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.

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining, chaired by Hon. David Gikaria (Nakuru East) held a meeting with the Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs)under its purview.

The Climate Change (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (National Assembly Bill No. 42 of 2023) has been debated and passed by the Senate during a Special Sitting held on Thursday.

The Bill sponsored by Kenya Government was moved by the Senate Majority Leader Sen. Aaron Cheruiyot seconded by the Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Lands, Environment and Natural Resources Sen. John Methu.

The Senate has voted to approve the National Dialogue Committee.

During the Special Sitting held on Tuesday, Senators unanimously voted to approve the National Dialogue Committee consisting of 10 members to represent the Kenya Kwanza Alliance (“Kenya Kwanza”), a coalition constituting the Majority Party of the Parliament of the Republic of Kenya and Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party (“Azimio”), a coalition forming the Minority Party of the Parliament of the Republic of Kenya.

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.