The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations has challenged the Kenyan Permanent Mission to United Nations Habitat in Nairobi to collaborate more with State agencies involved in urbanization and human settlement projects to assure citizens of standard facilities.

Led by Hon. Elijah Memusi (Kajiado-Central); who chaired the session Members were on a site inspection tour of the Mission as part of their oversight mandate.

The Committee visited the Mission to assess the progress made and challenges faced in execution of its mandate, and opportunities available for the country, through the Mission's activities.

The mandate of Kenya Permanent Mission to UN-Habitat in Nairobi is to articulate and advance Kenya's interests in the UN with a particular focus on sustainable urbanization and human settlement agenda.

Members raised several issues regarding sustainable and decent housing as well as the proliferation of informal settlements in major urban centres across the country.

Hon. Memusi wanted to know whether the Mission had any strategic plan to incorporate Parliament in drafting a regulation to ensure that emerging urban centres have access to all necessary social amenities.

"Have you thought of such a proposal and are there any plans to approach Parliament to draft regulations to handle such challenges in emerging towns such as Kitengela?" asked Hon. Memusi.

The Permanent Representative to the Mission Ambassador Jean Kimani told Members that she and her technical team would work closely with Parliament to deal with the issue and other emerging challenges facing Kenyans in enhancing sustainable urbanization and human settlement agenda.