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{
    "id": 1443872,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1443872/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 258,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kipchumba Murkomen",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 440,
        "legal_name": "Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen",
        "slug": "kipchumba-murkomen"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, this kind of arrangement requires us to find our way. When I first came to this Chamber, I had problems with The National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and other money going to constituencies. As I progressed towards the second term, I asked myself if it was better to go to my constituency, say Marakwet East, where I come from, to fight with the Constituency Roads Committee people that I know and the MP or to centralize all resources to Nairobi and fight here with so many other people. I told myself that even for resources that remain with the national Government using the method where the money goes to the constituencies, it is easier to deal with characters on the ground and hold them to account than to keep the money at the headquarters here and shroud it with a lot of mystery. I then worked very well with the Hon. Members, including Senator Kisang here. We made sure that the NG-CDF funds schools in a way that mitigates this issue of marginalization across the country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I agree with Sen. Otsotsi that the problem of duplication is real. However, it is not general, but specific to certain areas. It is a problem we are grappling with, even with the Ministry. We have made sure that we sign Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with counties that requested KeRRA to maintain the roads. We have also expedited the process of graduating the roads through Kenya Roads Board, handing it over from counties to the national Government and gazetting it. So, if we find counties still maintaining a road that is already gazetted at the national level, it becomes easy for the Auditor-General to point out this issue of double allocation. Accountability is not up to date in this area of allocation of devolved roads money, especially in marginalized counties and it is something we are working on at the Ministry. It is good to acknowledge as it is, but it is not general that I would say even Vihiga is a victim. In the case where there is actual evidence that this is happening in a certain place, Sen. Osotsi can give me the information, even if it is not publicly, but privately. I do not like to fight with the MP. I do not know the MP, the committees and what is happening there. We will hold the regional director of the agency KeRRA into account. The responsibility is with the regional director and that is the person I will hold into account that the money is allocated to where they have told us it is allocated. I thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker Sir."
}