there is a problem. Hunger will be experienced in this country, particularly, in the North Rift, where I come from, with Hon. Siyoi. Let the Hon. Chairperson take note that there is going to be a problem in the North Rift.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Very well. The next question, Hon. Mutunga. The next request for a Statement is by the Member for Ndaragwa, Hon. George Gachagua. Do you have the response?

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have the response.

He is in the House. Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Member for Ndaragwa, Hon. George Gachagua requested to know the causes of delayed payment to Guangzhou Construction Company Limited, which was constructing the Ndaragwa Horticultural Produce Market. The Statement concerns the delayed payment. This construction was a project called the Smallholder Horticulture Marketing Programme (SHoMaP), which was funded by e-Fund between 2007 and 2016.

The background of this project was such that Ndaragwa Market was identified as a strategic horticultural market due to the area being high in agricultural potential. Following the termination of the initial contract for poor performance, Guangzhou Construction Company Limited was awarded the remaining works on 14th March 2016 at a contract of Ksh28.25 million with a completion period of 16 weeks. The Ministry of Lands served as the project manager then.

The second issue is the reasons for the delay in payment of the outstanding construction dues amounting to Ksh16,470,112.63 to Guangzhou Construction Company Limited. The contractor received a first Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) of Ksh12,000,093 in May 2016. The second IPC of Ksh5.72 million was paid in August 2016. A third IPC worth Ksh5.94 million was submitted in November 2016 but was never paid because the SHoMaP programme had already wound up. The contractor remained on site until December 2016 despite the project's supervision having ceased.

The Ministry attributes the delay to the project not being fully completed before the SHoMuP funding ended. There was a prolonged period during which the contractor did not actively pursue the claim. The matter only resurfaced after Nyandarua County formally wrote to the Ministry in August 2025. Following this, the Principal Secretary appointed a technical inspection committee to verify the outstanding works and payments.

The inspection committee established that there were certified and paid works amounting to Ksh10.45 million. Additional works valued at Ksh5 million were undertaken but require further verification for payment. The market is substantially complete but cannot be operationalised until several remaining works are undertaken, including perimeter walling, parking and loading bay flooring, installation of roof water-harvesting tanks, repair of vandalised fittings and the painting of the facility.

The technical committee established that the Ministry has requested the National Treasury to vote Ksh35 million, comprising Ksh10.45 million for certified outstanding payments, Ksh5 million for verifying additional works, and Ksh20 million to complete the remaining works and undertake beneficial training and facilitate handover of the market.

On the timeline for payment, the Ministry has not committed to a specific payment date. Instead, it states that payment and completion depend on approval of the requested funding from the National Treasury after which the market will be completed and handed over to the County Government of Nyandarua for management.

On operationalisation of the market, the Ministry responds that once the funding is secured, the contractor will be paid, the outstanding works will be procured and completed, repairs on the vandalised sections of the market will be undertaken, beneficial training will be conducted, and the facility will be formally handed over to the County Government of Nyandarua, which will thereafter manage the market on behalf of farmers and traders.

Finally, on the measures to prevent similar delays in the future, the Ministry responds that the budget will only be allocated for projects with available funding. They will also strengthen due diligence during the contractor selection and enhance project monitoring and evaluation. Also, they will improve project management to ensure timely completion and payment of certified works and continue coordinating with the National Treasury to minimise funding delays.

Hon. Gachagua.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I am satisfied with the response. However, it is worth noting that the facility has remained unused for over 10 years despite having been completed substantially to usable status. I wish the Ministry could honour the third Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) of about Ksh10 million, as recommended by the team which went for inspection on 22nd December 2025 vide that reference and pay that outstanding debt. As they observed, that facility stayed for over 10 years without being used and they noted that it had deteriorated. I wish the contractor can be paid so that he can finish that contract and the people of Ndaragwa can utilise it.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Thank you. Chair, you have heard his request. I do not think there needs to be more follow-up on it but before you respond, allow me to recognise in the Public Gallery Arya School from Kisumu Central, Kisumu County, as they observe the proceedings of the House. Hon. Mutunga, do you have a follow-up on it?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I just want to note that the Smallholder Horticulture Marketing Programme ended. The Ministry has indicated that they will look for money. They do not have money to pay directly right now. They have promised that once they get money from the National Treasury and Economic Planning, which amounts to Ksh35 million, they will pay the Ksh10.4 million and the unverified Ksh5 million, and use the Ksh20 million to finalise and handover. Therefore, there is still hope. What you need to do is ask the contractor to follow the Ministry so that the timelines can be shortened.

