In a bid to enhance transparency and accountability in public service delivery, the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee convened a meeting with Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu. The meeting, chaired by Senator Godfrey Osotsi, focused on addressing concerns raised in a previous letter regarding audits of municipalities and Level 4 and Level 5 hospitals. Gathungu's appearance before the committee underscored the critical role of audits in ensuring that public funds are utilized effectively and efficiently.

The Senate of Kenya invites public comments on the County Governments (State Officers’ Removal From Office) Procedure Bill (Senate Bills No. 34 of 2024). Submit memoranda to the Clerk of the Senate via P.O. Box 41841-00100, Nairobi, by hand, or email to clerk.senate@parliament.go.ke by 5 pm, 30th Aug 2024. #Senate Committees

In a robust engagement meeting, the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, chaired by Sen. George Mbugua, convened with key stakeholders to deliberate on amendments to the Provision of Sanitary Towels Bill, 2024. The stakeholders included representatives from the State Department of Gender and The Cradle, each presenting their proposed revisions and justifications.

Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has assured the Senate that all the 352 bank accounts opened by his administration in different commercial banks comply with the legal requirements. 

This comes after the Controller of Budget named Bungoma County as one of the counties with the largest number of bank accounts in the country, making it difficult for the auditors to audit them. 

In a move aimed at addressing a long-standing grievance, the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare has vowed to secure justice for ex-employees of the Former Kenya Cooperative Creameries, a resolution that has eluded them for over 26 years.

Speaking before the committee, Raphael Nambisia, a representative of the petitioners and former employee of KCC, recounted the origins of their plight, tracing it back to the late 1990s. 

The Senate Committee on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) has directed the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) to harmonize the national and county governments' levies and wayleaves to avoid double taxation of the telecommunication industry in the country. 

This comes after CAK informed Senators that county governments are charging expensive wayleave charges for the laying of the fibre optic cables, exponentially driving up the cost of doing business and hindering ICT network penetration.