Thursday, 9th October, 2025

Clerk, do we have quorum?

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

We do have quorum. Therefore, we will start the Order of the day as contained in this afternoon's Order Paper.

Hon. Senators, kindly take your seats. I am informed we now have quorum. So, we will proceed with today's business.

Clerk, you may proceed to call the first Order.

Services, Senate. Teso South, Busia County. The delegation consists of 19 teachers and 50 students who are in the Senate for an academic exposition.

Hon. Senators, in our usual tradition of receiving and welcoming guests to Parliament, I extend a warm welcome to them and on behalf of the Senate, and on my own behalf, wish them a fruitful visit.

I will request the Deputy Minority Leader and Senator for Kitui, under one minute, to extend a word of welcome to the delegation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to welcome the students and teachers who are visiting the Senate this afternoon. I wish they would recognise that they are not at the County Assembly of Busia, but attending a sitting of the Senate of the Republic of Kenya.

As you have said, I wish them a fruitful visit to see how the Senate transacts business, especially on matters concerning counties and devolved units of government. For the teachers and the students, I say welcome. Feel that you are at the place that you wanted to be this afternoon.

Next Order.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table of the Senate today, Thursday, 9th October 2025-

Report of the Kenya Parliamentary Delegation to the 150th Assembly of the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related meetings in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 5th to 9th April 2025.

I thank you.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to give notice of the following Motion- THAT, the Senate notes the report of the Kenya Parliamentary Delegation to the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and related meetings in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 5th to 9th April 2025, laid on the Table of the Senate on Wednesday, 8th October, 2025.

Next Order.

Services, Senate.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No.52 (1) to make a statement on a matter of general topical concern regarding the untimely demise of Hon. Elijah Kiptarbei Lagat and to pay tribute to a life well lived.

I rise with deep sorrow, solemn remembrance and profound respect to honour the memory of Hon. Elijah Kiptarbei Lagat, whose life was marked by extraordinary achievements both in athletics and public service. Elijah Lagat was a distinguished Kenyan, a national icon and a devoted public servant. Born on 19th June, 1966 in Saniak, Chesumei Constituency, Nandi County, his journey was one of resilience, determination, and excellence.

Remarkably, he began his running career at the relatively age of 27 years old, yet went on to become one of Kenya's most celebrated marathoners. His victory at the 104th Boston Marathon, among other distinguished marathons in the year 2000, remains etched in history as one of the most thrilling finishes ever witnessed. This achievement was not only brought by his personal glory, but also added to Kenya's proud legacy as a global powerhouse in long-distance running.

His wins at the Berlin Marathon in 1997 and the Paraguay Marathon in 1998 further cemented his place among the world's elite athletes. He also proudly represented Kenya at the Sydney 2000 Olympics Games, underscoring his patriotism and dedication to the nation.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, after retiring from athletics, Hon. Elijah Kiptarbei Lagat transitioned into politics with the same passion and commitment, and I suspect you must have served with him.

In 2007, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Emgwen Constituency on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party ticket, which he championed social welfare and labour issues as a Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, just like Sen. Mundigi.

During the 2013 General Election, I had the privilege of contesting against him for the seat of MP for the newly created Chesumei Constituency under Jubilee Coalition that was TNA and URP. He emerged victorious after thoroughly trashing me, becoming its first-ever MP and I honourably conceded to him.

During his tenure, he served with distinction in various leadership roles, including as a Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, Chairperson of the Sports Subcommittee, and Vice-Chairperson of Catering and Health Services Committee in the National Assembly. His work in Parliament was characterised by

Services, Senate. unwavering commitment to improving social services, advancing sports development, and strengthening health initiatives for the benefit of his constituents.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, beyond his public service, Hon. Elijah Lagat was a man of strong values. Deeply rooted in his faith as a member of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, he held academic credentials that included a degree in History and a Masters in Strategic Management. His service in the National Council of Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Accra, as a board member, further reflected his resolve to confront social challenges, particularly those affecting young people of this country. The passing of Elijah Lagat on 29th September, 2025, at the Eldoret Hospital is a profound loss to this nation, his family and friends.