Very well. Hon. Chairperson, you still have another statement to respond to. The owner of the Question is the Member for Emgwen, who is not in the House. Do you have the response?

I do, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Kindly table it. Do not read it out. Just table it.

The Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure was in the House and now I cannot see him. There are Members waiting. Hon. Ikana, has he delegated anyone? The Member for Emgwen as well. Therefore, the Question by Hon. Ikana will be deferred because I do not seem to see the Chair in the House.

We are done with the Order on Statements. Let us go to the next Order.

I do not see the mover of this Motion. Therefore, we will defer it.

Before we go to Order No. 9, Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, I had seen you in the House, then you disappeared. I will go back to Order No.7 because the Member for Shinyalu has been waiting in the House patiently for your response. As you get ready, allow me to recognise in the Speaker's Gallery, New Pumwani School from Kamukunji Constituency, Nairobi County. Welcome to observe the proceedings of the House. May I give the Member for Nairobi one minute before Hon. G.K?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I would like to welcome the students to the National Assembly. We are honoured that you are here and we know that as you observe the work that we do and you study hard in your schools, one day you will be the ones sitting here and representing the people of this great country. Your parents are working very hard to keep you in school. So, please, focus on your education. There will be plenty of time to do all the other things in your life. For now, be good students. Work hard, pray hard and make your parents proud. Make your nation proud, because this country needs great leaders like yourselves. We were once young, sitting in those very chairs. Today, we are here. Tomorrow, it will be your chance. When you go home, tell your parents we send them our greetings. When you go back to school, tell them that you were in Parliament and you heard the conversations that we are having and know that we are here to serve you so that this nation can become a country we are all proud to call home.

Thank you.

Very well. Member for Ndia.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Member for Shinyalu Constituency, Hon. Fred Ikana, requested a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure.

Member for Ndia, you start with an apology because you made us break the order of the day.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I apologise. I had stepped out for a health break.

No worries. Continue.

Thank you. Hon. Temporary Speaker, in the Statement, Hon. Ikana sought to establish:

Hon. Ikana.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to start by appreciating the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure for the follow-up to this Statement and for the response he has given on behalf of the Ministry. I, however, wish to state that having listened very carefully to the Chairman, and having assessed the veracity of the response, he has given the actual facts on the ground. I return a no-factual verdict. This is because most of the short-term measures that the Ministry is alleging to have undertaken in relation to the Question I had asked about the frequent road accidents at Muruka are not true. Number one, there are no clear markings on the road at Muruka. Number two, they are alleging that there are speed bumps and rumble strips around Muruka Centre, which is not true. We do not have those interventions as of now.

Additionally, there is no clear speed limit signage around that area, which is a very dangerous thing bearing in mind that we have a very popular school around there; that is, Muruka Primary School with over 800 students, and a market centre. This should have been a very obvious thing for the Ministry to do because it is not limited to Muruka. I think across all our highways, it should be standard practice that as we approach schools and market centres, there should be clear signage on speed limits. On the aspect of compensation for victims who have suffered tragic road accidents before, I request that the Ministry takes this very seriously in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to ensure that at least we also have security cameras to help capture speeding motorists who hit pupils and speed off.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Chairman.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me to agree with Hon. Ikana that much more needs to be done to reduce the number of accidents that we are seeing on our roads. One of the interventions that I personally have been pushing the Ministry to undertake is increasing the number of road signage on our roads. We do not have enough signage on our roads, which makes it very difficult for motorists even when you do not intend to cause an accident. Of course, nobody wants to cause an accident but you find yourself even hitting a bump where it has not been marked. There is no signage and it becomes very difficult for motorists to use our roads. I am just reinforcing his concerns. One good example is when you drive on the UN Avenue in Gigiri. There is a bump that was erected the other day where the new Dutch Embassy has been put up. There is a bump there, it is not marked and there is no signage yet it is on a downward drive. It is very difficult for motorists on our roads. So, we agree with the Member of Parliament and I am working with the Cabinet Secretary because I have raised this issue with the Ministry so that we engage in this very serious and urgent intervention. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. George Kariuki, aka GK, I think this is a chance for you to go to Western Kenya. We hardly see your Committee on the roads. When Hon. Members raise some of these things, take the opportunity to go to the ground. We want to see you in Moraka, in Kakamega, so that the Ministry will take you seriously. We

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I agree with you that we need to visit more constituencies and more parts of this country, but the reason why we are allowed to raise questions here is because we cannot be able to be everywhere and the Member of Parliament is better placed to raise the concerns of his or her constituents. So, Hon. Temporary Speaker, I agree with you. I do not want to argue. We are doing our best under the prevailing circumstances, and we will keep pushing this agenda.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, we have been visiting very many places. The other day, we were in Kisumu and Nandi. Next week, we will be in Naivasha inspecting a road under construction. We are a proactive Committee. We are not passive. We are an active Committee.

