Hon. Members, we do not have the requisite quorum. I order that the Quorum Bell be rung for 10 minutes. (The Quorum Bell was rung) I direct that the quorum bell be rung for an additional five minutes. Where are the whips, the chairpersons, and ranking Members? Hon. Pukose and Hon. Murugara, go whip your troops. On the Government’s side, who is here?

I am here.

Go whip your troops. Hon. Dorothy, where is that leadership of the House from the ruling party? Hon. Murugara, it does not augur well. (The Quorum Bell was rung)

Order, Hon Members. We now have quorum. Take your seats.

(Hon. Joyce Kamene and Hon. Suzanne Kiamba spoke off the record) Order! Let us proceed.

Where is Leader of the Majority Party? He is not in. Proceed, Hon. Pukose.

(Hon. Joyce Kamene and Hon. Suzanne Kiamba spoke off the record)

Hon. Temporary Speaker, on behalf of the Leader of the Majority Party, I beg to lay the following Papers on the Table of the House:

Order! If you take time to study the Standing Orders and the rules of the House so as to understand how business is transacted here… (Hon. Suzanne Kiamba spoke off the record) Order! When the Speaker is on his feet, you do not talk. For your information and for the information of Members of Parliament, if you do not respect the dignity of the House and you start interjecting while the Speaker is on his feet, I will take very firm actions and those actions are going to be very bad for you. The business of determining whether we have a quorum or not is the role of the clerks-at-the-Table and the chairperson. Once it is established… (Hon. Suzanne Kiamba spoke off the record) Order! I know you are a first term Member of Parliament. You see, the advantage of having good knowledge and reading a lot is that it stops you from getting embarrassed. If you listen to me, I will give you a lesson on this because you never took time to understand these things. You think this is just the House of activism. When it is already declared that business shall continue because of a communication from the clerks-at-the-Table and the chairperson,

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Members, I refer (a) to the Committee on Delegated Legislation and (b) on report to Parliament on all new loans contracted by the Government from 1st January to 30th April 2026 to the Committee on Public Debt and Privatisation.

Next Order.

Hon. Kibagendi, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Order. Just take your seat. Before we go to that substantive business, I want to recognise the presence, in the Speaker's Gallery, of students from Uganda Marty’s Mirogi Boarding School in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay Constituency and students from the Amazon Hill School, Baringo Central Constituency, Baringo County.

I will give an opportunity to the Member of Parliament for Ndhiwa Constituency to say words of encouragement to the students from that school.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity to welcome the best school in my constituency, Mirogi Boarding Comprehensive School, and the rest of the students in the Gallery to this august House. I want to remind and encourage them that at one point, all these Members were in the space they are in now and that did not deter them to come to this House. If it is their desire to be representatives of the people here, they can make it. What it takes is prayer, hard work and of course staying focused. I hope their experience here and other students who come to this House will inspire them to work hard and aspire to be where they want to be. Let nobody dissuade them that they cannot. They can.

Somebody from Baringo to say a word of encouragement to the students from Baringo? The Member for Garissa Township,

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. On behalf of the House and the pastoralist communities of this country, let me also take this opportunity to welcome these young students – our next generation of leaders of this country – to this honourable House. Let them feel and see what happens in the House of the legislative arm of the Government. I encourage them to aspire to be good citizens and members of this House in future, so that they can set the agenda and foundation for the generation after them.

I also want to recognise the presence of students from Moi Siongiroi Girls’ Secondary School from Chepalungu Constituency, Bomet County.

Proceed, Hon. Kibagendi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Pursuant to the provision of Standing Order 44(2)C, I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning regarding the persistent delays in payment of pension and retirement benefits to retired teachers in Kisii County and across the country.

Teachers devote their entire working lives to educating generations of Kenyans and shaping the nation's social and economic development. It is, therefore, deeply concerning that many teachers in Kisii County and across the country continue to endure prolonged delays in receiving their pension and retirement benefits after leaving service. Instead of enjoying a dignified retirement, many are subjected to financial hardships as they wait for months and in some instances, years, for benefits they earned through decades of dedicated public service.

In Kisii County, numerous retired teachers and families of deceased teachers have expressed concern over the prolonged delays in processing and payment of pension, gratuity and other retirement benefits. In some instances, they are asked for bribes for these benefits to be processed. Consequently, many retirees are unable to meet their daily living expenses, access to healthcare or support their dependents due to the delayed release of their rightful dues. Sadly, some retirees have passed away before receiving their pension, while their dependents continue to face lengthy administrative processes before accessing the survivor's benefits.

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

Yes, Member of Parliament for Saku.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order, Hon. Suzanne Kiamba?

Hon. Temporary Speaker, according to our Standing Orders, the House has no quorum.

According to which Standing Order?

The House has no quorum to undertake business on issues of this country.

Yes, Hon. Dorcas.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to weigh in on this matter that Hon. Kibagendi has just highlighted. I want to correct Hon. Kibagendi. Teachers do not belong to Linda Mwananchi. The teachers of this country belong to the Government of the day. The matter…

Order, Hon. Dorcas! Before you contribute to that substantive matter… For the Member who has stood on a point of order, ordinarily, you have to quote the relevant Standing Order.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. This is a House of rules. If a Member raises a point of order, they need to tell us according to which Standing Order for it to be executed.

Order! What is the name of that Member? Yes, what is your point of order? Order!

Hon. Charles Nguna (Mwingi West, WDM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Member for Makueni should state which Standing Order she is using to call out the House for lacking quorum. How has she determined that we do not have a quorum?

The Member of Parliament for Kaloleni, let us dispose of this matter.

Order, Hon. Suzanne Kiamba, Member for Makueni. We want to protect the dignity of this House. Hon. Kiamba, you have been here for four years, and you have heard the issue of quorum being raised. Yet you do not understand under what Standing Order it falls. Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I agree with you, but of course, the Member for Makueni also has a right. It is not fair that the Members caucused, and some of the Members with whom they were caucusing walked out so that she could raise a quorum.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, as you have put it, when you want to prosecute something, come with clean hands. Do not tell your colleagues to walk out, then you start raising such points of order. How I wish the Member had raised that point of order when her colleagues were in the House so that we could transact that business then. She has the right to raise the issue of quorum, but it is wrong when someone maliciously instigates such a case. It is not right for a Member of Parliament to raise a point of order without indicating the specific Standing Order. They must indicate the Standing Order to prevent misuse of the provision. I beg that you rule her out of order so that we proceed.

Yes, Member for Nyando.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, when we began, you ordered the Quorum Bell to be rung for 10 minutes.

15 minutes.

Yes, Hon. Temporary Speaker. By way of your magnanimity, you asked that the Bell be rung for five more minutes. The Clerks-at-the-Table determined that we had attained a quorum.

I have been in opposition politics for way too long. Some of these Members will need to be my prodigies so that I can teach them about opposition politics. Our good clerks-at-the- Table had already determined that we had a quorum, and we began conducting business. As my brother, Hon. Gikaria, says, you cannot ask people to walk out and then demand equity. You have to come before equity with clean hands.

We have a quorum; let us transact business. The country is awaiting our prosecution of matters before this House. There are pertinent issues that appear on the Order Paper that will be raised. We will not sacrifice the betterment of this House at the altar of noise from people who do not understand the politics of opposition. Rule on this matter, so that we proceed.

I would like to rule on this matter. Let us not waste time on it.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Dawood, what is out of order?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Member for Makueni should have quoted the Standing Order she rose on. But since she did not state the Standing Order, the issue of quorum is null and void. There is nothing to be discussed.

Order, Hon. Members, the Chair takes note of your concerns. Indeed, the Chair did note a caucus and Members walking out. That

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have been briefed on the Question that requires the Committee's attention. On behalf of the Chairperson, I undertake to respond to that Question within two weeks.

Order. Before you do that, I want one or two Members to weigh in on that statement. Hon. Muthoni.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to weigh in on the matter raised by Hon. Kibagendi. At the outset, as I contribute to this matter of pensions, I want Hon. Kibagendi to be cognisant of the fact that Linda Mwananchi does not employ teachers in this nation. They work for and serve the Government of the day. Therefore, they are squarely under the Kenya Kwanza Administration, led by His Excellency William Samoei Ruto.

The matter of pensions is a very thorny issue that has been canvassed in this House time and again. It is high time that pensioners are treated as citizens of this country and recognised for their patriotism and service. It is not only teachers. All pensioners should be respected because retirement is not an accident. It is known in advance and should be planned for. Pensioners should receive what is due to them immediately upon retirement. I am aware that several reforms are underway at the National Treasury. However, pensioners should not suffer. They should receive their benefits on time.

Fair enough, you have made your point. Member for Saku followed by the Member for Kaloleni. Proceed, Member for Saku.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Unfortunately, you have failed to invoke Standing Order 107 against the Member for Makueni. I think she is simply irritating the House for no good reason.

Turning to the issue raised by Hon. Kibagendi, I think it is important that pensions or gratuity be treated as a right, rather than as something that is given at the discretion of those responsible. What is important is that the retirement dates of all public officers are known. The timeline is clear. The purpose of a pension, worldwide, is to enable retirees to maintain a reasonable standard of living and decency. Therefore, Hon. Kibagendi has raised a very important issue, which this House must address with the seriousness it deserves. The teachers of this country are very important.

