The senate committee on labour and social welfare today held a meeting with petitioners and the director of First choice recruitment agency who had been summoned to give an update on whether they have reimbursed the more than 500 youths whose money had been allegedly obtained to facilitate them with jobs and studies placement abroad before the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

A shortage of technical staff is posing a challenge for the State Department for Public Works, the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Housing, Urban Planning, and Public Works chaired by Hon. Johana Ngeno (Emurua Dikirr) has been told.

The Principal Secretary, Mr. Joel Arumonyang, who appeared before the Committee to shed light on affordable housing projects in the country , told Members that the scarcity of technical personnel has created challenges in fulfilling the department's responsibilities.

The National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy chaired by Hon. David Pkosing (Pokot South) has asked the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to make public cumulative amounts of public funds which could have been lost over irregular payment of overtime allowances at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the 2019/2020 Financial year.

The forum for the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices has called for strategic planning of fiscal structures as a means to restore sustainability as world economies continue to be hit by uncertainties.

 Cognizant that many countries have seen a decline in the state of public finances over the past few years as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic instabilities, the forum elected to focus on practical strategies for managing public debt and fiscal sustainability in times of uncertainty.

The National Assembly Departmental Committee has expressed reservations regarding a decision made by the State Department of Housing and Urban Development to adjust the construction cost of the new Githurai market in Kiambu by close to Kshs.200 million.

The Committee on Housing, Urban Planning, and Public Works, Chaired by Hon. Johana Ngeno (Emurua Dikirr), held discussions with Housing and Urban Development Principal Secretary, Mr. Charles Hinga where they sought explanation for the alteration of the project cost from the initial Sh827.170 million to Kshs1.026 billion.

Economists, fiscal analysts, scholars and development partners have converged in Mombasa for the the 6th Annual Conference for the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBO).

The conference themed “The role of PBOs in African Parliaments Fiscal Oversight; Contribution to the African Development Agenda”, is hosted by the Parliament of Kenya and has brought together delegates from 15 Parliamentary Budget offices across Africa and a number of development partners.

The Cabinet Secretary  Interior and Administration of National Government, Prof Kithure Kindiki, has assured the departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security that peace has been restored in the six North Rift counties that were declared as disturbed.

Members of the National Assembly Departmental Committee have received assurance from the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Hon. Ezekiel Machogu that no university will turn away any first year Government-sponsored student over lack of fees when the institutions of higher learning reopen next week. 

The CS appeared before the Committee led by the  Vice-Chairperson Hon.  Malulu Injendi ( Malava), to shed light on the new university funding model.

The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee chaired by Hon. George Murugara (Tharaka) has received Legislative Proposals from Hon. Owen Baya (Kilifi North), on the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023; and Hon. Wamboka Wanami (Bumula), on the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Members of the National Assembly continued debate on the Sugar Bill )National Assembly Bill Number 34 of 2022).

The Bill proposes the introduction of a sugar development levy on imported sugar. This is intended  to support the local sugar industry. The levy allocation is outlined as follows: 15 per cent for the maintenance of local factories, 15 percent for local research, 40 percent for cane development for farmers, 15 percent for the Sugar Regulation Board, and 10 percent for roads and infrastructure development in sugar belt regions.

The Senate Speaker Amason Jeffah Kingi, EGH, has convened a Special Senate sitting on Tuesday.

Through the Gazette Notice dated August 25, 2023, Speaker Kingi appointed Tuesday August 29, 2023 as a day for a special sitting of the Senate.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Susan Nakhumicha, has pledged to constitute a multi-sectoral medical team to review the medical records and needs of the 1998 U.S. Embassy Bombing survivors to see how they can be assisted by the Government. 

At the moment, the bombing attack victims are forced to dig deeper into their pockets to cater for their medical care despite not being at fault for their injuries. 

Members of the National Assembly have expressed outrage at the continued incarceration of 40 Kenyan herders of Turkana origin in neighbouring Uganda since April this year.

The debate was triggered by a Statement from the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, read on the Floor of the House by the Leader of Majority Party Hon. Kimani Ichung'wa on the matter.

The  National Assembly Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining held a budget implementation oversight meeting with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

During the meeting chaired by Hon. Getrude Mbeyu (Kilifi) NEMA Director General, Mr. Omamo Omamo asked the Committee to help the Authority get more budgetary allocation saying that lack of adequate funding to recruit staff has hindered its efficiency in upholding the plastic ban that has been in place since 2017.

The National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration has been told that all roadblocks across the country will be removed by November this year.

This is according to the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Administration of National Government, Prof. Kithure Kindiki who  appeared before the Committee. 

In a session chaired by the Vice-Chairperson Hon. Yaqub Salah (Fafi)  the CS stated that the move is one of the approaches that his Ministry has taken to minimize disruptions caused by police roadblocks across the country and along the Northern Corridor.

The National Assembly has debated the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

The Bill moved by Leader of Majority Party, Hon. Kimani Ichung'wa (Kikuyu) seeks to amend various Acts of Parliament relating to money laundering, countering financing of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Today, the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds, led by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, delved into the issues highlighted in the Auditor General regarding the financial statements of the Lamu Water and Sewerage Company (LAWASCO) for the fiscal years 2018-2021. Lamu County Governor, Issa Timamy, attended the meeting to provide responses to the concerns raised.

The Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs, Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations and Committee on Delegated Legislation held a meeting with the Chairperson, Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman), Hon. Florence Kajuju.

Members of the National Assembly have raised concerns regarding high admission fees charged  by Kenyan public universities.

In a statement on the Floor, Hon. Jared Okello (Nyando) told the House that some public universities charge entry fees of between Kshs. 258,000 and Kshs.450,000.

Hon. Okello said the high fees were unaffordable to most students, leading to a massive upsurge in the number of families organizing fundraisers to send their children for higher education.