Thank you.

This decision is made in good faith. When the Ministry disagrees with a Member of Parliament on a factual matter, there must be a way of providing evidence to demonstrate that the Member’s position is correct. I believe the decision has been made in that regard. (Hon. Harrison Kombe spoke off the record) Did you want to say something on this particular statement? Okay, Mwalimu Kombe.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I heard the Chair say... (Hon. George Kariuki consulted with Hon. John Kiarie) I wish he could listen.

Order. Hon. Chair, your attention is required.

I heard the Hon. Chair state that all this will be done subject to availability of funds. He went ahead to say that he had visited several areas where he found that road signs and bumps were lacking. This should have been catered for in the Budget, such that we would be discussing their installation, so that we move away from the several accidents that normally occur. There is a place in my constituency known as Kwandomo, where every week we record an accident. There are no bumps, signs, or zebra crossing markings to alert people that this is the right place to cross. The Chair and the Ministry should take this matter seriously and do something about it.

Thank you.

Thank you. Hon. Chair, do you want to say something on Hon. Kombe’s remarks?

I agree with the Hon. Member that more needs to be done, especially in terms of availing funds for roadside signage. We are pushing the Ministry. I know the Cabinet Secretary has, in the recent past, committed to providing more resources to ensure that all our roads are clearly marked and have proper signage. This will ensure that road users are well guided.

Well said. The next response is to a Statement request by the Member for Emgwen. I do not know whether the Member for Emgwen is in the House. Is Hon. Josses in the House? Hon. Chair, now that the Hon. Member is not present, I will allow you to proceed and table the response. We can discuss it the next time the Hon. Member is around. Do it on the microphone.

I will table the response because the Member for Emgwen is not in the House. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Go ahead and state the particular Statement request to which the response relates.

Hon. Josses, Member for Emgwen, requested for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding a fatal accident which occurred at Sirwa-Yala and the status of maintenance works on the Eldoret-Kapsabet-Chavakali Road C39. The Cabinet Secretary submitted the response to us. I lay the response on the Table of the House.

Thank you.

Thank you. That ends the session on requests for Statements and Responses thereto.

Next Order.

Hon. Members, debate on this Bill had commenced, proceeded, and there was a Member on the Floor. The debate was adjourned on Tuesday, 4th August 2026. If anyone wishes to contribute...

No.

Come on, how can you say, “No”? Some Members may want to contribute to this Bill. Hon. Members, you will notice that this is a Bill from the Senate. Therefore, instead of asking for a reply, I will defer debate on this Bill to a later date when it appears again in the Order Paper.

Next Order. (Bill deferred)

Who was the Leader of the Delegation? Was it Hon. Millie Odhiambo?

Yes.

Go ahead, Hon. Member.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you forgot “Bad Girl.”

Hon. Bad Girl, go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to move that the following Motion:

THAT, this House notes the Report of the Kenya Delegation to the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related meetings held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 19th to 23rd October 2025, which was laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday, 11th March 2026. The 151st Assembly of the IPU and its related meetings were held at the International Conference Centre in Geneva, Switzerland, from Sunday, 19th to Thursday, 23rd October 2025. All IPU statutory bodies, including the Governing Council, Standing Committees, the Committees on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians and on the Middle East Question, as well as the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and the Forum of Young Members of Parliament, convened during this Assembly.

The 151st Assembly was particularly significant as it was the first statutory meeting of the IPU following the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, held in Geneva in July 2025. The Assembly provided an opportunity to carry forward the commitments made by Speakers of Parliament and translate them into concrete parliamentary action at the global level.