He leaves behind a legacy of resilience, patriotism and selfless service that will continue to inspire generations of Kenyans, both in athletics and leadership. His life story of rising from a determined athlete who conquered the global stage to a committed legislator who served his people with humility stands as a statement of perseverance, leadership and love for this country.

As we honour his memory today, where he will be laid to rest on 17th October, 2025, let us celebrate Hon. Elijah Kiptarbei Lagat not only for his remarkable achievements, but also for the values he exemplified.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Statements pursuant to Standing Order No. 53 (1) . Senator for Nandi, you have two statements under that particular Standing Order, you may read them at once.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am earning my salary rightfully. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a statement from the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on a matter of national concern regarding reports of systemic discrimination and unfair labour practices at the I&M Bank, Kenya, including discriminatory promotions, bonus allocations, compensated promotions, retaliatory dismissals and nationality-based disparities in retirement age extension that favours expatriates over Kenyan employees, contrary to Articles 27 and 41 of the Constitution 2010 of Kenya.

In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Services, Senate.

date and measures put in place to prevent victimisation of employees who are afraid to raise such issues;

retirement and discipline for compliance with the national labour laws and international best practises and to highlight any identified gaps; and,

measures across the financial sector to safeguard workers' rights.

Services, Senate.

concerns, including undertaking a comprehensive information technology security audit and restoring public trust in the platform.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I thank you for that indulgence.

Sen. Mohamed Faki, Senator from Mombasa, proceed.

That statement is dropped.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Read both of them.

Services, Senate.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Health regarding the prolonged non-payment of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in Marsabit County.

It has come to my attention that young people serving as CHPs in Marsabit County have gone without pay since September, 2024, to date; a period amounting to over one year. This situation has caused significant hardship to these workers who play a crucial role in strengthening the community-level health system.

In the Statement, the Committee should-

Order, Hon. Senators. The Senator of Marsabit should be heard in silence.

Proceed, Senator.

Let me repeat.

Services, Senate.

contracts and bill of quantities, test pumping and yield reports, completion certificate and payment vouchers.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Senator from Murang’a County, Sen. Joe Nyutu, proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations on a matter of national concern regarding the delayed issuance and collection of national identity cards (IDs) .

In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Senator from Busia County, Sen. Andrew Okiya Omtatah.

The three statements are dropped.

Services, Senate.

I will now allow comments, for not more than 15 minutes, on the Statements that have been sought. Since no one is interested in---

Sen. Beatrice Akinyi, proceed.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Statement by Sen. Cherarkey to the Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare on the systematic discrimination and unfair labour practices at the I&M Bank, Kenya. We would like to tell this bank from the word go that we do not have private and public Kenyans. This bank thinks that since it is a private entity, it can treat workers however it likes.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, there are labour laws in this country that entities must adhere to. As this Committee examines discrimination in promotions, bonus allocations, uncompensated promotions and dismissals that appear to be illegal, the bank must provide a list of its employees to the Committee. This will enable the Committee to assess the origins of these employees. The list should categorise employees, including details of their places of origin. This is not intended to discriminate, but to ensure equity in employment and fair treatment of workers.

Secondly, I wish to support the Statement made by the Senator for Murang’a County, Sen. Nyutu, regarding the collection of national IDs. There have been discrepancies in the issuance of IDs, particularly affecting young Kenyans. Many have raised concerns about mismatches in their records during the issuance process. Therefore, the department responsible for national IDs must be keen in handling applicant data to avoid inconveniences.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I support the Statements.

Sen. Mandago.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise to support the Statement sought by Sen. Cherarkey on the late Elijah Kiptarbei Lagat, the former Member of Parliament (MP) for Chesumei Constituency. This is a distinguished Kenyan who contributed immensely in athletics and later in leadership. I remember the late Hon. Elijah Kiptarbei Lagat for the establishment of Namgoi Secondary School, a day school that rivals Kapsabet Boys.

