Wednesday, 6th August 2025

Hon. Members, let us proceed. First Order.

There is one Statement that is being sought by Hon. Mumina Bonaya, Member for Isiolo County. Proceed, Hon. Mumina.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding the inequitable and inconsistent structure for teachers’ house allowance and hardship allowance in Isiolo County.

Teachers working in secondary schools located within Isiolo Municipality have been wrongfully excluded from receiving the enhanced Cluster 3 house allowances as prescribed in the Teacher Service Commission (TSC) framework. The affected teachers serve in the following schools: Isiolo Boys, Isiolo Girls, Mwangaza Girls, Bulampya Mixed Secondary, Waso Mixed Secondary, St. Paul’s Kiwanjani, MCK Kisima 78 Mixed Secondary, Uhuru Secondary, Isiolo Barracks Secondary, and Kambi Garba Secondary.

Despite these schools being located within the boundaries of Isiolo Municipality, teachers in these institutions continue to receive lower house allowances instead of the allowance under Cluster 3, which applies to other former municipalities. This discrepancy raises concern as to why the TSC has failed to update the house allowance classification to reflect the municipal status of these schools and rectify the years of underpayment.

Additionally, teachers serving in hardship areas of Isiolo County face varying degrees of difficulty, including poor infrastructure, harsh climatic condition, insecurity, and lack of basic amenities. Regrettably, the hardship allowance remains uniformly applied despite these disparities. It is against this backdrop that I seek a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education on the following;

Is the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education or a Member present to give an undertaking? The Leader of the Majority and Minority parties are also not here. Hon. Pukose, we shall let you inform Hon. Melly.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I will inform Hon. Melly, Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Education. He normally sits right next to me, here.

All right. Hon. Members, allow me to reorder the Order Paper in this respect: We move to Order No.8, then we shall come back to the responses to Requests for Statements that had been placed before the House earlier.

Next Order.

Hon. Bowen, please, be silent.

Hon. Members, we will now go back to Order No.7. We have five Statements to be responded to.

The first one is by Hon. Stephen Mogaka, Member for West Mugirango, which will be responded to by the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Hon. Tongoyo, do you need some time?

Okay. We will move to the next one and then come back to you. The next one is a response to a Statement requested by Hon. Charles Onchoke, Member for Bonchari. It will be responded to by the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education.

Is there any Member of the Committee who is present? Yes, Hon. Bartoo.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I have the response to the Request for Statement, which was made by Hon. Onchoke.

Drug and substance abuse is rampant among university students in Kenya. An estimated

The second question was on the plans put in place by the Ministry of Education to provide affordable and accessible treatment and rehabilitation services, specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of the students in institutions of higher learning. The Ministry of Education provides policy guidelines and funding for university programmes and policies that include drug and substance abuse. Therefore, it has delegated the welfare of students to universities, while providing oversight and strategic leadership.

Universities policies foster the welfare of students. Drug and Substance Abuse Committee is established in every public university to manage relevant programmes, monitor and report the progress made to the Ministry. In this regard, universities implement and report on various interventions that address drug and substance use. They are also required to commit resources in their budgets for essential health services such as counselling, treatment and rehabilitation. They also dedicate a unit in the university clinics for preliminary treatment of students who abuse alcohol and drugs. Severe cases are referred for rehabilitation in various parts of the country.

The third question was on the prevention programmes, and guidance and counselling services available for students at universities in Kenya. Kenyan universities have implemented various programmes and counselling services to address drug and substance abuse among the

students. The initiatives highlighted below aim to promote students’ well-being and academic

success:

for University Education is developing standards for accrediting

This is submitted for consideration. Once upon a time, when I was teaching at the university, some students came and told me that on Fridays, whenever they do not have resources or are broke, there is a drug they take and ‘die’ then ‘resurrect’ on Sunday, so that they do not spend any money over the weekend. I am glad universities are putting in place measures to prevent drug abuse in the institutions of higher learning. I submit the Report.

Before we proceed, Hon. Members, allow me to recognise the presence of learners from Tido Primary School in Kisumu East, Kisumu County. They are seated in the Public Gallery. I ask Hon. Shakeel, Member for Kisumu East, to welcome them on behalf of the House.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. It is an honour to inform you that learners from Tido Primary School, in my constituency, are here to see how Parliament operates. I am quite familiar with the school; the head teacher has been doing an excellent job. The school is now a mixed junior secondary school (JSS) and they are doing an excellent job. I welcome them to Parliament and I will see them shortly hereafter. Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Next is Hon. Tongoyo. Are you ready? I will give Hon. Onchoke the Floor to say if he is satisfied with the response.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity. I thank the Departmental Committee on Education for the response. However, you will note that the figures presented by NACADA and the Ministry of Education are variant and conflicting. The figure provided by NACADA is 45 per cent as the number of students who abuse substances and drugs whereas the Ministry gives a figure of 26.6 per cent. As an accountant, when I have two conflicting numbers, I take the higher one. There is a need, first of all, for the two institutions to reconcile the data. We must determine the exact extent of this menace in our universities in order to manage and solve it effectively. If we do not know the size of the problem, it is very difficult, almost impossible, to solve it conclusively.

I am also glad that my friend, Hon. Phyllis Bartoo, admits that this is a problem prevalent in universities; that our students ‘die’ on a Friday for two days and ‘resurrect’ on Sunday. What else dies? Are their brains still alive or do they also die over time? What generation are we bringing up? Most of the enumerated plans, efforts, and programmes are futuristic, without specific timelines. I urge the Departmental Committee on Education to follow up these matters closely with the Ministry of Education so that we are provided with clear timelines when these plans will come to fruition without being dragged out. We need to put measures in place to help university students. During recess, the committees should engage with the Ministry of Education to outline very specific, clear and practical steps, and table a report in this House for consideration.

I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Next is the Statement that was sought by Hon. Stephen Mogaka, Member for West Mugirango. It was to be responded by the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security. Is Hon. Mogaka here? If he is not present, then he loses the opportunity. So, we proceed to the next one. We can just put it on record that you have tabled it.

I think you ruled some time back that, for fairness, if the Member is not present, we table the Statement because these are materials and records of the House.

Okay, thank you.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, for the record, I beg to table a Statement sought by the Member for West Mugirango, Hon. Stephen Mogaka, regarding the trespass and failure to enforce court orders on LR/No.8481/1 in Kasarani.

Thank you. It is so tabled. Next is the Request for Statement made by the Member for Turkana Central, Hon. Joseph Namuar, to the Departmental Committee on Education. Is Hon. Joseph Namuar here? Prof. Bartoo, do you have the response to the request? You may proceed, Hon. Gisairo.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. This is a response by the Ministry to a Question asked by Hon. Joseph Namuar, Member for Turkana Central. Rising water levels in Lake Turkana have disrupted some learning institutions in Turkana County. The county has 11 sub-counties, with 478 primary schools, 245 junior schools, and 67 senior schools. It is correct that Natole, Katula, Merier, Nangopul, Ekwar, and Ngimuriae primary schools have been affected by submersions, affecting the enrolment of 1,442 learners. The submerged schools were rendered inaccessible and dangerous since the rising waters brought in reptiles such as snakes and crocodiles. The stagnant water is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The Ministry of Education, working together with stakeholders including the county government, National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) committee, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) , has moved the schools to new locations to ensure minimal disruption to learning. I express our gratitude to Hon. Joseph Namuar for his support, including the construction of five additional classrooms at Ngimuriae Primary School. Following an assessment of the extent of the damage and the threat to the safety of learners and teachers, the Ministry deemed it necessary to relocate some of the schools, as detailed below:

Turkana, and the villagers have relocated to Nadoto Village. The learners have also been transferred to Nadoto Primary School. That concludes that response.

Okay. Member for Turkana Central, do you have any comments?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I thank the Committee through the Ministry of Education for providing us with a situation report. What matters is not just understanding what is happening on the ground, but also how we are prepared to solve the challenges. Based on the situation report, the Committee focused on informing us of the current situation. However, they did not provide solutions to the challenges already present.

I had requested the Ministry to provide infrastructure. Knowing the head of office at Lodwar for UNICEF, with whom I have previously worked, we procured two tents. I thank UNICEF for this gesture. I also requested the Cabinet Secretary during Question Time in April if we could meet to discuss infrastructure for the affected schools. When the Committee invited me to attend their meetings, I did so, and the instruction was that I meet with the Cabinet Secretary. I did meet with the Cabinet Secretary. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Education does not have a contingency fund or emergency budget to address such situations nationwide. During our discussion, the Cabinet Secretary could not even indicate plans or measures to provide permanent classrooms for the affected schools. The Cabinet Secretary did not mention any imminent plans to support the affected schools with infrastructure. I share the concern of many Kenyans that our education system is in crisis. Having experienced this firsthand, I find it disheartening that the entire Ministry or the Cabinet Secretary could not assure me of any immediate solutions.

I have thus committed to engaging key stakeholders across the country to try to address and mitigate the situation. I have written to the Kenya Pipeline Company for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) support and also to the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) Board. However, I have not received any response so far. I may reach out to the Safaricom Foundation for assistance, but I am deeply unsatisfied with the current state. There are no tangible solutions. Moreover, literacy levels in Turkana are alarmingly low at 27 per cent, compared to the national average of 79 per cent. How are we supposed to achieve the national literacy target when infrastructure, enrolment, retention, and learning environments are so inadequate? My constituents can now see the importance of the NG-CDF, which we must continue to support and utilise to find solutions. The NG-CDF must not die. It will take time, but progress is possible. I have tried my best, and I call on well-wishers outside to assist us in resolving this crisis.

That is my submission. Thank you.

I trust the Departmental Committee on Education has noted that the Member is requesting for solutions, beyond just a status update. I would have expected the existence of contingency funds designated for emergencies, which could be accessed when needed.

Yes, Hon. Nyikal, what is your point of order?

It is not a point of order. I just wish to joyride on this one. It is commendable that Hon. Members are working hard to address this problem. However, the issue appears to be much larger than schools alone, because the rising water levels in Lake Turkana are caused by factors not related solely to rainfall. It is important to understand what is happening and what is expected in the future. Considering the area, I know that water levels are rising and swallowing schools and other institutions. We could potentially relocate or

build new schools, but have we examined what environmental factors are at play? Have we conducted geological studies? Otherwise, in five years, the water could recede, leaving us with old schools and infrastructure.

There is a bigger issue here that, perhaps, the Member of Parliament should investigate. What is causing this phenomenon, and what are the projections for the future? If this is purely due to rainfall, we can expect water levels to fall after the rains, but if this rising water is a natural or ongoing event, we need to address it comprehensively. That is a picture that deserves our attention.

Hon. Makali.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. Regarding the contingency fund, at the national level, we have a reserve managed by the National Treasury. At the county level, there is also an emergency fund under the County Executive Committee Member for Finance. Yet, accessing these funds has been challenging over the past ten years. I wish the process could be simplified to enable quicker response to emergencies.

Otherwise, the Ministry does not have a dedicated emergency fund; it relies on the National Treasury for the entire country.