The general debate focused on the overarching theme of upholding humanitarian norms and supporting humanitarian action in times of crisis. This subject was of profound relevance given the proliferation of armed conflicts worldwide, the unprecedented scale of humanitarian needs, and the growing strain on the international humanitarian system. The choice of Geneva as a venue carried a particular symbolic weight. The city hosted the diplomatic conference that adopted the Geneva Conventions nearly 80 years ago. Those of us who have studied humanitarian law understand the significance of the Geneva conventions which established the cornerstone of international humanitarian law.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I know that you are an expert in that area.

I actually studied in Switzerland where you were doing your conventions.

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I even know that you studied in Switzerland. I did not study in Switzerland but I have, probably, travelled in Switzerland more than you.

That aside, it is against a backdrop of deepening global crises that the Assembly convened. According to the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), people estimated to need humanitarian assistance in 2025 were nearly 310 million. That is the highest figure ever recorded.

Over 123 million people had been forcibly displaced worldwide and 1.9 million people were experiencing catastrophic hunger. At the same time, humanitarian response funding was shrinking and respect for international humanitarian law was being eroded. It was within this sobering context that parliamentarians from around the world gathered to re-affirm their commitment to human dignity and the rules of war — one of the topics I usually find very paradoxical. That, we actually have rules of war. When I studied humanitarian law, I used to raise it as a theoretical crisis that humanity needs rules of war. We just need to stop war then we would not need rules of war.

Well moved. Hon. KJ.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I must thank you. This afternoon, the matter that is brought to the House is of great importance because it goes beyond the borders of this country. Hon. Temporary Speaker, allow me before I make my remarks to commend the leadership of Hon. Millie Odhiambo. It might not be said and it might not have even been observed, the duty that this lady is undertaking internationally, not only at the IPU, but also for many other causes that she believes in.

I am sure you would probably need another 10 minutes to speak. (Question proposed) Hon. Mwalimu Harrison Kombe.

Ahsante Mhe. Spika wa Muda kwa kunipatia nafasi hii niweze kuchangia Hoja hii. Kwanza nachukua nafasi hii kuwapongeza Wajumbe waliowakilisha Kenya katika mikutano kule Geneva, Switzerland. Uzoefu wa Dada Milllie ndio uliomfanya akainuka na kuwa Rais katika Kamati aliyokuwa akisimamia. Mapendekezo yametolewa kwamba Wajumbe tunaotuma mara kwa mara wapewe nafasi zaidi ili wapate uzoefu katika ushirikiano huu wa Mabunge ndiposa wachaguliwe kimataifa na wawakilishe Kenya vilivyo kama walivyofanya Wajumbe tuliotuma kule Geneva.

Katika masuala ya uwakilishi wa raia, kuna haja ya raia kulindwa vizuri, si nchini tu, bali katika sehemu zote za ulimwengu. Ukienda nchi kama Somalia, wananchi wetu wanateseka. Kamwe raia hawana uhuru. Nikikumbuka vyema, miaka ya nyuma, tulichukua sub-location nzima ya Magarini na tukaipeana kwa wakimbizi kutoka Somalia. Tuliwahudumia kwa zaidi ya miezi sita na hatimaye kambi ile ikavunjwa wakarudi kwao.

Kwa hivyo, kuna haja sana kuona kwamba tunadumisha umoja wa haya mabunge ndipo yaweze kutangamana vizuri. Hivyo ni kuipa nafasi dunia kuweza kuwa na amani. Iwapo kutakuwa na amani, hata kufanya biashara na mataifa mengine inaweza kuwa rahisi. Kwa yule aliyesimamia suala la sayansi na teknolojia, kazi aliyofanya pengine tungetarajia ingefanywa na mwanaume. Lakini vilevile aliongoza hiyo kamati vyema na hivyo Kenya ikajipa nafasi ya kuwa na sifa kimataifa.

Asante kwa wakati niliopewa kusema machache juu ya Hoja hii.

Hon. Passaris, do you want to say something on this? (Hon. Esther Passaris spoke off the record)

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I will not take time. Let me just thank the Hon. Members for their contributions and for their kind words. The issue that has been raised is that of humanitarian law and human rights, and not democracy. We did not talk about democracy. I want to thank the Hon. Members for elaborating and expounding on it.

With those few remarks, I call on the House to note. Thank you.

Hon. Members, the decision on this matter, as you know, will be made next time the Motion is put on the Order Paper. (Putting the question deferred) Next Order.

Hon. Pkosing, the Chairperson of this Committee, proceed to move.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. (Hon. Millie Odhiambo-Mabona blocked the view of the Temporary Speaker)

Hon. Millie, I would like to see the Hon. Pkosing.

