Billow Kerrow

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to give a statement on the increase in the minimum share capital of commercial banks which was sought by the Senator for Bungoma. The Senator had sought to know a number of issues regarding the increase in the minimum share capital, what policy...

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to assure Sen. Billow and the House that the report of the investigation will be presented to the House on Thursday next week. July 15th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES

Sen. Haji, what is your reaction?

Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to assure Sen. Billow and the House that the report of the investigation will be presented to the House on Thursday next week.

It is so ordered. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR INVITATION TO A CONFERENCE TO BUILD CONSENSUS ON ON A SUITABLE PENSION SCHEME FOR COUNTY EMPLOYEES July 15th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES THE COUNTY RETIREMENT SCHEME BILL (SENATE BILL NO.25 OF 2014) THE COUNTY HALL OF FAME BILL (SENATE BILL NO.33 OF 2014)...

Order, Senators. You should remember that Wednesday afternoon is a day for voting and we have three items ready. I encourage that you come back and vote on them. Order, Members. Could the Division Bell be rung for three minutes? (The Division Bell was rung) Order, Members. Could the bars...

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. BillowJuly 8th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES DIVISION ELECTRONIC VOTING

Mr. Temporary Chairperson, Sir, I concur. DIVISION ELECTRONIC VOTING NOES: Nil. AYES: 29 NOES: Nil

July 8th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES DIVISION ELECTRONIC VOTING NOES: Nil.

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to give a statement that was requested by Sen. Gwendo. July 2nd, 2015 SENATE DEBATES

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the statement sought is good. However, I advise the House that the Uwezo Fund is a statutory Fund provided for in law. There are regulations which were passed by this House which Members can access to, which explains the criteria for the disbursement. The...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would request two weeks because I will have to write to the Ministry and also interrogate it in our Committee.

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, yes, the clerks could expand to include all of them, particularly on Item (d) which talks about how much money for each county instead of only Tana River County.

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is a matter touching on development of this nation and funds that are voted by Parliament. This House had an opportunity to discuss in the Budget Policy Statement funds that are earmarked for CDF among other national projects. We will look at it...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to make a statement pursuant to Standing Order No.45 (2) regarding the county government budget ceilings on recurrent expenditures. My Committee this morning met and felt that there is a lot of misleading information that is being issued in the media the...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am proceeding under Standing Order No.45 (2) (a) . This House will recall that last week we passed the County Allocation of Revenue Bill. In that Bill, there was an annex on the amount of budgetary allocation to the county assemblies, which is...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Sen. Gwendo sought the Statement on Thursday, 20th November, 2014, but I will respond. The statement is on the amalgamation of the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) , Export Promotion Council (EPC) , Kenya Investments Authority (KIA) and Brand Kenya Board (BKB) into one agency....

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the clarification sought by Sen. Gwendo, it is true that there has been a delay. When the Presidential Task Force submitted this to Parliament, the process of actualizing all those recommendations has taken very long. It involves making appropriate legislation. However, because of...

Sen. Billow On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I appreciate your ruling on the Message. However, I am seeking your indulgence on this matter because under Article 216 of the Constitution, the CRA is among other things, empowered to make recommendations on matters of financial management regarding...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank the hon. Member because that is a good question; a topical matter. The issue of raising the minimum capital to more than double is a matter that needs to be looked into. That is a very important matter on the economy. However,...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will tell you. However, I just wanted to assure him that since he is not in big businesses like banking, he needs not to worry. I will give an answer in a couple of weeks. (Laughter)

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I need two weeks from today.

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is a Statement that was requested by the Senator for Kiambu, Sen. Wamatangi. The Senator wanted to know why the Governor relocated the headquarters of Kiambu County to Thika. The answer is as follows:- The Transition Authority was established to facilitate and coordinate...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the matters raised by the petitioner regarding concerns that the budget making process was not followed as required in law and in the Standing Orders is a very serious issue. Therefore, I want to say that it is a matter of concern among many...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, okay. I want to urge the county governments to put the interests of the counties first in the process of preparing their budgets because there is a lot at stake. There is the whole process of ensuring that the June 30th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES

Sen. Billow On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir. It is more or less the same question you had asked. I was also wondering why the reports are coming in, piecemeal. I was particularly concerned about my own county’s report because when an audit is done, there are two...

