The Senate Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Homabay Senator Moses Kajwang, met today with Nairobi City Governor Johnson Sakaja and a team from State House led by State House Comptroller Kato Ole Metito to address the audit queries for the financial years 2017-2021. The State House team appeared before the committee to respond to the queries on behalf of the defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS).

The Jesus is Alive Ministries (JIAM) and the Repentance and Holiness Ministries have rejected a proposal for the government to regulate religious institutions in the wake of the deaths in Shakahola Forest linked to Mr Paul Makenzie. 

The two institutions appeared before the Senate Ad hoc Committee on Monday, July 24, 2023.

The committee, which is chaired by Tana River senator Danson Mungatana, is investigating the deaths which so far has a hit a record 425 and still counting.

The National Assembly will resume its sittings today Tuesday 25^th July, 2023 at 2.30 p.m. This follows a short recess as per the House calendar.

Upon resumption, the following Bills are expected to be read for a First time; the Water (Amendment) Bill (2023), the Insurance (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 18 of 2023), and the Vocational Training Bill (Senate Bill No. 3 of 2022).

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has raised concerns over the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission's (EACC) payment of over Kshs. 1.5 billion for the acquisition of the Integrity Centre Building in Nairobi without the documents from the seller.

During a session chaired by Hon. Wilberforce Oundo (Funyula), the EACC  Chief Executive Officer (CEO)  Mr. Twalib Mbarak was questioned at length over the payment of Ksh. 1,518,00,000 for the Building,  despite the seller's failure to provide crucial documents.

The Senate Committee on Justice, Legal Affairs, and Human Rights (JLAHRC), chaired by Bomet Senator Wakili Hillary Sigei, is currently investigating a petition submitted by Ms Zipporah Seroney. This petition concerns the alleged mistreatment, harassment, property loss, and human rights abuses inflicted upon the family of the late Jean Marie Seroney. The committee is currently in Nandi County on a fact-finding mission.

All is set for Monday July 24, 2023 when the Ad hoc committee on the Proliferation of Religious Organisations will hold a public hearing to get the views of the members of the public on its mandate.

In an advert in the local newspapers last week, the Committee, which is chaired by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana, extended an invite to interested members of the public and organisations to make representations on any of the matters falling within the mandate of the Committee.

The public hearing will be conducted in County Hall, Mini Chamber, between 9.30am and 1.00pm.

The National Assembly Public Petitions Committee chaired by Hon. Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East), conducted a fact-finding visit of Kilifi North Constituency as a result of a petition filed by the area Member of Parliament Hon. Owen Baya . The petition was based on the delayed adjudication and settlement of residents in Mnarani, Misufini, Vibandani, and Kibarani Sub-Locations, as well as Tezo Location in Kilifi County.

A Parliamentary Committee has resolved to visit Miritini Free Port Area following several meetings with the National Land Commission and the Kenya Railways Corporation regarding compensation of Miritini Free Port and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project. 

Committee Members raised alarm over numerous legal disputes plaguing the Commission on compensation of Project Affected Persons in Miritini Free Port and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project. 

Nandi Senator Samson Cherarkey sought a Statement from the Standing Committee on Information, Communication and Technology concerning reported cases of breach of sensitive personal customer data at the Naivas Supermarket. 

While requesting the Statement in the Senate Chamber on Thursday, Senator Cherarkey asked the Senator Allan Chesang-led Committee to state the measures the retail chain has implemented to protect, prevent, and mitigate data breaches involving staff, suppliers and customer data in their ICT platform from future hacking. 

The National Assembly Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Committee, chaired by Hon. James Gakuya (Embakasi North), has issued a directive to prevent the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) from destroying 49 containers carrying condemned sugar. This decision was reached during a meeting to investigate the illicit and irregular release of sugar unfit for human consumption earlier this year.

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Glady Boss led a discussion on the free movement of persons across Africa at the 18th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) African Region, in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Hon. Boss emphasized the crucial role of African legislatures in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). She highlighted their responsibilities, including ratifying and domesticating the agreement, providing oversight and monitoring, and creating awareness.

Senator Hamida Kibwana is seeking a statement from the Standing Committee on Health regarding alleged medical negligence at Kiambu County Referral Hospital resulting to the death of an unborn child.  

The Council of Governors has called for harmonization of the delineation of boundaries and management of decentralized units up to the village level to eliminate the parallel administration units of national and county governments.

Appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations, Tana River County Governor Dhadho Godhana who is the Chairperson of the Security Committee in the Council said lack of proper delineation of boundaries has caused confusion in operations on the grassroots.

Senate Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism held a hybrid meeting today to consider a Petition and statements before the Committee.

Mr. Nicholas Rono, the Petitioner on a Petition concerning fraudulent shareholding activities and illegal acquisition of East African Breweries Limited (EABL) appeared before Committee to provide additional information on the issues he had raised and to get an update on the current status of his petition.

Nominated Sen. Esther Okenyuri has sought a statement in Senate on the boundary delimitation of the area surrounding Migingo Island in Lake Victoria.

A Parliamentary Committee has spearheaded efforts towards safeguarding public health and consumer protection on food safety. 

Members of Parliament  are urging the Government to develop a comprehensive policy and allocate sufficient funds to ensure the successful implementation of the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

While acknowledging the positive step taken with the introduction of the CBC, the lawmakers emphasized the need for the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to expedite the process of retooling teachers. 

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy chaired  by Hon. (Eng). Hon. Vincent Musau (Mwala) continued with a series of meetings with stakeholders with the aim of reviewing the Power Purchase Agreements in order to give Kenyans a reprieve on the high cost of electricity.

The Committee met with representatives from Orpower 4 Inc, Kipeto Energy Limited, Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and Institute of Engineers of Kenya (IEK).