You know, Hon. Millie is our leader. When she is here; she is giving me wisdom.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to move this very fundamental Motion. I beg to move the following Motion:

THAT, this House adopts the Fourth Report of the Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy on its examination of audited financial statements of selected State corporations in the energy sector, laid on the Table of the House on Thursday, 2nd April 2026. As I move this fundamental Motion, I would like to state that when I move and say “selected State corporations”, then, of course, the fundamental question is: which are these selected State corporations in the energy sector? I want to inform you and the House that these are the State corporations whose audited accounts we examined: the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, which is very well known as REREC; the Kenya Electricity Generating Company, which is, of course, KenGen; and, the Kenya Power Company (KPC). Many Kenyans may not know that we have a Nuclear Power and Energy Agency. However, with the many debates in Siaya, where you come from, we are very clear on where we are moving regarding a nuclear power energy corporation.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, audit committees are different from departmental committees. Audit committees require a lot of patience, commitment, and reading. I, therefore, thank members of my committee for volunteering to serve the nation. For Kenyans and the House to appreciate, we had to go through many financial year books of the agencies I have

I do not mean to interrupt you at all, but why would REREC award contracts before acquiring the wayleaves?

I will come to that. Of course, that is a valid concern, and I am not defending them. They have not asked me to defend them. However, everybody wants electricity, you and I included; therefore, we should put pressure on REREC. That pressure comes from politicians and other leaders, and for good reason, I would say. The problem is not necessarily the work itself; the problem is how the land is acquired.

REREC offices are not close to the people. For example, the nearest REREC office in my Constituency is in Kapenguria. They also have another office in Eldoret. When they get a project, they send surveyors from Eldoret or Kapenguria to my constituency to carry out the survey. Once the survey is completed, that is the end of their presence on the ground. What then happens is that, due to pressure from the Hon. Members, myself included, REREC awards the project because the survey, valuation and cost quantification have already been done. So, what happens?

When the contractor goes to the ground, they find out those problems. Mwananchi asks: ‘who are you to step on my land?’ And that is why we have this waste of money. We are proposing that the law be amended so that when REREC goes to do survey, they go with the committee put on the ground. This is to ensure that it is the local people who negotiate with the owner of the land. This is the only way we can make progress. That is only for rural electrification. It is not for Kenya Power or KETRACO. I will mention KETRACO in a minute. That is a cross-cutting issue. We found that there is no value for money in most of the projects done by REREC. But we have identified where the problem is and we have given you the proposals. We hope that you will agree with us.

Second, the biggest problem that we established with REREC, is this issue of mini- grids. Mini-grids are a hybrid supply of electricity. Mini-grid is a construction or establishment of solar power which you mix with generators to supply power to areas where we do not have electric lines. We saw about 37 of such in this country, mainly, in North-Eastern region. We visited one in Hadado, Wajir County and other North-Eastern areas, particularly Samburu and Turkana Counties. What the Auditor-General found out was that most of those mini-grids were not working, therefore, they are white elephants. We visited some of them and we realised that it is true. There was a problem of batteries.

So, rather than coming to cry and look like we are helpless as a House, we did a roundtable bringing together the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum. I am happy to report that as I speak to you, the project has been taken and would be corrected. This was as a result of the roundtable of my Committee. I thank my Committee for doing that. That is being corrected. I am sure people in Lodwar, Turkana and other areas in North-Eastern, and particularly Hadado where I was, are watching me. I am sure they will be getting their power soon.

Moving forward, I would like to make a short presentation on KETRACO. For information and for Kenyans, KETRACO is the evacuator of power, particularly high voltage

I am listening to you very keenly. You know that on the issue of REREC and KPC, you are making it a light matter which you think can be handled by forming a Constituency Committee. Whatever you are saying is killing KETRACO. What happens if there was a similar situation where we have all the contracts that are now under REREC and some people went to court or that for all contracts under KPC that do not have wayleaves, people went to court? I am waiting for a recommendation saying, for example, that people should not sign contracts until they get way leaves. If the issue was the way leave, why did they not get it first before signing the contract?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am coming to that. You have read my mind. You have almost become the Chairman of my Committee. I think I mentioned this, but if I was not understood, I want to repeat it. For the REREC matter, we must have a committee. Let me ask you a question and would reference Kalotwari, my village where I come from. If you are supplying or moving electricity from Kalotwari Village to another one that is closer to it, maybe two to three kilometres away, why do you need to buy or get a wayleave to that land? You do not need a way leave for a village that is just two minutes away. I am making a proposal, but I will leave it for the House to debate.