Hon. Dorothy Ikiara, I can see you wanted to comment on this one.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I want to weigh in on this matter and state that the problem affecting these institutions is much larger than merely constructing classrooms. Let the concerned Member adopt a more comprehensive, agency approach so that we can understand precisely what is causing the waters to rise. We know that climate change is a reality in our country, and it must be addressed. Otherwise, it becomes a concern to the Member that children in the Turkana area are not learning. There are not enough classrooms. The literacy level is at its lowest, and it is our duty as responsible citizens to do everything possible to ensure that the children of Turkana have equal opportunities as all other children. The Government is doing quite a lot, and I am confident that if the Member approaches it more effectively, including engaging the Head of State, who is very concerned about the welfare of children, assistance will be forthcoming.

On behalf of the Departmental Committee on Education, do you wish to say anything further before we close?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I sincerely appreciate the concerns raised. The Member was with us in the Committee while the Ministry was responding to these questions, and we shared the same fears that despite the allocation of contingency funds for emergencies, they are often used for other unrelated projects.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, there is much high-handedness and individualistic decision-making within the Ministry. That is why, in a few days, my colleague and I would be bringing a censure

Motion on some Ministry officials. We hope to get enough support in this House, away from party

There would be a further answer on that.

Let us now move to a Response to the Request of Statement by Hon. Mumina Bonaya, from the Departmental Committee on Education. Who is doing that? Hon. Mumina, is this similar to the one you sought today?

Your Question today on hardship, house and other allowances also covered that. It is the same Question. I hope it will be addressed. In future, maybe, we should desist from asking same Questions repeatedly. It takes up time, yet the answer is the same.

You may proceed.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. This is a response by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to the request for Statement by Hon. Mumina Bonaya regarding the current status of the implementation of enhanced salaries and allowances for teachers in Isiolo Municipality.

The TSC signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) , the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) , and the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) on 13th July 2021 setting out the terms and conditions of service for teachers for the period 202-2025.

Following the advisory from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) , the Commission and the teachers’ unions reviewed the CBAs and signed an addendum on 28th August

implemented payment of enhanced house allowance to teachers formerly in cluster four, namely, other areas. Teachers in municipalities are paid enhanced house allowance accordingly. There is no outstanding payment of house allowances.

Hon. Mumina, are you satisfied? I think that will also cover the Question for which you sought a response today.

Thank you. I brought this Question once again this morning because I had a session within the Committee to listen to their response. It is not true that teachers in schools listed here earn house allowance under cluster three. That is not the case. That needs to be answered.

Did you present any documentation before the Committee? This ensures it is not your word against the Committee’s.

Yes. I do not understand why they are insisting that teachers in those schools are earning house allowance under cluster three when the reality is not the case.

You said you appeared before the Committee. Did you give them documentation? Did your Committee receive documentation?

Yes, I did. Twice. I am surprised.

The Statement says: “Prior to 1st July 2024, teachers in Isiolo municipalities were earning house allowance under cluster four”. If we all listened. Therefore, what she is saying is right.

If she was keen, I had said earlier that: “To this end, with effect from 1st July 2024, payment of house allowance is done based on three categories”. They go ahead to say: “Based on the addendum, the Commission is currently implementing the second phase with effect from 1st July 2024”. It is correct that they may not be earning because the whole thing is currently being implemented. You were with us in the Committee. This response came barely three or four weeks ago. As they had said, the implementation phase has not lapsed.

Is that in order, Hon. Mumina?

That is clear. Probably, the Committee needs to tell us how soon that will be done so that we do not bring such Questions to the Floor of the House again.

Okay. I hope the Committee notes. Thank you very much. Allow us to move to a Response to the Request of Statement by the Member for Garissa Township, Hon. Major Barrow. The Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations is giving the Statement. Is Hon. Barrow here? You may proceed.

Hon. Speaker, pursuant to provisions of Standing Order 42 (2) (c) , I requested for a Statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Defence regarding the non-compliance of a High Court judgment awarding compensation to the family of the late Abdullahi Bare Diis. Abdullahi succumbed to injuries allegedly sustained after being shot by personnel of the Kenyan Defence Forces in Garissa. Specifically, the Member sought to be informed on:

received a Response on 22nd July 2025. Therefore, I wish to respond as follows:

Regarding actions the Ministry of Defence and the Office of the Attorney-General are taking to comply with the High Court judgment, the Cabinet Secretary for Defence stated that it is not privy to any suit or legal process in which it or the Attorney-General has been found liable and ordered to compensate the deceased family.

Therefore, the Cabinet Secretary has requested that should the Member or any party be in possession of the copy of the judgment referred, it should be formally transmitted to the ministry for consideration and further action.

On the second issue, the matter regarding the administrative or disciplinary measures taken against the implicated KDF officers, the Ministry has reported that no such measures have been instituted. The Ministry explained that given the absence of any formal notification or evidence of judicial pronouncement attributing culpability to specific KDF personnel, it is not deemed necessary to commence disciplinary proceedings or a compensatory process.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, off the official Statement, this morning I have engaged with Hon. Dekow and invited him to the Committee, just in case he is not satisfied with his response, as there could be some grey areas. The Cabinet Secretary for Defence will appear before my Committee next week on Tuesday.

Hon. Barrow.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I have received the written response from the Committee, but I would like to state that the answer provided by the Chair is not satisfactory. I have documentary evidence in the form of communication between the Department of Defence and the lawyers representing the family. Therefore, the case is known, and the Ministry has all these documents. At some point in 2023, they communicated with the family requesting additional documents in order to follow up on the issue.

As stated by the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs, we spoke this morning, and I will appear before the Committee on 12th August

Yes, Hon. (Dr) Nyikal.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, last week on Thursday, I gave a response on behalf of the Committee.

I intended to give you an opportunity once we finish with this. You are next.

Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs, this is a recurring problem. I have seen many Questions on this matter. Rather than addressing each Question individually, it would be more effective if the Ministry indicated its policy regarding such issues when they arise.

Hon. Members, the Member for Central Imenti, Hon. Kirima, was supposed to ask a Question, but he is absent. Therefore, we shall defer it to a later date. Meanwhile, we can proceed. Hon. (Dr) Nyikal, you may now respond to the Question.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, last week during the Thursday Sitting in the afternoon, I responded to a Question raised by Hon. Irene Kasalu on behalf of the Committee regarding a body that had been retained at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) . This situation raised numerous questions about the constitutional and legal propriety of retaining bodies to enforce payment of hospital bills. Our Committee was tasked with investigating this matter. The whole House also agreed that we need a law concerning this issue. It was noted that there is a court ruling stating that it is illegal to retain bodies. The substantive Speaker subsequently directed that we ensure the body was released immediately and report back to the House yesterday afternoon, which was not possible.

I wish to report that the body has since been released to the family despite having been retained for over a year. I have been informed that the relatives have taken the body for the appropriate burial ceremonies. Hon. Irene Kasalu is present, and with your permission, she can confirm to the House whether this has been done.

Are you satisfied, Hon. Kasalu?

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I can confirm that the body was released to the family yesterday, and they have performed the burial ceremony for the deceased. However, we must find a way forward as a country because there are still many bodies awaiting release. This morning, I received another concern about a body from Kitui County that is still being held at KNH. It is important that the Committee comes up with a long-lasting solution so that our people are not burdened during their time of grief. They have already lost a relative, and are denied the opportunity to bury their loved one promptly.

I confirm that the body was released and it has since been buried.

Yes, Hon. Ngusya.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I would like to commend Hon. (Dr) Nyikal for the excellent work he has done and my sister, Hon. Kasalu, for assisting that family in retrieving their body. However, we need to establish a solution as a country for the many bodies that remain in hospitals for extended periods, sometimes over two years. Recently, I encountered a similar case, which we resolved thanks to the efforts of the former Chair of the Departmental Committee on Health, Hon. (Dr) Pukose. This situation is truly distressing.

If a body has been in a hospital for more than a month, it should be released without the hospital being coerced. We must treat the deceased with humanity and respect. We should aim to develop a Bill, and perhaps Hon. Kasalu can take the initiative, to ensure that such cases do not persist in our country.

Hon. (Dr) Nyikal, I hope you have noted that. These issues can be resolved through regulation. They do not require an Act of Parliament.

Hon. Ochanda.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. As we handle these isolated cases, we need to recognise that this issue is not only happening in KNH. There are many similar occurrences elsewhere. However, we need to differentiate

between incidents that happen in private hospitals and those that take place in public hospitals. Often, we find that the treatment process begins in a private facility, but ultimately, the body ends up in a public facility. The private facility is not compensated for managing a patient. Yet these bodies ultimately find their way to public facilities.

In the process of treating patients, and when they unfortunately succumb to death, significant hospital bills are incurred to private hospitals. This is where a major problem arises. Many times, bodies are not held due to the duration they remain in the morgue, but rather because of the accrued bills incurred before death.

Often, hospitals see this as an opportunity for the relatives, or whoever is able to pay, to settle their healthcare expenses, and they combine this with the mortuary charges. We must distinguish clearly between the costs associated with the morgue and the costs related to health services rendered before a patient succumbs.

Hon. (Dr) Nyikal, I hope you have noted that. Before we proceed, I would like to recognise the presence of Blue Bee Academy from Mvita Constituency, Mombasa County. They are seated in the Public Gallery. We also have another school seated in the Speaker’s Gallery, St. Angelica and Charles School from Kiminini Constituency, Trans-Nzoia County. On behalf of the substantive Speaker and the entire House, I wish to welcome you to the National Assembly. Thank you.

Hon. Members, allow me to re-order the Order Paper. Instead of going to Order 9, I would like us to go to Order 13.

Hon. Shakeel.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion:

THAT, aware that Kenya ratified the United Nations Charter on Human Rights on 31st July 1990; further recollecting that among the rights enshrined in the Charter is the right to life and self-determination by people; cognisant of the fact that Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory in Gaza and the West Bank has been characterised by disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force; concerned that this has deepened the humanitarian crisis in the region, including the destruction of infrastructure, widespread civilian casualties, and willful killing of Palestinian civilians, including children in the occupied territories by the Israeli army; noting that these grave breaches amount to war crimes, flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity; concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran including cross-border strikes and retaliatory attacks, threatens to engulf the wider Middle East region in conflict; recalling that Kenya has previously suffered attacks on its soil as a result of the Middle East conflict, including the 2002 attack on the Paradise Hotel in Kikambala; appreciating that the United Nations General Assembly recently passed a resolution demanding an end to Israel’s

unlawful occupation of Palestinian territories and urging compliance with international law; further appreciating the urgent need for the international community, including regional powers and the United Nations Security Council, to intensify diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving an immediate ceasefire, facilitating humanitarian access, and initiating inclusive peace negotiations in the Middle East; appreciative of the role Kenya has played regionally and internationally in global peace initiatives and in mitigating violations constituting crimes against humanity and in solidarity with the Palestinian civilians subjugated by Israel; this House—

Hon. Deputy Speaker, this is becoming inhumane; it is one of the worst tragedies we have come across. In Rwanda, there was a genocide that the world ignored. Gaza is only 25 miles wide and seven miles long; smaller than the Nairobi National Park, yet every single building has been destroyed. There is induced famine; the food is there, but the Israeli Army will not allow the food in. They are even putting the food distribution points at a distance and shooting to kill the children and any other person scrambling for food.

I also want to condemn Hamas. It is also to be condemned! They are the reason for this particular problem. They have been there for a long time. We demand that Hamas release the hostages immediately. The Muslim faith as prophesied by Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, has always put down that the prisoners must be treated well. When one of our top commanders, Saladin, captured Jerusalem, not a single life was lost.