Secondly, I support the Statement by Sen. Chute on the payment to Community Health Promoters (CHPs) . It is unfortunate that quite a number of counties have not been paying the stipends that have been set aside for the CHPs. Whereas the national Government has made their disbursements to some counties for onwards payment of CHPs, county governments have continued to sit on that money instead of dispensing to CHPs.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, counties must realise that CHPs are additional workforce in the health sector. They can support and strengthen the systems, particularly now that we have the rollout of the Social Health Authority (SHA) . They can help in sensitisation, registration and utilisation in order to make sure that Kenyans access cheap, affordable and accessible health care.

There is need for county governments to take CHPs seriously as part of health workers. They are there to strengthen the system and support the public health sector in this country. As they say, prevention is better than cure. The CHPs help us prevent diseases that would later cost taxpayers significantly in treatment.

Services, Senate.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, as you directed yesterday afternoon, the Senate Health Committee visited Busia County Referral Hospital. With your permission, I wish to give a brief feedback to the House. The condition of the hospital is deplorable. It is very pathetic. We had the opportunity to visit the morgue, which is designed to hold 12 bodies, but currently holds over 42. The facility lacks refrigeration equipment. The dialysis machines are not operational. It is unfortunate that the entire county operates with only one ambulance, which is stationed in Alupe and not at the Busia County Referral Hospital.

The health sector in this county is in a sorry state and requires urgent attention. My Committee will move swiftly to conduct a comprehensive visit to the county, working closely with Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to ensure the situation is rectified.

I also wish to note that the County Assembly has a vibrant health committee that handles the majority of health-related matters. The County Executive should take the recommendations of the County Assembly seriously in their efforts to improve service delivery.

Finally, there is mushrooming of pharmacies outside the hospital. Within a radius of less than 100 metres, there are more than 20 pharmacies operating directly outside the Busia County Referral Hospital. Unfortunately, many of these facilities are run by staff of the County Government of Busia. We urge the Governor to take immediate action and ensure that the people of Busia receive quality health care.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. The Speaker (Hon. Kingi) Sen. M. Kajwang’.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to make very brief comments on the request for a Statement by Sen. Samson Cherarkey on the findings of a special audit on the e-Citizen platform.

A digital government is desirable. A system and a government where payments can be done online is highly desirable. Kenya has blazed a trail on that even though we are still lagging behind some of our neighbours like Rwanda. The e-Citizen and the online digital fee collection system that Kenya embraced is a good thing. However, a good thing, if implemented badly, can cause serious problems.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the special audit report that the nation was served with by the Auditor-General revealed serious vulnerabilities and flaws in the design of this system. It revealed serious issues around integrity, availability and confidentiality with regards to this system. It would be important that this matter be treated as a national security matter.

If the entire digital payment infrastructure for the Government is being held by private players and it does not seem to have clear oversight over it, what if one day some hackers decide to hack it? What if one day the owners of these services become disgruntled and sabotage the entire machinery of the Government?

Countries such as India have developed digital government platforms that are largely controlled by the Government. In Dubai, one can now arrive without interacting with anyone directly, as check-in, baggage handling, immigration and payments are all processed digitally. There is nothing wrong for a private player to provide this kind of services. If you go to the United States of America (USA) , SpaceX, the company owned

Services, Senate. by Elon Musk, has won big contracts to develop rockets and ships that go to space. There is nothing wrong for a private sector player to be in this space nor make money out of the innovation.

When we speak of scrutiny in this matter, it is not to begrudge private investors their liberty or their right to do business and earn profit. Rather, we are saying that this infrastructure is so important to the nation that, if left solely in the hands of private players, it poses a serious national security risk. Countries have taken clear positions on such matters. The USA has banned TikTok and Huawei products on grounds of national security and sovereignty.

Therefore, I urge that we work with these service providers. I am not calling for the termination of their contracts, but there must be a partnership. There must be a special purpose vehicle that brings the Government on board alongside private sector players. As they earn from innovation, Kenyans must have certainty and assurance that the money collected is reaching the right hands and not disappearing into questionable escrow accounts.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, allow me, briefly, to join Sen. Mandago, with whom we visited the referral hospital this afternoon. He has highlighted the sorry state of affairs, but I wish to add that Busia County does not have a public Intensive Care Unit (ICU) facility. For ICU services, one must travel to Bungoma. This is sad.