You make a lot of sense, Hon. Chairman.

It is only for REREC.

You make a lot of sense. My issue is that if REREC gives batch contracts and one company has 10 contracts worth Ksh400 million but all of them have no wayleaves acquired before…

Then, there is a problem.

…yet there are three, four or five companies, a constituency committee will not resolve it. That is my point.

That is true. If they do that, we will have a problem. In fact, that is why there is already a problem. While I am here with my colleagues, I do not want us to lament because people want electricity.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, one day you ruled that the House or parliamentarians should not lament because we are the leaders of today. You asked who we would be lamenting to. That is why I am proposing a solution that is only best for REREC. I have a solution for KETRACO and KPC. I am trying to base the solution to REREC’s problems on “ruralism.” if at all there is such a word. I studied English and I was given the power to do all that pertains to the degree in English. I will say “ruralism.” Therefore, Hon. Temporary Speaker, the solution is only different for REREC. If I come here to lament or if we say, do not award any project to REREC or the rural areas until they get way leaves; my question is, does it work if you pay from one village to another? It does not. This is our country and it is rural. I have given the example of the distance from my village, Kalotwari to another one called Manyan or any small village in Ugenya Constituency. You want one pole there so that the village can get power. You want money to pay for that pole so that the village can pay for power. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we are belittling ourselves as a country. That is why I suggested that we amend the law. In those rural areas, we have rural committees that can resolve those issues. Come to me and say, “Hon. Pkosing, you know your neighbour next to you does not have power. Why do we need to pay for your land? Why not allow your neighbour to get power?” We only need one pole. We will solve thousands of queries. That one will proceed.

Otherwise, if we go that way and say REREC should not award any project, this country will be dark in a minute. I am trying to find a compromise due to the requests we receive as a Member of Parliament. I am sure you also get requests Hon. Temporary Speaker, as a Member of Parliament for Ugenya Constituency. You receive many requests: “We want power here; we want power there.” I also receive requests. Hon. Passaris also receives requests. We, the Members from rural areas, deal with many of those problems. That is why I am making that proposal. I do not want to lament. We are a House.

But with regard to KETRACO, we have come up with a very serious resolution in this Report: that KETRACO shall never issue a contract before getting a wayleave. Yes. We are not allowing them to have committees, not because they are not in rural areas, but because of this Inabensa problem. We have come up with a very tough recommendation in this Report, and Kenyans should listen so that they do not ask for power. We have recommended that KPC and particularly KETRACO, shall not award any project before acquiring a wayleave. I think that is your recommendation. I have just inserted it into the Report quickly here while I am making a presentation, but it is in the Report that KETRACO should not.

Secondly, in that proposal, we refuse to become a conveyor belt for Inabensa. We were asked to agree with the Auditor-General that KETRACO should pay Inabensa but we declined. That was the proposal from the Auditor-General. What is our proposal? We call upon the Head of Public Service and the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury to resolve the issue of Inabensa. We refuse to accept the payment of billions of shillings for work not done. We cannot be a committee of conveyor belts and just allow some people to eat money. We refuse, even though they have gone to court. We said in our Committee that if people have gone to court, they have their right of appeal, and so on and so forth. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we refuse. We cannot accept.

The other day, I saw you going to court on a personal matter, Hon. Chairperson. You have just told us that this matter has gone to the Supreme Court, right?

Yes.

So, if Parliament decides that what the Supreme Court has said does not matter and uses the word “refuse,” as you said, what is the effect?

I want to refuse so that there is an effect.

What is the effect of that on people who are investing in this country and who believe that Kenya is known for the rule of law, especially on commercial transactions? When Parliament says, “we refuse” what happens?

We declined to agree with the Auditor-General that people should be paid. In other words, I am sending them back for a kind of “renegotiation”. But I wanted to bring a shock, if I were allowed. In this case, my Committee wanted to bring a shock to this country. That is why we declined, so that we could look at it again. How can we pay billions of shillings? Yes, there was a mistake in not obtaining the wayleave, and so on and so forth. Somebody is seated somewhere, receiving payments. I told you that there is a liability of Ksh12 billion. Some people went to court. I do not know what they talked about in court, and now they expect the Committee to say, “Okay, proceed to pay.” Hon. Temporary Speaker, even if it comes as a shock, we have declined to approve that payment. If somebody was to say anything, let them go ahead. After all, they know where I come from. You know where I come from and you know the language we use. Let me share that language.