If you look at the young people seated in the Public Gallery today, they are here because some teachers woke up very early this morning, perhaps at 2.00 a.m., 3.00 a.m., or even 4.00

Member for Kaloleni.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Nataka nichangie kuhusu walimu ambao wamestaafu.

Order, Hon. Members. Proceed, Member for Kaloleni.

Asante, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Walimu wa nchi hii wanastahili kuheshimika kwa sababu wamechangia pakubwa katika elimu na maendeleo ya nchi. Ni jambo la kuhuzunisha kwamba walimu hawa wamejitolea kuwafundisha wanafunzi, na siku yao ya kustaafu inajulikana. Hata hivyo, baada ya kustaafu, wameendelea kuteseka. Hawapati marupurupu yao kwa wakati ili waweze kujimudu kimaisha.

Tume ya Kuajiri Walimu inatakikana kuwa na mipango kabambe. Kama mwalimu anajulikana ataenda kustaafu, anatakikana apangiwe marupurupu yake mapema ili siku anapostaafu apewe fedha zake na aende nyumbani kujisaidia. Ni jambo la kusikitisha kwamba walimu wengi wamesubiri marupurupu yao hadi wamefariki dunia kabla ya kuyapata. Hali yao ya afya pia huwa duni. Hawawezi kujimudu kuenda hospitalini kwa sababu hawapewi marupurupu yao kwa wakati unaofaa. Na si walimu pekee. Wafanyakazi wote wa Serikali wanatakikana kupangiwa mapema ili wanapostaafu, waende nyumbani wakijua kwamba mchango wao kwa taifa umetambuliwa.

Kwa hivyo, Bunge hili, na sisi tulio hapa, tumepitia shule. Inatupasa tuwaenzi walimu wetu, pamoja na madaktari, maafisa wa polisi na mtu yeyote anayestaafu kutoka katika utumishi wa Serikali. Anatakikana kupangiwa mapema ili asihangaike. Wengine wamekaa kwa zaidi ya miaka 10 tangu wastaafu na bado hawajapata marupurupu yao. Ni jambo la aibu. Inatupasa, kama Bunge, kusimama na kuwasaidia wote waliostaafu, hususan walimu, madaktari na walinda usalama.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda.

Hon. Charity Chepkwony. Proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support the matter raised by our colleague, Hon. Kibagendi, regarding pensions. I am pleased that all of us seated here have been in the hands of teachers at various levels, including primary, secondary, and university levels. Therefore, as we sit here today, we should support the proposal that, upon retirement, teachers receive their pension benefits without delay.

Allow me also to support what the Member from Coast has raised. Unfortunately, some teachers sacrifice so much to enable many of us to attain the positions we hold today. Sadly, some even die before receiving their pensions. Therefore, as we support teachers, let us also support other professions. Once people have served this country, it is our responsibility to ensure they receive their benefits promptly upon retirement.

It is very painful when children grow up seeing their parents serve this country in different capacities and professions, only to retire and suffer, walking long distances to their respective ministries to follow up on the money they are supposed to be paid. Therefore, I join my colleagues here in saying that we cannot sit and think everything is okay when our teachers, who have taught us, retire, but do not receive their money on time. We support that this trend changes. The respective ministries should ensure proper planning, so that people receive their money on time.

Member for Bondo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. When our civil servants, including teachers, are working, they are reminded of their age and the time remaining in service. This is the time when the retirement benefits, including pensions, need to be processed. If a teacher is reminded every month that they have 2 years or 3 months remaining, they should proceed with a parallel arrangement in which they also start processing their retirement benefits.

We acknowledge that at 60, when one is retiring, this is definitely the age when one has served and done their best. When you retire and go home, you start having health-related experiences that require you to be endowed. So, you realise that, whatever you were doing, you were acknowledged. You also say that you really served your country. Unfortunately, we constantly remind them of when they will go home, but we do not process their payments.

Hon. Dawood, do you want to weigh in on the same issue, or is it something else? Okay, proceed.

Nakushukuru, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Namuunga mkono ndugu yangu mdogo, Mhe. Kibagendi. Kuna walimu walistaafu mwaka 1997 na korti iliamuru walipwe. Nilileta ombi langu katika Bunge hili na kuna changamoto kwa sababu mpaka leo haijakamilishwa. Tunaongea kuhusu mambo ya uzee na pesa za wale wamestaafu. Lazima tukumbuke hata sisi tutastaafu siku moja. Na tukistaafu, pesa zetu tutazipata ama hatutazipata? Lazima tuweke maanani suala hili tukiwa Bunge la Taifa ili watu wetu pamoja na sisi tupate pesa wakati tutastaafu.

Pia, Mhe. Kibagendi amesema kwamba anaunga mkono Linda Mwananchi. Hafahamu kwamba wananchi wote ni Wakenya, na sio wa Linda Mwananchi peke yake. Hapo amekosea kidogo. Sisi sote ni Wakenya na lazima atambue kwamba kuna watu wengine nje ya mpango wao.

Asante sana, Mhe. Naibu Spika wa Muda.

Next is Hon. Mutunga and then the Member for Sotik.

Hon (Dr) John Mutunga Kanyuithia (Tigania West, UDA): Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Retirement is disengagement from service. Once one retires, they lose their value immediately. They lose the regard of their former colleagues in the office. They also lose their recognition and almost everything. That is a status that we, as a country, need to change. When these people worked, they were important in those areas and the dockets that they drove. But upon retirement, they are disregarded, which is really unfortunate.

I want to align my thoughts with those of Hon. Kibagendi, who has brought this matter to the Floor. We need to support these teachers and other civil service retirees. Most of the teachers are very organised. They organise their lives with the little that they earn. In so doing, they can even project what the future holds and plan for their retirement benefits. They are affected in their planning because their retirement benefits are not available when they need them. Unfortunately, they are sometimes even required to pay to receive their benefits. They are required to bribe, which is wrong. Most of the leaders in this House have been consulted at one point or another by a teacher or a retired civil servant to assist them in moving their files towards payment. This has been an issue.

I propose that Hon. Kibagendi bring amendments to the Retirement Benefits Act. This will help us examine how we can make it mandatory for retirement benefits to be processed progressively as someone nears retirement. This will ensure that, at the date and time of retirement, people can receive their benefits immediately and plan for the benefits they will receive after retirement. Knowing that teachers are under-resourced and they have demands to pay, it is really unfortunate.

I believe Hon. Kibagendi has brought in a good idea. We need to support it so we can assess how to amend the law. This will make it mandatory for all civil servants, public servants

Member for Sotik. I know every Member of Parliament who is in the chamber now would like to weigh in on this Statement. However, we cannot accommodate everybody. We have to move on to other business.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank you for giving me this opportunity to also weigh in on this statement from my friend, Hon. Kibagendi, whom I respect. He is my neighbour.

Hon. Kibagendi’s Statement is very important to this nation. However, he came in with another statement from Linda Mwananchi, which disappointed me a bit. I want to remind him that the Kenya-Kwanza Government is in charge. Anything you ask for should be addressed to the Government. I know you had a lot of movements over the weekend. You were made to understand that you are in the government. No, my friend. You still have a long way to go. I want to remind you that we will work hard to ensure these teachers are paid.

Hon. Kibagendi has raised a very serious issue. I have many teachers in my constituency. I would like to weigh in on what Hon. Dawood has said. Some teachers took a case to court, a court order was given, and nothing has been done. For how long are these teachers going to suffer? All of us have passed through the hands of teachers. They are the most respected people in our society.

Why do we subject them to serious problems when they are retiring, including even asking for bribes? I suggest that we go beyond the statement which my friend has raised. We demand that the Cabinet Secretary come and give us a proper, serious statement. I will also request Hon. Kibagendi to bring an amendment. What is wrong? Nowadays, we have technology. Why should we wait? Why should teachers travel from Sotik to Nairobi to ask for peanuts? We need to give teachers more respect.

I am very concerned. People who line up in my constituency to see me are mostly teachers. They look very desperate and dejected in society. I want to request that we go beyond the Statement which my friend has raised, and look into this issue more seriously, as Parliament.

Hon. Adan, this Statement has had sufficient attention, but I understand. Teachers are very powerful opinion leaders back at home. Every Member of Parliament would like to support them, but this is a Statement. We will debate it when we have a substantive Motion on the Floor of the House. For now, let us allow Hon. Aden to take one minute. After that, the Member for Kesses, on behalf of the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning, will give an undertaking.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity. This is a very weighty statement. It is a problem that cuts across the whole country. Just this morning, I received about three calls from retired teachers. They were asking me, “This is a new financial year, where is our money? How far have they gone? We go there day in day out, yet things are not moving”. Teachers are suffering. Some of them, even though they are retired, still have some children in school. Their children are sent away from school because they lack money. This makes them very frustrated. Ultimately, a few of them actually lose control of their own lives and may even commit suicide.

I, therefore, support this. It is a very important issue that requires the effort it takes to handle.

Member for Kesses on behalf of the Committee, please.