This is becoming unheard of. It appears that the victims of violence and the Holocaust, the Jews, through the Israelis, are becoming the worst oppressors, bombing instead of gassing. This is equivalent to a mini-Holocaust. I do not think the majority of the Israeli and Jewish citizens would even want to be part of this unlawful and inhumane treatment of the Palestinian brothers. Africa needs to support this particular proposal. The United Kingdom (UK), France, and Europe started negotiations, and in September, they will recognise Palestine. We are hoping that Kenya will follow suit.

We have a problem, not with the Israeli Government or the Israeli people, but with Netanyahu and his gang of crooks who have taken this thing and are now killing everybody like a Holocaust in Gaza. The Israeli Community have already started objecting to the killings.

Finally, I urge the Kenyan Government to recognise this kindly. I want to condemn the Muslim countries that have said nothing, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and others. The only country

that has stood out in its efforts to help is Doha, and we commend it. We condemn all the other Muslim countries for allowing this huge tragedy to occur.

With those remarks, Hon. Deputy Speaker, I thank you.

Hon. Shakeel, who is your seconder?

I propose and request Hon. Caroli to second.

Thank you very much, Hon. Deputy Speaker and Hon. Shakeel, for asking me to second this important Motion on expression of concern on the Middle East conflict.

There has been a lot of human suffering over the years regarding the Middle East conflict. It is a conflict that emerged just about eight years ago when the British decided to exit the Middle East and carve out the Middle Eastern States. As they created those borders, they felt that the Jewish people deserved a nation. They would be assisted in settling in the Middle East and claim historical ancestry there. Unfortunately, this has led to very many years of suffering, both for the Jews and the Palestinians, but mostly for the Palestinians due to their lack of military strength. They are also taken advantage of, not just by various interest groups, but also by the Arab nations themselves. It is important that we add our voice to the international call for a lasting solution to the Middle East conflict. As Kenya, we have suffered many times, but we have stood firmly with the State of Israel historically and over a long period of time. I believe we will continue to do so.

That notwithstanding, we have a duty as Members of the international community to respect the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people. We ought to stand up when humanity is on the verge of losing its sanity, when over 60,000 children, women and the elderly have been killed over a span of less than one year. There is a clear case of genocide taking place in Gaza. There is now a visible attempt to relocate people, amounting to ethnic cleansing. The voice of Kenya and Africa should be heard, as people who have suffered such indignity in the past.

It is quite unfortunate that a State with the great history of Israel is embroiled in this particular conflict. As you have seen, many former leaders in Israel have called on the current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to re-look at the situation in Gaza. Many Jews come out every Saturday to show solidarity with the world in search of peace, in support of both Israel and the Palestinians. It is not clear to us what is happening because the majority of people there seem to value peace. But there is a small group that is hell-bent on ensuring that there is no peace, no two-State solution, that the Palestinians do not get their right to self-determination and that Israel does not live in peace with its neighbours.

As this Motion proposes, we should support all the international initiatives that are ongoing and also keep the pressure by calling for peace. It is good that the States of the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden and France now intend to formally recognise the State of Palestine by September. That is the right way to go. You cannot subject a people to such atrocities for so long, without mercy and expect the world to keep quiet as though it is not happening under our watch. It may be very difficult and Kenya may not have great strength, but we do have a voice. People should know that we support Israel and we want it to live in peace and to be secure. We also want the Palestinian people to have their right to self-determination.

With those remarks, I fully support this Motion. I hope Kenya and Africa will find their voice in trying to bring peace to the Middle East, to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, and to free the hostages who as we have seen, are being slowly killed. Let us call upon the neighbours of Israel and the Palestinians to stop taking advantage of the Palestinian issue to advance their military and regional hegemonic interests, instead of pursuing peace and justice.

I thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Are there Members who wish to contribute to this? Yes, Hon. Hillary. I could not see you because you are too far. Give him the microphone. What is out of order, Hon. Chege?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, although I will also stand to support the Motion, I need to raise a matter concerning how business is being run this morning in this House. I wish to register my disappointment that the Question was put on my Motion and you had to jump from Order 7 to Order 8, then go back. I do not know what was the urgency. I can see there was already a purported plan to fail my Motion. Hon. Members are allowed to express themselves, but this was a very important Motion. I do not understand what prompted the hurriedness in putting the Question. That said, I wish to support the Motion at hand.

Stick to your point of order.

I am on that, Hon. Deputy Speaker. The Breastfeeding Bill was second on the Order Paper. As the Mover of the Bill, I was not consulted on why it had to be stepped down and why we had to move on to the Motion instead. Courtesy requires that the person moving the Bill be informed that we are altering the order of business. A lot of preparation had gone into this and this Bill has been awaiting discussion for many years. It is the third time the Bill has been introduced in this Parliament. It is introduced, but due to unnecessary delays, Parliament's time expires and it elapses. I would like to raise those two issues. I want to register my disappointment with how my Motion was rushed. Last week, I received a lot of support from Members especially those who spoke in favour of the Motion. So, I take great exception to the urgency with which the Question was put and the people shouting nay here.

As I finalise, if we truly want to accelerate the attainment of the Universal Health Coverage, then we must be very serious as a House. For this policy of 2020/2030 on UHC to be achieved, this House must be very serious whether or not the private sector wants to fight it.

Deputy Speaker: Hon. Sabina Chege, you are referring to your Motion listed as No.8 in the Order Paper. Allow me to explain. I listened to you very silently. Your Motion was extensively debated and if you look at today’s Order Paper, all that was left to be done was for the Question to be put. So there was no debate. In fact, you were not present. You arrived late.

Kindly be respectful. From the Order Paper, you can see that there was no Administration of Oaths,

Communication from the Chair, Messages, Petitions, Papers or Notices of Motion. There were

Hold on! I have not finished with you. I expect you to apologise because as per the Order Paper, it is indicated as ‘‘Question to be put.’’ You were not present. Had you been here, you could have mobilised Members to vote in favour of your Motion. You cannot have a Motion and expect it to happen suo moto. You have got to be here to lobby. That is what Members of Parliament do when they want their Motions to pass.

On the issue that I exercised my discretion, which is permitted by the Standing Orders, to move to Order No.13, it was upon the request of the Member for Kisumu East, Hon. Shakeel Shabbir. At the beginning of the sitting, he requested that since he is part of the preparation committee for the funeral arrangements of the late Hon. Phoebe Asiyo, he be allowed to move his Motion earlier so that he could leave to attend to those matters. I considered that a reasonable request, considering that he comes from the same county as the late Hon. Phoebe Asiyo, and I allowed him to have his Motion come first so that he could attend to other business. Had you arrived early, you could have also requested that you want yours to be treated with urgency. In any case, it is the next one after Order No.13.

I now request your apology for insinuating bad faith or a sinister agenda when you were, in fact, not present in the House.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I decline to offer an apology. This is a House of records. Under the Order on Questions, I was around, closely following the proceedings, and was aware of what was coming up. I was following the Order Paper and the Order on Questions and Statements had not been concluded. I believe the County Woman Representative for Isiolo was on the Floor when you stated that the House would first proceed to Order No.8 and then subsequently return to Order No.7. I do not know why I should apologise. It is not that I was late. I was actually around and waiting.

I have been in this House and this is my third term. It is also not right to say that I do not know what follows on the Order Paper or what lobbying entails. I know what happens in this House. I said I take great exception. The Motion has gone, but I take great exception. I will have to look at how we can help Kenyans to have enough money and financing in our public institutions.

Hon. Sabina Chege, I just want to remind you. I think you have been in the House long enough to know that usually when we start on Wednesdays, the moment we have quorum, if there are any matters where Questions are to be put, they take priority before we lose quorum. That is the standard practice. Anybody can confirm that. Now you are not listening, I think you already know this. Hon. Sabina, have you heard that? Usually, if you look at the practice whenever there are Questions to be put, the moment we have quorum, we put them immediately. In fact, we often reorder the Order Paper so that we do not lose quorum and miss the opportunity to put the Question. The reason the Question was not put previously on your Motion was because there was no quorum. When we had quorum at the nearest appropriate time, we proceeded to put the Question.

For any other delay on your other Bills coming to the Order Paper, you may raise that with the House Business Committee. They are the ones in charge of the Order Paper.

Thank you. Let us proceed. Any Member who wants to contribute to Order No.13? Hon. Nyikal. Hon. Hilary, you were on the Floor. Please, proceed. Hon. Nyikal, you will be next.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. I join my colleague, Hon. Caroli Omondi, in sympathising with the situation in Gaza. This morning, Cable News Network (CNN) aired very painful images of children facing starvation in Gaza. This is a

result of a catastrophic conflict between nations. It is estimated that 2.2 million people in Gaza have been displaced, and the death toll stands at 52,000. The catastrophe, if unattended, could blow to unimaginable levels.

As a citizen of Kenya and of the world, I have read and followed closely the happenings in the Middle East. Since 1948, when the nation of Israel was born, it has been forced to survive and fight for its own existence. For years, Israel has been engaged in conflicts caused by hostile nations. The latest conflict is worse because it is between a nation and a terrorist organisation. The Palestinian nation has a President, Mahmoud Abbas, who does not control his country. The country is in the hands of terrorists. Hamas is a terrorist organisation that is well known.

On a point of order.

What is your point of order, Member for Wajir North?

Hon. Deputy Speaker, the Member is misleading the House. Palestinians are in their own historical land, their motherland. They cannot be termed as terrorists. They are seeking freedom and recognition for what is rightfully theirs. The Member is misleading the House by terming Palestinians as terrorists, yet they are just desperate people who are not armed. In fact, it is the Israeli Government that…

Hon. Member, you will have a chance to debate. You have at least given him the information.

Proceed, Hon. Hilary.

Hon. Deputy Speaker, I do not know whether the Member is listening to me. The Member should take time and listen to what I am saying. I have said the Palestinian country is led by a President called Mahmoud Abbas. It is a free nation, but the Palestinian President has left his country to be controlled by an evil terrorist organisation called Hamas. That is in plain and in public domain. Therefore, as I debate and as I sympathise with the people of Gaza, it is time to call the Palestinian authority to come to their conscience. They have said nothing about the Israeli hostages who are equally starving like the children of Gaza. They have never condemned Hamas within their own country. Therefore, as we sympathise with this conflict, we want the Palestinian authority to come out clearly, condemn the terrorist network called Hamas, free their country from the terrorist network, form a government, and coexist peacefully alongside the nation of Israel. That is all I am asking for his morning.

It is time the international community understood that the threat in the Middle East has always been to the nation of Israel who some nations have refused people to live freely in their own land. Israel has been fighting not only Hamas, but also the Houthis sponsored by foreign governments within the Middle East. For peace to be found in that nation and in that zone, people must speak the truth to themselves and ask why does Hamas not release the Israeli hostages and why does the Palestinian authority not condemn the terrorist networks in their own country. Why is the nation of Israel using excessive force and refusing humanitarian aid to reach millions of people suffering in Gaza?

From where I sit, this is a two-nation conflict. We call on the international community, led by the United States of America, the United Nations, the European Union and even the African Union to speak and speak right about the conflict. We sympathise with the children of Gaza, but we also must sympathise with the hostages under the hands of terrorists.

