The National Assembly’s Public Petition Committee heard submissions from the National Assembly’s Leader of Majority Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah and Leader of Minority Hon. Opiyo Wandayi with regard to a petition to amend the Consitution to establish the Offices of Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Offical Leader of Opposition. 

In his submission, Hon. Ichung’wah noted that having the Office of Leader of Opposition in place would institutionalize governance, strengthen oversight and deepen democracy. 

Members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations have said there is a need for more structured engagements on African Union Affairs.

This was one of the recommendations adopted by Members in a Report of the Committee Delegation that participated in the 36th Ordinary Session of the AU held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia in February this year.

The National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy has raised concerns about the alleged lack of tax compliance by the Geothermal Development Agency (GDA).

Under the leadership of Committee Vice-Chairperson Hon. Lillian Gogo (Rangwe), Members Invited the GDA leadership to shed light on audit queries raised by the Auditor General in the Agency's financial books between the 2017/2018 Financial Year and the 2020/2021 Financial Year.

Hon. Oku Kaunya, MP has directed the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Hon. Ezekiel Machogu to provide information on the amount of public funds channeled towards the construction of classrooms in junior secondary schools countrywide. 

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has questioned the Solicitor General Mr. Shadrack Mose over the loss of over Sh6 million in an irregular tender to host Cloud Services by the State Law Office.

A Report by the Auditor General tabled before the Committee that was examining the audited financial reports for the State Law Office for the Financial Year ending June 2022 indicated the public funds were lost in the project the Committee termed as a scam.

A proposal for the establishment of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in every primary institution in Kenya has gained support from Members of Parliament (MPs). This was after Hon. Geoffrey Ruku, MP (Mbeere North) moved a Motion on Wednesday, calling on the Ministry of Education to develop a comprehensive policy and funding plan for JSS.

Hon. Ruku while moving the Motion expressed concern that recent Government guidelines requiring JSS to be established in select primary schools had caused confusion and rendered classrooms for classes seven and eight redundant.

The Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, Hon. Peninah Malonza, has today informed the Senate that her Ministry intends to hire local influencers to promote the tourism sector in the country. 

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana has been elected the chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee that will investigate the proliferation of religious organisations and the circumstnances leading to the deaths of 110 people in Shakahola, Kilifi County.

Nominated Senator Shakila Abdalla was picked as the vice chair of the committee during the election conducted on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

The committee was established after senators adopted the motion brought to the House by Majority Whip Boni Khalwale, who is also the Kakamega Senator.

Roads CS Kipchumba Murkomen has said the National Government has stopped the construction of new road projects across the country due to the huge pending bill it inherited from the former regime.

The CS told the Senate on Wednesday the government is talking to development partners to shoulder part of the challenge of settling the bills before it thinks of new road projects.

“Part of the problem of pending bills is inhibiting us in creating new road projects,” said CS Murkomen when he appeared in the House to respond to questions raised by senators.

Narok Senator, Ledama Olekina has sought a statement from the Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing on the proposed 3% monthly contribution towards the Government’s Affordable Housing Fund as per the Presidential directive issued n 23rd April 2023.

The Senator wants the Committee to;

1. Outline the Legislative framework put in place to support the deduction of 3% from the salaries of government employees to support the government affordable homes program.

The Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah has urged the Chairpersons of the Departmental Committees to be available during the long recess to scrutinize this year's Annual Estimates. 

Hon. Ichung’wah (Kikuyu) emphasized that the Annual Estimates tabled in the House recently  are the most crucial task ahead for Members. He further highlighted the importance of this task in the House's calendar and requested the Chairpersons to lead from the front and make themselves available. 

Senate Committee on Energy chaired by Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga met today to consider the progress of inquiry on high cost of electricity in Kenya. 

The committee has so far held meetings with seven Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and it is yet to meet Kenya Power. 

Kenya Power had excused itself due to the ongoing recruitment process of substantial CEO and Managing Director. 

Kenya Power has today announced the appointment of Dr. Joseph Sirior as substantive CEO to take over from the acting MD Eng. Muli.

The National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy (PIC CA&E) has invited the Office of the Solicitor General to a meeting to shed light on the delayed winding up of the Kenya Schools of Monetary Studies.

The Committee Chair Hon. David Pkosing (Pokot South) issued the directive when Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Dr. Patrick Njoroge appeared before Members to respond to queries raised by the Auditor General on CBK's audited accounts for 2018/2019 to 2020/2021 Financial Years.

The National Assembly has given its support to a Bill aimed at regulating overseas medical referrals to prevent the abuse and exploitation of patients.

The Health (Amendment) Bill seeks to amend current health laws and obligate the Ministry of Health to develop policies that guide the referral of patients from one facility to another.

The National Assembly  Deputy Speaker, Hon. Gladys Boss, attended the  International Parliamentarians Panel for Freedom of Religion, or Belief (IPPFoRB) Conference in Nairobi.

The Conference whose overarching theme is “Leave No One Behind” is used to promote freedom of religion or belief in the advancement of human flourishing and just societies and is the central transformative promise of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 

Members of the National Assembly have asked the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to develop and legislate laws that will facilitate the Africa Free Trade Zone to enable the African continent to trade internally without going out of Africa.

According to the lawmakers, a Free Trade Zone is one of the many tools that African countries could use to spur growth. 

Embu County Senator, Alexander Mundigi has requested for a statement in Senate on the destruction of crops by Wildlife in Embu County.

The Senator wants the Senate Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources to:-

1. Explain the measures being taken to contain elephants that have been roaming within the farmlands of Machang'a village near Kamburu Dam in Mavuria Ward, Mbeere South Constituency, Embu County.

Nandi County Senator, Samson Cherarkey has requested for a statement in Senate on the operations and financial status of Kenya Airways. 

The Senator requested the Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism to:-

1. Apprise the Senate on the current operational and financial status of Kenya Airways, stating measures if any, to address significant losses by the airline which stand at Kshs. 38.26billion by December, 2022.

The Senate Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism Chaired by Kajiado Senator Lenku Ole Kanar Seki held a meeting today to consider pre-publication scrutiny of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood) Bill, 2023. 

Sponsored by Sen. Esther Okenyuri, the Bill seeks to achieve the following objectives by providing a standard framework for-

1. Entrenching the right to informal trading;regulation of informal trading including areas for the conduct of such trade and licensing by counties. 

The Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare led by Sen. Miraj Abdullahi held a meeting 

today with the Governor of Vihiga County to receive his response on a Statement sought by Vihiga County Senator Godfrey Osotsi on Human Resource Audit Process in Vihiga County.

Senate had requested the Governor to;

1. Provide reasons for the inordinate delay in finalizing an Audit process on Salaries for both employees on manual and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD) payrolls particularly for the month of September 2021