Thank you so much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Listening to the people's representatives, there is a serious concern. This is a matter that needs to be addressed thoroughly for the public's interest.

I thank Hon. Kibagendi for raising this matter. However, listening to Members, you put it as a political question. This is an administrative, not a political, question. It is the responsibility of the current regime to ensure this is addressed. As a Committee, we promise to take the shortest time possible. Believing and knowing that nowadays systems are supported by technology and have been digitised, there is no need for traditional bureaucracy to delay teachers' interests. We will look at this issue and also go far beyond the teachers. We will look at the entire public service rights. Whenever someone has served this nation well and discharged their duties, upon retirement, they should go home happy. Not going back to the streets. This is something that we have to look at.

Lastly, I saw my good friend, Hon. Jessica, quarrelling there, and then I looked at the students seated in the gallery today. We are bound by our duty as Hon. Members to conduct ourselves in a manner that befits the honour of this House. This is because these learners are here to learn good and best practises of leadership. We should not expose or portray a character that demeans this House or inspires bad behaviour in schools. We have seen schools being burned, and children are learning a lot from leaders. Therefore, we must conduct ourselves in an orderly manner.

I recognise the presence in the Speaker’s Gallery of students from Usenge High School in Bondo, Siaya.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Let me join you in welcoming our learners and students from different schools across the country who have visited Parliament today. In particular, Usenge High School, located in Bondo. The school is my neighbour, and we have very good neighbourliness.

I will mention two things principally. Number one is the whole issue of the advantage that these learners who have visited this Parliament have over many others. It is a privilege and an opportunity that many others do not have. Hundreds of schools are unable to get here. While this is happening today, for the number of years that I have been a Member of Parliament, only three schools in my entire constituency have managed to get here. It is such a difficult exercise.

The students need to realise that this is really a serious privilege that they have. When they visit this House, they need to pick up some things and bring them back home. It is an advantage that others do not have. Out of my 48 or so schools, only three for over 10 years have at least managed to get here. Getting here is over 800 kilometres each way. Having students on the road for days is not always easy. So, please, get this: This is a privilege. You have an opportunity that others do not have. Please, utilise it thoroughly.

Number two, for the learners, whether in junior or senior schools, this is a laboratory for some of your subjects. There are physics and chemistry laboratories back in your schools, but for those of you doing history and government, this is your laboratory. For those of you doing humanities pathways, this is a laboratory for you. You come to learn just the same way you do in a biology laboratory back in school. Parliament is the source of how governments work: Policies, legislation, and finances. How we allocate money and how it is utilised in services for this country is determined by this House. You are, therefore, in a serious institution. An institution that is a pillar in terms of how the Government runs. Being here is a great opportunity.

In the Speaker’s Gallery, we also have students from Moi Siongiroi Girls' Senior School. This is the second group. I think there was a group before that. Please, rise. Congratulations. I thought I would hear a lot of stomping in the House to support these young learners.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, Moi Siongiroi Girls’ Senior School is a school very close to my constituency. Although it is located in Chepalungu, many children from Kilgoris also go there. So, as the Member for Kilgoris, I congratulate the kids for coming here today. I wish them a good time. Moi Siongiroi Girls’ Senior School was founded by President Moi, whom I served under, and we saw it being built. It continues to have a good record. I, therefore, wish them a good trip in Nairobi.

We will also recognise students from Mamiloki Primary and Junior School from Mwala, Machakos, who are seated in the Public Gallery. The Members at the back there from Ukambani, these students come from your region. We want a dignified Member of Parliament to give them words of encouragement. These are students from Mamiloki Primary and Junior School from Mwala, Machakos.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity to welcome the students and pupils from Mwala in Machakos County. On behalf of your Member of Parliament, Hon. Vincent Kawaya, I welcome you to this Parliament to watch the debate and learn more, so that in the future, you can aspire to be a Member of Parliament. You are most welcome. All the other students on Parliament premises, I also welcome you. Feel that you are wanted and worthy here. This is your Parliament because you are citizens of this country. You have the right to attend the debate in this Parliament.

Next are the students from Kakenya High School in Kilgoris, who are also in the Public Gallery. I understand, the Member for Kilgoris, you have already given words of encouragement to the students from Chepalungu, but go ahead and also encourage your own constituency. Is Kilgoris not your constituency?

That is true, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I congratulate and welcome the children from Kakenya High School. This is a very important school in the Keyian Division. It was founded by a very prominent lady who worked in the United States, Kakenya. This is one of those excellent schools you should send your children to. I also want to tell the young girls who have come to visit this House, where their representatives serve, that one day, one or two of them may also sit here. This is a place to learn about Government and how it works. This is where we make laws. Those on the other side form the Government while we, on this side, constitute the opposition. Together, we are one House that makes laws for this country.

You are welcome to the House.

Finally, I recognize students of St. Luke's Catholic School from Kajiado South Constituency in Kajiado County, and students of Mungoni Primary and Junior School from Chuka/Igambang'ombe Constituency in Tharaka- Nithi County. Are there any Members from Kajiado in the Maa community who wish to welcome them?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Chuka/Igambang'ombe is my neighbouring constituency in Tharaka-Nithi County. I come from Embu County.

I take this opportunity to welcome and encourage our young men and women. I urge them to dream even bigger than this House. I believe many of us remember our first visit to Parliament. It is one that inspired many of us to fight to be here. This House has made significant contributions to education through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and the many education policies we have enacted. I also wish to tell the students that we mean well for the education sector. We continue to fight for adequate funding for education. However, we must also be cautious about making promises. Some time back, I heard promises of free university education. I was very worried because we have not fully realised free primary and free secondary education. These are things we need to discuss in this House and ensure that we streamline the policies that guide our education sector.

I call upon the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy to respond to a Statement that was sought by Hon. Joseph Tonui, Member for Kuresoi South Constituency.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Following a letter dated 2nd July 2026, Reference No. NADC/Energy/2026…

Is the Member in the House? Where is Hon. Tonui?

Proceed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the Departmental Committee on Energy requested the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum to respond to concerns regarding the prolonged delay in the repair and replacement of faulty electricity transformers in Kuresoi South Constituency, as raised by Hon. Joseph Tonui.

In the first question, the Member sought a report on the status of transformers serving Kabongoi Primary School, Kapngorot Secondary School, Tambwalo, Tirigoi, Chenugu, Kaprengero, Ngorofa and Leldany, including the dates when the matters of the faulty transformers were reported and the action taken to date.

The Ministry responded that Kenya Power had undertaken technical assessments of the affected transformers. A detailed schedule indicating the date each transformer was reported, the assessments undertaken and the status of remedial works was submitted to the Committee. The schedule contains 10 transformers as follows:

The first is that of Tirigoi Primary School, where the fault was reported on 5th February

Member for Kuresoi South Constituency.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I am satisfied with the response, but I would like to appeal, through you, to the Chairman to monitor very closely what the Ministry has promised so that they adhere to the timelines because we have national examinations approaching and some schools are affected. It will be very sad for students in some schools to sit for exams without electricity. I am satisfied. I know the Chairman is able and will monitor the progress closely.

Yes, Member for Magarini.

Asante Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Ripoti ambayo imetolewa na Mhe. Mwenyekiti inapendeza lakini ninaomba vile amesema nchini kote kutashughulikiwa, kuna transformers ambazo zimeharibika sehemu ya Sosoni, Bungale Location na tunavyozungumza imepita zaidi ya miezi minne. Sehemu zingine kama Ngomeni, imepita zaidi ya miezi mitano. Kwa hivyo ninaomba atilie mkazo kwa wahusika kuona kwamba transformer hizo zinarekebishwa haraka iwezekanavyo. Hii ni kwa maana zingine zina uhusiano na dispensaries ambako kuna refrigerators za kuweka dawa za kutibu sumu ya nyoka. Ikiwa hatuwezi kuzihifadhi, binadamu watakapopata ajali ya kuumwa na nyoka itakuwa ni matatizo. Mhe. Mwenyekiti, jitihada inahitajika.

Ahsante Mhe. Spika wa Muda.

Hon. Member for Kilgoris.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the Chairman has given an answer that seems restricted to Kuresoi. If you were in the House when the Member for Kuresoi South raised this matter, you will recall that there was a huge debate on it. We actually asked the Chairman to bring an answer covering the whole country because this is a huge problem across the country.

There are many transformers everywhere across the country, especially in Kilgoris, that are not functioning and there seems to be no plan at all to restore them. We raised that matter and the Hon. Speaker said that the Cabinet Secretary himself would come to the House to address the matter comprehensively. Because of the eminence of the Chairman, could he make sure that the Cabinet Secretary comes here and addresses the matter beyond Kuresoi? We have been asked questions by our constituents, but we cannot answer them to-date. It is a very serious matter.

Who is at the back there? Please, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I am Edith. I requested for a similar Statement and I hope my response will be forthcoming. By the time I requested for the Statement, I had requested for 15 transformers. Right now, we have 33 transformers in Kitui West Constituency which are not functioning. We keep on reporting every time. Some have taken more than a year. The Office of the Director-General of the Kenya Power Company keeps saying that they will come to repair them, but they do not do so. Since this is a common problem, as my colleague has said, it is proper that we have the Cabinet Secretary coming here to answer our questions. There is no point in keeping on making new connections while the old ones are not being maintained. There is a huge outcry, especially by dispensaries and also in many town centres, where businesses have gone down and people cannot do business as usual.

