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{
    "id": 1238367,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1238367/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 34,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Works",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, first of all, let me thank my Senator and colleague - in the league of profession - for raising that very important issue. When I was appointed to this office, I said that one of the responsibilities was to address marginalisation. As I have said, if you apply the principle of equality, then Tana River County has equal number of paved roads as would have been expected in the 47 counties. However, I have said, for example, Tana River County is not the same size as Nairobi City County or Nakuru County. Therefore, the principle of equity demands that the counties in the north require affirmative action. Be that as it may, we cannot accept this argument all the time when these questions come. When you ask the people of Nakuru County, it is a beneficiary of about 170 kilometres of highway between Nairobi City County and somewhere past Salgaa to Makutano. However, every time you have a conversation with leaders and you tell them we are maintaining the road from Nairobi City County to Salgaa to Makutano. They tell you, ‘no, do not tell us about this highway. Can you tell us about roads in Nakuru County?’ In the absence of that highway, there is no Nakuru County. The business of Nakuru County is determined by that infrastructure. What roads do is that they bring people to do business along them. Therefore, you never have Naivasha, Nakuru or Mai Mahiu Town. The same way Tana River County cannot deny the highways in their county. These highways are being maintained by the Ministry and the Government of Kenya. We must make them motorable. If you go to these highways, that is where business is doing well. That is why the hon. Senator is asking us to also go to unpaved roads to create other new highways and roads that can spur business. Tomorrow, when we tarmac these roads, if we are not careful, leaders will come back and say ‘forget about these highways, tell us about the other inland roads.’"
}