By the 254.ke Newsroom.
The National Assembly passed the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill, 2024 on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, according to Kenyans.co.ke. If it becomes law, employers will have to provide a private, lockable lactation room and reasonable breaks for nursing mothers, or face a fine of up to Sh1 million, a jail term of up to one year, or both. The bill is not yet law: it still has to be presented to President William Ruto for assent.
The bill was sponsored by nominated MP Sabina Chege. Parliament’s own order paper for August 19, 2026 shows it as National Assembly Bill No. 8 of 2024, then at the Committee of the Whole House stage.
What does the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill require of employers?
Based on the reported provisions, the bill sets out the following duties:
| Provision | What it says |
|---|---|
| Lactation room | A private, clean and secure room where mothers can breastfeed or express milk. It cannot be a toilet or bathroom. |
| Facilities | Lockable door, washbasin, refrigerator for breast milk, chair and table. |
| Breaks | A reasonable break during working hours. The Cabinet Secretary for Labour will set the break periods through regulations. |
| Flexible arrangements | A mother may request changed hours, assignments or work location. An employer who rejects the request must reply in writing within 14 days. |
| Public breastfeeding | Breastfeeding in public is not to be treated as an indecent act. |
| Penalty | Up to Sh1 million, up to one year in jail, or both. A continuing offence attracts an extra Sh10,000 a day. |
Is the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill law yet?
No. Passage by the National Assembly is a major step, but under the process described in the report, the bill must still be sent to the President, who can sign it or return it to Parliament with reservations. Until it is signed and published, none of the duties above bind employers.
The order paper also lists amendments proposed by the chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Social Protection. They would stretch the definition of a baby to 36 months, add a caregiver provision to clause 4, and revise clause 11(2)(g). 254.ke has not been able to confirm which amendments made it into the final text passed on Wednesday, so employers and mothers should wait for the published Act.
What is still unclear?
Several practical questions are not answered in the coverage available so far:
- Size of workplace. An earlier 2019 version of the bill, as reported by Business Daily, targeted buildings holding at least 50 people. The reports on the current version do not state a threshold.
- Compliance deadline. No transition period for employers has been reported.
- Length of breaks. This is left to regulations, so the actual minutes per day are not yet known.
- Who the penalty targets. Reports differ in how they attach the Sh1 million fine and one-year term to the room requirement versus the public-breastfeeding clause. The final Act will settle this.
What should employers and working mothers do now?
Employers do not have to act today, but those that already have a spare room can start checking it against the listed standards: a lockable door, a basin, a fridge, a chair and a table. A mother who wants flexible hours does not need the law to ask, though the bill would give her a written answer within 14 days if it takes effect.
Readers can follow the bill’s progress on the Parliament of Kenya website, which publishes order papers and bill texts.
Frequently asked questions
Who sponsored the Breastfeeding Mothers Bill?
Nominated MP Sabina Chege of Jubilee, according to Kenyans.co.ke and the Parliament order paper.
What is the penalty for employers who ignore it?
A fine of up to Sh1 million, imprisonment for up to one year, or both, plus Sh10,000 for each day the offence continues.
Does the bill cover private and public employers?
It is described as applying to employers generally. Commentary published earlier by a lawyer in the Nation said public and private workplaces would be covered, but the final Act will define the scope.
When will employers have to comply?
No date has been set. It depends on presidential assent and any transition period in the Act.
More on how Kenyan bills move from Parliament to the statute book: see our explainers on the National Payment System Bill 2026 and the inactive SIM card rules.
Sources: Kenyans.co.ke (October 14, 2026); Parliament of Kenya order paper, August 19, 2026; Business Daily (2019, earlier version of the bill).
