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"id": 212636,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Muturi",
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"legal_name": "Justin Bedan Njoka Muturi",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to say one or two things about this very key Vote. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I believe that if Vision 2030; even though we have not had occasion to debate it here in the House, will have meaning in this country, then it must incorporate very serious issues that are addressed by the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am grateful that the Minister indicated, among other things, a programme called Roads 2000 Programme. We have been told that it will begin this year. Unfortunately, like I know, in my area they were supposed to hold a seminar between 12th to 15th of this month. However, it was called off because of lack of funds. So, we have begun again and that is how we have started with Roads 2000 Programme this year. You can see where we are headed. If that is the way we are going to begin in August, already one month is gone, and where we were to begin with a workshop for stakeholders, it has been called off because of lack of funds. I want to urge the Minister and his team to re-look at this programme critically because I agree with him that, apart from improving our road network, it would go a long way to provide the much needed employment to our youth in various parts of the country if ever it will be implemented. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, since the years 2000/ 2001 and 2001/2002 financial years, we have been talking about Roads 2000 Programme. It is one reason that I speak with scepticism and cynicism about Roads 2000 Programme. It just remains Roads 2000 Programme. I hope if there will be need, we can revive it and call it Roads 2008 Programme, if that will make it move. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, while congratulating the Ministry and appreciating the key role that it plays in national economy of the country, I am mindful of the people we call Resident Engineers. Sometimes I wonder what they do. At this era of performance contracting and some other new phrase they coined recently called Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), we cannot for sure say what these fellows do. You go to a road, you see a Resident Engineer. In fact, I have in mind, for instance the Nkubu-Thuci Road. Right now, it is 18 months behind schedule yet, there is a Resident Engineer. We also have the RRI and performance contracting, are the Resident Engineers part of this RRI? Are they put under any performance contracts which would, include, among other things, supervision. They should also have value-for-money audit. As the road is July 24, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2699 constructed, we do not want to see potholes develop after six months. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, you remember last week when Mr. Ndambuki raised the issue of potholes that he said were emerging, I said that all I have noticed is that they develop, but they do not emerge. I do not want to see a situation whereby after one or two years a road which was supervised by a Resident Engineer under the supervision of the Chief Engineer develops potholes. We need to put those people on performance contracts, so that they know that they will be held responsible, alongside the contractor, for any shortcomings as a result of due diligence which could be avoided during construction. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would say that the same should go towards the areas of rehabilitation. My Committee, while taking evidence on the issue of Kenya Roads Board (KRB), one occasion visited some roads in Kinangop area. A road was said to have been gravelled, but yet, it was a tarmac road! This is one of the greater wonders that I ever saw. That a tarmac road -and, indeed, it is tarmacked up to now, but it was also paid for as having been gravelled and the Ministry staff were there. The road goes to a place called Mutobio Gate into some hill there. We need to be serious with the way we do our things. Again, the Resident Engineer and Chief Engineer, Roads, should be held to account should we see these kind of ghost projects having been implemented. I think it is important that we bear this in mind. This is captured in a Public Accounts Committee (PIC) Report that I tabled here last year. I was saying that it is important that the Ministry also bears in mind that as a technical Ministry, we have very many projects that are being proposed to be funded through the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). Therefore, this Ministry is very key to the successful implementation of the various projects funded through the CDF, among other things, if only to assure quality and quick implementation. We want proper technical advice to be given when building hospitals or schools, so that the CDF which is public funds, does not go to waste because we did not get proper advice from the Ministry. This Ministry is very critical. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also the issue which is tied to that point that I am making about the advice being given at the constituency and district level--- I believe that would, of necessity, mean that the headquarters should be staffed with qualified personnel. If the staff are not available, I think the Ministry should be permitted to recruit more staff. That way, we will have more personnel at the district to offer services to various Constituency Development Committees and various projects that they come up with. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there was a programme that was once said to be offering equipment at regions. I think that equipment was said to be available for hire. I wonder whether that programme \"died\", or was it part of those road-show projects which were meant to excite the minds of Kenyans in the villages? If the Ministry is, indeed, still serious on implementing it, we really want to encourage the Ministry to ensure that all the regions have various equipment. That way, at any time when we need them, we can hire them. I think those being Ministry equipment, their rates would be favourable especially now that we are going to increase the allocations to the District Road Committees (DRCs). Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also a very critical area, which is also tied to the issue of Vision 2030. Whether we like it or not, for us to undertake the many projects that we have seen in the Estimates, we need to have contractors. I believe it is imperative upon this Ministry, through some of its colleges and institutes, to train as many people as possible to undertake local jobs. Whether we admire China Roads and Bridges Construction Company or some other satellite foreign firms, we must, at all times, bear in mind that foreigners are only here to make money. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us, as a country, to train our own local people and equip them with the necessary skills to undertake local contracts. It will be difficult, if we are going to say that we are going to implement so many of them. I do not want to repeat the point made by Mr. Maore that, we can have a lot of commissioning in the Estimates, but the implementation is 2700 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 24, 2007 nil. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, last year, there a provision in my district for a bridge called Ithura. It was allocated or proposed to be allocated Kshs4 million. This year, it is allocated Kshs400,000. Last year, when it was allocated Kshs4 million, nothing was done on it. I think there is something that is not very clear. We seem to be making provisions in the Printed Estimates which, apparently, due to lack of capacity and personnel, we are unable to implement. Therefore, it is important that what is given in the Printed Estimates is actually seen to be implemented on the ground. As we support this Ministry, we also support development in our country. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}