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{
    "id": 1571090,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1571090/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 262,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Githunguri, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "However, how sure are we that the work being done is sustainable and truly serves the communities they are meant for? In that regard, there is a road connecting Githunguri and Lari constituencies, and also linking these constituencies with Nyandarua constituencies, where Hon. Faith comes from, called Moi Road. That road was constructed using World Bank funding. It is barely six years old yet it is completely eroded. What kind of work are we doing? Constructing roads is one thing and ensuring quality is another matter altogether. I have an idea I would like to float to Madam Faith for consideration as she develops her Bill. It is high time we created a special disaster road levy. Too many people have been injured, maimed or killed on our roads. We leave them in hospitals without any structured support. There is no special fund to cater for road accident victims. We need to create a dedicated fund, sourced from road revenue and kept aside as a disaster fund to support victims of serious road carnage incidents. For instance, in the Rift Valley, whenever accidents occur, families and politicians are called upon to fund-raise. Based on justifiable incidents, families, especially economically vulnerable ones, should receive assistance when their livelihoods are disrupted due to road accidents. I support this Motion. Let us not just focus on major roads. Let us ensure that all roads, regardless of size are accounted for. Kenya must be equitably developed. Not every place has tarmac roads but we must ensure that constituencies without even a kilometre of tarmac road are not left behind. I am from the mountain region in central Kenya, and I often hear people say that those of us from the mountain should not be part of the conversation about roads. The people of Turkana pay taxes. The people of North-Eastern Kenya pay taxes too. Therefore, they also deserve to be supported in this campaign. When one kilometre of road is constructed in Nairobi, let us ensure that another kilometre is also constructed in the North-Eastern and Coastal regions. Concentrating resources in one region is what fuels tribalism and introduces the politics of tokenism. We must be clear in this House. Are we going to continue this way, where because a certain region has many votes, all the kilometres of tarmac are directed there? Remember that even those regions that lack paved roads have honey, goat, meat, minerals and people created by God. We cannot keep on making budgets by reallocating money meant for one kilometre of road in Ruiru to Nakuru. I am from that region, but it is time we called a spade a spade. Let us treat all regions of Kenya equally. Let us compensate areas that have no kilometres of tarmac. We are all looking to a Kenya where we are cousins, brothers, sisters and in-laws. How can you restore the spirit of family and unity if one in-law has tarmac roads and the other in-law has none? So, I insist that any debate in this House that involves road construction should be about tarmacking the whole of Kenya in totality. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
}