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"id": 212295,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/212295/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Munyao",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 279,
"legal_name": "Joseph Konzolo Munyao",
"slug": "joseph-munyao"
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I would like to take this opportunity to support the Vote of the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. I would also like to congratulate the Minister for Roads and Public Works for the beautiful work that he has done in this country. Some experiences are very useful to be cited in this House. We know what this Minister has done for this country, particularly, in the Public Service. If you gave him a chance of serving the country, he would know where there is a pothole, even without going there, because I think he has visited most parts of the country. I also congratulate his team, that is, his officers in the Ministry, for their determination to do a beautiful job. At the beginning of the NARC regime, we spent about two years going round--- We had a terminology known as \"bypasses.\" Little did we know the meaning of \"bypasses.\" When this Minister took over the Ministry, we came to know that \"bypasses\" were not bypasses of roads, but they were those of taking over power. Mr. Speaker, Sir, having said that, I would like to propose something to the Minister. The process of tarmacking roads takes too long. First, the recommendation is done. Then, the road is assessed, evaluated and designed. After design work is complete, tenders are advertised before they are awarded. This process takes a little bit too long. Is it possible for the Ministry to, at least, try the system of designing as the building continues? I am asking this because even roads that cover a short distance of about ten to 15 kilometres take a long time to be completed. Take, for example, the road from the Machakos turn off, to Machakos Town. The construction of that road which is only ten kilometres long, has taken about two years now. If the system of designing as we built had been applied it could have taken a shorter time. They could start by designing the first one or two kilometres and then, construction work starts. I am saying this because when money is allocated to construct a particular road during a financial year, that money is never utilized within that financial year. Even if you start a road which has been allocated, say, Kshs100 million or Kshs200 million, just provide money that is enough to begin the works on that road first. Instead of waiting to give out the total amount of money allocated to clear that particular road, you could start by giving out money in instalments, which will cater for the construction of a given road within a given financial year until it is over. This is because every other year, there will be money to be given out. If this is done, and I believe it has been experienced in some countries, I do not know where, but the Ministry should know, it will help us in that many other roads that have not been completed will be done and many other roads will be considered. We have recommendations which we have been making through the District Roads Committees (DRCs) in the countryside. I believe that some of these recommendations, which are made at the district level find their way to the Ministry. We would like to be given a feedback so that we know the progress of whatever is happening. This is because, every year, for example, for the last four years, the Makueni DRC has been making recommendations, but we never get a feedback on what is happening. It will also help us to know what the Ministry is thinking and what has been achieved. That way, we may also be able to argue about what has not been done. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with regard to finances, during the beginning of a financial year, money is given out. I have in mind what the Minister said yesterday. I was happy when he talked about the Makutano-Kikima Road, which, last year, was allocated Kshs130 million. That money was not spent! Even after one year elapsed, the money had not been spent. Now, the road has been allocated 2776 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 25, 2007 Kshs290 million. That is good, but we hope that, this year, we will not repeat the same thing that was done last year. What the Ministry should actually do is to concentrate on the roads in the countryside. The wananchi there expect that to happen and they would like these things to be done as fast as possible. Mr. Speaker, Sir, two years ago, we had a meeting at Bomas of Kenya, which was convened by the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. That meeting was supposed to address the issue of classification of roads throughout the country. We thought that soon after that meeting, since recommendations were done and we spent a day or two discussing those issues--- Mr. Speaker, Sir, we spent public funds during that meeting and we want to know the results. What happened after that meeting? This is because we proposed so many roads that should be classified. In fact, because of the additional districts, there are roads that traverse from one district to another. We would like to know what actually happened after that meeting because it is important to know that. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Head of State has been going round the country. Most of the time, he is given memoranda and he accepts them by promising that this and that road will done. From that time, it is no longer a private deal because everybody in that area is fully aware that those roads were recommended to be done. Could the Ministry, one day, come out and tell us how far some these things have gone? This is because people from the countryside keep on following the issues from us to find out exactly what is happening. I have in mind a road like Wamunyu-Kalawa-Wote Road, about which, on several occasions, directives have been given. I also have in mind Road D513, Tawa-Itangini and so many other roads and bridges. We would like to know what has actually happened and how soon the roads will be done. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we must accept that for the first time, we are seeing enormous operations of the Ministry even at the local level, say, in every location and not even constituencies. Today, there is no part of this country where the Ministry of Roads and Public Works is not felt. There is no place where their works are not being seen. This is exactly what we would like to do. Therefore, we want to get updated so that we know what we is being done. However, Mr. Speaker, Sir, the policies in the construction industry ought to be re-examined because they affect us. Any little delay affects us and that will not be in the interest of everybody. When the Minister comes to reply, I want him to tell us what happened to the construction of Road D516, which has been talked about every other year. Finances have been allocated for the construction of this road and wananchi have been waiting. We would like to hear the real thing concerning that particular road. Mr. Speaker, Si, recently, we experienced earth tremors. The moment the tremors started, I started thinking about the Ministry of Roads and Public Works and the Ministry of Finance. I knew that whatever would be affected would require a lot of money to rectify. It would also require the Ministry to go out of its way. I would like to request the Minister to form a team which should go round to examine Government buildings and, if possible, extend those services to private homes. The earth tremors that were felt recently did a lot of harm because most of buildings now have cracks. It will require the advice of structural engineers to tell us what we can do. We are concerned and we would like to be happy and live secure in our homes. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to support this Motion."
}