By Mumo Judah, Nairobi, June 3, 2026
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has strongly criticized the Senate for shelving his 2023 motion calling for a comprehensive audit of secondary school infrastructure, arguing that the decision reflects a broader reluctance to fund hands-on legislative oversight that directly benefits ordinary Kenyans.
Speaking during a Senate plenary session following the presentation of a report by the Standing Committee on Health, Sifuna renewed his call for more aggressive, on-the-ground parliamentary scrutiny across key public sectors, including education and health.
The Senator pointed to what he described as a contradiction in the House’s approach to oversight funding, arguing that while his August 2023 proposal to establish an ad hoc committee for school inspections was dismissed on grounds of insufficient resources, the Senate continues to allocate funds for committee travel and other oversight activities. He maintained that this inconsistency undermines accountability and weakens Parliament’s ability to respond effectively to service delivery challenges.
Sifuna further argued that his earlier motion was not only timely but also prescient, warning at the time that secondary schools were becoming increasingly strained due to the rapid expansion of enrolment under the competency-based curriculum (CBC) and the government’s 100 per cent transition policy. He said the current wave of school infrastructure strain and recurring student unrest across various counties validates the concerns he raised nearly three years ago.
During the debate, the Senator also commended the Standing Committee on Health for what he described as the value of physical, field-based inspections in revealing systemic weaknesses within public institutions. He said that direct engagement through site visits often uncovers realities that are not fully captured in official reports submitted by ministries and agencies.
Sifuna emphasized that hands-on oversight is essential in identifying gaps in service delivery, particularly in sectors such as education and healthcare where institutional failures have a direct impact on citizens’ daily lives. He argued that reliance on desk-based reports risks sanitizing or concealing critical challenges on the ground.
His remarks come amid heightened parliamentary debate following the passage of the Quality Healthcare and Patient Safety Bill, 2025, as well as a recent spate of student strikes in several secondary schools across the country, which have reignited concerns over school management, discipline, and infrastructure capacity.
The Senator’s intervention also aligns with his broader political messaging under the Linda Mwananchi movement, where he has positioned himself as an advocate for stronger accountability frameworks and citizen-centered governance reforms across key public service sectors.
As debates continue in the Senate, attention is now shifting to whether Parliament will reconsider funding mechanisms for oversight committees and whether renewed pressure from legislators like Sifuna will translate into more active field-based investigations in both education and health sectors.