We did not come to Busia to fault-find, grill or seek vengeance. We came to expose these challenges to the County Government of Busia. I pray that the Governor, the Executive, the County Assembly and all stakeholders we engaged with do not interpret this as ill will. If a county, after 10 years of devolution, lacks an ICU, has only one functional ambulance, cannot offer dialysis services and does not have a working oxygen plant, one must ask what has happened to devolution in that county.

To the people of Busia, let us take this feedback positively. We did not come to witch-hunt or belittle anyone. We did not come to belittle anybody. We came to expose these things, governance, structural and systemic problems, which if the governor, in good faith, if he were to put together a team of advisors and allow professionals to advise him, it is possible for him in the next one year to turn things around, so that the people of Busia do not have to go to Bungoma for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services, or sadly, go to Uganda for ICU services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to also make comments on two of the statements. One is the statement about Hon. Elijah Lagat. Elijah Lagat is a former Member of Parliament for Chesumei in Nandi. We served with him in the Tenth Parliament. He was a very hard-working person, rising from athletics to be a servant of the people in the constituency. He initiated many projects in Mosop. Therefore, Mosop has lost a very hard-working person who would be an example, even though he had retired from politics at the time of his demise, but he would be an example to the young people.

Secondly, I would like to make a comment on the National Identification cards (IDs) that the Senator for Murang’a reported that the IDs that are in registrar offices and some in the offices of chiefs, are documents that delay a lot of things. Those that are

Services, Senate. missing them do not get services in either locations or offices that they would be getting and therefore there is need for the chiefs and administrators to do campaigns, so that they are collected for purposes of even voter registration and many other services that give people with IDs rights.

I thank you.

Hon. Senators, before we proceed with the comments, allow me to make this communication. Hon. Senators, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the Speaker's Gallery this afternoon, of visiting deputy governors from Bungoma, Vihiga and Trans Nzoia county governments. I request each deputy governor to stand when called out, so that you may be acknowledged in the Senate tradition.

Services, Senate.

Presiding Bishop, Assemblies of Christ Evangelical

Holiness Church.

Mary's Church of God and Member Organisation of

the African Independent Churches.

Imam, Masjid, Jamia Bumala

Member, Busia County Interfaith Network.

Bishop, Grace Fellowship Church, Busia

and Deputy Secretary, Busia County Interfaith Network.

Lwanya Parish of the Catholic Church.

wish you a fruitful visit. I will request the Minority Whip to extend a warm welcome to the two delegations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. On my own behalf and on behalf of the Senate, I would like to extend a welcome to the three distinguished Deputy Governors from this region, as well as the religious leaders. The Deputy Governors, we come to this particular place to oversight the counties and I am happy that you are here today to witness some of the activities that we are doing.

I would like you to take your time to listen keenly, because this House unifies the entire nation. It was established to defend devolution and that is the work that we do. We not only send money to counties, but we also come here to see what is happening with the funds that we send.

To the religious leaders, we share a diverse opinion. I am happy to see that the Muslims and Christians are also here. I ask you to put this country in prayer as we navigate different terrains to try and find the right path to bring justice and represent the people who have given us the opportunity to come and present them here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Mumma, you may proceed with comments.

Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I rise to contribute to Sen. Cherarkey’s Statement on the findings of the special audit on the e-Citizen platform. I would like to commend Sen. Cherarkey for bringing this very important issue to our attention.

I urge that the Committee on Finance and Budget treat this Statement as a matter of urgency and addresses the issues raised by Sen. Cherarkey in a timeous manner, for the reason that the country is actually trying to digitise the systems. However, the manner in which some of the things are happening with the current systems is actually not bringing any confidence among the users and the citizens.

I believe the audit is good for purposes of exposing any loopholes and any weaknesses in these systems, but even as it exposes these issues, it also brings out some level of lack of confidence. This is because then people imagine this was deliberately intended to fleece the public. You will all remember that recently we had a spat between the national and county governments; county governments not wanting to digitise their systems yet when we were at the Devolution Conference, we all applauded the Governor

Services, Senate. of Murang’a for digitising most of the services and the systems, and particularly the financial system.

