The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, chaired by Kirinyaga County Sen. James Kamau Murango holds public participation on

Tea (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The Committee is currently receiving submissions from members of the public in Mogogosiek Tea Factory. 

The Bill, which is sponsored by Bomet County Sen. Hillary K. Sigei seeks to amend certain provisions in the Tea Act, 2020, to protect the tea growers’ proceeds

The Senate Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism Chaired by Kajiado Senator Lenku Ole Kanar Seki held a meeting today to consider Statements requests committed to the Committee.

The Committee has received responses on:

1. Statement on effects of government austerity measures on the hotel industry requested by Sen. Godfrey Osotsi. The response from the Ministry of National Treasury and Economic Planning. 

Sen. Esther Okenyuri has sought a Statement from the Senate Committee on Education regarding payment of teachers who invigilated and marked the 2022 KCPE and KCSE exams.

The Senator wants the Committee to:-

1. Explain why the Kenya National Examination Council has not paid the teachers who supervised, invigilated and marked the 2022 KCPE and KCSE exams despite concluding the exercise more than four months ago.

2. State the steps KNEC intends to take to have the teachers aid without any further delays.

The Senate Standing Committee on Roads, Transportation and Housing chaired by Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa met yesterday at KICC to consider several agenda.

The committee considered the petition on the construction of a foot bridge at Chiromo, Waiyaki Way, Nairobi.

The committee also had a meeting with Petitioners on the Petition concerning access to title deeds for properties bought at Jamii Bora Estate, Kisaju, Kajiado County.

Members present were:

Sen. Enoch Wambua 

Sen. Mohamed Chute 

Sen. Dr. Lelegwe Ltumbesi

The Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare Committee Chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgor held a meeting today

 to consider the public participation matrixes on the following Bills before the Committee. 

1. Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2023

2. Heritage and Museums Bill, 2023 

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).