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"speaker_name": "Mr. Keynan",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the chance to contribute on this very important Motion. The enactment of the CDF Act was heralded by skewed national distribution of resources. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, If I go back to where we come from, today or in the next two to three years, we would see the first or four, ten or 20 kilometres of tarmacked road. From Garissa to where I come from is about 700 kilometres. If every year the Government will tarmack 20 kilometres of road, it will take another 40 years before the people of Wajir West to see an inch of tarmac. To that extent, I want to join those who support the proposal to increase the allocation of the CDF from 2 per cent of our GDP to, at least, a minimum of 20 per cent. That way, every constituency will get Kshs200 million to Kshs300 million. If we get that money, we can plan to tarmac, at least, two to three kilometres of our roads every year. When students from those areas are asked to define tarmac, they would have the opportunity to have seen it not instead of just reading it about it. They would say: \"This is a black substance in other parts of Kenya.\" Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you realise that the kind of development that we have had over the years was tailor-made for the white coloured amongst us. This was because what we inherited was a product of a white man's policy. When the planners came, they did not give any due regard to what the people on the ground wanted. The implementation of the CDF for the first time offers Kenyans a policy that is people-oriented and people-centred. This is encouraging. This is completely opposite of the kind of top-up planning that we used to have. Instead we have a bottom- up planning approach. This is very encouraging. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, our development plans right now are geared towards reduction of poverty. You will notice that the number of students joining universities from our region has increased tremendously. Previously, we used to have only one per cent of our student population qualifying and completing their studies at the national and private universities. Today, we have many students from that region joining universities. I attribute this success to the CDF. I want to go on record and thank the hon. Eng. Muriuki Karue, though he is not here, for having initiated this 688 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 24, 2008 noble idea. I want to concur with what hon. Murungi said that this idea is a product of a struggle. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I remember in the Eighth Parliament when those of us who there and were in the opposition were struggling to get our share of the national cake. We were denied our share of the national care. We sat down and said: \"We can no longer be in this state. We can no longer be going to State House to beg for our rightful share of the national development.\" When the Back-benchers came together and thought of this noble idea, initially, we were laughed at. Some of our colleagues never thought that this thing was going to be realised. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to thank Eng. Muriuki Karue for different reasons and I wish he was here to see for ten to 15 years, how this noble idea that he initiated and struggled for will transform this country into one of the fastest developing economies in this region. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in 1967, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of South Korea and that of Kenya was at par. Today, the GDP of South Korea is thirty times that of Kenya. This is because we did not have policies that were tailor-made for our people. We inherited a chain of policies that were prepared by our colonisers. You remember that the British used different policies to govern this country. The policies that were used in northern Kenya were different from the ones that were used in the Rift Valley Province. The policies that were used in the Rift Valley Province were different from the ones that were used in Western Province for purposes of administration. Those are the same things that we have inherited! Those are the same things that our development planners use. Those are the same things that were used to deny regions, like where we come from, their share of the national cake! Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to go on record and say that this devolution at the constituency level should be used as a benchmark to develop areas that were, hitherto, neglected by the colonialists, the Kenyatta Government and the Moi Government. Those areas still continue to receive less of what they ought to get because of the harsh environmental conditions. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to go on record again, because many Kenyans are not aware--- I want to challenge even the Chair--- It is not that--- I want to request the Chair to send the Members of Parliament for induction---"
}