Therefore, I ask that beyond the questions that Sen. Cherarkey has asked, we must also include how we can create this system in such a way that it continues to respect the distinctive nature of our devolved governance. So, we are creating a system that is able to ensure county governments can operate their financial systems distinctively and independently, as well as the national government, but that we are able to bring everything on this system in order to have better accountability and transparency. I therefore would like to urge that this is taken seriously.

I also want to contribute to this Statement by Sen. Nyutu on facilitation of Identity (IDs) cards. Access to IDs in the country has always been treated in a political manner. This region which is where I come from, Nyanza, and the coast region, have suffered marginalisation in facilitating access to IDs because of the perceived political outcomes that might come with voter registration.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other day in Nyakach, I came across five learners in a mjengo who had a mean grade of C and had no IDs because they came from poor backgrounds and had not managed to collect their IDs. When the Deputy President was still in charge of the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, I brought a Statement to ask that IDs be issued in all schools; that the Registrar of Persons facilitates the officers to go to the schools and ensure that form three and four students are able to get those IDs before they leave. That gives an equal opportunity to every child to apply for college, Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and any other funds. I support this Statement and request that, perhaps, as a Senate, we should make it a collective issue.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, you might want to lead us to the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to make a case for all learners in our schools to be facilitated to apply during this time, so that in January, before the results come out, they have their IDs to apply for funds in an equitable manner and have an equal chance to apply for tertiary institutions, jobs and affirmative action funds. That is not happening. It is only the children of the middle class and the upper middle class who are managing in large sense to access this facility. The ID is an enabler and equaliser. I urge that the Senate takes this seriously and makes it our collective responsibility.

Thank you.

Sen. Mundigi, please, proceed.

Asante, Bw. Spika, kwa kunipa nafasi niweze kuchangia mjadala wa Sen. Cherarkey kuhusu benki ya I&M.

Ningependa kusema kuwa utendaji kazi unafaa kufuatiliwa kwa sababu hakufai kuwa na mtu ambaye hafuati njia inayofaa. Ikiwa kampuni yoyote, benki au wizara imekubali kufanya kazi katika Kenya, ni sharti kuwe na uwazi ili tuweze kusadia uchumi wa Kenya na kaunti zetu zote.

Utendakazi ni mzuri. Hata hivyo, kwa maoni yangu, kutokana na benki ya I&M kupeana mamlaka, inaweza kuharibu familia za watu. Itaharibu vijana na wasichana wetu na kutakuwa na shida. Sio benki peke yake, ila ni benki nyingi hata Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) . Wizara nyingi zitaharibika kwa sababu kwa mfano, mtu fulani atapeleka ndugu yake, kesho apelike dada yake au mtu mwingine.

Services, Senate. Watu watapiga kelele kuwa benki imeanguka kwa sababu njia ya utendakazi unayofaa haikufuatiliwa kwa sababu ya utapeli wa pesa.

Vile vile, naunga mkono mjadala unaohusu kuchukua vitambulisho ambao umeletwa na Seneta wa Kaunti ya Murang’a. Tumesalia miaka miwili kabla ya uchaguzi. Ningeomba wale wanaopeana vitambulisho wawe wakiingia kazi asubuhi na mapema ili wanaotaka vitambulisho wasaidiwe kwa sababu tunajua bila kitambulisho kutakuwa na shida ya uajiri wa kazi na pia watoto wetu waliotoka shule wakitaka kuenda kazi nchi za ng’ambo. Kwa hivyo, kama mambo ya vitambulisho hayataangaliwa kutakuwa na shida.

Vile vile, ningependa kuongea na vijana na wasichana wetu, na watu wengi katika sub-county. Watu wengi wanachukua vitambulisho lakini hadi sasa vitambulisho zimesalia pale na hawajaenda kuchukua. Hiyo inakuwa ni shida nyingine.