Hon. Ruweida.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda. Ningependa kumjulisha Mwenyekiti kuwa pia kwetu Lamu Mashariki kuna sehemu zingine hatuna transfomers kabisa. Watu wakiziomba hapa, sisi tunashangaa. Wadi nzima ya Basuba haina kabisa. Lakini ninaomba kuwa mipangilio ya kuhakisha kuwekwa sitima upande wa Basuba ifanyiwe bidii.

Transformer ya Kijiji cha Shanga iliharibika na ya shule ikaondolewa ikapelekwa kwingineko kushikilia shule zilipofungwa. Saa hii shule zimefunguliwa na area ya kwenda shule ya msingi ya Shanga haina transformer. Ninamuomba Mhe. Mwenyekiti ahakikishe kwamba tumepata transformer huko kwetu.

Pia, niliuliza swali kabla Mwenyekiti ashikilie. Niliuliza Mwekiti mwenzako kuhusu generator. Tangu Bunge lililopita, tumekuwa tukiulizia laini ya kutoka Port kwenda Faza. Siku zote generator hizo ni kesi haswa wakati wa jua kali zinaharibika. Sisi ni Wakenya na pesa saa hii iko. Refinery ambayo inaletwa kwetu inamaanisha ni lazima maendeleo yapatikane. Tupange ili tupate vitu kame hivyo, haswa ile laini ya kutoka Kenya Ports iende Mtangawanda ifike kwenye vijiji vyote. Kesi hii inajulikana na Mwenyekiti kwa sababu tulizungumza kwa kuuliza maswali. Kuna sehemu nyingi za mashambani kule Faza Ward, na mitaa mipya, ambazo hazina transformer. Hiyo ripoti imeandikwa iko na Kenya Power lakini hatujasaidika.

Mhe. Spika wa Muda, nakuomba mwenyekiti huyu asiwe kama yule mwingine ikawa eneo bunge moja likapata Ksh450 milioni na Lamu Mashariki ikapata Ksh4 milioni peke yake. Huyu najua ni muungwana sana. Kwa hivyo, tafadhali, hakikisha kwmba sehemu zingine nazo zimepata stima.

Member for Kacheliba.

Thank you, Hon Temporary Speaker. I will follow up on what Hon. Ruweida has said in terms of connectivity. As others are complaining more about electricity transformers falling or not working, some of us are even wondering if we will ever be connected to electricity. Close to a half of the schools in Kacheliba Constituency do not have electricity leave alone the prospect of them being connected to electricity any time soon. So, as we complain, we also need to look at whether we are putting all our resources to where already electricity exists. That does not water down what the other Members have said because even in the same Kacheliba Constituency, in the very few schools that got electricity, their transformers are all falling down and they are recalled. Close to a year, some of the transformers have not been returned. It is total failure because half of the schools do not have electricity and those which have electricity, the transformers have been vandalised or have been taken away by the Kenya Power people on the pretext that they are going to repair and return them. Because we will always be complaining about this matter, I propose that the Cabinet Secretary come and give us an answer that will satisfy our people. The only thing that will satisfy our people is when we see electricity being connected back again, not questions or

Hon. Mukunji.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, as we agree with the Statement given the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Energy, the issue of electricity connectivity in this country of late has become very controversial. I come from Embu County. During the Ol Kalou by-elections, there was a rumour that transformers were taken from one side of Mbeere North to Ol Kalou for campaign purposes. I also met the Chairman there campaigning for the UDA candidate. I want to caution the Chairman against falling into the trap of using electricity as a campaign tool. There is a very serious need to map the country to establish where electricity is not well connected, and where transformers have become obsolete with a view to acting with speed to rectify the problem. Kenya Power must prepare a budget and look for partners to ensure that every part of this country is connected to electricity. We are in the 21st Century. We should not be having problems of electricity connectivity in this nation. As we speak about maintenance, I also want to tell the Chairman that he should be very keen to ensure that he does not risk the lives of Kenya Power employees. In my constituency, some people were found removing transformers at night for maintenance and they were almost lynched. I wondered what kind of operation Kenya Power could be conducting such that transformers were being removed at night. It is important that as we look at how we are going to maintain electricity transformers and do...

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order, Member for Kesses?

Sasa wewe? Si uache nimalize?

Mheshimiwa, you can sit down.

He is on a point of order.

I am listening to my good friend, Hon. Mukunji. I love his debate, but is it in order for him to mislead the country knowing that Kenya Power operates 24 hours, including having an emergency office? They can undertake an emergency responsibility or calls. For that purpose, they should not be treated like they should not undertake their duties at night. It is something that he should correct. If he does not know, then he should be informed that that company operates 24 hours.

What is your point of order? You are informing me yet I have not requested for your information.

You have not raised a matter that essentially is a point of order. In any case, he was wondering why Kenya Power employees should be removing a functioning transformer at night. Is that what you said?

Yes, that is what I said. I was actually citing an incident that had happened in my constituency. As I conclude...

The issue here, if I may get you right, is that the transformers that are being moved from place to place are functioning.

Exactly!

Okay.

I need clarification from the Chair. I saw him campaigning very seriously with Ksh1.2 million in Ol Kalou and promising people electricity. I wonder whether he will continue implementing those projects to completion now that they lost the election. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

We have to dispose of this matter and go to substantive business. We will have one last intervention from Hon Dawood and then the Chair will respond.

Nakushukuru Mhe Spika wa Muda. Kwanza nimkosoe ndugu yangu Mukunji, ambaye amesema kwamba kuna transformer zilizotolewa Mbeere North na hazikurudi. Anafaa atuambie kama transformer alizosema zilienda Ol Kalou zina namba. Kwanza, hilo ndilo jambambo analofaa kutuambia ili tujue ukweli kwa sababu yeye hajui kama hizo transformer zimerudi na zilikuwa zimeenda kutengenezwa. Kisha nimwambie mwenyekiti kwamba mimi nimeingia Bunge mwaka wa 2013 na huu ni muhula wangu wa tatu nikiwa vile niko na rangi yangu vile iko. Hata kama wengine wanasema nisichaguliwe, nishaweka ombi la transformer 65 kutoka wakati ule. Nimepata 20 hadi leo na bado haja yangu ni 65. Ningeomba mwenyekiti siku moja tumuite Waziri na Katibu Mkuu wa wizara waje hapa tufanye kamukunji tujue ni nini kinatukumba kwamba hatuwezi kupata hizo transformer na pia watu wetu hawawezi kupata nuru. Tuko na shida.

Tosha. Ushasema.

Asante, Mhe Spika wa Muda.

The last one is Hon. Kaluma and then the Chairman will respond.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, the matter of faulty transformers is not a small issue. A big percentage of my transformers—and it is something I have always shared with the Chair of the Committee—are being vandalised. I hear that the perpetrators of this crime drain the oil from the transformers. I do not know if the oil is used to fry chips or what. No wonder we have funny diseases like cancer on the rise across the country. Looking at how the transformers are being vandalised, I personally believe that KPLC staff themselves are doing that vandalism. There is no way you can go deep in the village and get a transformer removed by ordinary villagers. I hear they take the copper wires to sell as scrap metal. However, the manner in which it is done and the timing confirms that it is people employed under Kenya Power who are doing it. I want to request the Chairperson of the Committee and the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to investigate their own officers. I have a case in Homa Bay Town where a Kenya Power vehicle was seen at a transformer. After that, the transformer disappeared completely.

In Homa Bay Town, there are transformers and electricity poles along many schools that have been lying on the ground for years, risking the lives of students, pupils and other members of the public. You send messages to the officers, but they do nothing. If you travel between Olodo and Nyakaiya, the poles have been lying along the road for over one year. If you use the Lala-Ruga Road, the poles are still lying there with the electricity lines. We have even had cases where people who do not understand the danger of electricity touching those wires, resulting in deaths.

I request the Chairperson to investigate this matter more deeply. In doing so, he should also ensure equity in electricity penetration across the country. I represent Homa Bay Constituency, which is a town, yet electricity connectivity is not even at 33 per cent. Yet some regions are already at 100 per cent, others at 80 per cent, and others at 70 per cent. There is need for equity. The issue of transformers is making it impossible for students to study and it should be looked into.

I will now ask the Chairperson to respond. Electricity is clearly a very emotive issue and every Member wants to contribute. (Hon. Moses Kirima spoke off the record) I will give you and Hon. Mutunga one minute each. Maybe, it is time this nation licensed several electricity companies instead of being confined to Kenya Power alone. That happens in many developing and developed countries. There has to be competition in the energy sector. When there is no competition and everyone must rely on the same institution, especially one that many feel is not doing enough, then there is a problem. As the Member for Dadaab, I share the same frustrations.

