The Senate’s County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee spent a full Thursday in Kwale County and learned that although verbal assurances and tidy paperwork sounded convincing, things on the ground are different. Led by Committee Chair Senator Godfrey Osotsi, alongside Senators Eddy Oketch, Agnes Kavindu, Peris Tobiko, Beth Syengo, Hamida Kibwana, William Kisang, Raphael Chimera, and George Mbugua, the visit highlighted glaring gaps in project completion and functionality.

The Senate Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing, chaired by Senator Eddy Okech (Migori), held a comprehensive consultative meeting with the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing & Urban Development to deliberate on the status of key housing programmes, policy direction, challenges, legislative gaps, and opportunities for collaboration in the sector.

The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare has challenged the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection over critical shortcomings in the protection of the country’s most vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities, elderly citizens in care homes and children at risk of exploitation.

The National Assembly has commenced the constitutional process of considering the 2025/2026 FY Budget Estimates following their formal tabling before the House.

 Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, presiding over the House on Wednesday, 30th April 2025 urged Members of Parliament to conduct a disciplined and informed debate in the House rather than in public rallies.

The Leader of the Minority Party, Hon. Junet Mohamed, has given notice of a motion seeking to establish an Ad-Hoc Select Committee seeking the establishment of an ad-hoc select committee to develop a unified and sustainable framework for education funding in Kenya. 

A Senate Health Committee oversight mission has laid bare a litany of failures in Mandera, Wajir and Marsabit counties, exposing deep-rooted cracks in Kenya’s healthcare system that disproportionately affect marginalised regions. The inquiry, led by Sen Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), revealed a crisis spanning drug shortages, outdated equipment, understaffing, neglected infrastructure and questionable financial accountability.

𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂: 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒇𝒇 𝒈𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒇𝒕

In December 2024, optimism filled the air at Kabete National Polytechnic and KICC, where hundreds of jobseekers gathered, hoping to secure life-changing jobs abroad. They had responded to calls for recruitment under the Diaspora Jobs Programme, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection and the National Employment Authority (NEA).

The National Assembly has passed the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill (Senate Bill No. 1 of 2025), paving the way for the disbursement of Ksh. 50.5 billion in additional funds to counties for the 2024/25 financial year.

The Bill provides for the transfer of both conditional and unconditional allocations from the National Government and development partners to all 47 county governments, in a bid to strengthen devolved service delivery and support county functions as provided under Articles 202(2) and 190 of the Constitution.

The National Assembly is set to consider a Motion to withdrawal of the Public Transport (Motorcycle Regulation) Bill (Senate Bill No. 38 of 2023), following a formal request by the Senate, prompted by public concerns over the Bill's contents.

In a communication delivered to the House on Wednesday, 23rd April 2025, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Moses Wetang’ula, informed Members that the Senate had formally requested the cessation of further consideration of the Bill, which had been sponsored by the Senator for Kakamega County, Sen. (Dr.) Boni Khalwale.

The National Assembly is set to consider the Energy (Amendment) Bill, the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill, and the Land (Amendment) Bill.

In a spirited closing to the Senate Liaison Committee Retreat in Mombasa, Deputy Speaker and Liaison Committee Chair, Sen. Kathuri Murungi (Meru) reaffirmed the Senate’s constitutional duty to safeguard devolution while calling for enhanced committee efficiency, improved fiscal resourcing and greater accountability in implementing House resolutions.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula who was joined by Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga led a group of Members of the National Assembly in offering their condolences and were received by the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Hubertus Matheus Maria van Megen at the residence.

Following the demise of Holy Father Pope Francis, leaders continued to stream in to sign the condolence book at the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi.

Senators have issued a sharp warning to the National Treasury over chronic delays in disbursing funds to counties, pledging to summon the Cabinet Secretary at the start of every quarter, in a bid to safeguard service delivery and protect counties from financial paralysis.

Speaking during a press briefing at the Senate Liaison Committee retreat, Deputy Speaker and Committee Chair Sen. Kathuri Murungi (Meru) said the Treasury’s failure to release funds on time had left counties unable to pay salaries or deliver basic services.

Join us for an insightful webinar co-hosted by CPST and the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) on *28th April 2025 at 1500 EAT / 1300 CEST.*

🔍 Topic: Public Participation in Parliament and its Impact on Parliamentary Democracy: Strengthening Legislation for Enhanced Governance.

📅 Date: 28th April 2025

 ⏰ Time: 1500 EAT / 1300 CEST

 🎥 Register Now- https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WTXO5eAFQNqzcEj-8U9vrw#/regist… 

WHEREAS, Articles 118(1)(b) and 256(2) of the Constitution require Parliament to facilitate public participation and involvement in its legislative and other business and to publicise any Bill to amend the Constitution and facilitate public discussion about the Bill;

The National Assembly is set to embark on a nationwide public participation exercise on the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 4 of 2025).

This follows a Communication read by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Moses Wetang'ula.

This Bill seeks to amend the Constitution to formally entrench the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), the Senate Oversight Fund, and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).

The Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare chaired by Sen. Julius Murgor (West Pokot) pressed the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection over what lawmakers called serious implementation gaps in programmes meant to support Persons with Invisible Disabilities (PWIDs), as an emotional appearance by petitioner Beatrice Likiwop laid bare the failures of the current system.