Bw. Spika, kwa sababu tumekuja Busia, ni vizuri kama vile mwenyekiti wa Kamati ya Afya ameongea, hata mimi kama makamu mwenyekiti wa kamati ya Seneti ya Kilimo, Mifugo na Uvuvi ninataka kuongea kuhusu kilimo. Juzi tulienda Budalangi na Ziwa Victoria kuona uvuvi wa samaki. Nikitoka Embu County nilidhani kuwa hapa samaki ni wengi. Walakini, tulipoenda pale, tulipata kuna shida sana. Tuliona watu wa umri mdogo lakini kuna shida ya kilimo cha samaki kwa sababu kuna ofisi iliyoojengwa pale na blue economy na mpaka leo haija kabidhiwa kwa kaunti.

Vile vile, wavuvi walioko kwa mpaka wa Uganda wanalalamika. Ukoloni uliisha lakini watu wetu wakienda pale wanawekwa ndani na kushikwa mateka na watu wa Uganda. Naomba Serikali ya muungano kupitia kwa Rais William Ruto, aweze kuongea na Rais Museveni waangalie vile kutakuwa na uhusiano Busia ili watu wetu wasiwe wanashikwa mateka, ili wajisaidie kwa biashara.

Serikali ya Kaunti ya Busia iko na pesa nyingi sana. Kaunti ya Busia ingenunua mashine ya kutengeneza chakula cha kusaidia samaki ili wakulima wafaidike. Walakini, badala ya Kaunti ya Busia inaendelea kufifia. Kwa hivyo, naomba uhusiano mzuri wa Kaunti ya Busia, Members of County Assembly (MCA) na County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) na hata makanisa waangalie hayo mambo.

You have 30 seconds, hon. Senator.

Sawa. Bw. Spika, kwa hivyo ningeomba hao watu wakae pamoja ili waone vile watasaidia kilimo kwa sababu kilimo cha hapa ni uvuvi wa Samaki na ukuzaji miwa.

Vile vile, ningeaomba waangalie mambo ya value addition ili waone kama kuna kilimo kingine kama ya macadamia na vitu zingine ili kuimarisha kilimo. Elimu hapa iko juu sana lakini kilimo---

On a point of Order!

The Hon. Senator has concluded his remarks. Before I allow Sen. Olekina to make his comments, allow me to make this Communication.

Services, Senate.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity. St. Monica Chakol Girls is one of the premier schools in Busia County. Even the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, where we are here, Teso South, is an alumnus of St. Monica Girls High School. So, feel welcome. You have seen our distinguished Senators. They are here because of their efforts. As I told you in my words, it is the cream that rises to the top. Try to be the cream. We also know that lots of rubbish rises to the top when there is no order, but when order comes, it is only the cream that rises to the top. Therefore, work hard in your studies and you will rise to the top.

Thank you and feel at home. You are most welcome and we are honoured by your visit.

Sen. Olekina.

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I would like to support the Statement by Sen. Cherarkey. This Statement should worry Kenyans. We cannot have an audit carried out and we are told by the Auditor-General that there is an issue of accountability of up to Kshs7 billion. That is why I always say that statements are brought to this House, not for the sake of one committee investigating, but to also assist this Senate or Parliament develop legislation that can ensure accountability. It is clear that there is lack of accountability and there is an opaque legal framework to oversight e-citizen by a private entity. This is why I differ with my colleague, the distinguished Senator for Homa Bay County.

I agree with him that there is nothing wrong with a private entity doing business, but when it comes to revenue being collected from the entire nation, where we have a minimum of about 22,000 services, then at that point, we must ask ourselves what we have, as Parliament, to develop legislation that oversights that service being given to a private entity.

Services, Senate.

Hon. Senators, I wish to reinstate the Statements by Sen. Okiya Omtatah before we continue with the comments.

Sen. Omtatah, proceed.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I have three Statements. I request that I read them all together.

Proceed, Sen. Omtatah.

Services, Senate.

I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1) to seek a Statement from the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries on a matter of inter-county concern regarding protection of Lake Turkana's fishing ecosystem and the establishment of Busia as a national dry fish auction market.

Lake Turkana, the world's largest desert lake and the UNESCO World Heritage Site, sustains thousands of livelihoods in Turkana and Marsabit counties. However, it faces great threats from illegal, unregulated and destructive fishing practices, including use of toxic chemicals, the harvesting of undersized fish and unsustainable netting. The reports further indicate the direct involvement of foreign nationals, notably traders from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in collusion with locals, worsening the depletion of fish stocks.