As I support this Motion, I call for urgent international attention. Let there be fairness, let emotions be removed from this matter so that we can get a two-State solution where Israel and Palestine can co-exist peacefully and the threat of terrorism is removed from that face.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

Hon. Nyikal.

Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. This is a terrible situation in the world where the international community is silent the same way it is quiet to what is happening in the Sudan right now. The conflict has a long history that is biblical in nature. The Israel people were dispersed across the world in biblical times. It peaked after the Second World War during the Holocaust that was attributed to Hitler. What was done to the Jews that time is totally unforgivable. What Hitler did was unacceptable. The search for a homeland for the Israelis was worldwide after the Second World War. We may be surprised that there was even a consideration that they be settled in Uganda. Now, that is the history.

The British colonised the area that was known as Palestine. How they handed over Palestine is what created the problem. The British made it possible for the Israelis to settle there, but they were still in charge. When they left, they did not look forward to how the two communities which were there would coexist. They set up a situation that has never been solved. There is Hamas and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation before that was in that place. Therefore, there have been many wars.

What we are seeing today started in October 2023 and that was attributed to Hamas when they attacked the Israelis and about 1,000 people were killed. In retaliation, the Israeli Government under Netanyahu took very drastic measures. In my mind, when you are aggrieved, there is a level to which you respond, but not go beyond a certain level.

This morning, I was listening to the BBC news and there is a mother who gave birth in Israel and the formula feed is US$30. I know how many tins a baby needs yet they are buying it at that amount. All the buildings in the small strip called Gaza have literally been destroyed. Hostels and schools have been bombed. Even food distribution is a problem. When food was being distributed under the auspices of the United Nations, the Israeli Government raised objection and actually stopped it. Then an organisation formed by the Israelis started distributing food. But the tragedy is that even when the Palestinians go to collect food at the food distribution point, they are killed. Surely, you can respond to an injustice, but you cannot mete out injustice on helpless people. I do not support Hamas nor do I think women and children, who are actually dying now, support Hamas. They are helpless about this situation.

In my view, the retaliation on the part of the Netanyahu Government is out of proportion with what Hamas did. Again, I find it difficult to believe at this point that Hamas still has the strength and live in Palestine to even organise what is going on. The place has been razed down. Even the Israelis themselves have reached a point where they believe the war is no longer necessary. In fact, in my view, we are seeing another Holocaust. I do not see the difference between what is happening and what happened in 1945 to the Israeli people. The same feelings we had then are the same feeling we should have now. Netanyahu must realise that the world may start to see him in the same way it saw Hitler then.

In fairness, I support that the world should look at the innocent people and children that are dying. Whatever way they want to deal with Hamas, people and children must be protected and on this one, the role of the United States of America is also very interesting. It looks to me from outside that they are behind the strength that makes it possible for the catastrophic destruction of human beings and human habitat to the extent that that is justified to be called a genocide. The silence of the international community is unacceptable. We should look at how the Palestinians can be helped. The principle of two-State solution should be looked at. Just like the Israelis were helpless in 1947, so are the Palestinians helpless now. I support the Motion. The international

community should look into that. I know what our foreign policy says. However, this is a humanitarian need.

Order, Hon. Members! Hon. Members, I welcome students from Jimjam Academy, Moiben Constituency, Uasin Gishu County; Timbila Junior Secondary School from Taveta Constituency, Taita Taveta County and Olornganayio Secondary School from Narok South, Narok County, seated in the Public Gallery. They are welcome to follow our proceedings this morning.

Next in line to contribute to the Motion is the Member of Parliament for Westlands.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also want to contribute to this Motion. What is going on in the Middle East is something that should worry the whole world because that area is so volatile. People are living in fear of being attacked in that region. It has become such a thorny issue that we are wondering what the UN is doing about it. It is time that we request the big nations like the USA, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the European Union (EU) to give a humanitarian solution. We need a lasting solution for the Middle East. The way things are going, innocent people will continue suffering and being displaced from their homes. If you watch what is happening in the Middle East on media platforms, you will realise that the place is in a deplorable state. One would wonder how people live in such an area and continue going about their business.

The reaction of Israel - they seemed to be defending themselves against Palestine attacks- has escalated to monumental levels that need urgent intervention. When Ukraine was at war with Russia, the whole world ran to Ukraine to stop the war. However, I do not understand why the world is not taking any action on what is happening in the Middle East. The humanitarian support that is supposed to go to women and children in Gaza cannot be accessed because of the hostility that is there. The whole place has been razed down and it looks like hell. If that is how hell looks like, then it is a terrible place.

The world must unite. Powerful nations must find a lasting solution to this challenge. If it escalates, the whole world will come to a standstill and everybody will suffer. It will not only escalate to the Middle East, but to the whole world. We must figure out how to find a lasting solution to this hostility.

The Israel Prime Minister is overreacting to the Hamas attacks. We know that Hamas was dealt a deadly blow by Israel. It cannot survive to have the force of fighting back, but that war has gone beyond Hamas and Israel. It is now a regional conflict that needs to be looked into. We must find humanitarian support for the region and have lasting peace established there. I know Israel is a State that lives in a very hostile environment. One time, Iranians in support of the Palestinians, attacked Israel. It looks like the war has gone beyond the initial conflict that was originally there between the Palestine and Israel. It is now a regional war. I do not know how Israel fights all these wars. The United Nations and the world must come together to stop this war.

Thank you.

The Member for Wajir North.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I have listened to various Members who have contributed to this debate and they are insinuating that Hamas is a terrorist organisation. I entirely disagree. Hamas is a true freedom fighting movement that is fighting for the recognition, independence and land of Palestine which they are entitled to. If we have to define terrorism through the lenses of the United States of America or any other country that backs Israel, we will mislead the world. People who are seeking freedom and the right to self-determination are worth being supported. They cannot be called terrorists just like the people of South Africa were termed as terrorists when they were fighting apartheid. Hamas is a freedom seeking entity that is legitimate. They are the right people to be supported.

We should not forget the history of how Israel was formed as a State. In 1948, there was a conspiracy between the British and the French who tried to redraw the boundaries of the land that belonged to Palestine. Israel sits entirely on Palestine land. That is a fact of history that cannot be ignored. That aside, the United Nations has failed. Countries with veto powers are the ones supporting this atrocity of exterminating the Palestinian community of women and children, who are the vulnerable lot in the society. Free aid of food cannot be moved to where it is needed.

There is bombardment and extermination of Palestine. That cannot be accepted. Palestines are in Palestine. They can only be eliminated if there is an earthquake in Palestine, but not be in the way Netanyahu is doing. The super power nations that were preaching to us about good governance, the rule of law, democracy and good world order are the ones that are betraying the world by watching women and children starving to death. That is unacceptable. That level of desperation has never been seen in the world. This should no longer be tolerated. We must have a Palestine State that can govern itself and determine its own issues.

Weapons from the United States of America are being used to kill women and children. The USA, a world super power, observes these atrocities without intervening. Any time the USA speaks, it is about the Hamas, a freedom fighting entity. The USA is the country that cried of the holocaust. What is happening today is worse than the holocaust. Israel is trying to kill everybody, including vulnerable people like women and children who seek water and relief food. What will happen is that countries will move out of the United Nations. The Universal Declaration on Human Rights has been entirely abused. I want to call the world to order. The superpowers have failed. The United States of America is part and parcel of these atrocities. The only way out is for the rest of the world to join forces and ensure that this does not continue.

With those few remarks, I support the Motion.

Member for Kitui Rural.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I support the Motion. However, I disagree with what the Mover said that Prime Minister Netanyahu is leading a gang of people to kill Palestinians. It is not in order to say that a sitting Prime Minister is leading a gang.

The conflict in the Middle East is historical. Palestine and other Arab countries once ganged up to fight against Israel. The conflict has resulted in many deaths over the years. Many people have been displaced, and children and women have been killed. Schools, hospitals, and homes are currently being bombed. It is quite serious. People are bombed even when they go to look for food. Therefore, it is high time for the international community to intervene and stop this war and the suffering of Gazans.

This war may not end easily because some countries have taken sides. At the start of the conflict, the USA and European countries supported Israel, which resulted in a never-ending war.

Western countries control international policy. Therefore, they should be neutral and intervene to stop the ongoing suffering.

This conflict has also affected us. We lost over 200 people during the terrorist bombing of the American Embassy in 1998. That terrorist attack was born out of this conflict. It is high time the international community intervened. It is also high time the Muslims and Christians sat down and agreed to end the conflict because both parties are suffering.

I support the Motion. We should debate it soberly, so that we can find a solution.

Member for Migori County.

Bismillahi ar-Rahmani ar- Raheem. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for the opportunity you have given me to contribute to this Motion, which I support 100 per cent.

The situation in Palestine is terrible. It is incomparable to anything else in this world. Children and women walk for over 12 kilometres to get food and water. The sad part is that even as they are lured to walk for over 12 kilometres to get food and water, they do not go back with that food and water because they are shot at the site where they are supposed to receive food and water. One has no choice, but to support Palestinians to get their freedom.

Over 170 countries of the United Nations have recognised what Palestinians are fighting for. What are other countries doing to support Palestine? Palestinians are in their country. They have not claimed any other country’s land. They are in their own land, which God chose to put them in. Why are they being moved from their land?

The UN Women estimates that 28,000 women and children have been killed since the war started in 2023. Women give birth to generations. If women have no husbands because they have been killed in the war, and the few remaining women are killed, Palestine will be wiped off the face of the earth. It seems that that is the end goal, but I warn those who support such oppression that God is watching. You may be strong, but you are not stronger than God. You may have all the weapons in the world, but God only needs to raise his finger to doom you.

I urge all countries to come out in support of Palestinians because they deserve support. They are calm, God-fearing people, but they have been oppressed for as long as they have lived on their land. They have never enjoyed freedom and peace because of other countries' interference. Israelis could not win this war on their own. Other countries support them in this war, and we would like to tell them that God is watching.

The Bible states in Psalms 72:14 that, “He will redeem them from oppression and violence for their lives are precious to him”. Isaiah 1:17 states that, “Learn to do good; seek justice, help the oppressed, defend the cause of orphans, fight for the rights of the widows.” Majority of the countries supporting Israel practice Christianity. They use the Bible that I have just quoted. I wonder which God they worship. Is it the same God that they are talking about in Psalms, Isaiah, and other verses in the Bible?

I recently witnessed a very terrifying moment in Gaza. I watched a six-year-old boy carrying a lemon in his hand. He was asked by a journalist what he would eat that day. With bloodstains on his face, he said that only Allah knew. He was then asked about the lemon, and he replied that Allah knew. The lemon would be his dinner for that day. He was then asked where his siblings were. He said that he was sad because he had lost his mother, father, and siblings. He asked why God had allowed that to happen to him. He was happy because they had gone to be with Allah and they would have peace. He asked why God had left him alone instead of taking him with his parents and siblings.

The situation is sad. I plead with Allah to come down and save the Palestinians. Come down and show these countries that support evil that you exist. Please, show your hand. Show the world that you are a God who cares for orphans and children. You are the God in the Quran and the Bible. Please, come down and save Palestine. May God have mercy on Palestinians. To the brothers and sisters who have gone before us because they were killed by weapons, may Allah give them everlasting peace. May those left behind live to see peace one day.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. (Applause)

Thank you. Member for Tetu. Hon. Bedzimba, you are next in the queue after the Member for Tetu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to this very important Motion before us today.