Anyway, continue.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I look at electricity connection as a business. You connect people and they continue paying for the service. I wonder why connections are not progressing faster than they are. Yes, there is a cost of connection, but every new connection expands the business. The transfer of transformers from one locality to another should be curtailed completely. Once a transformer is installed in a locality, the community identifies with it because electricity supply depends on that transformer.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, there are transformers serving very few people. I have about 162 transformers in my constituency that are serving almost nobody. Some serve one person, others two people, and others three people. They are grossly being underutilised. When projects for transformer maximisation are implemented, those transformers are often ignored. Other transformers are located within 200 metres, 600 metres, one kilometre or 1.2 kilometres of each other. There should be approximately 1.2 kilometres between two transformers. The current arrangement limits connectivity. Kenya Power should carry out a proper analysis and assessment of what is happening on the ground before introducing new electricity connections.

Member for Central Imenti, you can proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to address the issue of electricity connections in our areas. I come from Central Imenti. You cannot imagine that Central Imenti is sandwiched between giant constituencies that have enjoyed extensive electricity coverage for a very long time. My constituency has only about 40 per cent electricity connectivity. There are two divisions that have no electricity at all.

The most interesting thing is that when people talk about transformers, transformers in our area disappear every now and then. In one occasion, when we apprehended a person vandalising a transformer, we discovered that he was an employee of Kenya Power Company. One wonders why transformers are installed during the day and then removed in the evening.

When I hear claims that transformers were taken from Mbeere and Ol Kalou and later returned, I find it surprising. There are no surplus transformers that can simply be moved from one place to another. That is merely propaganda. The real problem is that transformers are unavailable. Even where they are available, there are no poles, wires or other materials. Can the Government invest more in this sector? Electricity is a matter of life and death. The Government should treat this issue seriously because everyone wants electricity connectivity. Access to electricity is a basic necessity of life, and the Government has a responsibility to provide it.

Fair enough. You have made your point.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I come from one of the most affected constituencies in the country. For over six months, my constituency has remained in darkness. Unfortunately, I doubt whether Kenya Power Company has the capacity to handle the challenges across the country. Replacing a transformer can take months. Recently, our area remained in darkness simply because of delays in replacing generators. In the last few days, there was also a fuel shortage. Because of poor planning, the town remained without electricity. Yet that town is the headquarters of Mandera County. This is a serious problem. I think this House should recommend that more electricity companies be licensed so that they can compete with Kenya Power Company.

Another issue is that projects under the Kenya Off-Grid Solar Access Project (K-OSAP) that were assigned to the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC) have already been completed, while many of those assigned to Kenya Power Company have not even started. That is unfortunate. We should ensure that several other companies are licensed so that Kenya Power Company faces competition in the sector.

Chairperson, respond.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I appreciate the sentiments expressed by all the Members who have spoken.

Regarding the question by the Member for Kuresoi South on transformers in the country, I appreciate the concerns that Members have raised. As Hon. (Dr) Mutunga has indicated, it is true. As a Committee, we have put our foot on the ground and we have insisted on matters of equity. Where other areas remain under-electrified, we have allocated additional resources. A good example is the last Supplementary Budget, in which we allocated a staggering Ksh1.2 billion to the North-Eastern region to address off-grid electricity challenges. As a Committee, we remain committed to addressing the issues that have been raised, particularly those highlighted by Hon. (Dr) Mutunga.

Prior to this, you could even find situations where simply because I am the Chairperson and I have a farm somewhere in Naivasha, there would be a transformer serving only my property. Such a transformer offers virtually no commercial value. As Hon. Mutunga pointed out, we have directed Kenya Power Company to ensure that every transformer delivers value through transformer maximisation and last-mile connectivity. It is unfortunate that Hon. Kaluma and other Members continue to experience these challenges. I agree with the concerns that have been raised. However, I wish to dispute what Hon. Mukunji said regarding transformers allegedly being removed from certain areas. It is not true that transformers were removed from Mbeere to Ol Kalou.

As Hon. Rutto indicated, Kenya Power is a 24-hour service provider with emergency response teams. If you make a call, they are available to respond to power outages and other emergencies. Therefore, when people see Kenya Power employees working at night, they are often responding to blackouts or emergency faults, and not necessarily removing transformers. If transformers are, indeed, being removed, that is a separate matter.

On matters to do with vandalism, Kenya Power Company has adopted a procurement procedure where it has contractors for different regions. What they have done to address vandalism is that those pre-qualified contractors for the North Rift region, for example, are known. Every transformer that is vandalised is their responsibility because they are the ones within that area.

So, again, is it the Kenya Power Company employees who are doing the vandalism? No. We have those pre-qualified contractors.

Lastly… Hon Didmus Barasa (Kimilili, UDA): On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order? Hon Didmus Barasa (Kimilili, UDA): My point of order is that the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Energy is speaking as if he is the Cabinet Secretary or the Managing Director of the Kenya Power Company. Members have raised very pertinent questions. It is only in order that you direct the Cabinet Secretary to appear before this House, so that the Chairperson can stop talking as if he is the Cabinet Secretary or the managing director of Kenya Power Company.

That is what we should do so that we can make progress on this matter. Kenyans can then have power, and the issue of transformers being vandalised can be addressed. We go wrong when the Chairperson of a Committee begins to speak as if he is the Cabinet Secretary. When he talks, nothing is implemented. We do not make progress. Therefore, the Chairperson should just sit down, so that you can order the Cabinet Secretary to appear before this House and address the issues that Members are raising conclusively.

Unfortunately, Hon. Barasa, it is the system that we have under our Constitution. This is unlike the previous system where ministers were Members of Parliament, accountable on the Floor of the House and able to give undertakings that essentially bound the Executive. Right now, we have a hybrid system which gives that responsibility to chairpersons of committees. Nonetheless, Hon. Mukunji, you are also on a point of order.

Hon. Speaker, I agree with your guidance.

Order.

Yes, I fully agree with your guidance. However, I would also like to caution the Chairperson. Without providing proof or evidence, you cannot dismiss Members' sentiments. I think the best response from the Chairperson would have been that the Committee would investigate the allegations, especially on matters concerning he Kenya Power Company employees allegedly taking transformers that are working, at night.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order, Hon. (Dr) Pukose.

Hon. Speaker, my friend Hon. Didmus Barasa, who is also the incoming Governor for Bungoma, although my sister's son - Hon. Major Waluke, does not agree - is also the Vice-Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure. Therefore, he understands the response being given by the Chairperson.

Yes, Hon. (Dr) Mulu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I think what Hon. Barasa is saying is that this House has become a House of lamentations. We need to see action. Chairman, you know my case and I have explained it to you. Can you, please, take action? Let us stop talking. We talk too much. Can we see action? Then we will appreciate you.

How does he take action? A chairperson here cannot issue directions.

You need to understand the philosophy, or the construct of our Constitution and the way our system works. Those are the kinds of things that, at a very high intellectual level, we need to come together and examine. Is the system established under the 2010 Constitution working for us? A Cabinet Secretary has authority. He or she has power, but not accountability to Parliament. Accountability falls on a chairperson who also does not have the requisite

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. When a chairperson presents a response to a Member's Question on the Floor of the House, he must have interrogated that response. He must have been satisfied with the answer he received. If he himself is not convinced and is merely coming to regurgitate the answer given to him without any reasonable consideration, then he lands himself in trouble and puts the Ministry in bad light. The most important thing is this: It is good that he has brought answers from the Ministry, but is he personally satisfied with the answers that were given to him?

Regardless of that, you have made your point very well. The chairpersons are mere conveyor belts here. Chairperson, you can make a case for yourself and tell us how effective you can be.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Just to answer my colleague, not only am I, as the Chairperson, and the Committee, satisfied, but the Questioner himself, the Member of Parliament for Kuresoi South, said in his own words that he was satisfied with the response that was given.

Second, it is important to appreciate that the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Energy, particularly for the electricity sector, has been declining over the years. I was the Chairperson for two years beginning in 2017, and I have now served another two years in this Session. Our budgets have been declining. Members, you need to help us.

I rose on the Floor of this House just the other day when we were passing the 2026/2027 Budget and stated that our budget was reduced by a staggering Ksh68 billion. When I tried to push for its restoration…Hon. Pukose is a witness. I want to thank Hon. (Dr) Pukose, the Vice- Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. In their wisdom, they restored Ksh12 billion to enable us to address some of these issues. So, we lost Ksh68 billion, but Ksh12 billion was restored.

That leaves a shortfall of Ksh56 billion. Is that not so?

I think Ksh56 billion. We now have only Ksh28 billion. That will not only cater for what Members are talking about, including transformers, but also other electricity infrastructure needs.

I also want to appreciate that this House, in its wisdom, passed a Fund called the National Infrastructure Fund. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I ask Members to relax. The amount of money that is going to be sent to the Kenya Power Company will help address these issues. What we have agreed is that, since the Kenya Power Company has been brought under the Government-owned enterprises framework and has moved to the National Infrastructure Fund, you will see more activities being undertaken to address these challenges.

For the social aspects, particularly electrification of public facilities, that responsibility has now been left to the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC). Almost 80 per cent of the amount we passed has gone to REREC to support maximisation of connectivity and the Last Mile Connectivity Programme. I plead with the Members to be patient a little longer. The Kenya Power Company has been left with the commercial aspect, and I believe it will improve the way it operates. We can then leave REREC to address some of the issues that Members have raised.

