The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Livestock, chaired by Kirinyaga County Senator James Kamau Murango, held a meeting today to consider and adopt the matrix on the Cotton Industry Development Bill, 2023 (Senate Bills No. 5 of 2023, the matrix on the Agriculture and Food Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Senate Bills No. 13 of 2023) and the matrix on the Prevention of Livestock and Produce Theft Bill, 2023 (Senate Bills No. 12 of 2023).

Senator Samson Cherarkey, Nandi County seeks a Statement from the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries on the planned relaunch of Strategic Food Reserve (SFR), three years after it closed its operations.

The Senator wants the Committee to provide the timeline for operationalization of the Strategic Food Reserve (SFR), stating when the National Treasury will release the KES. 15 Billion needed to revive the programme and further, state the types of food commodities to be included in the programme.

Nandi County Senator, Samson Cherarkey has today sought a Statement in Senate on plans to install Device Management Systems (DMS), A Spyware, on phones.

The Senate Standing Committee chaired by Mandera Senator Ali Roba held a meeting this Tuesday to deliberate on the Equalization Fund (Administration) Bill.

However the committee unanimously resolved to turn away Nyandarua County Governor Moses Ndirangu Badilisha, Kajiado County Deputy Governor Martin Moshisho and Garissa County Deputy Governor Abdi Dagane who had presented themselves before the committee to make submissions on behalf of the Council of Governors (CoG).

The Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds has tasked Governor Andrew Mwadime of Taita Taveta to conduct a sweeping overhaul of Tavevo Water and Sanitation Company Limited. 

The directive, which requires execution within the next 60 days, stems from a meeting between the committee, led by Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi, and the Governor.

The urgent need for reform was brought to light following an examination of the Auditor General's Report on Tavevo's financial statement for the period spanning 2018-2021. 

The Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations Chaired by Baringo Senator William Cheptumo met today to consider the draft Disaster Management Bill sponsored by the Committee.

The major objective of the Bill is to provide a framework for effective and coordinated disaster management at the National and County level.

The Bill establishes the National Disaster Risk Management Authority to ensure that there is coordination of disaster risk management issues within the National government and between the national and county governments.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) requires Kshs 14.8 billion annual budgetary allocation for recruitment of teachers.

TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Njeru Macharia said this when she appeared before the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration to apprise them on the recent recruitment of Teachers.

She pointed out that currently the country is facing a shortage of 111,870 teachers who needs to be recruited over a period of five years.

The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning chaired by Hon. Kuria Kimani (Molo) continued receiving views on the Finance Bill (2023) from members of the public. 

The Senate will hold its sittings dubbed Senate Mashinani in Turkana County in September from 25th to 29th.

The Senators will on this Tuesday deliberate on a motion by the Senate Majority Leader conveying a resolution by the Senate Business Committee that settled on Turkana County as the host County.

The National Assembly Committee on Finance and National Planning chaired by Hon. Kuria Kimani (Molo), continued receiving views from members of the public in the ongoing public hearings in regard to the Finance Bill 2023. 

The National Assembly Committee on Diaspora and Migrant Affairs chaired by Hon. Lydia Haika (Taveta County) met representatives from the Association of Skilled Migrant Agencies of Kenya (ASMAK) and the Kenya Private Employment Agencies (KAPEA) to discuss the growing concerns surrounding migrant worker issues and the unethical conduct of private recruitment agencies in the recruitment of labor migrants and the placement of students abroad. 

Naivasha, Nakuru County 

Friday, May 26, 2023

The role of public participation in enhancing democracy has come into sharp focus, at the Parliamentary Service Commission-organized  Third Annual Parliamentary Symposium in Nakuru County. 

The Justice and Legal Affairs Committee led by the Chairperson Hon. George Murugara (Tharaka) vetted Ms. Caroline Nzilani and Hon. Isaac Rutto for appointment as members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Hon. Rutto told the Committee that if he gets successful in being appointed, he will ensure that there is fairness in the administration of justice. "My job is basically to represent the public, and to bring their concerns to the Commission not to the Magistrates", said Hon. Rutto.

Machakos County

Friday, May 26, 2024

The Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning chaired by Hon. Kuria Kimani (Molo) has today continued receiving submissions, five days into the week-long public hearings on the Finance Bill, 2023.

Nominated Senator Beatrice Akinyi has sought a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on the proposed relocation of Homabay GOK Prisons to Ndhiwa Sub County instead of a proposed University on the same parcel.

In her request, Sen. Akinyi wants the committee to state when the decision to relocate the Homabay GOK Prisons to Ndhiwa Sub County was arrived at, disclosing the parties involved in the decision and when the public participation with the residents of Ndhiwa community was conducted.

Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana has tabled a request for a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Health regarding claims of mishandling of a Ksh 3.7 billion tender by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) for the supply of treated mosquito nets.

Lamu County Senator Joseph Githuku Kamau, MP, is seeking a statement from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment, and Natural Resources pertaining to the status of land discharge in Lamu County. 

In his statement, the Senator requests the committee to Elucidate on the state of the Settlement Fund Trustee, which was tasked with settling people either on un-alienated Government land or on land purchased from private owners.