At the outset, the attack on 7th October 2023, where approximately 1,300 Israelis were killed by Hamas and about 300 taken hostage, was a reprehensible act that should be condemned by all. Having said that, Hon. Temporary Speaker, what has followed that event has been nothing short of a catastrophe. We are nearly two years into the anniversary of what appears to be a never- ending struggle. Many people who have spoken here have described with graphic detail the images that we all see of children suffering, people being shot at close range as they try to collect food, in what looks like an induced mass starvation. Another picture that has not been depicted is that we still have a few hundred hostages rotting in underground tunnels held by Hamas.

For us to make sense of this conflict, we must look at it soberly and on a balanced scale. Israel is doing what I would call a collective punishment. What I would expect from any responsible government is that in the event of an armed conflict, the response should be proportionate, targeted, and respectful of international law. When you shoot either children or women collecting food and bomb hospitals, you cross the line with regard to humanitarian law. I would like to call for an immediate ceasefire, at least to allow food and other necessities like medical supplies, to flow into Gaza. I would also like to ask Hamas to unconditionally release all those hostages from October 7. Some people here may say Hamas is a freedom fighter organisation, which we agree with, but it also conducts acts that mirror terrorism closely. This must be condemned.

I would also like to urge for an urgent international dialogue. Unfortunately, we now have a very weakened UN because of the gradual withdrawal of support from the US Government. The UN is now a body that cannot even mediate on the simplest of crises. But for whatever is remaining, it is important that urgent negotiations by all countries are held. As a country, we support the two-State nation. However, it is the same Hamas that keeps saying they do not want the nation of Israel to exist. The nation of Israel also says the same thing, that they do not want the nation of Palestine to exist. There is no innocent party to this conflict. It is very important that as we debate this, we debate responsibly. The ultimate solution is a two-State nation where people coexist peacefully. No nation should be wishing to exterminate the other.

As I conclude, Israelis are occupying their ancestral Jewish land, just as Palestinians are occupying their ancestral Arab land. It is a matter of agreeing on boundaries and creating a peaceful two-nation State. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Well said. Member for Kisauni.

Asante sana, Mhe. Spika wa Muda, kwa kunipa fursa nami niweze kuzungumzia masuala ya Mashariki ya Kati.

Nikushukuru pia kwa sababu umewapa watu wote nafasi bila ya kuwaingilia kati. Unampa mtu nafasi azungumze yale anayo kwa moyo wake na awe sawa. Ni masikitiko makubwa kwamba mauaji yanaendelea Mashariki ya Kati. Maisha ya binadamu ni muhimu sana. Ni Mola pekee anayepeana uhai na ni yeye pekee anayeweza kutoa uhai huo. Si kupitia kwa binadamu kufanya hayo. Masikitiko ni kwamba watoto na akina mama wanauliwa kiholela. Yule ambaye amesimama katika Bunge hili, ama katika sehemu aliko na kufurahia mauaji hayo, huyo hana tofauti na shetani. Wale watoto wanaouliwa kule ni kama yule wako aliye nyumbani. Wewe hauwezi kufurahia mtoto wako apoteze maisha kwa kuumizwa kwa kifaa ambacho kinanguvu zaidi kama bomu. Ikiwa wewe unasimama kuona kwamba ni sawa, basi wewe na shetani hamna tofauti.

Mataifa makubwa yamenyamaza kimya ilhali mauaji yanaendelea. Wamenyamaza kwa sababu wale wanaouawa ni Wapalestina. Wamenyamaza kwa sababu zao za kibinafsi. Haya sio matatizo ya Ukirsto na Uislamu. Haya ni matatizo ya mauaji yanaoendelea sehemu ya Gaza. Haya mauaji si kwa sababu kuna shida yoyote. Hakuna haki ya kuondoa maisha ya Mkristo wala Muislamu katika ulimwengu huu. Haukuwaleta, kwa hivyo usiwe na sababu ya kuendelea na mauaji hayo kwamba wamefanya kitu fulani. Hawana chakula. Watu washafurushwa, hawana makao, wanapigwa na jua, mvua na baridi wakiwa na watoto pale. Chakula pia unakataa kisiwafikie. Hata ng’ombe wakati anaenda kuchinjwa, anapelekwa kichinjioni. Lakini wale wanauawa zaidi ya ng’ombe. Wanawekwa mahali, wanaambiwa chakula kinakuja, na risasi zinaanza hapo na mabomu. Hiki ni kitu cha masikitiko makubwa.

Mataifa makubwa yanahitaji yaingilie kwa haraka kuona kwamba wanasimamisha mapigano hayo. Zile picha zinaonyeshwa za wale watoto, mbavu zimetoka, hawajakula, hakuna maji ilhali watu wanafurahia kwamba wanaendelea na maisha yao kule kwingine. Hili ni kosa kubwa sana. Mungu atawalipa tu. Haiwezekani kuwa wewe utaamua leo utawaua watu hawa na uwaondoe ulimwengu huu. Wewe hauna uwezo huo.

Kuhusu mambo ya ugaidi, hakuna mtu anataka ugaidi. Kama ni gaidi, afuatwe yeye. Yule mtoto au mama anayeuliwa ni gaidi wa kutoka wapi? Ikiwa mtu ni gaidi, atafutwe. Hakuna mtu anayekubali kuwa ugaidi uendelee. Gaidi ni yule anakuja na malengo ya kuua watu wasiokuwa na hatia. Wakati huu, Israeli inaua vivyo hivyo. Basi gaidi ni nani? Wote basi ni magaidi. Wao pia ni magaidi. Kwa sababu mnaua mtoto, ameshika bunduki ya nani? Amekuja vipi?

Kwa hivyo, Mhe. Spika wa Muda, hili jambo linaloendelea huko ni la masikitiko sana. Ikiwa mataifa ya Ulaya, mataifa makubwa wanaangalia tu Afrika na kusema watapeleka Mahakama ya Kimataifa, mbona sasa hivi hawapeleki watu wanavyouliwa kule? Wanatufanya sisi kuwa wapuuzi sana. Lakini dunia hii ni ya mwenyezi Mungu, si yao. Mbona hawashiki mtu na kumpeleka kwa Mahakama ya kimataifa?

Mimi nimesimama kuunga mkono Hoja hii. Ikiwezekana, vita visimamishwe kwa haraka kwa sababu wale Wapalestina walioko pale hawana uwezo wa kupigana na Waisraeli. Hawana. Waisraeli walijaribu Irani, wakakomeshwa. Wale wana uwezo, hawa hawana uwezo. Hata mawe hawana sasa. Mahali wamepelekwa ina mchanga tu. Wanawaweka kwenye hema. Ningeomba mataifa makubwa yaingilie kama ilivyosemwa kwa Hoja hii na ndugu yetu Mhe. Shakeel Shabir. Hakusema vita viendelee. Vita visimame, na kama kuna ugaidi, wafuate wale wanaohusika nao, si akina mama.

Nakushukuru Mhe. Spika wa Muda kwa kutoa nafasi hii. Hujamuingilia mtu katika mazungumzo yake. Nakushukuru. Sisi tunazungumza kwa uchungu kwamba maisha ya watu yanapotea pale. Si kwamba maisha ya Israeli yapotee, hatutaki maisha ya mtu yeyote ipotee.

Anayepeana maisha ni mwenyezi Mungu pekee. Naunga Hoja hii, na Mungu asaidie hivyo vita visimame. Asante sana.

The Member for Mandera South.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity. I stand to support this Motion.

The world is going through a sad moment right now. What is happening in Palestine and the Middle East at large is a very sad affair. The situation in Palestine, in particular, is catastrophic. It is a stain on the collective memory of the world. We have seen images on television sets and read news of horrific situations which we thought can only happen in movies. We are watching a genocide as it is happening live. We have seen images of a child seeking aid at an aid distribution site and kisses the hand of an Israeli military, but later we are told that that child received a bullet in the head. The child kisses the hand of a military soldier and in return, the child receives a bullet in the head.

We have read very sad stories, including one of a doctor who lost nine of her children while she was attending to patients in a makeshift hospital. Her husband and her only remaining son have been left maimed forever. Thousands of people have been killed and thousands others injured. Many have been displaced. Seventy per cent of the housing system in Gaza has been destroyed. Hospitals, schools and universities have been destroyed. Neighbourhoods have been turned into rubble and those searching for safety have nowhere to run to. Water systems have completely been destroyed in Gaza. Israelis have shut down the electricity system. Agriculture and food production sectors have been completely destroyed. Gaza is just a living nightmare, as the world watches in this age and time. We are watching all this happen real-time on television and social media.

It is in the midst of this catastrophe that we stand with the people of Gaza and the Middle East at large. We pray for peace in the region. I thank the more than 170 countries which have come out to recognise the State of Palestine. Ultimately, the only permanent solution for that region is the recognition of the State of Palestine and ensuring that that country becomes independent. I know that the recognition of Palestine today does not inspire a lot of hope for any steps to be taken. It might not amount to anything, but it is very important so that the political process on the discussion about the permanent solution to this problem is brought back to the table.

Finally, I ask for immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Israel should stop the humanitarian catastrophe and open all the aid routes so that the UN and countries which give aid to Palestine can access the hungry and feed them and treat the injured. We pray for the stoppage of further loss of lives and that the entire world embraces the permanent solution for Palestine, that is, the two- State solution. I also directly appeal to the United States of America, particularly President Trump, to feel touched by what is happening in Gaza. President Trump should recognise the State of Palestine, just like France, Germany, Australia and Britain are willing to do during the September UN General Conference.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Well said. The Member for Mandera North.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for this opportunity. I thank the Mover of this Motion.

Hold on, Hon. Abdullahi. Member for Luanda, you were the next to speak, but you removed your card. It was in the queue, but then it was removed. You were ahead of Hon. Abdullahi. Just reinsert your card, then you will speak after him. Go ahead, Hon. Bashir.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. First and foremost, I thank the Mover of this Motion so that this House and Kenyans can express their concerns on the ongoing atrocities in Gaza and Palestine. What is happening right now is not just a conflict, but more than even a genocide. The pictures coming out of the situation in Gaza are deplorable. What started as a conflict between the armed wing of Hamas and the State of Israel is no longer a conflict. It is a genocide that the world is witnessing. Unfortunately, the world is just watching and nothing is being done.

The State of Israel has violated all manner of international humanitarian laws, as concerns this conflict. If the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) was fighting with Hamas, per se, probably the world would not have made so much noise because armed conflict happens in most parts of the world. But when you target children, women and the elderly who have no weapons at hand, people queuing for food, and you kill them - that is something that has never happened. When the holocaust happened, the world sympathised with Israel. Unfortunately, Israelis are doing more than what happened to them during the holocaust. It is unfortunate that we are talking about recognising the State of Palestine. What State? We just want an immediate ceasefire in Palestine so that the next step can be the recognition of Palestine as a State. But as we speak, what is happening is starvation to death. People are queuing for food and they are all shot at, both children and women. We know how these things happen.