I also want to tell Hon. Mukunji that the Government has its own system of working. It so happened that there was a campaign in Ol Kalou. Progress in electrification is a process. It is not an event. It had already started, just as it is happening in your constituency, my constituency, and many other constituencies. Lastly, I also want to agree with what Hon. Didmus is saying.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is your point of order?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Is the Member in order to keep explaining that whenever there is a by-election, there is progress in our work, while Kenyans are crying out for electricity? This is mismanagement of our resources because projects should not be undertaken only when there is an election or a by-election. Development should be continuous, not tied to elections.

I do not see what is out of order, but proceed.

Before I respond, I was saying that I totally agree with what Hon. Didmus was saying. (Hon. Muchangi Karemba spoke off the record)

Hon. Karemba, I think you have had enough time to interrogate this matter. Allow the Chairman to continue and conclude.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As I was saying, what Hon. Didmus has said is important. Perhaps you can direct that the Cabinet Secretary appears before the House to respond.

Lastly, let me respond to the final comment made by my colleague. Members should know that, under this administration, we have moved from eight million electricity connections to a staggering 14.8 million, an increase of almost 6.8 million connections in just two years, despite the many challenges encountered. They should also know that they are the ones opposing the National Infrastructure Fund, a fund that is intended to transform this country. When we say we are moving from the Third-World to the First-World, given another opportunity, the President will lead this country to First-World status if he is given a second term.

Fair enough. Next Order. I do not know why schools have chosen today to be the day.

Next Order.

Has it been moved?

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to welcome our students and learners from across the Republic of Kenya who have had the opportunity to visit the National Assembly of Kenya. They can now witness the House where laws are made and policies debated for the proper governance of our country.

Leadership is not born overnight. It is nurtured and developed from where they are today. As they pursue their studies, I encourage them to remain objective and focused because one day, this House could be their place. They only need to remain committed to their chosen careers and work hard in their studies because the key to their future is already in their hands.

Lastly, I urge them to uphold good character and discipline. Without character and discipline, the future becomes uncertain. Recently, we witnessed schools unrest and incidents of students burning schools. That is not the path to follow. The right path is to uphold discipline, maintain order and remain committed to the purpose for which you are in school. Make the best use of your time. The future is bright. The future is even better for all of you, provided you make the right choices.

On behalf of the female Members of Parliament and the female students, Hon. Umul Kheir. Yes, do you want to give them words of encouragement? (Hon. Didmus Barasa spoke off the record) Just a moment. Let the students be given words of encouragement, then you will proceed. You have the Floor. Relax. Hon. Umul Kheir, kindly encourage the students who have come to visit Parliament.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to welcome the students on behalf of the House and the Members. I encourage you to continue working hard. We are proud of you. We may be the leaders of today, but you are the leaders of tomorrow, and we look forward to seeing you in this House. I also wish to mention that I was once seated in that very gallery during the budget reading, never imagining that I would one day serve in this House. One day, that could be you. Karibuni sana and congratulations.

Hon. Barasa, proceed and move your Bill.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to move that the National Transport and Safety Authority (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 36 of 2023) be now read a Second Time. The objective of this Bill is to give the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) powers to regulate the fares that Kenyans pay when using public transport. The role of the National Assembly is to identify the problems affecting Kenyans and enact laws that will lessen or eliminate those problems. One such problem is that public service vehicle operators charge fares at their own discretion because they are not regulated.

Globally, several countries regulate public transport fares. For example, in Fiji, public transport fares are regulated by the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, which sets the fares paid by passengers. In France, local government authorities play a major role in determining public transport fares. In Germany, Parliament approved a national low-fare policy of €9 per ticket to ensure that citizens did not pay more than the approved amount. Regionally, Tanzania has legislation that caps the fares passengers pay for public transport. Rwanda has similar laws. Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon also regulate the fares their citizens pay for public transport. While Zambia and Nigeria do not have a law where the Government regulates fares, various associations come up with the fares and the Government ratifies. It is only in Kenya and Uganda where public transport is unregulated.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, we cannot continue encouraging a banana republic in the transport sector, where the fares Kenyans pay from point A to point B are unpredictable and dictated by changing weather patterns or the number of people to be ferried from one corner to the other. I know some will say that we live in a country with a free market economy, but there must be a balance between the profit matatu operators make and the public’s interest. We cannot continue operating in a country where a Kenyan goes to a bus station to board a matatu and finds a board indicating a fare of Ksh300, but when the clouds begin to gather, the board is removed and one of Ksh500 is affixed. We cannot leave Kenyans in the hands of cartels who decide that they will make such short-term profits by taking advantage of the situation.

During the Christmas period, people who travel from Nairobi to Western Kenya or to Nyanza counties are sometimes forced to pay more than the price of a flight ticket. This must be controlled. Asking this House to approve these amendments to enable the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) validate and approve fares that matatu operators will charge is not asking for too much.

The Government sets and gazettes the prices of cane across this country. We control the price of fuel and many other things. We want to protect Kenyans from being swindled by cartels within the matatu sector. Many times, matatu owners do not receive the money that conductors charge exorbitantly. They put the money in their pockets.

This law will bring a balance between the operator costs and public interest. It will bring order and stop cartels within our transport sector and ensure that the fares that Kenyans budget for are predictable. When Kenyans earn a salary, they budget for rent and transport. A Kenyan who left their house in the morning and paid Ksh100 should know that they will use the same fare in the evening to go home. We cannot continue subjecting them to

Hon. Julius Rutto.

Thank you so much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Bill because transport is a critical enabler of economic growth. While we were in school, we were taught about transport and communication, and that business and mobility of people changes or triggers economic development.

The vulnerable in the society, who have low incomes, are the ones who tend to be affected by price changes on transportation. The cadre of people that have acquired their own motor vehicles may sometimes not feel these changes. People who earn less than Ksh50,000 or under a dollar a day, go through a lot. If you want to see this, you can walk along major roads like Langata Road or Jogoo Road in the evening and you will witness how Kenyans work tirelessly. Some of them have been subjected to mugging along the road just because they have no mechanisms of reaching home. They cannot predict from the little earnings they have. They cannot budget their earnings for their basic needs and at the same time balance their mobility to and from work.

It is the duty of this House... As read by the Mover of the Bill, this is not the first thing we are talking about. Remember we are dealing with issues of public interest in nature. Can we have an organised market where members of the public can stand to benefit? The fuel sector established the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) which gives Kenyans information to plan. It helps them to know the fuel prices for 30 days. Do we do any evil, if we sit down and say that we do not want to control this sector and limit the challenges it goes through?

It is a Bill.

Sorry, I am well guided. I beg to second the Bill. Thank you.

Hon. Members, this is a very short Bill. (Question proposed) Next is Hon. Mutunga. He will be followed by Hon. Jack Wamboka.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to support the National Transport and Safety Authority (Amendment) Bill. This Bill brings in very fundamental changes, though very few, which are missing in the principal Act. We are all aware of the causes of changes in fares in this country. I am sure that most of the Members seated here can attest to the fact that whenever these causes emerge, for instance, if the cost of fuel increases, then fares increase. However, we have witnessed cases where the cost of fuel goes down thereafter, but we have never had any instance where the fares go down. The industry is left to regulate itself, but sometimes self-regulation is not the best. Hon. Didmus Barasa has brought in these amendments to basically try and contain these unregulated changes. He brings in the mechanisms to determine fares. There must be a way of determining fares per distance or, probably, depending on the areas that are served. There are areas that experience a lot of traffic jam. Mechanism for determination is key because we cannot allow the industry to be changing fares the way operators feel.

This Bill also brings in a mechanism for reviewing the fares, especially after the circumstances have changed. If we do not have a mechanism to review the fare, we allow the industry to do it and the changes are always punitive. Our people always suffer whenever there are changes in fares. Sometimes, they do not even know what to expect. These changes are not in any way moderated. So, they can be quite high.

These amendments also bring sanity in the logic of fixing the fares. What are the determinants in deciding how much fare should be changed? It also brings in the matrix of enabling the fares to be moderated. It brings in the matrix that enables predictability, which is

Hon. Jack Wamboka.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, whereas I want to support this Bill, it requires Hon. Didmus Barasa to consult widely. I believe it involves very many stakeholders, not only the matatu owners, but also bus owners and boda boda riders. He needs to go back to the drawing board. We support the idea, but there is a broader stakeholder engagement that is needed for this.

Any government has a moral responsibility of regulating essential goods and services to cushion its citizenry. My friends are talking about Europe, where fares are cheaper and regulated. In Europe, they have responsible governments—governments that have ensured that their people have proper roads and proper security.

I really do not understand how you are going to regulate a boda boda carrying a passenger from Myanga Market to Bumula Market in my constituency, where the Government has neglected that road for the past 20 years. The Government has lost the moral authority. And if it wants to be prefect of all the things being discussed, it should be responsible. It should ensure that the people it wants to regulate, have proper healthcare, roads and security.

The Government that wants to regulate the transport sector should remember that the users of these services, live in perpetual fear. The matatu operators are attacked every other day. We have witnessed gangs take over major towns in this country, to the extent that the operators of this service have had to organise their own private security. We have seen this Government encourage and use gangs to continue administering its affairs. It becomes very

True.

