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"id": 189443,
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"speaker_name": "Mrs. Mugo",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Public Health and Sanitation",
"speaker": {
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"legal_name": "Beth Wambui Mugo",
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity to contribute to the Motion on the Floor on the Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development and the efforts to create a completely new Nairobi. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me start by congratulating the Minister, his Assistant Minister, Permanent Secretary and the entire staff for the vigour with which they have started this Ministry. We have admired the way the Minister has moved in consulting the stakeholders because it is extremely important that we all own what is going on and that the stakeholders move along with the Ministry in creating this envisaged new capital city of Kenya. There is no doubt that the biggest way to increase income or wealth for any country is through industrialisation and not so much with farming which we have put so much emphasis on. We have confused our people to think that everybody must own a piece of land and even kill each other for that piece of land and yet the real wealth of a country comes from its industrialisation, business development acumen and infrastructure from its cities. That applies the world over. That is where the bulk of wealth is based. Therefore, when we see the energy with which the Minister has undertaken together with his able staff, we are very encouraged and we even commend the wisdom of His Excellency the President in creating this Ministry which most people were doubting whether it was really necessary. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as a Member of Parliament from the city, we are watching keenly for the opportunities which this new endeavour is going to create and in particular, employment. We have so many young people all over this city. As you know, Nairobi has really grown but these people have nowhere to work. They have no jobs and that breeds crime and many other activities which are not socially acceptable. July 16, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1911 Therefore, the growth of the city metropolis will bring in new opportunities, especially for the young people. That is why we would like to see that the planning at this stage is taking into account where the businesses are based. We would also like to see a situation where hawkers will no longer be a problem because they will be all over the place. We would also like to see the informal sector which is the main earner of income for our people being properly planned. In the economic surveys, it always comes out that the majority of Kenyans earn their living from the informal sector and yet that is the sector which is most harassed and which lacks even any legal framework. I am hoping that this Nairobi Metropolitan Development Ministry will host such a regulation. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, transportation in this City is a nightmare. Sometimes, we wonder who drives those vehicles. It is impossible to move whatsoever! I think the greatest problem came with the planning. The previous speaker spoke quite a bit about planning. We need proper planning from the beginning. I do not know what will happen with the infrastructure which is already in place. It is like building on top of a maze. I do not know who they will be able. But I am sure we have enough and intelligent planners. They will be able to come up with a model similar to the one in cities that we admire. They have a good transport system. We can borrow from those cities. I believe there will be a big participation by the private sector. We have seen cities in the world like Manila in Philippines and other countries where, just a few years ago, were poor. But, today, they have some of the best transportation systems and road networks. We hope that the Ministry, before it does anything with the transportation system, will see what is the best from other countries. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, what we have forgotten in the infrastructure is the walking spaces in the City. We have so many people who walk. They are just as many as the vehicles. I represent a constituency on the outskirts of Nairobi with a lot of people who walk from Industrial Area. There are hordes of people either walking from Kangemi to Kawangware or to Kibera. They have nowhere to walk. So, as we create the roads for the vehicles, we must think of the people who go to work on foot. We admire what is going to happen to Nairobi River and the other rivers. I know the metropolis must be in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources and many other Ministries, so that the end product is something that is thought through by all the stakeholders. I commend the consultations that have been going on. They should still continue. I am particularly concerned with the land rates when we create a metropolis going as far as Thika, Mutiine and Machakos. We must think about the land rates. Most of the people out there have large tracts of land. It is not really commercially viable. I have the same problem in Dagoretti where people are expected to pay city rates and yet, they do not have the amenities and services which can help them to create more money through good buildings which they can rent. Growth will definitely come slowly. I do not think all of it will happen overnight. We must ensure that those people are not put into any jeopardy where they will lose their land just because they are not able to pay land rates. In fact, I am asking the Minister to review the rates paid in Dagoretti because my people are not able to pay the rates which are already in force. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, on education, hospitals and other public necessities, there is a need to re-plan this City. That is because most of that land has already been grabbed. There is literally nowhere we can build new schools, hospitals or clinics. For example, we have somebody who wants the Lion Club to build a vocational school for poor street children somewhere in Dagoretti. I tried to get the land from Lenana. It created a lot of hullabaloo. Lenana has 210 acres of land lying idle there. There is no other land anywhere. Our poor children are also part of Kenya. They are our children. It is prudent that we should give them schools and hospitals. I am worried about where we will get enough land in the metropolis to build amenities for the people living 1912 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 16, 2008 there. I think the Minister for Lands needs to look carefully where that land is. All the grabbed land should revert back to the State, so that we can build those necessary public institutions. The metropolis also should identify the areas where we will put those necessary amenities. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}