Everybody is saying that Hamas is a terrorist organisation. But who is the terrorist in this situation? What is terrorism in the first place? Terrorism is when you attack or destroy unarmed civilians or population. In that sense, you are a terrorist. In that category, the State of Israel also counts as a terrorist nation; there is no doubt about it. It is high time we fully condemned the action of Israel in Gaza. And for your information, the people killed are not just Muslims; there are also Palestinians who are Christians. Their churches have been desecrated. Mosques have been desecrated. So, it is not about the State of Israel targeting the Muslim community. They are targeting every human being that lives in the State of Palestine. And yet we talk about holy sites and Israel being a holy nation. How can you destroy churches and mosques where people worship? If you look at what is happening in Gaza and the rubble there, even if a ceasefire is made tomorrow or the day after or in a few weeks, it will take years for the State of Palestine to rebuild.

It is upon the nations of the world to come out in clear terms. I would like to commend Canada, France and the United Kingdom for coming out boldly and saying that they recognise the State of Palestine. These States have tried all manner of negotiations to tell the State of Israel to stop what they are doing, but nothing is happening. We want peace in Palestine and Israel. The people of Israel and Palestine should live in peace. We are aware that there is a certain population of the people of Israel who are not happy about what is happening. So, we are not outrightly condemning the population of Israel, but the IDF and the State of Israel itself. I call upon the world to take action. My colleague mentioned that people are discussing ICC or ABCD. When it comes to Africans being targeted as ICC suspects, the whole world makes a fuss. Why is the world silent about the fact that the ICC has declared the Prime Minister of Israel a suspect, and no one is discussing it?

We and the people we represent are human beings. We have children, mothers, and elderly parents. They also live in that place. It is unfortunate what is happening. I want to unequivocally

condemn what is happening, what is more than genocide in Palestine. I call upon the world to act against the State of Israel. What it is doing is no longer just conflict. When you speak of conflict, you deal with an armed faction. They are killing innocent children, and women queuing for food. The State of Israel has crossed the red line, and it is high time we tell them they have crossed it, and it is no longer acceptable.

Let the people of Palestine live in peace. Let the people of Israel also live in peace so that they can coexist. At this point, we ask for an immediate ceasefire and recognition of the State of Palestine.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Thank you. Member for Luanda.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. My system seems to have malfunctioned, but thank you for the opportunity. Allow me to join my colleagues in supporting this Motion and applauding the good effort of our brother, Hon. Shakeel, for thinking it important that we spare some time and discuss this issue that concerns human dignity and human life.

Peace is a very important aspect in human life, and the absence of it is the presence of chaos. What we see happening in the Middle East, the prolonged war between Israel and Palestine, is a bad thing. We have seen images that are dehumanising. We have seen very sad clips, where innocent people are butchered and killed for no other crime than just being Palestinians.

The United Nations General Assembly has passed resolutions giving specific demands on the unlawful occupation of Palestinian territories, but that seems not to be important. We rise to say that what Israel is doing to the Palestinians is wrong. No right-thinking person can support the kind of destruction, the kind of murders, the kind of butchery that we are seeing happening to innocent people. In cases of war, it is always good that innocent children and women are left out of the war. These people are unarmed. It is true, it has been said that Israel is a holy nation. I am a Christian, and Christianity does not support the killing of the innocent. Christianity does not support the shedding of innocent blood. Christianity does not support preaching of disunity, but talks of peace.

The international community, especially the superpowers, are quiet. They are quiet when innocent people are killed. They are quiet when innocent people are murdered in broad daylight. Some, just in queues looking for food and water, are killed and murdered. This is wrong. There is nothing wrong when a country fights for its territorial recognition. As a country in Kenya, our forefathers fought to give us independence. It is because of what our forefathers did, fighting and sacrificing their own lives, that we can talk of an independent Kenya today. We can talk of self- rule. We can talk of a country that is independent and can observe its territories. Having received this independence, if another State were to tamper with the territories, Kenya would defend itself.

Therefore, what we see happening, that Palestinians are being eliminated, is wrong. We see Israel moving out of its way to do what I can refer to as inhumane. As human beings who live in this generation, it is wrong that we keep quiet. It is wrong that we fail to put our voice in this. It is wrong that we fail to condemn what is bad. We must speak out. I join my colleagues in saying that peace in the Middle East is peace in the world. Peace in the Middle East is peace across East Africa and even peace in Kenya. Sometimes this conflict escalates and affects us in one way or another.

As I speak this morning, I want to condemn what is happening and call for a ceasefire, call for peace and understanding between these two nations, because Palestinians have their rights, just as Israelis have their own rights. As I finish, it is sad even to note that some of our superpowers are quiet. Some of our superpowers are even part and parcel of these wars, which is wrong.

I support. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Thank you. Member for Baringo.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also want to add my contribution and support my colleague for bringing this very important Motion on the Israel and Palestine war. I must say, for many of us who have gone to school and learnt history, that the war now being undertaken in Palestine was caused by a few people who sat down and created the State of Israel after the Second World War. They did not consider the people of Palestine and the larger area of Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and others in the predominantly Islamic region, and created this one Zionist State, whose founder was Theodor Herzl, an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist and lawyer, who decided that all the Jews were supposed to be recognised and given a State called Israel.

We are witnessing the worst genocide in modern history. My biggest problem and worry is that the people who are lecturing the world and giving directions and policing everyone on matters of democracy and human rights are the ones overseeing, perpetrating, and killing young babies, mothers, and women, people who have no reason to die. The taxes of a country called America today are used every day to starve and kill young children in Palestine. Unfortunately, the world expects something different to happen, but as the days go by, we are seeing this situation becoming more aggravated. I want to join my colleagues and all Kenyans and all people of the world to tell America and Israel that they have gone too far. It is the only genocide that is being filmed. They are visiting people right in their sitting rooms and bedrooms, filming babies being driven to hospitals, and neonatal hospitals being bombed. You are killing someone who is already weak and calling it war. That is not war. There is no way we will call this genocide war because it is one sided. The State of Palestine, which is not even recognised, is being bombarded every day. They do not even have an army. There is, therefore, no way we can call it a war between two countries. This is genocide on the humans of Palestine.

The biggest problem I also see is that this is connoted to religion. Christianity is anchored on a history based on Israel. That is where Jesus was born and where life and harmony is anchored. I listen to people praise Israel and wonder whether we will actually believe in this religion. It is very unfortunate also that the leadership of the world, which is mainly men, all the presidents, are watching and perpetrating all these as people are doing businesses of weapons and other war things. Every time they sit in a conference for the United Nations, there is always that vote that denies lives of the people of Palestine.

I join the world in demonstrating and raising my voice on the Floor of this House. We must recognise Palestine like any other State. We must also give reasons. However, there are actually no reasons needed for allowing the people of Palestine live like any other human beings. Otherwise, we are all incriminated.

It is unfortunate that a mother watches her child die of hunger just because of blockage of food. Someone somewhere does not allow people to eat. Across the wing in Israel and Ramallah, you watch the Jews who are the occupiers going to people’s farms, land and houses and kicking them out. Yet no one is talking about it. If you watch keenly, when anything happens in Africa, we always have people being shouted at and threatened of being taken to the Hague. There is a bounty on the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. He is supposed to be in the gas chambers in the Hague, yet no one is willing to do this. The other day he was in the United States Congress and was given a standing ovation. The world is so hypocritical. It is also unfortunate that around the big cities of the world, the people carved on statues and big institutions named after them, are people who probably perpetrated the worst crimes against humanity. The world needs to recognise

this and decide that all human beings are equal. We are only different in colour, but we are all human beings.

I support that it is time the State of Palestine is recognised. The two States should be given a proposal for a solution. I ask my President that when he attends the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this September, he should participate and show that we are human rights lovers and that we encourage all Africans to support Palestine.

Thank you. Member for Matungulu.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for this opportunity to give my views on this. I thank Hon. Shakeel for bringing this up.

The world has been so silent for a while on this issue of the Palestine and Israel conflict. I wonder why this is the case when a modern genocide is taking place in the globe. As much as things have got out of hand in Palestine especially in the Gaza territory since the bombardment by the Americans, it concerns me about the importance of the United Nations. It concerns me on the resolutions of the United Nations, whereby it has made very clear resolutions towards this issue, yet they are not being implemented. I doubt that in this globe, some people are half people while others are full people. The world is staring at a very difficult situation. If the world does not wake up, we are staring at a third and probably a fourth world war, which will be more sophisticated than the previous world wars.

Just the other day, we woke up to missiles flying between Iraq and Israel in an airspace that is supposed to be free. As a country, we have also remained silent. I applaud South Africa and the other countries who went ahead to prosecute a case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israel. We cannot just sit and watch the world get destroyed by a few interests of some people. One wonders how the young generation in Gaza, Palestine, Israel and in the Middle East will ever realise that one can sleep, go to school, and enjoy the privileges provided for any child under the United Nations Charter, of peace, tranquility and education. As a nation, we must be at the forefront to condemn the acts in Gaza Strip with the strongest terms possible. It is also important that it is noted that the issues of food rationing happening in the Gaza Strip is totally unacceptable. It is inhumane and a total discrimination of the people in Palestine.

I remind the world that war is not a solution and nobody is safe from the modern war. Yesterday evening I was watching Cable News Network (CNN) where they were interviewing one of the Tokyo atomic bomb survivors. It is touching to listen to what happened to Japan when it was atomically bombed. We might think that we are safe in Kenya, but we are the hub of this region. Our proximity to Gaza and our interactions with the international community can harm us. I, therefore, urge the Government of the day and the people of Kenya to stand with the people of Palestine, to be in the frontline to negotiate for amicable solutions as we have done in our region. This cannot be allowed to continue in the 21st Century. We are the people, and the people of the globe must stand with the oppressed. They must call out the oppressors. We do not need to be told who the oppressors are. We know them. They are trying to turn the entire country into a village to control the world.

As a nation, we enjoy the privilege and tranquility because of peace. I believe the people of Palestine need to enjoy the same rights in their region. It is high time the entire international community recalls itself and comes up with a lasting solution for Palestine and Israel. If we let the two bulls fighting to come up with a solution, the common citizens of the two nations will suffer, die of hunger and bombardment, and lack of water, infrastructure, schools and hospitals. I cannot believe in this time and era that a nation just wakes up and decides to make people suffer.

It is upon all of us to condemn this at the highest level and urge the United Nations to kindly uphold their past resolution on these issues. What measures are they taking to make sure that all the resolutions they have passed since this war started are implemented? I call for peace globally. We need to live in harmony like brothers and sisters. We believe that when peace prevails, the globe becomes a better place for all of us to live.

I support the Motion, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member for Nambale.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to speak on this Motion. First and foremost, I support it. We need to have peace in the Middle East. As we support this particular Motion, instead of condemning Israel for these particular attacks, we first of all go back to the root cause of this crisis. On 7th October 2023, there was a provocation attack at a music concert that created this crisis. For us to have peace in the Middle East, all the people living there must come together and embrace peace.

Go ahead with your contribution, Hon. Mulanya.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. We know that we have had this crisis since 1948 when Israel was established. As much as Israel is making an illegal occupation of the Gaza Strip or Palestinian land, we also need neighbours within the Gaza Strip like Jordan, Yemen and all the other nations, including Egypt, to come together for peaceful discussions so that we can have a long-lasting solution. Perhaps this is the reason why the United Nations, which created Israel, is unable to have a resolution that will bring Israel to order. I cannot support whatever Israel is doing because where there is war, the people who suffer are children, women and vulnerable members of the society. When you watch the news, it is saddening to see people being killed.