Madam Temporary Speaker, meanwhile, Busia County, a hub of cross-border fish trade, still lacks a formally recognised national dry fish auction market. This regulatory gap undermines food safety, denies Government revenue and fuels practice manipulation.

In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

Services, Senate.

Critical infrastructure, including access roads, visitor amenities and research facilities, have not been established. This neglect jeopardises the preservation of Kenya's heritage, undermines key national and continental development agendas and deprives the local community of educational, cultural and economic benefits.

In the Statement, the Committee should address the following-

delay in release and utilisation of the allocated funds and whether due process was followed in the planning, tendering and procurement stages of the project and provide relevant documentation;

fencing, signage, interpretation centers, accommodation facilities and cultural exhibition spaces;

research, documentation and preservation of both tangible and intangible heritage;

residents and safeguard cultural identity; and,

flagship heritage tourism destination, including cross-border tourism with Uganda.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I now move to my third request for Statement.

Services, Senate.

funded through cess revenue over the last five years.

borders and indicate any disciplinary action taken against persons implicated in the vice.

being verified before issuing import permits and the safeguards in place to ensure imports occur only during genuine shortfalls, while protecting farmers from price depression caused by cheap imports.

We resume comments on the statements.

Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. Allow me first to start by making a brief comment on the park that we visited because it is one of the statements by Sen. Okiya Omtatah, regarding its improvement.

I joined the Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism. I was privileged to also to see the park, which is a national museum. All that needs to be done is that money should be set aside to improve the infrastructure. It will attract a lot of tourism, putting in mind this is a border area and this facility, Kakapel historical site, has a very historic message. It is a very important site as a museum. I agree that it needs to be gazetted and improved. We have seen a structure that the county government started putting in place. It should work with speed to complete it. The museum has a lot of history that definitely ensures its place in defining the culture of the local area.

The other specific statement is by Sen. Cherarkey regarding the unfair labour practices at I&M Bank. The matters that the Senator has addressed that the Committee needs to narrow down on should go beyond I&M Bank. When I was doing my undergraduate thesis at the University of Nairobi, I narrowed into the issues of banks in this country. By then, there were about 42. We have had an increase in the number of banks in this country. Most of them have foreign investors.

We encourage foreign investors, but we should not also close our eyes and forget some of the issues that have been raised in this statement. They include unfairness probably in the promotions and recruitment processes and strategies that need to be adapted locally. The local banks need to help the locals not just a specific sector.

This issue should not only be narrowed to I&M Bank, but across the different banks. The Committee on Labour and Social Welfare should give a comprehensive report of all the banks in this country. It should also analyse the issues that have been brought about by the Senator and the mechanisms that are in place to be able to whistle blow and many others.

At times, you find transactions done and the manager having approved one or two of them. In case the client was fraudulent, then the employee is affected probably without a fair process of what really transpired. To cover their image, the bank ends up sacrificing the employee, simply because something has been flagged out by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) . There should be a proper audit of the same.

Madam Temporary Speaker, today, we had the privilege of visiting Busia County Referral Hospital. Since pharmaceuticals is also my area, I was tasked to look at the pharmacy. Honestly, I applaud the hospital. Among all the hospitals that I have visited and looked at the pharmacy area, this has been one of the best organised, clean, decent

Services, Senate. and with very competent people. I am really very proud of that. They even have their own system. I encourage them to continue with the same.

Today, we were looking at financial issues in terms of pending bills in this county. Apparently, in this county, the health sector is the one doing the best in terms of own-source revenue collection. There are huge amounts of pending bills in this county which we have addressed. The county government should move with speed and sort their suppliers. It is very sad to have a pending bill of as little as Kshs90,000 or Kshs100,000. Do not forget that this supplier went to a bank or a financier and borrowed a loan whose interest keeps accruing yet that money has not been paid for years and years. This happens yet they have a running pending bills committee that verifies these particular bills. We urge the county to move with speed. They have given us a strategy on how they are to clear the Kshs2.6 billion pending bills. If this is not done with a plan, then we are going to have a very minimal percentage on the development budget.