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I cannot see Sen. Gwendo around. Could I proceed?

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have seen her. I wish to respond to the Statement because it has been pending for the last three or four months. We have had the answer from March. However, every time we want to respond, she is normally not around. I will...

Sen. Billow Yes, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also reiterate the position raised by my colleagues about the petition, particularly the petition on Mandera County Government. I laud Kenyans for exercising their rights under the new Constitution, in particular, the right to petition the Senate so that it can determine issues that...

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, the honourable Senator for Narok made some serious allegations. If there is Kshs54 million that the Auditor-General has identified and we sat on it, with all due respect, the Senator knows this Committee. He can table any specific issue because we have the audit report...

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. BillowJune, 15th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES June, 15th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES June, 15th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES June, 15th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES

Mr. Speaker, Sir, bicameralism has been adopted very successfully in various parts of the world in developing and developed countries. We have had an example from Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale of Poland. In the United States of America (USA) , there is a House of Representatives and a House of Commons....

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also want to thank you for those kind remarks on the performance of the Members. I also thank your team and the leadership for that effort. I think we have done more in this Session than in the other Sessions. I want to highlight...

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, that is a very important question. The issue of the depreciation of the Kenya Shilling is a matter that is of concern to many Kenyans. In the last few weeks, the Kenya Shilling has depreciated to almost Kshs99 against the Dollar. In fact, on the...

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir. It is evident that the Vice Chairperson, an eminent lawyer and Senator in this House, may not have read the Statement that he was given to execute on the Floor of this House. It is also evident that matters of...

Sen. Billow On a point of order, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I rise under Standing Order 94 (1) which is express. As I read it, the rules of engagement in this House apply equally and seriously with equal weight to all of us, as Senators. This Standing Order reads clearly that:...

Order, Senators! That is not very useful information to the Vice Chairperson.

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, first, I support this Motion of Adjournment. Secondly, I share the sentiments expressed earlier on by the hon. Speaker in appreciating the work of the Senators particularly this time round. We laud the commitment demonstrated and the concentration in the House which has enabled...

Hon. Senators, before Sen. Orengo seconds, there is a lot of interest in this matter and so in fairness to everybody – I heard Sen. Orengo saying tuachie time kidogo – I am going to control the time. It is going to be five minutes for each Member contributing. Sen....

I thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, and the Senator for Mandera, for giving me the opportunity to second this Motion which I support. I want to begin by urging the Membership of this House that belongs to the Jubilee Coalition Government that it would appear like we are whining....

As I had said, there is quite some interest in this matter. For now, I will grant you five minutes. I could change that with your consent should the need arise. Proceed, Sen. G.G. Kariuki.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also rise to support the Motion of Adjournment of the House until 16th June, 2015. While I do that, I want to also add my voice to what others who have spoken before me have said. As a Senate, we need to assert our position....

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to lay the following Paper on the Table:- Report of the Mediation Committee on the Public Audit Bill (National Assembly Bill No.38 of 2014) . (Sen. Billow laid the document on the Table) May 27th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES THE 2015 ECONOMIC SURVEY

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to give notice of the following Motion:- THAT, this House approves the the Report of the Mediation Committee on the Public Audit Bill (National Assembly Bill No.38 of 2014) pursuant to Standing Order No.155 laid on the Table of the House on Wednesday...

Sen. Billow Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. This is a very important area. I agree with her on the issue of the leather industry. I think that we will need a bit of time because we want to get information. There is a lot in that industry which is going...

Sen. Billow

Sen. Billow It is No. 39, on page 12. (Loud consultations)(Loud consultations)

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, from time to time, the Government appoints a particular security agency to vet. Most of the time, to the best of my knowledge, it is the NIS that does vetting but from time to time. I think that there is that kind of arrangement and...

Sen. Billow I am sorry, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I beg to move the Motion and it will be seconded by the Senator for Makueni who is a Member of the Mediation Committee and also a Member of the Committee.

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Professor has made it a habit. Last time he told me in this House: “The Senator who we do not know where he comes from.” Now he is telling me: “I am busy pursuing Al Shabaab.” You cannot joke about some things in this...

Sen. Billow Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also rise to congratulate the House for adopting the Report of the Mediation Committee on the Division of Revenue Bill. This is the most important Bill for the Senate because it is about sharing revenue between the two levels of Government. It is one...