We have seen gangs take over this country; they take over private and public meetings. People who want to attend rallies to listen to their leaders cannot get there because of goons hired by the Government. How can the same Government come and regulate this sector? Private operators are forced to organise their own private security, and that speaks to the increasing fare. The Government must start to respect itself if it wants to be respected.

My senior brothers here, like the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, know the realities on the ground—I pity the position he is speaking from. He knows that this Government is not doing anything. It is not building roads. This Government has not ensured that Kenya is secure. The people you want to transport from point A to point B are not secure.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Teachers going to schools are not secure because the Government has goons...

Order, Hon. Jack Wamboka. Hon. Mutunga is on a point of order.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, is the Member in order to purport that we are discussing the security of this country at this time? The Bill is on public transport regulation. He should clearly separate the two issues; there is nothing to do with security. Since he has made specific reference to me, he should have listened to my contribution. If he did not, it is available on The Hansard. I made my points very clear.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have tremendous respect.

Order, Hon. Jack Wamboka. Speak to the rules regarding relevance. Proceed.

I have tremendous respect for my brother, Hon. Mutunga, but one cannot talk about transport without talking about security. The people you want to transport from point A to point B need to be secure. If there is no security, they will have to organise their own private security. That is why we are saying that we have lost this country to goons and gangs. Security must be restored so that the transport sector can be regulated. You cannot speak about one without the other. Doctors need to go to hospitals safely. Children need to go to school safely. Fares are going up because operators will have to go the extra mile to organise their own security. That is what we are saying. The Government has not built roads. Like it or not, fares will go up.

Hon. Wamuthende, let me teach you. Relax. Fares will go up whether you like it or not because the roads are bad. The cost of maintaining motor vehicles, buses and boda bodas is increasing. This Government told us there is a bottom-up government…

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Beatrice Elachi is on a point of order.

You will add me more time because I am being disturbed.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, is my colleague in order to tell Kenyans on the Floor of the House that whether they care or not, fares

Hon. Temporary Speaker, you will add me two minutes. These are just distractions. I am building context in this manner: That if roads are bad, the cost of maintaining pikipikis, matatus and buses will go up. That cost has to be borne by someone. If security is poor, it will force operators to organise themselves and hire private security, which will increase fares.

I do not know which part Hon. Elachi does not understand. We are dealing with a Government that said it would adopt a bottom-up approach in every sector. We are talking about the transport sector, and the biggest contributors to this sector are boda bodas. Are boda boda operators and mama mbogas happy? They are not. They need transport to take fresh produce from the farms to the markets, and the cost of that transport has escalated because of these factors. They are not happy. This Government lied to our people. This Government, at the right time, must go.

Hon. Beatrice Elachi will now make her contribution.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this amendment Bill on the National Transport and Safety. This is the only opportunity we have to speak about the transport sector and ask ourselves, as leaders, without bringing in politics, theatrics and everything else, how we can assist Kenyans.

We allowed ourselves, as a country, to have a transport sector that is largely privately managed. In many countries, the transport sector is managed by governments. At the same time, I appreciate the Matatu Association because it works closely with the Government to ensure that whatever laws or regulations we put in place, are adhered to. I want to plead with the Matatu Association, particularly in Nairobi, to negotiate and partner with the Government and develop trunk routes for us. They will still manage the system, but manage it in a better way, just as the Expressway is being managed privately. That is what we need to help the Matatu Association.

We need to understand that we are moving into a world where you must now move away from these small matatus and reorganise the sector better by allowing the sector, together with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), to have a free toll-free line where one can lodge a complaint whenever there is an issue. Allow the sector to respect consumers by ensuring that, even when adjusting fares, the fares are displayed. Let consumers know that today, when they arrive at this matatu stage, the fare is at this level; display the fares. That is what Kenyans want to see. When there is a temporary increase, Kenyans would want to see the reason for it and I know they will appreciate. The moment fuel prices decrease, they must adhere to the rules again. However, we cannot simply leave it at that. I believe this Bill aims to ensure we have regulations that we can respect. It is important for the Matatu Association to communicate effectively with the public in advance and dignify their passengers.

I recall when the Late Hon. Michuki introduced the rule on seatbelt use. Today, I can tell you that in all our matatus in Nairobi, people are standing again, squeezed together. I hope the fares are also affordable. You cannot tell me that you will charge the same fare while passengers are standing.

As for the boda boda rider, we are discussing "goons." I question who these goons are, because you are surrounded by them. At what point do they become "goons"? You call upon them to assist with your rallies, and then, after they engage in wrongdoing, you refer to them as goons. Let us be honest with ourselves. We, politicians, have used our young people; We are the ones who engage them. No politician can claim they have goons. You have young people in your boma who join your rallies, and after they act improperly, we disown them. Let

Thank you, Hon. Beatrice Elachi. Hon. Members, allow me to recognise and welcome all institutions and students visiting the National Assembly to observe the Proceedings. In the Speaker's Gallery is St. Teresa Primary School from Nyeri Town Constituency in the great Nyeri County. Hon. Members, they are led to the House by Sister Wachira. Welcome to Parliament, and be the great people you are. If I were to reiterate what the substantive Speaker always says to all students, "The future of every nation sits in their classrooms and lecture halls." You are the future, and you are welcome to Parliament where we make laws.

Hon. Waluke is now recognised to make his contributions.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me this chance to contribute to this very important Bill. I support this Bill because sometimes, we the politicians, mess this country up. Transport is a very important tool for this country. If we all come together as politicians and work in harmony, this country is on the right course.

Last month, I visited Singapore with other Members for two weeks for benchmarking. The infrastructure of Singapore is amazing. The roads and the transport sector are well- controlled, entirely by the Government. In Singapore, matatus cannot operate independently.

In this country, we need our President, who has a vision for this nation, to construct the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in every city. The four cities we have in this country need to utilise the SGR to ease transport and communication needs. When you want to move from one point to another, you just pay and get a ticket that shows the distance you are going. It is very easy. There is no maandamano in that country because the country's rules are followed by every Singaporean. There are only 6.3 million people and their Budget is Ksh13.6 trillion. The country is developed. So, the President thought wisely that Kenya should go the Singapore way. If we all support him, he has a vision, a mission and a direction to move Kenya the Singapore way. There will be no problem for any Kenyan if we go that way.

Transport is the most problematic issue in this country. This is because matatu owners do not even benefit much. The people who benefit in the matatu industry are the touts. They benefit more than the owners of the matatus. The Government should come up with a way to have a hand in the public transport sector.

We support the proposals Hon. Didmus has made in this Bill. (Hon. Gitonga Mukunji spoke off the record) The country cannot go the way Hon. Mukunji wants. Even when a colleague is speaking, he always just wants to disturb. That is not the way this country should be. The country must have respect. We also need respect in this House.

Hon. Mukunji, it is disorderly to constantly and persistently raise a point of order under the Standing Orders when the Temporary Speaker does not recognise you. Hon. Waluke will be heard in silence. Hon. Mukunji, there is a way we stand on a point of order.

He has been misbehaving.

You know the system here. I have not recognised you because I have not seen any intervention from you here.

Hon. John Waluke, proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for protecting me. I was saying that we need our country to be respected. Whether one is in the opposition or in Government, the Government is Government, and this country is ours. We need to respect our country. We need to respect the leadership, even if one is in the opposition. This is where

I want to go by the requests I have here. Hon. Harrison Kombe is recognised to make his contribution.

Asante, Mhe. Spika wa Muda kwa kunipatia nafasi nami niweze kuunga mkono Mswada ulio mbele yetu. Kwa hakika, idara ya uchukuzi ni muhimu sana. Idara ya uchukuzi ni muhimu sana na inastahili kuwa na kanuni zake ambazo zitawezesha kazi kufanyika kwa njia mwafaka. Kuna haja ya kuweka sheria ili kudhibiti sekta hii ya boda boda. Kitengo hiki ni muhimu sana katika nchi yetu na kinastahili kudhibitiwa vilivyo kwa sababu kukiwa na utovu wa nidhamu katika sekta hii, utapata kwamba mambo hayaendi vizuri. Unashangaa ukiwa barabarani unapitiwa mbele kwa njia isiyostahili na dereva wa boda boda. Inakuwa ni tatizo. Ukimgonga ni shida; jiandae kabisa, gari itachomwa saa hiyo hiyo. Watakuja kama nyuki. Iwapo Idara hii itadhibitiwa vilivyo kisheria, nafikiri hata hao wanabodaboda wenyewe wataweza kupata nafasi ya kufanya kazi vizuri na pia wateja wao watakuwa wanawaheshimu.