I hope that Senate Mashinani in Busia has had an impact in all sectors. Sen. Munyi Mundigi talked of the agricultural sector. We also looked at the health sector. We met with the Public Accounts Committee and they have tried to look at the matters within health. The Committee on Finance and Budget met with the Governor today and we emphasised to him that they should sort pending bills. As we go back to Nairobi, we hope and pray that we have left a positive impact in Busia. We look forward to the day when we shall come back.

Thank you so much, Madam Temporary Speaker.

Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Speaker. I want to contribute to the Statement by Sen. Okiya Omtatah on the protection of Lake Turkana fishing ecosystem.

As you are aware, Marsabit County shares the lake with Turkana County. Actually 70 per cent of the lake is in Marsabit County. Last week, some businessmen and politicians came to my office and told me that we have a problem in Lake Turkana. I want to thank Sen. Okiya Omtatah for bringing this issue to the Senate today. They said that people use incorrect mesh size nets to fish in Lake Turkana. I asked them what the Department of Fisheries was doing and they told me that they are doing nothing. The problem that Sen. Okiya Omtatah is talking about is live and it is happening in Lake Turkana.

People use incorrect mesh size nets and a Senator from Busia County is the one complaining about issues in Lake Turkana. He is the one talking of the problem which is transportation of small fish from Lake Turkana to Busia. The Marsabit County Government built an abattoir at a cost of about Kshs300 million. Unfortunately, that abattoir has been claimed by the lake and one can only see the roof. That abattoir is not helping our people in Marsabit.

I have a slightly different idea from Sen. Okiya Omtatah’s. Some money was set aside, this money comes from the European Union (EU) and it was about Kshs1.5 billion that was set aside to help people who are doing business in Lake Turkana. That money would have been set aside for refrigerated trucks, cold storage systems and policing of the lake.

Services, Senate.

We have two problems in Lake Turkana. One is security and the second one is the use of incorrect mesh size nets. If we do not stop this, we will not have fish to harvest from Lake Turkana in the next five years. I spoke to Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Hassan Joho, about three weeks ago on the same issue. I told him there is a problem in Lake Turkana and we need to deal with it as soon as possible. He promised to come to Marsabit, specifically Lake Turkana, to sort out these problems.

What do we need in Lake Turkana? There is a boat in Lake Turkana that belongs to the Department of Blue Economy, but it is only used when somebody wants to hire it. It does not do policing work neither does it help our people even in emergency cases. They let it to people at some cost. The Cabinet Secretary needs to visit Lake Turkana for him to see what is happening there.

Once again, I thank Sen. Okiya Omtatah. I want to sit with him for us to discuss how we are going to deal with the issue of the fish. We do not necessarily have to bring dried fish. We can use refrigerated vehicles to bring fish to Busia, then people from Congo can come and buy them.

The Senator for Turkana County also has a similar problem. We had lunch together and he told me there is a security problem in Lake Turkana, on his side. This can only be taken care of if the Fisheries Department deploys motorboats and speedboats to secure that area. When we went to visit his county, people were complaining that they do not have enough speedboats to secure the community that live around Lake Turkana.

My request to the Committee is that they have to do a thorough investigation and also visit both sides of Lake Turkana; Turkana County and Marsabit County. When they do that, they will see what is happening in Lake Turkana. If possible, we could also request the Cabinet Secretary to visit as soon as possible.

Thank you very much, Madam Temporary Speaker.

Madam Temporary Speaker, I rise to note that we do not have quorum in the House. Do we have quorum for the proceedings?

Clerks, do we have quorum?

We do not have quorum. I request the Serjeant-at-Arms to ring the bell for 10 minutes.

Hon. Senators, we seem to be suffering the consequences of overwork. I am aware that a number of committees are still doing their exit meetings.

Services, Senate.

Hon. Senators, having failed to attain quorum at the expiry of the 10 minutes, the Senate stands adjourned pursuant to Standing Order No.41 (2) until Tuesday, 28th October, 2025 at 2.30 p.m.

The Senate rose at 4.06 p.m.