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{
"id": 1395403,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1395403/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mandago",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13577,
"legal_name": "Kiplagat Jackson Mandago",
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"content": "budget for Financial Year 2024/2025 is approved and funds released, there should be provisions for payments of all pending bills. The Senate Majority Leader has suggested, and all Senators have followed up to support that intervention request that the Controller of Budget (COB) shares the reports of counties so that, as the Senate, we are able to check on the spending of the resources. It has been found that a number of counties are making requisitions for payments of pending bills, but the same funds are being diverted to other causes. That is indicating that there could be a possibility of over-budgeting on own source revenue. Therefore, the reality of the resources available vis-à-vis what has been expended cannot be met. Two, as a country, in order to manage this debt, I welcome the Government’s move to work with the private sector, both nationally and internationally under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) to develop infrastructure that will require massive resources. Roads are very important for the growth of the economy of this country. If we want to open up all parts of this country to trade, business and growth in terms of industry, the role of roads cannot be underestimated. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I therefore support the Ministry’s and national Government’s decision to engage private sector, both nationally and internationally, in development of tolled highways in the country. If we take Thika Road, for example, when it was being built - I support the Ministry that that Thika Road must be tolled. For it to realize what it was meant for, Thika Road must be expanded all the way to Mandera and to the Kenya-Ethiopia border for the sake of the goods that we are importing from Ethiopia. For your information, the beans we eat in Nairobi and probably, 60 per cent of beans supplied to this country are actually from Ethiopia. Also, 50 per cent of meat supplied is from those pastoralists in northern Kenya. We need to open up those roads. I support the Ministry that these roads must be tolled. We must engage partners who will help us toll all the major highways so that we can develop these highways across the country at the same time and realize equity. Sen. Tobiko can then be a happy Senator because, the highway to Namanga will have been expanded. Therefore, increasing the efficiency of transportation of goods and services from our neighboring country, Tanzania. At the moment, we are doing a lot of imports from Tanzania through Namanga. Expansion of that congested narrow road and increased population due to urbanization towards that part of the country, we will definitely, see an increase in volume of trade. In order to also ensure equity, we support the national Government and the Ministry of Roads and Transport in implementing this tolling programme of all highways. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, one of the major economic corridors in this country is the Mombasa-Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret-Kitale-West Pokot-Turkana Road all the way to South Sudan. If that road is tolled and made a four-lane highway, the time it takes to transport goods to South Sudan will reduce by two days. That means the volume of trade and the efficiency in delivery of goods will have increased and Kenya will benefit. It has been shown that every time we do a road, a number of small towns and markets begin to grow, simply because goods can now reach markets. There is a lot of The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}