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{
    "id": 1555182,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1555182/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 42,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Charge. They are saying Rhino Charge can now be easily held in Kilimani because of the state of the roads there and, therefore, we must raise our voices. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we have said that we need to unlock this question of RMLF; we need these county governments to have funds, but, county governors are hiding behind this RMLF thing because it is not the only source of revenue for county governments. Here in Nairobi, we were told by our governor that we have exceeded, we have gotten the highest ever Own-Source Revenue of about Kshs 12 billion. We should see an allocation of that money going to roads. Also, when he appeared before the Senate Energy Committee, the Governor of Nairobi City made a commitment that going forward, every person who applies for a construction licence must undertake to return the infrastructure to the same state that they found it. In Kilimani, you repair a road today, the next day somebody is drilling the foundation for a 20-storey building, and the road that you have just repaired the other day is being ruined again because of the heavy trucks that are delivering construction materials. So, if that is woven into our licensing regime, that if you are a developer, you must return infrastructure to the same condition that you found it, then I think we will be able to make some progress. As we have said, we as a Senate, will defend devolution at all times. The threats are many. I was having a conversation with the Governor of Murang’a. The County Government of Murang’a is exercising its mandate. Since water is a devolved function, they decided that they are going to lower rates for the residents of Murang’a. However, there is a national Government organisation called Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) that tells the governor that he cannot reduce the cost or the tariff of water for the people. It is ridiculous because WASREB themselves get money out of every liter that the people of Nairobi pay for. So, if you reduce the cost for the people of Nairobi, you reduce the amount that is going to WASREB, which is a national organisation that should not even be existing. Therefore, we need a wholesome conversation about the state of our roads. We need to unlock the issue of RMLF, but county governors must now allocate resources to develop roads outside of that RMLF infrastructure. I thank you, Mr. Speaker."
}