The National Assembly has  granted approval for the establishment of Kenya's first virtual university, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional higher education for Kenyan students. Last week, the House approved the preliminary charter for the Open University of Kenya (OUK), paving the way for the admission of the initial cohort of 7,100 distance e-learners.

The university, leveraging the country's digital infrastructure, is anticipated to charge fees ranging from Kshs.10,400 to Kshs.10,900 per module, depending on the course.

The National Assembly is set to debate the Report on Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Kenya and the Government of Seychelles.

The Report by the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations chaired by Hon. Nelson Koech recommends approval of the DCA signed between the two Governments on July 18, 2022.

Hon. John Kiarie (Dagoretti South) has called for a renewed commitment in promotion of transparency, accountability and inclusivity in Parliamentary democratic governance.

Hon. Kiarie made the call during the celebration of the International Day of Parliamentarism.

Through a statement that he read on the Floor of the House, Hon. Kiarie highlighted the importance of the international day noting that it is critical for Parliamentary democracy at a  time when people have lost trust in Parliamentary institutions.

Members of the National Assembly last week had an opportunity to ask the Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Ms. Alice Wahome questions when she appeared before the Plenary. 

Hon. Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga) asked CS Wahome to explain to the steps the Ministry has put in place to resolve the issue of collapsing dykes in Alego Usonga and Budalangi Constituencies. Further he sought to know the measures put in place by the Government to conserve Lake Kanyaboli in Siaya County.

The National Assembly's Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation held a consultative meeting with their Counterparts from the German Bundestag (Parliament).

At the meeting chaired by Hon. Erastus Nzioka (Mbooni), the Members  of the Committee held discussions on sustainable Information Technology and digital participation in legislative processes, even as they shared knowledge , experiences and best practices in pursuing a more dynamic digital future.