My point of concern is that the moment there is an attempt to have a ceasefire, Hezbollah Group and Hamas Group will attack and do other destructive actions.

On a point of order, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Give me a minute, Hon. Mulanya. What is out of order, Member for Baringo? If you want to disagree with him, I will not allow you.

The attack of 7th October 2023 was not occasioned because of the invasion. It was because Palestine had been a small prison.

That is a point of argument, but not out of order, Hon. Member.

Okay.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I wish to inform my colleague that in law, we say two wrongs do not make a right. As much as I have wronged you, you do not need to commit a crime to come and assert your rights. I do not support Israel's invasion and continued airstrikes in Palestine. The war has sucked in Iran and other neighbouring nations.

The United Nations resolution created two strips; the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Their major concern is that they want Israel to be moved out of the Middle East, which is not possible because it has been in existence since 1948 which is a long period. The only solution is for the people living in the Middle East to have a long-lasting resolution and seek peace. Israel should

move out of the Palestinian land and go back to its boundaries, so that Palestinians can have their independence and live freely as any other part of the world.

What the Motion aims to attain in this particular House is that we, as Kenyans, reaffirm our commitment to a peaceful resolution of disputes through negotiation, diplomacy, and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

I support this Motion. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member for Kamukunji.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to contribute. I stand to support the Motion brought by our brother, Hon. Shabbir, on the dire situation in the Middle East, and in particular the war against the people of Gaza. We need to place these events in historical context. The source of this particular problem was created by the myth of land for people without land, and planting the Jewish nation of Israel in the middle of the Palestinian State, displacing the Palestinian people from 1948 to date.

Despite the fact that the United Nations has always advocated for a two-State solution, Israel and its western friends have persistently refused to work towards it, where the Israelis and Palestinians can live peacefully together as neighbours. As a result, they have continued to push for a final solution which is to get rid of the whole of Palestine or Palestinians. First of all, they occupied the West Bank and Gaza. Then they launched a serious and terrible war of displacement and ethnic cleansing that has killed more than 200,000 who are mostly women and children, leaving the whole of Gaza a wasteland. It almost looks like the atomic bomb attack in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War. Since 1948, Palestinians have continuously been displaced from their indigenous ancestral land. As a result of that, they have not been able to get their right to self-determination, their own nation and to determine their destiny as a nation. People keep on asking that the war between Israel and Palestinians stops, but there is no war between Israel and Palestinians. There is a continuous war of ethnic cleansing by the Israelis against the Palestinians. The people of Palestine and Gaza are not armed. They are civilians who continue to suffer unimaginably because Israel has cut off food, water and electricity supplies. Gaza is under siege. You cannot get in or out of Gaza. It is a prison. There are thousands and thousands of humanitarian organisations, with tonnes and tonnes of food on the borders of Gaza now, but Israel is using humanitarian assistance and starvation as a weapon to force the people of Gaza to surrender. This is against international law. It is against international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

The other factor is that Israel is a major force of disability in the Middle East. In the last 22 months, apart from waging war on the Palestinian people, Israel has attacked Lebanon, Syria and Iran, unprovoked, while the Western countries that supply weapons and offer political diplomacy to the Israelis are looking the other way. It is sad because they are undermining and destroying the international institutions that have been set up for peace and security in the world, including the UN. They are making the UN inoperable. The successive calls for a ceasefire to stop this unjust war against the Palestinian people have been rebuffed by a veto from the United States at the UN every time it is brought up. In other words, the United States and her Western allies are willing to paralyse the UN and destroy international law in order to protect this aggressive power in the Middle East. This must come to an end.

As Kenyans, we suffered under colonialism. We know what colonialism and occupation means. We support the just struggle of the Palestinian people. We support the struggle of the Palestinian people for statehood so that an independent Palestinian State can exist side by side with other nations of that region. We also condemn the killing of children, women - unarmed civilians.

That needs to be condemned. These are war crimes and crimes against humanity. What is happening in Gaza and the West Bank is genocide. All international and humanitarian organisations, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), have classified it as genocide. We believe that what is happening in Palestine is genocide and it must be stopped. There must be a ceasefire. The war must be stopped so that the people of Palestine can be helped. We must also stop Israel from concluding or executing its final wish to ethnically cleanse the land of Palestine and remove Palestinians from their indigenous land. This should not be accepted by the international community. I urge the Government of Kenya to speak out and take a very clear position on this issue. We have always stood for liberation and self-determination, having ourselves come from a colonial situation.

I fully support the Motion and call upon the world and the UN to take the necessary action to protect the people of Palestine from extinction.

Lastly on this will be the Member for Saku.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I came this morning at 9.30 a.m. Therefore, my honourable colleague from Murang’a should hold her horses.

I rise to support this Motion. I support it as a humanitarian and an international citizen. What is happening in Gaza and the Western Strip, between Israel and the Palestinians, is sad. Our hearts go out to the children, women and people dying so helplessly. They are bombed from the air and from the ground. It is as if humanity has lost its soul. Kenya is part of the global society that speaks to the soul of the human being. We were part of the Non-Aligned Movement and we have participated in many UN peacekeeping missions around the world, starting in Yugoslavia to Namibia to Mozambique and Western Sahara. We have come face to face with the way humanity can degrade itself and how humanity can lose its soul.

What is happening in the Middle East right between Israelis and Palestinians simply shows that the UN Security Council has lost the agenda for which it was established immediately at the end of the Second World War. The purpose of the Security Council is for peace and security around the world. If this particular incident was being perpetrated by any other country in the world, that country would have been crushed, but it is being done by one country that does not listen to anybody else, but only to herself. There were Arab-Israeli wars in 1948, 1967 and 1973, but the same Arabs came about to say they agree to a two-State solution - that the Palestinians and Israelis should live with each other in peace in two States. For that reason, we do not foresee an Arab- Israeli war in our lifetime or even in the next generation. For that reason, what is happening in Palestine is actually genocide. It cannot be called by any other name.

The ICC has pronounced itself on that position, but they are asking who should appear before the ICC. Just a few years ago, our leaders were dragged before the ICC. They might actually have not been the ones who carried out the post-election violence, but on the mere mention of their names, they were dragged before the ICC. Today, there appears to be nobody who can be taken to the ICC for the genocide in Palestine. Unarmed civilians, women and children are being bombed from the air. I think in our lifetime, it is the only time we might see this happening. It is assumed that it is an Israeli-Palestinian war. The Palestinians do not have an Army. The bunch called the Hamas is just a group of pretenders, rag-tag militias, who pretend to cause violence when it suits them. At one time, the same Israeli Government sponsored Hamas to be in charge of Palestinians and the world was not happy with that because it wanted non-armed people who largely reflected the face of democracy in Palestine. However, the Israelis would not want to have any of that.

For that reason, I thank the Mover of this Motion. I think he moved it as a humanitarian and as somebody who has watched helplessly. The whole world is watching what is happening helplessly - people who have been blockaded. They cannot receive food. Hospitals are bombed. The injured people in this conflict are not receiving medical support because there are no hospitals and drugs. This pathetic situation should not happen in the 21st century.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, one of the reasons as to why the Allied Forces moved their forces from all over the world into Germany during the Second World War was the Jewish Holocaust in Europe that was at the time largely in Germany and Poland. It is for that reason that we have the Jewish State today. The world saved many people. They live all over the world today.

At some point in time, people must reflect deeply. Christians also say, “Do unto others what you would want done unto you.” I am sure the Jewish people around the world would not be happy if that were to happen to them.

I believe the Mover of the Motion has postulated that Kenya has always stood for peaceful resolution to disputes around the world. We have been interlocutors when we had problems in the Republic of South Sudan and both Uganda and even Rwanda.

The world must rise to the occasion, particularly to protect lives more than anything else. From the face of it, maybe, the land called Palestine does not exist anymore because reflecting about a people reflects the land. We talk about communities even in our country today. We know the communities that live around Mount Kenya when people talk about Mount Kenya. People fail to exist when you bomb them and annihilate them completely.

The important thing is to talk about humanitarianism and respect of international humanitarian law. The United Nations Security Council must rise to the occasion to protect and safeguard whatever remains of the Palestinian people so that they can live as human beings once again.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

What is out of order, Member for Nyeri? Is it the Member for Nyeri?

I rise under Standing Order 95. I believe Members have expressed themselves regarding this matter. If there is no further interest, we seek your indulgence to have the Mover respond and proceed with the next Motion or Bill.

Hon. Members, this has been a very interesting one. As one finishes, Members have kept coming one by one. I indulge Hon. Zamzam for five minutes or less. She will be the last Member to speak on this matter before I call the Mover to reply.

Asante sana, Mhe. Naibu Spika wa Muda kwa kunipa fursa hii niweze kuchangia mada hii ya leo. Ubinadamu unamtaka kila mmoja wetu aweze kuangaliwa kwa usawa. Inasikitisha sana kuona watoto na akina mama ndani ya Palestine wakiuliwa kama wanyama. Na ikiwa dunia ama Umoja wa Mataifa, unamaanisha kuweza kusaidia Wapalestina, ingekuwa mpaka sasa vile vita vimekwisha. Lakini tunaona Wapalestina wamenyanyaswa miaka mingi. Hatujui maana ya Umoja wa Mataifa. Hatuelewi wanasaidia kwa njia gani. Palestina ni nyumbani kwa Wapalestina lakini wananyanyaswa na kuuliwa. Wanaonekana kama si binadamu. Wanajeshi wa Israel wanapiga bomu mpaka mahospitali. Wapalestina wameenda kujihifadhi kwenye matenti lakini wanajeshi wa Israel wanarusha mabomu mpaka kule pia.

Hatuongei tu kuhusu Wapalestina. Kuna Waisraeli ambao wanauliwa pia. Ni wakati mwafaka wa Serikali ya Israel kufahamu kuwa ubinadamu ni kitu gani. Sisi, kama dunia nzima,

tunachoka. Tumelia, tumemuomba Mungu lakini tuna imani kuwa siku moja Palestina itakombolewa na Wapalestina watarudi kupata haki yao na warudi kupata amani na haki ya nchi yao. Manaake huwezi kumkaribisha mgeni kisha aje akugeuke awe anakutoa katika boma lako. Anakuua kinyama kisha dunia nzima inanyamaza. Mimi natoa mchango wangu kwa uchungu. Sina nguvu ya kufanya lolote isipokuwa nalaumu Umoja wa Mataifa. lle judgement ya Mahakama Kuu ya Ulimwengu (ICC), ambayo inasema kuwa Waisraeli pale si kwao bali ni sehemu ya Wapalestina, ingekuwa ishachukuliwa hatua.

Mimi pia nayaomba mataifa ya kiarabu yajitokeze, Wapalestina ni majirani wao. Tokeni nyinyi pia muwasaidie. Haiwezekani nchi moja ndogo isumbue dunia nzima akili. Wamekuwa vichwa ngumu hawataki kuskia. Wana unyama. Hawaangalii watoto, hawaangalii kina mama wale wazee. Mwenyezi Mungu atasimama na Palestina.

Asante sana.

