Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1316232,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1316232/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 184,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) John K. Mutunga",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the adoption of this Report. I wish to thank the Committee for taking time and conducting a detailed study on the Northern Corridor Roads. That road is part of the Trans-African Highways and it is very important. It is an international road and many travellers from many countries use it. As a country, we need to improve and sustain our dignity. It is important for us to also learn from other countries. When we have too many road blocks from Mombasa to Malaba, it means that we are dissuading transportation. We are exposing ourselves not so much in good light to the other users of the road. It is important for us, as a country, to take the pride of Kenya and the heritage of this country forward by ensuring that we do not have people demanding any kickbacks along the road. It is, therefore, important to be adopted and implemented in the sense that we need to know what exactly needs to be done. The fact that the Committee has taken the opportunity to engage the Ministry of Interior and National Administration to do something about those road blocks is a very important step forward. Kenya has worked very hard to have the East Africa integration work very well. We have now opened up the borders. We have agreed on a common external tariff. We are moving towards the customs unions. In that respect, we cannot be having roadblocks that are dissuasive along our roads and highways when we are telling our neighbours that we want an integrated country. We need to have harmonised transportation checks that are as good as those you will find in those other countries. That is why this Report is important given the fact that it has highlighted the issues that you find along the roads. It has also proposed mechanisms that will ensure that we remove the road blocks. Hon. Deputy Speaker, even as we speak here, it is important for our police officers, especially traffic police officers, to become friendly and stop the business of demanding any payments along the roads. Our National Police Service is very important in the sense that it is even being identified to go for peacekeeping and maintenance of law and order in other countries. The fact that we are getting international credit and recognition means that we need to have a highly professional police force. That professionalism is what needs to be exemplified and shown in every aspect of performance of the police officers. That is why it is important to adopt and implement this Report, so that we can do the right thing when it comes to the utilisation of highways within our country. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion."
}