HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 218408,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/218408/?format=api",
"text_counter": 143,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kimeto",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 351,
"legal_name": "Anthony Kimeto",
"slug": "anthony-kimeto"
},
"content": "Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this Bill. This is a very nice Bill. The Minister has brought it in time and he has drafted the skeleton part of it; on how to improve on our roads. He has also given us information that there will be an Urban Roads Committee and a rural roads committee. Probably, he should also have included constituencies roads committees to enable the roads to be done everywhere in the Republic. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is a very good Bill. There is only one way where we would accommodate the Minister on how to improve these roads. If the criteria used to allocate money for roads in the past is repeated, I think we will not go far. The Minister and Parliament needs to increase this money from 16 per cent to 40 per cent. To ensure that, that money is well utilised, the Minister should have proposed that the money should be channelled through the constituencies. This will ensure that every constituency in the country takes care of its own roads. I have read this Bill and I have not seen where it talks about the bridges. In areas which receive a lot of rainfall, we have so many places that require bridges. The Minister should have brought out the issue of construction of bridges. In some cases, we cannot access the other parts of our constituencies because there are so many rivers. More money should be allocated to rainy areas because the rains destroy all the main roads and feeder roads, therefore, making them unaccessible. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish there was a way of telling the Minister for Finance, before he reads the Budget tomorrow, to allocate more money for roads in areas which receive heavy rainfall in the country. He should consult with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources so as to determine which areas in the country receive more rainfall than others. This will enable them to budget for more roads in those areas. The Minister of State for Special Programmes should ensure that those people living in areas which experience drought are supplied with enough food. Once we allocate money for the construction of roads, we should also allocate some of it to building of bridges. This would enable many people to go through some areas without problems. I want to challenge the Minister for Roads and Public Works to consider incorporating, in his Ministry, people who would monitor how the money allocated for roads is being used. Once money is sent to the districts, the engineers have found ways of spending it to fulfil their own selfish ends without involving the area Members of Parliament. The same engineers then write to the Ministry headquarters in Nairobi informing them that a certain road has been constructed when it has not. Sometimes, you may see a lorry at a construction site purporting to be transporting construction materials, yet there is no work which is being done. I would like to request the Minister, whenever he is disbursing money for road construction, to always inform the area Members of Parliament so that they can make a follow-up of the project. Money is sent to constituencies without the knowledge of hon. Members. This is a straightforward way of misusing Government money. When you look at what some road contractors do, you will wonder. Some of them construct culverts which are way below the standard height. The culverts are constructed almost three metres below the road and when it rains, water does not drain properly. One is left wondering where the water is supposed to flow to. I am giving the Minister these facts for free without asking for anything in return. I am left wondering why some contractors construct culverts way below the roads. This leaves water flowing on the road. The Minister should move around in the country and see how roads are being constructed. Contractors are digging into the road so much; about three metres down and this has made the roads very dangerous to motorists. I wonder where the engineers were educated. Why can June 13, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1789 the Minister and hon. Members not move around and see how the road from Maai Mahiu to Narok is being constructed? If you happen to go to Rimba area, you will see some culverts which have been built way below the road. I wonder how the contractors got the contract to construct the road. The engineers who are carrying out the construction should inquire from area residents on which direction water flows before building culverts. That would save them time and help harness drainage. Mr. Speaker, Sir, whenever road contracts are being awarded, the area Members of Parliament should be informed so that they can give their contribution to the project. That way, we would move forward in a more comfortable and intelligent manner. No one should be left to feel as if they have all the knowledge of engineering. I had to say this so that the contractor who is working on the Nairobi-Kiserian Road can do a good drainage system and give an easy time to those who will be using the road, once it is complete. When the Minister is giving out money for road construction, he should not give it out to the contractors. Most of the time, the road contractors end up over-estimating their costs so as to be paid more money. If that continues, this House will continue to complain about the poor state of our roads. Road contractors who get paid before completing their work always escalate their costs so as to get more money. Those people who are in charge of awarding tenders use corrupt ways to award the tenders to their preferred people, and we will continue complaining about poor roads. Mr. Speaker, Sir, when we are dealing with issues of national importance like roads and health, it is important that the concerned Minister holds discussions with hon. Members. Without that, we will continue to pay out money but we will not stop hearing complaints because money will always be misused. The audited reports as usual come out after ten years when those who have made mistakes have already gone to Heaven! Let us do things which can help us today. We have seen the congestion that is on our roads in Nairobi. Why have we not factored in some money to build fly-overs? That would ease traffic congestion on our roads. Today, it takes, at least, three hours to drive one kilometre in this town after 7.00 p.m. Why can the Minister not construct fly-overs to enable quick movement of vehicles? We are spending a lot of money in traffic jams. What should we do with the traffic jams in Nairobi? The movement of vehicles has become almost impossible. In fact, you are better of walking than driving. Any time after 6.00 p.m, it is always better to walk."
}