Two Parliamentary Committees have held  week-long stakeholder engagement to receive submissions regarding the revival and commercialization of State-Owned Sugar Companies.

This follows a directive from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Dr. Moses Wetang'ula and a proposal by the Leader of the Majority Party, Hon. Kimani Ichung’wa, MGH, MP on the National Treasury Memorandum on Action Plans to Revive and Commercialize the State-Owned Sugar Companies, which was tabled in the House on August 22, 2023.

Late this week, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), led by Chairperson Bishop David Oginde and Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak, appeared before the Justice Legal Affairs and Human Rights Committee (JLAHRC). Their appearance was in response to a statement sought by Marsabit County Senator Mohamed Chute regarding the status of corruption inquiries in Arid and Semi-Arid lands (ASALs) Counties, specifically Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, and Samburu.

The Senate Standing Committee led by Nyeri County Senator kicked off its two day retreat today with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)to deliberate on the Agricultural Biotechnology Awareness. 

"I am so delighted with timelines of this engagement given the fact that Kenya has been faced with food security issues in the recent past. Factors like drought and

climate change mean that as a country, we have to explore alternative options of ensuring that Kenyans do not suffer from lack of access to basic food commodities.

The Ad hoc Committee of Inquiry into the activities of Worldcoin met with the Data Commissioner Ms. Immaculate Kassait. Ms. Kassait was required to explain how the company at the center of data harvesting controversy acquired a certificate of registration.

The East Africa Breweries Ltd Group Managing Director, today appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism to respond to questions on the Petition regarding alleged fraudulent acquisition of shareholding at the East African Breweries Ltd. 

The Senate Ad Hoc Committee that’s pushing for compensation to the Kenyan victims of the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombing has directed the National Council of Persons with Disabilities to be proactive in registering all the people with disabilities in the country so that Kenya can have an updated database. 

This comes after the Executive Director of the Council, Mr. Harun Hassan, informed the Honorable Senators that only a handful of the terror attack victims are registered with the Council making them lose out on the benefits that registered members are entitled to. 

Members of Parliament from Muhoroni, Awendo and Kanduyi support the writing off debt and tax penalties amounting to Kshs 128.07 Billion owed by five state owned sugar companies.

The Joint Committee of Agriculture and Livestock and Finance and Planning received views from Hon. John Makali (Kanduyi), Hon. James K’Oyoo (Muhoroni) and Hon. Walter Owino (Awendo) and Members of the County Assemblies of Kisumu and Migori regarding the revival and commercialization of State-Owned Sugar Companies.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Moses Wetang'ula and his Senate counterpart Rt. Hon. Amason Kingi will preside over the Climate Change Parliamentary Dialogue meeting tomorrow Wednesday 6th, September, 2023 at the National Assembly Chamber.

The Speakers in a joint statement invited the Parliamentarians at the Inaugural African Climate Change Summit  at Kenyatta International Conventions Centre (KICC).

Parliamentarians in Africa have been urged to come up with legal frameworks that will aid in addressing challenges emanating from Climate Change.

Speaking during a Parliamentary Dialogue in the African Climate Summit in Parliament Buildings, Nyandarua County Senator John Methu appealed to the Lawmakers across the continent to help deal with negative impacts of Climate Change through legislation of relevant laws.

The Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights (JLAHRC) convened today to further scrutinize Senator Raphael Chimera's 2023 Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill. This proposed amendment aims to impose a five-year cooling-off period on former county governors' political pursuits following the conclusion of their terms. The primary objective is to allow ongoing accountability processes, such as the audit of county government accounts,

to reach completion before former governors seek other elective positions.

Majority Whip Boni Khalwale has assured the international community that Parliament will support the implementation of the National Action Plan on the Open Government Partnership (OGP) as a way of promoting accountability in Governance.

Senator Khalwale said the Kenya government will increase budgetary allocation to facilitate the implementation of the open government agenda so as to finance implementation of the national action plan.

The National Assembly Committee on Energy chaired by Hon. Vincent Musyoka (Mwala) met the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Mr. David Chirchir to discuss the recent nationwide power outage that crippled critical services and disrupted businesses.

Members sought an explanation on what led to the 19-hour blackout that plunged the country into losses, identity of the persons liable for the power outage and the measures instituted by the Ministry to avoid blackout occurrences. 

Speaker of the Senate Rt Hon Amason Jeffah Kingi has hailed the enactment of the new law on climate change, terming it a game changer in regulation of the critical carbon credit trade.

Terming the carbon market as a key element in addressing sustainability of climate actions and rewarding green initiatives, Speaker Kingi commended Kenyan legislators for giving priority to the law – Climate Change (Amendment) Act, 2023.

Nairobi will be host to more than 20 African Heads of States and other delegates who converge in the city for the Inaugural Africa Climate Summit.

The Summit that kicks off today 4th September, 2023 runs upto  6th, September, 2023. It coincides with African Climate Week, and is aimed at addressing the increasing exposure to climate change and its associated costs, both globally and in Africa.

It will provide an opportunity to highlight and forge consensus on the modalities of unlocking Africa's vast potential to positively impact the climate agenda.

The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chaired by Hon. George Murugara (Tharaka) held approval hearing for the nominee for Director Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr. Renson Mulele Ingonga.

In his remarks, Mr. Mulele told Members that if approved as the next DPP, he is committed to pursuing a three-fold agenda which includes; building a people-centred prosecution service, creating innovative prosecution framework and positioning prosecutions as an enabler of National development.

The National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion has raised concern over discrimination in employment of People Living with Disabilities by Government institutions in Western region.

The Committee chaired by Hon. Abdi Yussuf Haji (Mandera West), questioned managers of the institutions on unequal promotions of staff by the public institutions.

Top management of public Universities and Water Companies were among those who appeared before the Committee.They were interrogated on imbalance in employment by Government institutions in the region.