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{
"id": 1520354,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520354/?format=api",
"text_counter": 345,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kibwezi East, WDM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Jessica Mbalu",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Since we are talking about counties, let me speak about my county, Makueni. We do not have water. As you defined the Equalisation Fund, it addresses places like ours. Yes, we own Mombasa Road, but we only hear lorries passing from Nairobi to Mombasa. As you said clearly, some ask us, how is Nairobi? We came to Nairobi, specifically to this House, where Hon. Farah Maalim and I represent them. When we go back, we tell them that yes, it is true that the four functions are not in our counties. Regarding tarmac roads, if you go to Garissa, you will find tarmac roads. We only see the Nairobi-Mombasa Road. Yet inside the wards, such as Zambani, Tanga, Masongaleni, and Mtito Andei, we have no tarmac roads and these are the functions that have been defined in the Equalisation Fund. We are here to represent our people, and I am sure every Member speaks on behalf of their people in the constituencies. I am here to speak for the people of Makueni, especially on the issue of water. Women travel almost 20 minutes, sometimes up to two hours, just to bring back a 20-litre jerrycan of water. Seriously, should we not be included in the Equalisation Fund? The Equalisation Fund is not about distance. I know that travelling to Garissa or Isiolo may take several hours, but even somewhere near here like Rongai, people need these services. Kenyans in all parts of the country deserve equal services. The reason we have the Equalisation Fund is to address historical inequalities and ensure there is equalisation. All Kenyans are equal. There is no Kenyan who deserves better services than another. So, I call upon the committees reviewing this to delve into the empirical data, to understand how we determine which counties should benefit. We could be setting ourselves up for problems by restricting ourselves to just 14 counties. This is Kenya. Some people feel differently, and that is why you are seeing Gen-Zs coming forward because they know better than us. Even as we discuss here, they know where there is water and where there are no roads. Talk about Kambu, Darajani, all the way as we promote education to Lukenya University. Somewhere down there in Kibwezi, Makueni County, we have a university, but no roads. For almost 50 kilometres, there is no tarmac road. Seriously? Are these not children of mothers? Are these not Kenyans? I call upon us on budgeting. Hon. Farah Maalim was campaigning in my place and he knows my area very well. I even remember him asking whether that is where I come from, where there is even no grass. Camels from their place come to us and find there is totally no grass. Are we not the same? I call upon this Committee to look into it and know that the Members here are representatives of places and we know better. We need this Equalisation Fund in Kibwezi East of Makueni County. I call upon the Committee to come and witness for itself. We come to debate in this House because we have seen and identified the areas. It is not about sitting at a table or budgeting. Rather, it is because I know what I want in this. This is what I will say the 14 counties are."
}