Hon. Members, there being no further interest in this matter, I will call upon the Mover to reply, but before he replies, I would like to recognise students from the following schools, who are seated in the Public Gallery: Fountain Gate Preparatory School from Kanduyi Constituency, Bungoma County; Mwihoti School from Kinangop Constituency, Nyandarwa County; Ntharawe Primary School from Imenti South Constituency, Meru County; Kapyatit Primary School from Mugotio Constituency, Baringo County; Mutunguru Primary School from Imenti South Constituency, Meru County, and members of the Scouts Association, who were here earlier on, from Kisumu East Constituency, Kisumu County.

Hon. Shakeel Shabbir, please, reply to the debate on the Motion.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to thank those who have spoken in support of this Motion. It is of great concern to us Kenyans that this is going on. Nobody has mentioned, but you know that President Trump of the United States at one time said that they are going to level the whole of Gaza Strip and make it a resort. That is now the kind of thinking that is going on. It is something that cannot continue. There are former Israeli generals who are against this and they said enough is enough. There are former leaders in Israel who have said enough is enough. The problem that Israel is facing is extremism at both ends. Netanyahu is facing a corruption case and he knows that the moment he relaxes on this issue, he will lose his position and he will be charged for corruption.

Nobody disagrees on the issue of two-States. The Israelis accepted it in 1978. Even Hamas had accepted it in 1967. The question was what part of what it is. I think it is time the United States of America reigns on Israel and have the two-State resolution implemented.

That is the way it is going to happen. Unless it is done that way, there is going to be a problem. Nearly 500 years ago, Nostradamus told us that the Third World War would start in this area. Libya, Iraq and Syria have been wiped out, while Lebanon has been destroyed. The holy land of the three main religions of this world - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - is now the arena of this genocide.

I do not think God would have wanted this to happen. Neither would anybody else. An hon. Member: God

.

Do not disrupt the Member. Please, let him finalise.

Thank you. This is one of the darkest periods in our history. I finalise by urging Kenya to rise to the occasion and recognise Palestine as a State. We must also recognise the right of Israel to exist. I strongly support that. Israel must exist.

The Israelis are the descendants of Bani Isra’il, while the Arabs are the descendants of Bani Ismail. Both have a right to be there. I curse Hamas and pray that God pays them back in a big way.

Israel and the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear sites that were deep in the rocks with bombs that went all the way down. Why can they not take those bombs and destroy the tunnels where the Hamas are staying? Let us move forward. I thank all Members who have supported this Motion.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to reply. I also request that the putting of the Question be deferred pursuant to Standing Order 53(3).

As requested by Hon. Shakeel, the putting of the Question on this matter is deferred accordingly.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I have one more request. May I?

Go ahead.

In the House, we have very well- dressed scouts from Kisumu East. Hon. Temporary Speaker, you are also a member of the World Scout Parliamentary Union (WSPU) , and this reflects the support we have been getting from WSPU. I am very proud to receive them here. I shall also be going out to meet them.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

They are welcome. Next Order.

Hon. Members, debate on this Bill was ongoing. I would like to know whether there are any Members who wish to speak to it.

Member for Busia, do you want to speak on the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill?

Okay. Hon. Waqo, do you want to speak to the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill? Go ahead.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for allowing me to add my voice to the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill (National Assembly Bill No.8 of 2024) .

I also thank and congratulate Hon. Sabina Chege for coming up with this Bill. It shows that she is concerned about young mothers and the future of this country. It is a gift to be a young mother and to give birth to children because there are many people who may not have that opportunity. As a nation, we need to take care of our young mothers and families. The society depends on the family, which is an institution that God created to bring up children who will take care of our nation in the future.

The principal objective of this Bill is to provide a legal framework for mothers who may wish to breastfeed their children at their workplaces. That is why I support it. In Kenya today, many young women are part of the working class and they do not have the luxury of staying at home to breastfeed their children and take care of them. By providing this framework, we will have taken care of our mother and child relationships, which will be great for our nation. As the mother works, the child will also be given special care.

When mothers breastfeed their children, they bring up healthy children. The relationship between the mother and the child grows. It is quite important for them to be breastfed for the first six months to nurture and grow them physically and mentally. Breastfeeding is also good for creating a bond between the mother and the child. If we are mindful about the future of our nation, we should all support this. Again, breastfeeding is the first preventive health measure that can be given to a child. Supporting this means we have taken care of our children.

As we all know very well, the food that we eat and give to our children nowadays is not healthy enough. When we breastfeed our children, we are able to take care of their health. Mother- infant relationship is enhanced through breastfeeding and the child is able to grow with a lot of confidence. Again, it serves as nature’s first immunisation. That is one gift we need to give to all our children so that our children can be able to fight any potential infections. To boost their growth, the mother has to be there and they must be fed properly. That is the only time the mother's joy can be increased as well as the child's confidence.

Part II, Clause 3 to 9 of the Bill provides for the fundamental principles and rights at work for breastfeeding mothers, which are lacking now. This will encourage and motivate young people. Some parts of our country today do not have young mothers who are either giving birth or expecting. This Bill is a very good incentive that will allow us to take care of young mothers as a nation, and young mothers will have the confidence of carrying their pregnancies to full term and bringing up their children in a healthy way.

With those few remarks, I support the Bill. It is my prayer that very soon the President will assent to the Bill. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker.

Member for Kitui Central.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I take this opportunity to support this progressive Bill. I am not a medical doctor, but I have been listening keenly to the debate on the benefits of breastfeeding. Doctors recommend that for the first six months after birth, babies should only rely on their mother's milk.

That being the case, a number of benefits are associated with breastfeeding. One of them is improved immunity of the child in that when a child only lives on their mother’s milk for six months after birth, their immunity improves. The intellectual development of children who were breastfed for the first six months of their life was assessed to be higher compared to those who were fed on formula or other food. Another claim, which may or may not be scientific, is that

mothers who breastfeed their children for the first six months of their life reduce their chances of getting breast cancer. I am encouraged anytime I hear such information.

Some young mothers may not want to breastfeed their babies because of beauty related concerns. So, when I see a Bill which proposes to provide lactation facilities and a legal framework to ensure that mothers breastfeed their children for the first six months of their life, or for as long as possible, I know it is worth supporting.

Even though I am not a medical doctor, I support the Bill. We should fast-track its implementation if it becomes an Act of Parliament by providing a conducive environment.

I support the Bill.

Member for Kangundo, do you want to contribute to the Bill? Go ahead.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill. Breastfeeding is the best way of giving a new-born baby proper nutrition and antibodies that help to fight diseases. It also provides a pathway for a child to connect with its mother by bonding and receiving food. This Bill gives everyone the right to start life in a healthy way.

The labour laws in our country entitle mothers to only a three-month maternity leave. However, according to professionals in the health sector, breastfeeding is recommended for up to two years. That creates a gap. A mother is expected to go back to work, yet she also needs to continue breastfeeding.

This Bill for lactating mothers presents a good opportunity for both corporate institutions and the Government to provide private lactation facilities for our mothers and sisters. The Philippines have done something similar. This is not something new. They have provided lactating mothers with designated breastfeeding areas. Some States in the United States of America have implemented such facilities through federal laws. Kenya is known in Africa for spearheading progressive laws. Coming up with this Breastfeeding Bill is a good step towards supporting our sisters, mothers, and wives. Travelling via public means is very hard for breastfeeding mothers. Corporate institutions and business owners may face challenges and even economic burdens in implementing the Bill, but I still support it because it is a good idea.

I do not see any further requests to contribute to this Bill, so I request the Mover to reply. Member for Baringo County, do you want to contribute to the Bill? Go ahead.

Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I want to contribute to this very important Bill. I also want to thank Hon. Sabina. I hope the Bill will be quickly assented to. August is the National Breastfeeding Month and we want to celebrate our breastfeeding mothers.

Babies should get enough bonding time with their mothers. Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to enable a mother and child to bond. The Bill is important, especially as we look at the challenges faced by the current generation, where many young mothers are going to work and depriving their children of the very important and nutritious meal from their breasts. It takes bold decisions like what Hon. Sabina has drafted through this Bill to allow all of us as mothers and fathers to bond by providing space in workplaces, specifically with all the articulated descriptions. This will enable society to grow well and children to enjoy good health while bonding with their mothers.

I also thank Hon. Sabina for giving us this opportunity. As a mother, I look forward to a better environment for mothers who are working to bond with their children. This will ensure that their children also have enough time with their mothers.

Thank you. Hon. Sabina Chege, it is your chance to reply.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I thank the Members for the great support they have shown towards this Bill. It is such a coincidence that we are celebrating the World Breastfeeding Week annually from 1st to 7th August. I am very grateful that we can conclude this Bill on this day.

Breast milk is very important. Mothers must understand that there is already evidence- based research showing that the first 1,000 days are the most vital in a child's life. It is recommended that for the first six months, breastfeeding should be exclusive, as it supports proper growth and overall development of the child.

As I thank the various organisations that have contributed, I also believe we need to examine our facilities. We need spaces within Parliament premises. For example, we should consider locations at the front of the building. I acknowledge the Parliamentary Service Commission for starting with a small room across the road. If a mother here is contributing to a Bill, she might need to go out to breastfeed and then return. We need a designated room within the Parliament Building where a mother can easily walk in and out. Countries like Austria, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, allow mothers with babies to enter the chambers with them.

If I have an urgent matter and have my baby with me, provided the baby does not cause disruption, it is important that perhaps one day, a mother can walk into the chamber with her baby. The baby would not be seen as a stranger. The mother can sit comfortably, listen, and even contribute to a Motion. Countries like the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy have adopted such practices, and we can benchmark with them to become the first East African nation allowing Members of Parliament to participate in debate with their young children. Not just Members of Parliament, but also many staff are young and may need such facilities. I also suggest that the Parliamentary Service Commission consider visiting Safaricom, where the latest lactation rooms have been established. They go the extra mile to support staff with small children, providing spaces where they can bring their children or even leave their nannies, which likely increases productivity.

For any mother who has just given birth, it is very uncomfortable when breasts are full of milk and there is no designated place to express. Sometimes, the leakage shows through clothing, causing discomfort and reducing productivity. I also urge companies employing young mothers to consider flexible working hours, allowing them to come in later or leave earlier, which can also enhance their productivity.

As I conclude, I urge my colleagues that as we move to the Committee stage, several amendments have been proposed by various stakeholders. I thank the Departmental Committee on Social Protection, led by Hon. Alice Ng’ang’a, for their dedication. I also acknowledge the Kenya Association for Breastfeeding, the Career Mothers for Exclusive Breastfeeding led by Ms Esther Kimani, a lactation professional, Mr Collins Maina of Policy and Governance Kenya, and the Kenya Care Network under Oxfam Youth Alive Kenya, the Association of Women in Agriculture, and the Kenya Union of Domestic Workers. Additional groups include the Kenya Association of Employers, hospitals, institutions, and individuals such as the Kenya Association of Bankers and the University of Nairobi’s African Women’s Studies Research Centre. They shared valuable insights with the Committee.

As we proceed with the amendments, I urge the Members to support these efforts. For those who had high hopes with the Motion passed earlier in the day, please, be assured that we will continue our work. Thank you for the opportunity.

I beg to reply.

Well said. Hon. Members, for obvious reasons, voting on this matter will be done during the next sitting, when the Bill appears on the Order Paper.

Hon. Members, the time being 1.00