These are not cattle. These are not cows. They are not animals.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I agree they are not animals, but Hon. Namuar can also help me because he understands our language. We are direct and honest. How can we accept to pay somebody close to Ksh12 billion? We are asking the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning and the Head of the Public Service to intervene in this matter.

You can see my body language. That was also the body language of my Committee when we were discussing this issue. People almost cried. How can we lose that amount of money yet we are simply being asked to pay them quickly? Then, as a Committee, we are expected to accept it. We declined. We had better set the record straight. This Motion that I am moving is almost equivalent to the one on security that was moved by my colleague, Hon. Sonko. How can we be forced to accept something that we believe is an illegality? Even if they went to court and they sanitised themselves in law, I will still say in my language that it is immoral. Paying this money may be legal but it is immoral. Rural people like me value morality

Chair, I would want to know how much KenGen power is, if I am watching from home. You have said it. I am certain anybody watching from the village would want to know. You have said that buying from KenGen is way cheaper while buying from independent power producers is more expensive. How much is power from KenGen? How much is power from independent power producers?

I will give you the figures in a minute when I give my colleague a chance to make a presentation. The difference is almost 50 per cent. I will give you the right figures once I finish this and go to my Report. I will give you the exact figures when Hon. Passaris will be on the Floor.

What does 50 per cent mean? It means that if the power from KenGen is Ksh10 then the power from independent power producers is Ksh15 yet it is the same power. That is where there is a problem. It is still a problem even as I speak to you. I will look at it from an audit perspective or with my audit eyes because I am not a Departmental Committee.

What are our recommendations? We made some. One is that the cost from Independent Power Producers must be renegotiated. It cannot be business as usual. I know the Executive and particularly the President took over that issue. I am sure he must have also ordered the same thing because this Report was done some time back. The rates must be renegotiated. The difference cannot be 50 per cent. We, as a Committee, decline to agree with the 50 per cent. We will never be a conveyor belt.

The second recommendation came from our visit to a KenGen power plant. It is in Kipevu in Mombasa. When we were there, we realised they have several engines. When we were in Mombasa, we went to KenGen where we found the issue of idle power. As I have said, almost all Independent Power Producers are being paid for idle power.

However, our second recommendation is that those agreements must be renegotiated. We cannot continue paying a 50 per cent difference. We declined that as a committee, and this is captured in our report. The question is, who takes over? It is the Executive. They must take over and agree with us if the House adopts our report.

On the issue of idle power, we also visited the KenGen facility in Kipevu as a committee. The facility uses fuel to generate power. We found that some of their generators and engines were not running. Yet, you and I pay for that power at the end of the month through our bills, including for generators that were not operational at that particular time. We asked them why they were allowing Kenyans to pay for idle power. They gave us important information that we need to present before this House and the country. The challenge with Kenya is that there is high demand for power from about 7 p.m. up to about 9 p.m. After that, demand reduces significantly. We visited at about 11 a.m., when not many people needed power. We were informed by KenGen that this imbalance contributes to the issue of idle power.

Therefore, we came up with another recommendation involving REREC and Kenya Power. They should connect more Kenyans. I do not know the current level of connectivity, but it is still too low, meaning that those already connected are carrying a heavy load. REREC and Kenya Power should ensure that more Kenyans, if not every Kenyan, are connected so that there is no idle power. That is what we found, and it forms part of our recommendations.

The first recommendation is that we renegotiate the Independent Power Producer agreements. Secondly, we should undertake more civic education. REREC and Kenya Power should also encourage the establishment of more factories that consume power so that electricity is used consistently. That will address the issue of idle power.

Hon. Esther Passaris.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to second the Motion for the adoption of the Fourth Report of the Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy.

At the outset, I congratulate our Chairperson, Hon. David Pkosing, for his exemplary leadership and commend my fellow Members and the Committee Secretariat for their professionalism, diligence and teamwork in the preparation of this report. The Chair has ably outlined the Committee’s findings and recommendations. I wish to emphasise the magnitude of the work undertaken by the Committee. We examined audit reports spanning 19 financial years across five key energy institutions. We interrogated 197 audit queries, resolved 105 of them, and made recommendations on the remaining 92. This was a painstaking exercise in parliamentary oversight.