Ingekuwa tunaweza kuiga mfano wa jinsi sekta hiyo inavyoendeshwa nchini Rwanda, nafikiri Kenya ingekuwepo katika mojawapo ya zile nchi ambazo zinadhibiti kisheria sekta hii ya boda boda. Vilevile, tukizingatia hata kwa upande wa matatu, zamani zilikuwa zinafanya kazi vizuri lakini sasa, ule msongamano umerudi. Hapa Nairobi kuna kundi la matatu ambalo linaweza kuamua kuzunguka huu mji na nderemo, vifijo na tarumbeta mpaka unashindwa hii gari inafanya kazi ya kubeba abiria au ya wendawazimu? Kuna haja ya hizi sheria zidhibitiwe. Wale askari ambao wako na jukumu la kuhakikisha sheria hizi zinafuatwa, wanastahili wapewe nafasi ya kufanya kazi yao vilivyo. Hii ni kwa maana punde tu matatu zenye kupiga matarumbeta hapa mjini zinaposhikwa, hazifikishwi kwenye station. Huwa zinaachiliwa na wanaendelea na hiyo hali yao ya utovu wa nidhamu.

Ninaunga mkono Mswada huu. Iwapo tutaweza kuupitisha na uweze kutumika, basi tutakuwa tunadhibiti sekta hii ya uchukuzi na kila mmoja atafurahia.

Asante, Mhe. Spika wa Muda.

Hon. Sabina Chege is recognised to make her contribution.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for the opportunity. At the outset, I want to say that I support the amendments. The public transport sector is one that normally affects many Kenyans. In developed countries where governments have taken up this duty, we normally see decency and good treatment. I do not know why this country all the time goes back. Initially, we used to have the Kenya Bus Service system, where passengers knew the pick-up and drop-off times and the vehicles that were operating. Public service vehicles had a lot of discipline.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, Hon. Michuki, if we remember him, also from my county, brought a lot of discipline within the sector. The seat belt issue came up, as did the uniform, and we got crews who were tidy and treated people very well. But we have seen over time that we have lost the gains Michuki brought. One of the reasons why I support this amendment is that we need to have discipline back in the system. We also need to make sure that the public is not exploited. We have seen recent cases where, even when fuel prices are adjusted downwards, the fares go up, but when the prices go down, the fares do not go down. It is the normal mwananchi who keeps on suffering.

We have also seen, on social media, some matatus being driven carelessly and not even taking care of the passengers they carry. We have had accidents that could have been avoided. In the coming week, we will be closing our schools. We have had some of these public service

Hon. Patrick Makau, I hope you are not on a point of order on the dressing of Hon. Sabina Chege, because it is very patriotic.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you for this chance. Hon. Sabina Chege is very well dressed. In fact, the outfit she is wearing dons the colours of Linda Mwananchi political movement. So, I am very happy to welcome her because that is the way forward to loyalty and love for this country.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Hon. Sabina Chege?

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. It is very unfair for the Hon. Member to purport that I am donning a specific political affiliation, party or movement attire. I am a patriotic Kenyan. I chose to don the Kenya national flag's colours. The Linda Mwananchi political movement, the ground or whatever it is should know that I am just a patriotic Kenyan. Some people came here yesterday looking like grasshoppers. They were donned green clothes and others in blue. Let us all become patriotic. Let us love our country. As leaders, let us not mess this nation. If people cannot see what we do in darkness, God in heaven sees what we do.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Hon. Patrick Makau, the colours green, red, black with white strips are the colours of the flag of our nation. They are a mark of patriotism. Hon. Sabina Chege, let us know your tailor. We need to send more Kenyans to him.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Order, Hon. Makau. Let me recognise and welcome a number of learning institutions to the National Assembly before we continue with our proceedings. Hon. Members, in the Speaker's Gallery, we have:

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Firstly, I welcome Tender Brains Academy from Meru County and all the other schools that are in the Public Gallery and the Speaker's Gallery. I congratulate Tender Brains Academy from Tigania West, on behalf of Hon (Dr) Mutunga who has just stepped out for another meeting. It is a comprehensive school and one of the highest performing schools in Tigania West. They perform very well. In 2023, they had a mean score of 394 marks in the final examination. I advise the students to look up to where we are today. Work hard, listen to your teachers and build up on what education will help you in.

I would like to contribute to the Bill. I support Hon. Didmus Barasa in his amendment of the NTSA Act. He is my Vice-Chairman and he has brought in very pertinent questions. He has mentioned that we should have minimum and maximum fares. Like the speakers who have spoken before me, when there is shortage of vehicles or when schools are closing or opening, the fares are hiked. This is very inconveniencing for people who probably leave home early thinking that the fares will be low. We need the Kenya Bus Service, which we used to have, or what we have in Western countries. They have a timetable. If you miss one bus, you are sure you will not miss the next one. They are spaced out between five, 10 or 20 minutes. The same applies to trains. In the London Underground, one is sure when to get one. There are routes and one knows which line to use. That makes it easy for one to interchange. However, in our country, we are not sure which bus or matatu comes when.

Another issue, and I have seen it covered in social media, is people hanging on public transport vehicles and doing antics like a gymnast. They hang on the sides and touch other matatus. The other day I also saw a matatu overturn and hurt a few passengers. We need to get to the bottom of this matter.

Bodaboda have also been talked about. They use the wrong side of the road which is not right. A number of bodaboda carry a whole sofa set. I have seen some carrying a cow on the Nithi Bridge. Many of them even carry five or six passengers. Where have we left all the rules? Michuki rules were introduced to cover matatus, but we have never had any rule for the bodaboda. They carry five or six passengers on the road, meet a police officer but, the police do not stop them as they stop matatus. We need to sort out the entire transport sector.

I support the Bill. Let me allow my colleagues to say something, although I have not finished. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

How can you say you have not finished? (Hon. Joshua Kimilu spoke off the record) How much you speak is never controlled by fellow Hon. Members. I have not stopped you. Hon. Joshua Kimilu is recognised to make his contributions.

Thank you Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to contribute on this amendment Bill. Because of time, I want to use few

Hon. Joshua Kimilu, do not take the role of the Temporary Speaker. Make your contributions.

Thank you and I stand guided, Hon. Temporary Speaker. When I went through the Bill, a lot needs to be done for it to go through. The regulations and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) need to be well checked. I cannot see how a government can take over the transport sector when it does not invest in it. We need to have good roads if we want the transport sector to be improved. With national goodwill, it is very easy to control the transport sector and have good regulations.

A country is guided by law and we are here to make laws. We are not happy that after making laws, implementation becomes a challenge in this country. During Michuki’s time, there was order in the transport sector. When he left, that was the end of the rules. So, when we talk of making laws which can govern the NTSA, we need to be serious and put everything in order. However, the current Government prepares goons and kills young people. I do not know whether the Government can...

Order! Hon. Joshua Kimilu, you are part of the Government, you are a Member of Parliament, the first arm of the Government. Can you be relevant and stick to the Bill?

Hon. Joshua Kimilu (Kaiti, WDM) Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. You misquoted me because I was talking of the leadership of the Government. Let me say that if we want to improve the transport sector in our country, we can come up with transport modes like bullet trains that we see in other countries. I was shocked to hear my colleague, Hon. Waluke talking about the President taking us to Singapore. I do not know whether he was talking of the President taking us for a trip or for something else. The only reason we can go to Singapore is to benchmark because it is doing well. However, in our country, we are doing the opposite. Most of the time, the leadership in our country talks a lot, but it does very little. The challenge that we have in our country… You cannot say that you want to control the transport sector of this country and you are hiking fuel prices every day.

Kenyans are stressed. There is a problem in our country. We need to fix the leadership of this country for us to get what we want and improve the existing laws. However, with this kind of leadership…

Hon. Sabina Chege, what is your point of order?

She is also a part of the people that I am talking about. Before I conclude…

Order, Hon. Joshua Kimilu! Hon. Sabina Chege is on a point of order. Take your seat. Do not worry, I have guillotined time for you. (Hon. Rahim Dawood Spoke off the record) Hon. Rahim Dawood, you cannot be on a point of order when another Member is on a point of order.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. With all due respect to the Member, is he in order to purport that the President will not take people for benchmarking? He is the leader of this country. I do not know what other leadership he is looking for. It is important that Members recognise that we have students here who are learning from us. We are using the Floor of this House to rant. We know that we have a clear vision for this nation and we would like this nation to go the Singapore way. So, is he in order to say that the President is taking people for benchmarking and he has an opportunity in this House to make the laws? He has talked about bullet trains and everything else, yet he makes the budget.

Hon. Joshua Kimilu will now conclude his contributions. (Hon. Rahim Dawood Spoke off the record) What is out of order, Hon. Rahim Dawood? Take your seat, Hon. Kimilu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. The Member referred to Hon. Sabina Chege as: “The kind of people I am talking about.” Is he in order to refer to a Member that way? He has cast aspersions on Hon. Sabina. You can check The Hansard. That is what he said. He needs to apologise to Hon. Sabina. She is not that kind of a person.

Hon. Joshua Kimilu, you will not cast aspersions against fellow Members. Please, conclude your contributions.

The Member misunderstood what I said. I was talking of people who are eating with the leadership that I am talking about.

Do not go back, Hon. Joshua Kimilu. Can you go back to the substance of your contributions on the Bill?

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to conclude by saying that we will need to do a lot of amendments on this Bill for it to suit the country we want. (The Temporary Speaker consulted with the Clerk-at-the Table)

Order, Hon. Members. Be up standing. The time being 1.01 p.m., this House stands adjourned until today, Wednesday, 29th July 2026, at 2.30 p.m. (The House rose at 1.01 p.m.)