James Opiyo Wandayi

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Speaker. Of course, I appreciate your communication but you must also take cognisance of the huge number of amendments that have been dropped. It is good to put this in context for the benefit of the public, Hon. Speaker. As you can...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I hear you and I am happy that we are going to vote verbally. The last time we voted here on Thursday, there was serious confusion. This is because some Members’ voices were not being heard and the media reported wrongly. Today, I...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I have an issue that I need to raise now before we proceed with the debate that was going on yesterday. My attention has been drawn to a letter dated 19th June purportedly emanating from the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I consider the matter of the IEBC crucial. We cannot afford to delay it any further. Let us proceed in the manner proposed by the Hon. Leader of the Majority Party. I second.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) As far as I am concerned, the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Economic Planning, who is not elected by anybody, is purporting to supervise this House in its legislative role, something that flies in the face of the Constitution and the relevant law. So,...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Deputy Speaker, this is a Bill that has been canvassed for a long time in the two Houses. It has gone through rigorous scrutiny, and it is the right time now for us to bring it to a closure. I, therefore, support.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Certainly no, Hon. Speaker. How can Hon. Kamket inform me? Really? No! This raises the question of who advises this Government in terms of economics and finance management, leave alone politics. For politics, we can deal with it later. Who advises this Government, because it...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, let me make the following comments concerning the Finance Bill 2024. I want to pick from where Hon. Robert Mbui left. We have been around for some time. As a matter of fact, this is my 12th year in Parliament. Even before that,...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Owen Baya was doing fairly well until he mentioned my name in respect of the Political Parties Fund. The Fund is not a favour to anybody or any political party. The threshold set in law has not been met in this regime. I, therefore,...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, that is the situation that our young children are finding themselves in, in this country. They have already lost hope. They are not seeing any hope in us as their leaders. Therefore, they have taken it upon themselves to come out to the...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) You read it? Yes. There is a character by the name Jasper Wendo. He was lamenting that ‘We have waited for independence. We were hopeful for good things. Independence came and now we have got nothing else to look up to or forward to.’ (Hon....

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I will leave it at that. Hon. Baya, stop holding brief for these characters. It does not help. Let me tell you from my experience in this Parliament; they will never assist you in the constituency. Hon. Speaker, where we have now reached...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, obviously, with all the tremendous possible respect, that was not a point of order. The Chair can advance that argument when he gets time to reply. Let me proceed this way. Kenyans are already overtaxed. If you look at Kenya vis-à-vis the rest...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I wish to second the Motion, but I want to add the following. Obviously, Members from across the political divide would want adequate time to contribute to the matter of the Finance Bill at the Second Reading stage. It was the wisdom of...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, you know I have listened keenly to the response from the very able Chair of the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs – who is also my friend - Hon. Tongoyo. However, I have been left wondering. This House, under Article 95...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) We must, in one accord say without any equivocation that the Government of the Republic of Kenya belongs to all Kenyans. All Kenyans pay taxes, be they in Bungoma, Kakamega, Siaya, where I come from, or Nyeri counties. They are 12th June 2024 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I add my voice to this very vital matter that has been raised by the Whip of the Minority Party. Indeed, the issue of the Finance Bill is very important that we need to get it right this time around. Bearing in mind...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Thank you, Hon. Speaker. I do not want to speak to this issue, but it is my duty to raise my voice on such a weighty matter. Firstly, as Azimio la Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party in the House, it is not part of our responsibility...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Perceived, I do not know. Whatever issues are in UDA do not concern us. But you cannot stand on a public platform and be seen to be discriminating against a section of Kenyans on account of how they voted in the last elections. When I...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) I have no idea.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Deputy Speaker, I commend the Budget and Appropriations Committee for the good work it has done in the last couple of weeks. I can see my friend, Hon. Babu Owino. I do not know which other members of that Committee are here. Hon. Mwashako,...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Whereas I agree, Hon. Deputy Speaker, that we need to put the Question, I thank you for indulging me to say one or two things. First and foremost, I commend the work of the Budget and Appropriations Committee in the last couple of weeks…. (Hon....

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) I do not know if he is listening to me. Members are listening.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Temporary Chairlady, I join you in welcoming the students from various schools who are seated in both the Public and Speaker’s Gallery. I extend a special welcome to the students from Pioneer Girls’ High School where I am a 6th June 2024 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) I wish to second the Motion. Ideally, the Motion seeks to extend the hours of this afternoon Sitting. It is only logical to do so. I want to echo what Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah has said. If there is one task that is sacrosanct for this...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Thank you very much Hon. Speaker for your indulgence. I join my two colleagues, Hon. Murugara and Hon. Esther Passaris, in welcoming the students who are seated at the galleries. Hon. Speaker, having said that, I want to equally seek your indulgence and I am...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, if you undertake a purposive interpretation of the Constitution and the Standing Orders, you will find that what is envisaged under Article 152 (9) is that the decision of the Select Committee shall be subjected to a vote of this House. Whatever decision...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I was quoting Article 152 (9) of the Constitution. For the avoidance of doubt, it says: “ (9) If the select committee reports that it finds the allegations—

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) I wish they could listen to me.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I just want to seek your indulgence. I have certain preliminary issues I need to raise. I want to invoke Standing Order 1 to address some of them. First, is the matter of the Order Paper. If you look at Standing Order 29...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) On a point of order, Hon. Speaker.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I am concluding. I want to plead with you for one second or minute.

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Speaker, I think we should be a little more patient on this matter which is very important. This is the first time this House, since 2010, is dealing with a Motion for the impeachment of a Cabinet Secretary. It is the first time we...

Hon. Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja, ODM) Hon. Temporary Speaker, thank you very much. I join my colleagues in supporting this Motion. At the onset, I agree, in totality, with the Senate in their proposed amendments to the Division of Revenue Bill. The Chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee is a...