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{
    "id": 1588793,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1588793/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 192,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "South Mugirango, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Silvanus Osoro",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "It is not everybody who can afford a flight to Mombasa. Immediately you get to Makutano at the junction of Machakos towards Mombasa, the road becomes narrow. It was constructed over 30 or 50 years ago and it is not well maintained. There are potholes on the road, as well as irregular bumps that are erected by people because of the accidents that occur. We even squeeze ourselves with the trailers when we are driving on those roads. It is about time that we start having this discussion on how we can expand every major road to a dual carriageway. Even as we get to that, we need to ask ourselves these questions: Is it possible for the country's Budget to meet these needs? Can all our major roads be expanded to dual carriageways within our Budget? When we ask ourselves these questions, the answer will be for us to think on how we can engage investors on Public Private Partnership (PPP) terms. If the Government is unable to construct these roads because of the budgetary constraints and several needs, we need to embrace PPPs across the country. It is about time that we start thinking about this. For instance, if we are constructing a road towards Malava from Nairobi, we can have an investor who will construct an eight-lane carriageway on each side, with the exclusion of a free one. Then we toll so that we recover the money. If you want to travel express to Malava, use the dual carriageway and then you pay the toll fees. If you do not want to pay at the toll station, then you do not use it. This is a similar model with the current Nairobi Expressway where travellers have a choice. They are left with the old narrow road, so that you can use it and remain in traffic as you want. As leaders, we need to embrace PPPs and tell Kenyans to do the same because such infrastructural development is not tenable through our budget. Waiting for the Exchequer to fund the expansion and dualling of all our roads like Thika Super Highway is not possible. Kenyans should embrace PPPs. This happens with the Nairobi Expressway where one chooses to use it or the underpass which is free on your way to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The difference is that one will save time and the other one will save the cost of not paying the toll fees. These are the things we need to embrace because they are timely. We are also behind in our country’s planning. I was engaging one of my colleagues when we visited Zambia the other day. The city planning in Lusaka has envisioned a time when the country will have a population of 50 or 60 million. Although Zambia is double our size, in terms of the land mass, their population is barely 20 million. Their city planning leaves spaces for the cyclists and pedestrians which are very safe. However, look at our country. The cyclists and motorcyclists ride their bicycles and motorcycles beside the vehicles, pedestrians and joggers. This is quite risky. That is why we have so many hit-and-run cases in Kenya. When I started practising law, the very first thing I started doing was going through the morgues for ambulance chasing. That is what most people who start out their legal practice do because hit-and-run cases are very common. People die on the road through hit-and-run accidents daily. Because of the nature of our laws, when a person is hit at the roadside, you can hardly stop to help him, even if he is still alive. You will fear because when you take him to the hospital, you will be asked whether you are the one who hit him. The police officers will be after you. This is why our country is turning to be one of each person for himself and God for us all which is quite unfortunate. Generally, it is about time that we start thinking about PPPs and look for viable and quality investors to help us to construct dual carriageways who The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}