The National Assembly's Budget and Appropriations Committee chaired by Hon. Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu)  entered day three of meetings with the Departmental Committee Chairpersons on the 2023/24 Budget Estimates. 

On the third day of the Committee's engagement, a number of Departmental Committee Chairpersons presented and argued for their Committee Reports on Budget Estimates for 2023/2024.

The Public Accounts Committee Chaired by Hon. John Mbadi (Nominated) has raised concern over the decision by Ministries to divert money for research to other use such as payment of allowances.

The Committee noted that according to the Auditor General's Report, State Departments have the habit of diverting research money to other functions, a move which the Auditor termed as illegal.

Sen. Esther Okenyuri seeks a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations concerning the County boundary dispute between Kisii County and Nyamira County.

The Senator wants the Committee to:

1. Provide the cadastral maps and the exact boundary points between Kisii County an Nyamira County.

2. State reasons for the ongoing boundary dispute between the two counties and the resulting chaos in Keroka Town, addressing claims of double taxation of traders in the town.

Sen. Beatrice Akinyi Ogola has sought a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources regarding compensation of persons whose land was acquired by the Government for the proposed expansion of Kabunde Airstrip in Homa Bay.

The Senator wants the Committee to:

Provide a list of all residents whose land was acquired by the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) to pave way for the expansion of the Kabunde Airtrip, including the respective Land Registration Numbers and the approved amounts to be paid for land and properties.

Lamu County Senator Joseph Kamau, is seeking a Statement from the Standing Committee on Land , Environment and Natural Resources regarding the compulsory acquisition of land by the Government in Lamu.

Kiambu County Senator Karugu Thang’wa, is seeking a Statement from Standing Committee on National Cohesion , Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration, regarding ethnic composition of the public sector workforce at different levels of government.

The Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Hon. Davis Chirchir, has today informed the Senate that Kenya owes the International Oil Exploration Companies (IOC) USD 23.7 million for the early oil project scheme in South Lokichar, Turkana County. 

The National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration wants the ongoing security concerns between Kenya and Uganda on Migingo Island addressed. 

In a consultative meeting between the Committee and the Ministry of East Africa Community (EAC), the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Development, the session chair Hon. Farah Salah (Fafi), asked the Ministry to explain the measures they have taken to guarantee the safety of local fishermen undertaking commercial fishing in Lake Victoria and specifically those on Migingo Island.

The Senate Committee on Public Investment and Special Funds, headed by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, convened a meeting today, querying Turkana County Governor, Jeremiah Ekamais Lomorukai, regarding the Auditor General's report on the Lodwar Water and Sanitation Company Limited's (LOWASCO) financial statements for the 2018-21 fiscal years.

Kenyans among them P1 teachers have petitioned the Senate concerning salary arrears for P1 teachers with `A` level academic qualification from 1996 to 2010.

Ms. Ruth Kabui and other P1 teachers are praying that the Senate intervenes in the matter with a view to recommending to the National Treasury and Economic Planning to factor in the budget to enable payment of salary arrears to the teachers.

The Senate will have a sitting today afternoon at 2.30pm in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings. Follow the link for a detailed Order Paper #SenateLive #2ndSession #4thSenate #13thParliament http://www.parliament.go.ke/the-senate/house-business/order-paper

The National Assembly Committee on Budget & Appropriations have commenced the exercise of interrogating Departmental Committee Chairpersons on the 2023/24 Budget Estimates on Revenue & Expenditure for Ministries, Departments and Agencies under each Committee's purview.

Pension provision for Kenya's county workers hangs in the balance as many counties fail to remit pension contributions to CPF Financial Services Ltd. The shortfall, revealed by CPF/LapTrust's MD Mr. Hosea Kili during a Senate Committee on Public Investment and Special Funds meeting led by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, stands at a staggering Kshs 36,284,729,685 as of March 2023. 

The Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning has commenced week-long public hearings on the Finance Bill, 2023. The Bill has a timeline of approval of 30th June to coincide with the enactment of the Appropriation Law, 2023.

The County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has directed Kisii Governor Simba Arati to take urgent steps and align the county’s Human Resource function to his vision.

The Committee’s chairman Moses Kajwang’ said that there is serious misalignment between the vision of the governor and those of the directorate of human resources, which he observed has rendered the county dysfunctional in terms of personnel.

Senator Kajwang issued the directive when the governor appeared before the Committee to discuss the Human resource establishment of the county on Monday.