Parliament this week saw intense scrutiny of the government’s response to the deadly Todonyang massacre in Turkana County in February 2025.
Parliament also made notable strides in land reform legislation as President William Ruto signed into law of crucial county finance Bills aimed at boosting devolved governance.
The Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations pressed the Ministry of Defence for firm action and clear answers on the massacre in Todonyang where armed assailants from Ethiopia allegedly killed over 40 civilians.
Appearing before the Committee, Cabinet Secretary for Defence Soipan Tuya, accompanied by Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru, faced rigorous questioning from lawmakers about measures to secure Kenya’s northern borders and the government’s diplomatic response to the cross-border attack.
Committee members expressed concern over the absence of a formal diplomatic protest against Ethiopia’s incursion.
Tuya confirmed that a protest note had indeed been sent to the Ethiopian government and that Kenya’s Defence Attaché in Addis Ababa is engaging Ethiopia’s Ministry of Defence.
She further outlined enhanced security measures, including Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) reinforcement of police units in Turkana East, the use of aerial surveillance helicopters, and the strengthening of border security posts.
“We are committed to increasing military presence and improving rapid response capacity,” Tuya assured the Committee.
Tuya also disclosed that the Ministry has identified land in Turkana East for establishing a permanent military base to deter future incursions.
However, delays have occurred due to the communal land tenure system, requiring cooperation with the Turkana County Government and the National Land Commission to fast-track the allocation process.
In a major legislative milestone, the National Assembly passed the National Land Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023, for the second time, fully addressing the President’s reservations.
The amendments restore the Commission’s mandate to review historical land allocations and address past injustices, while introducing safeguards and strict time limits for action.
A five-year window has been set for reviewing grants and dispositions of public land issued before August 27, 2010, with the possibility of petitioning Parliament for an extension.
Determinations made by the Commission will be published in the Kenya Gazette and may be registered in the High Court to ensure transparency and accountability.
The Bill will now return to the President for assent.
While attending the 2025 Devolution Conference in Homa Bay County, Ruto signed into law the County Allocation of Revenue Bill, 2025, and the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, marking a significant boost to county governments’ financial resources.
The County Allocation of Revenue Bill raises the equitable share of national revenue allocated to counties from Sh387.4 billion to Sh415 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year.
The Bill, sponsored by the Senate Finance and Budget Committee, specifies how this amount will be distributed across Kenya’s 47 counties according to the revenue-sharing formula approved by Parliament.
Meanwhile, the County Public Finance Laws (Amendment) Bill, sponsored by Senator Kathuri Murungi, introduces key changes to the Public Finance Management Act, including the establishment of a County Assembly Fund in each county.
This fund aims to enhance the financial independence of county assemblies and strengthen their oversight and legislative functions.
