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"id": 218660,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/218660/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Kibunguchy",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Health",
"speaker": {
"id": 294,
"legal_name": "Enoch Wamalwa Kibunguchy",
"slug": "enoch-kibunguchy"
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"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank Mr. Nyachae for giving me this chance to second this very important Bill. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not think there is a day that goes-by in this Parliament, without an hon. Member talking about the state of roads in his or her area. As we travel, we see the once very good roads; specifically from Naivasha to Eldoret and beyond, are now a nightmare to use. In most constituencies, our rural roads are in what many hon. Members, describe as deplorable condition. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this is an important Bill. It is my conviction that the setting up of the three authorities to manage the various roads will make matters easier. I know that the Bill has set up three authorities; one to look after our urban roads, another to look after rural roads and the third one to look after highways. I will spend a bit of time talking about the Rural Roads Authority because my constituency is in the rural areas. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, first of all, before I say anything, I would like to commend the Minister for what he has just told us. He said that the money from Road Maintainance Levy Fund (RMLF) that goes to various constituencies will increase from 16 per cent to 20 per cent. I would like to commend and congratulate him on that. What is of most concern to us, as hon. Members, is that we passed a very important Motion in this House that this money be channelled through the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). In this way, all the monies going to roads in various constituencies will be in one basket and can be used in the most cost-effective and value-for-money manner. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I talk about rural roads, I would like to ask the Minister and the Ministry to look around and borrow a bit from what is going on with the Rural Electrification Programme (REP). This is a programme in which all the leaders from various constituencies are asked to put forward priority projects. Those projects are then worked upon. I would like to see a similar thing done for our rural roads. Each constituency or district should put forward priority projects. That is the only way that we can say we are truly devolving the construction of roads to all the corners of this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the biggest problem, which is also addressed in the Bill, is that of road reserves. In very many parts of rural areas, there has been encroachment of road reserves. In some areas, roads have been reduced to bicycle paths. People have encroached on both sides of the roads. I would like to see the Rural Roads Authority given powers to address the issue of road reserves which are encroached on. Drainage is even a bigger problem in the rural areas. We know that water is, probably, the worst enemy of any road. Be it tarmacked or graded, so long as we cannot drain water, it is just a matter of time before the road breaks up. As a result of encroachment on road reserves, it becomes very difficult to open-up drainage. In most cases, they also pass through people's farms. This is an area, I hope this authority will be given power to address adequately and exhaustively. As we look after our roads in the rural areas, we should take care of the issue of drainage too. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will talk about two or three other things. I hope the Highways Authority, once functional, can open up roads to various areas that have been for a long time neglected. I am talking about areas of North Eastern Province. In my view, the province should be considered as a lifeline for this country. I am not even talking about the fact that, probably, one day we will strike some oil there. I am saying that it is a potential area for development, settlement and tourism. It can allow us to decongest some of the congested districts in other areas. The only way we can open-up the North Eastern Province properly is by providing roads. Over a period of time, we will find communities moving to settle there. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I hope that the Urban Roads Authority can tackle the issue of traffic jams which is a big nightmare for many motorists in urban areas. We have to deal with snarl-ups every morning and evening. June 12, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1721 Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we all know the problem of roads in this country. I am not an engineer by profession, but a doctor. However, sometimes I wonder why contractors are never held responsible for the work they do. You will find a road which you are told has a lifespan of ten years, 20 years or whatever years, but getting spoilt after five years only. We know how expensive it is to upgrade a road to bitumen standard. It is an extremely expensive exercise. I would like to see contractors held responsible for the work they do. They should sign some agreement that if a road gets damaged before its lifespan, that contractor is held responsible. He should be asked to repair the road. I would like to see a situation where people are held responsible for the works they do. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, a classical example I have is a road from Nakuru to Eldama Ravine, it passes through retired President Moi's school; Kabarak High School. This road was re-done about two years ago. If you drive along it, it is now worse than it was before it was re- done two years ago. It is very disheartening! This is a contractor who has been paid yet we cannot hold him responsible for that work. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if I had my way, I would give a contractor work to do and not interfere with him because he is an expert. As we ask our architects and other professionals, I will tell him: \"After so many months, I will want you to give me the key to open up this road. I want you to give me a guarantee that this road will remain intact for the next 20 years.\" After that, if something happens to the road, the contractor is held responsible. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I say that because very often, we see roads being done and, after a very short time, they are being re-done. If I can talk about my Lugari Constituency, there are areas which have never seen an inch of tarmac road. We tend to go back to roads that should have been done properly. If those roads were done properly, the little money that is left can be used in other areas. I am sure even you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, you would not mind to have one or two roads tarmacked in your area, and in many other areas. Finally, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I second this Bill, I would like to go back and say: Truly, when we set up the Rural Roads Authority, it should borrow heavily from the Rural Electrification Programme Model; that every constituency has a share, even if it is a small share of the cake in terms of tarmacked or properly done roads. With those few remarks, I beg to second."
}