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"id": 212311,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/212311/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Musila",
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"speaker": {
"id": 94,
"legal_name": "David Musila",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this very important Motion. From the outset, I support the Motion. This is my tenth year of standing here to support the Vote of the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. I visited the library this morning and looked at the HANSARD of last year. My contribution, sort of, followed the lines of my friend, Maj-Gen. Nkaisserry. I even donated the Kshs7 million that I got to Mr. Kimunya. But I am sorry to say that this year is no better than last year! But I want to apply a different tune - not the one of my friend. I understand very well the frustrations of my friend, Maj-Gen. Nkaisserry. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, yesterday, I spent the better part of the day going through books, the district allocations and the Printed Estimates. I was disappointed in the sense that there has not been improvement in the allocation of resources on roads development in this country. Last year, for example, in November, there were floods around the country. One very important road in my constituency, E749, was washed away. I took the initiative to take photographs of that road. As everybody knows here, Mr. Nyachae is not only a friend, but he is my mentor! I worked with him for many years and I respect him. I made an appointment with him, he gave me a hearing and called the officers. I showed Mr. Nyachae the photographs and he could not believe that donkeys were ferrying goods from one end of the road to another because it had been washed away. He immediately ordered engineers to go to the road. They went to the road the following day. I would like to inform the Minister that today; eight months down the line, the practice of donkeys carrying goods across the road is still going on. That road has not been constructed despite clear instructions from the Minister! Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Kshs10 million was availed. They did a few repairs, but the road still remains impassable. Soon we are going to get rains, we do not know what we will do. I looked through the Printed Estimates to see whether funds had been allocated for this road. Despite the fact that we only need Kshs17 million to make this road passable, nothing has been done. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the only tarmacked road that runs through Mwingi District is Road A03; Thika-Garissa Road. Yesterday, I believe it was Mr. Lagat, who asked what the use of classifying roads is if development does not follow classification. I am talking of Road A03. This is an international road. Thika-Garissa Road stretches all the way to the Somali border. Last year, Road A03 was allocated some money for re-carpeting, but nothing happened. We were told that some other road in Coast Province was given priority because His Excellency the President directed so. Therefore, the money was moved from Road A03 to somewhere in Coast July 25, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2781 Province. I believe it is in Kilifi. If that was the case, why was this road not re-allocated funds this year, so that it could be re-done. As I speak, Road A03; Thika-Garissa Road is gone! It is full of potholes and we do not understand why a road classified as E-Road somewhere, is given priority and nobody seems to care about Road A03. Is it because it passes through Mwingi District and goes to the North Eastern Province? That is the only logical conclusion we can make. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, again, I want to support the issue of equitable distribution of resources. I spent a lot of time last year talking about that. If you recall, I did not even finish my ten minutes that day. This was because I was angry. Today, I want to finish my ten minutes, therefore, I will cool down. However, the anger still remains! Since Independence, Road B07, Kibwezi-Kitui Road was earmarked for tarmacking. Today, nearly 45 years after Independence, that road is still dusty and mostly impassable. The people of Kitui and Mwingi districts coming from Mombasa have to travel to Nairobi then through Machakos Road to avoid the Road B07. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the hon. Minister is one of the Ministers who always ensures that his officers come to Parliament when we discuss their Votes. I know, for sure, that these are the same officers who deal with these funds and allocate them. I am glad that they are listening to me today. I hope they will go and reflect, think about it and tell us why Road A03 has been ignored and another road classified under Class-\"E\" has been allocated Kshs500 million. Why has Road B07 been ignored for the last 45 years and some unclassified roads which cannot even qualify to be in class-\"E\", have been tarmacked and developed? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, whatever we say, we have problems. I am not blaming the Ministry of Roads and Public Works, I think we must rethink our priorities. We must know that all Kenyans are taxpayers. We must know that Kenyans from wherever they come from, are Kenyans! Resources must be allocated or appear to be allocated equitably. This clear discrimination of certain areas and favouring others, will not hold. Our officers who are charged with this responsibility must rethink. As I conclude, may I appeal to my mentor and good friend; the Minister for Roads and Public Works, to write down somewhere. Rescue my people and ensure that Road E49, which was washed away in November last year--- I made a personal visit to his office with photos. He saw the desperate situation my people were working under. I am not asking for Kshs500 million! I am only asking for Kshs17 million to make the road passable. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, may I appeal to the Minister to know that Road A03 is the lifeline of people from North Eastern Province. It is impassable now. There are engineers going through those roads and yet, they deviate those funds. A road that goes from the capital city to another province is completely neglected. I would also like to appeal to the Minister to consider Road B07. The other day, the President was surprised that this road was not tarmacked. He told me that he approved it when he was the Minister for Finance. It is really a pity. Finally, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on Road C94, I saw some people pegging meaning that it is being designed. Could we have some funds allocated, so that at least when design is over, we can start some work as we wait for the next financial year? With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}