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{
    "id": 1334257,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1334257/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 170,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport and Public Workds",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "inadequate funded projects in a manner similar to the in duplum rule. We now have a situation where a road is awarded Ksh1 billion but the claims and interests are about Ksh3 billion or Ksh4 billion on the same road because it has been abandoned. Delayed release of budgeted funds by the Exchequer also impacts the development of roads. It is expected that once the budget has been approved, Exchequers would optimally be released in tranches as the year progresses. In this financial year, out of the Ksh76 billion estimates, we have only received Ksh6 billion meant to service pending bills of Ksh155 billion and a budget of Ksh76 billion. As the Cabinet Secretary, I always wonder how to distribute Ksh6 billion against pending bills of Ksh155 billion to the contractors. It becomes a challenge to choose who to pay or not. If you pay Ksh100 million to contractors who are claiming Ksh2 billion or Ksh3 billion, they are unable to mobilise to go on-site. That is the true situation on the ground. As I conclude, I have already touched on the matter of public participation on projects while answering the questions asked by Members earlier. However, conducting public participation on these and other projects to satisfy the constitutional requirements could be perceived to contribute to skewness of allocation unless… You see, Members are angry here. They come to my office the way they come to your office. Many of the questions are about the public participation funded roads allocated by this House every year. Unless there is proper sensitisation and full discussion in this chamber in an honest manner about the appropriation of these public participation funds, the feeling of marginalisation will continue. Most of these maintenance roads under the public participation initiative are implemented by KeRRA. Notably, all roads under the development budget are itemised and approved by this House. Once Parliament appropriates and approves a specific project to be implemented, the road agencies will implement it. I can only make a suggestion to this House because it is supreme to all of us. Instead of this House allocating Ksh21 billion to new projects, projects that are below Ksh10 million or for maintenance of roads, these funds should be available to support the pending bills. If this is done, most of our contractors will go back to site to make sure that these roads progress. This is a suggestion. I have no control over what this House decides. I am only suggesting that if you can consider supporting the pending bills, it will be great. The Ministry is committed to equity. It is worth noting that we are considering some of the discussions on inequity. Therefore, I conclude by saying that not all is gloom. The Government has been working extremely hard for the last year to speak to our bilateral and multilateral development partners. I speak with experience. I have apprised you on this issue. I have travelled to different parts of this world, particularly to one of our bilateral partner countries, to try and request them to consider supporting us. The conversations are in advanced stage. I believe that in another two or so months, if I am invited again, I will come back to this chamber to give the good news to Hon. Members. Some of our critical number of roads will resume. We thank the efforts we have put in, to make sure that development partners support us."
}