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{
    "id": 1102974,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1102974/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 17,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I enjoin the distinguished Senator of Vihiga to decry the rampant accidents of loss of lives at Kaburengu. Kaburengu is very close to Bungoma. It is the last small market before one crosses River Nzoia into Webuye, Bungoma. This stretch has claimed many lives, as the Statement provider has said. The area starts from a downhill stretch at a market called Chimoi and winds dangerously down towards the valley of River Nzoia for about five kilometers. I do not know who tells most truck drivers that they save fuel when they engage free gear. When they are on that downhill stretch, they disengage their gears and run into what is commonly called free gear. There is even signage there warning motorists against driving on free gear. However, they will engage that free gear, which automatically dismembers the hydraulic system of the truck. When they encounter an emergency, the brakes just do not work. Last year, a truck hit a Matatu, lost control and ploughed through helpless women traders by the roadside, killing over a dozen of them. The last one that Sen. Khaniri is talking about, of the family from Embwali in Bunyore, killed a whole family. Many others have happened. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we do not want every time there is an accident to see high ranking national and county government officials rushing to the scene to shed crocodile tears about how dangerous the place is and how we have lost people who we cannot replace. There must be action. It is a very busy trading centre. Mr. Speaker, Sir, you know it because you come from the area. Why can the County Government of Kakamega not build a market and get traders away from the road? That will put them out of danger. The women and young people who sell tomatoes, potatoes, maize and onions keep on running after vehicles and some get knocked down. Those single fatalities never count. We are counting the ones that are massive. Every other week, a trader is knocked down either by a speeding Matatu or truck at Kaburengu. We urge that this Statement does not just pass through this House. I request that you recommend it to the Committee in charge of roads and transportation, so that they can see how to contain this black spot. There should be proper signage, speed control bumps and any other measures that can be taken including cyclist and pedestrian lanes, so that we can protect our people. More importantly, the County Government of Kakamega – and I hope Governor Oparanya is watching these proceedings - must go to Kaburengu, build a public market and get our people out of the roadside trading. This is so that we can take them out of harm’s way and danger."
}