As a Member of the Committee, I can confirm that every accounting officer who appeared before us was accorded fair hearing. We carefully weighed the evidence before arriving at balanced recommendations. We identified recurring challenges, including delays in project implementation, unresolved wayleave disputes, weak internal controls, and gaps in financial management that require urgent attention.

Strong institutions are built through consistent oversight. By adopting this report, the House will reaffirm its constitutional duty to safeguard public resources and ensure that public investments deliver value for the people of Kenya. I urge this House to adopt the Report. I beg to second. (Question proposed)

Hon. Mwalimu Kombe.

Asante, Mheshimiwa Spika wa Muda, kwa kunipatia nafasi ya kuchangia Hoja hii. Naipongeza Kamati iliyoshughulikia jambo hili. Pia, wamesema walifanya ukaguzi wa hesabu kwa kipindi cha miaka kumi na tisa ambacho ni kirefu sana. Iwapo katika kipindi hicho kulikuwa na kasoro au ufujaji wa fedha, Serikali ilipoteza fedha nyingi sana. Napendekeza ukaguzi wa hesabu na matumizi ya fedha katika mashirika ya serikali ufanywe kwa muda unaofaa. Ikichelewa sana, labda ifanywe kila baada ya miaka miwili. Tukifanya hivi baada ya miaka kumi na tisa, mambo mengine yataharibika ambayo tungerekebisha na kuhakikisha hatupotezi fedha za Serikali.

Vilevile, kucheleweshwa kwa utekelezaji wa miradi kunasababisha malimbikizi ya fedha. Kwa mfano, ikiwa mwanakandarasi amekadiria kutekeleza mradi kwa shilingi elfu mia sita, kisha utekelezaji wa kandarasi hiyo ucheleweshwe kwa zaidi ya mwaka mmoja, bei za vifaa huwa zimepanda. Kama angenunua waya kwa bei ya chini mwanzoni, baada ya mwaka mmoja, bei hiyo itaongezeka kiasi kwamba kazi haiwezi kufanyika kwa gharama iliyokuwa imekadiriwa kwa kandarasi. Hili ni suala ambalo linapaswa kupewa uzito na kurekebishwa ili kandarasi ikitolewa, maandalizi yote muhimu yawe yamekamilika.

Ruhusa ya kutumia ardhi ya wananchi kwa ajili ya kupitisha magogo ya umeme inastahili kupatikana mapema kabla mwanakandarasi hajapatiwa kandarasi. Kuna baadhi ya wananchi katika eneo letu ambao walikataa magogo ya umeme yawekwe katika mashamba yao kwa sababu hawakuwa wamearifiwa mapema. Nililazimika kuingilia kati na kuzungumza nao. Niliwaeleza kuwa tumelilia umeme kwa muda mrefu sana, na wanatatiza mradi huo.

Asante. Hon. Emathe.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. First, I thank Hon. Pkosing and the Members of the Committee on Public Investment, Commercial Affairs and Energy for the elaborate Report. Thank you for the elaborate recommendations that you made. The energy sector in Kenya is dead, some will say dead on arrival because there are a lot of delays in project implementation in KPC, REREC and the rest of energy suppliers in this country. The manner in which charges are carried out in this country, requires a lot of attention.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I sit in the Public Accounts Committee. In Turkana Central, we interrogated on the same and we found out that there are project delays across the county. We even thought that some counties in this country receive some favourable attention but that is not the case. It cuts across. In my constituency for example, there are projects that were supposed to be completed or that were initiated in 2021/2022 or 2020/2021 and to date, they have never been implemented or are still struggling to be implemented. Therefore, when the Chair recommends that there is need for us to have a ruralised or a devolved kind of committee to undertake, spearhead and manage issues of rural electrification, it is important. I have been able to engage what they call the Director for REREC in the county. They always refer me to the headquarters, meaning there is a disconnect in terms of how they even prioritise projects. That delay, sometimes in Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (KOSAP) or Kenya Electricity Modernisation Project (KEMP) projects causes this country not to achieve on these other projects like the Last Mile.

Hon. Emathe, you will make your second point next time. You have a balance of seven minutes.

The time being 7:00 p.m., this House stands adjourned until Tuesday, 11th August 2026 at 2:30 p.m. (The House rose at 7:00 p.m.)