Counties will begin feting citizens who are considered outstanding, exceptional or illustrious in any profession or activity if the Bill sponsored by the Nominated Senator Miraji Abdillahi will be embraced by the Senate.

The Bill that is before the Senate seeks to provide a means through which exceptional individuals in each County will be recognized and honoured by their Counties.

A Parliamentary Committee was shocked to learn that the State Department on Lands and Physical Planning has historical pending bills amounting to Kshs 18.236B.

Committee on Lands chaired by Hon. Joash Nyamoko met with Hon. Nixon Korir, PS State Department on Lands and Physical Planning regarding budget implimentation and monitoring for the FY 2022/2023.

Today, under the leadership of Senator Godfrey Osotsi, the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds (CPISFC) conducted a meeting to assess the progress made by the Garissa County government in executing resolutions outlined during a prior session held on June 13th, 2021. Additionally, it sought to thoroughly deliberate on management responses provided in relation to the Auditor-General's Reports concerning the Financial Statements of the Garissa Water and Sewerage Company Limited for the Financial Years 2018/19, 2019/20, and 2020/21.

The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, led by Senator Wamatinga Wahome, MP held a meeting to consider the matrix on submissions on the Tea (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Senate Bills No. 1 of 2023). 

Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialization and Tourism held a meeting today to consider the Handing Over Report by the Commissioner of Cooperatives to Drumvale Farmers’ Cooperative Society in Machakos County.

The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee led by the Vice-Chairperson Hon. Mwengi Mutuse (Kibwezi West) received more submissions on the Conflict of Interest Bill, 2023. 

The Bill sponsored by the Leader of Majority Party Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), seeks to provide for the management and regulation of conflict of interest in the discharge of official duties and connected purposes.

The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee has been told by the National Lands Commission (NLC) that  Regional Offices based in the counties are facing an acute shortage of staff.

The Committee chaired by Hon John Mbadi (Nominated) was told that despite the Commission decentralizing its services to counties as a way of bringing services closer to the people, however, this goal has not been achieved due to staff shortage.

The Commission on Administrative Justice wants an audit to be carried out on the alleged injustice in the issuance of passports by the Department of Immigration.

The Commission submitted a report to the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations detailing complaints made by citizens on social media against the Department of Immigration.

The Commission undertook an in depth investigation on the matter following reports by Kenyans of being overcharged for passports by the Department.

Kisii County Governor Simba Arati has until October 30, 2023 to submit a comprehensive report on the question of pending bills in the County.

Governor Arati who appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget told the committee that his government inherited pending bills documented for the financial year 2021/2022 as at June 30, 2022 amounting to Ksh. 1,393,854,414.

A committee of the Senate has given the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) a month ultimatum to conclude investigations into the outstanding imprest for Bungoma County which has dragged on since 2019.

The County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) gave the directive after it was told concerned employees have failed to surrender the imprest amounting to Sh67 million as at June 2020 because the Commission had carted away documents related to the issuance of the imprests.

Today, the Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds (CPISFC) convened under the leadership of Senator Godfrey Osotsi to deliberate on the Auditor-General's Reports on the financial statements of eight water companies in Kiambu County, spanning the fiscal years 2018/19, 2019/20, and 2020/21.

The Public Debt and Privatization Committee led by Hon. Abdi Shurie (Balambala) met with the Controller of Budget (CoB) CPA Dr. Margaret Nyakang’o. 

Dr. Nyakang'o briefed the Committee on the disbursement rate of foreign loans and commitment fees incurred over the past five financial years. A commitment fee is the amount a lender charges to keep a specific loan amount available to a borrower, and this fee may also be charged for the unused portion of a line of credit.

The Chairperson of the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security Hon. Gabriel Togoyo (Narok West) has assured residents of Laikipia North Constituency that the Government is committed to flushing out cattle rustlers hiding in Mokogodu Forest.

The Senate Ad Hoc Committee that’s pushing for Compensation to the Kenyan Victims of the 1998 US Embassy Bombing joined survivors today at the 7th August Memorial Park to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terror attack. 

While addressing the victims and their families, Machakos Senator, who is the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee, called on the Kenyan Government to also look at the plight of the survivors by offering them employment opportunities and subsidized medical treatment. 

Several key elements of the devolved functions accounting for Ksh. 272.2 Billion are still run by the National Government ten years since Devolution kicked off in Kenya.

This is according to the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRCT) that appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations.

IGRCT's delegation led by its Chairperson CPA, Kithinji Kiragu told Senators that considerable resources needed to fund devolved functions still remain in the hands of the National Government.

Plans are underway to lift the moratorium on mineral mining that has been in existence since 2019. This is according to the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Hon. Salim Mvurya, who appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining over the weekend.

The Committee chaired by Hon. David Gikaria (Nakuru East) heard that the rationale behind the issuance of the moratorium was to safeguard Kenya’s interests in mining following speculation on availability of substantial mineral deposits.

The National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) Committee chaired by Hon. Musa Sirma (Eldama Ravine) met with NGCDF Board representatives to deliberate on the Constituencies' Budget Ceiling for the Financial Year 2023/2024.

The NGCDF Board presented a detailed analysis of the proposed budget ceiling. During the deliberations, Members engaged in discussions to ensure a balance between various constituency needs and ensure an equitable distribution of resources.

The National Assembly Committee on Labour, chaired by Hon. Erick Karemba met with Hon. Benjamin Mejjadonk (Embakasi Central), sponsor of Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, (2023).

The proposed amendments seek to curb the extension of years in service for  civil servants past the mandatory retirement age of 60 years. 

According to Hon. Mejjadonk, the amendments are meant to increase opportunities for citizens below the age of 60 years and to compel civil servants to retire upon attaining the retirement age.

The Parliament of Kenya is set to host the Sixth Annual Conference in Mombasa later this month. The forum which is held in conjunction with the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBO) will be coordinated by the Parliamentary Budget Office and is expected to focus on experience sharing on how the power of the purse can be used effectively to tackle Africa’s development challenges and the future of Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs).