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"id": 229694,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/229694/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Katuku",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Water and Irrigation",
"speaker": {
"id": 281,
"legal_name": "John Mutua Katuku",
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the debate before the House. From the outset, I would like to say that I fully support the Presidential Speech which was very excellent. I have been in this House for almost a decade now. That is one of the best and clear speeches I have heard from Heads of State who have made speeches before this House. With the road map set, I am sure we are going to reach there. That Speech gave me an inspiration and confidence that we have the right man at the right position of being the Head of this Government. Since I am one of the voters in this country, I made a decision yesterday when I was seated here and listening to him that I would give him another chance to take this country to higher heights. When we talk about the growth of any nation, we must look at the economy of that country. We have seen previous administrations never bothered about the growth of the economy. They were keen on handouts and on people benefitting individually. However, this Government has set aside programmes to ensure economic growth. That is why the economy has grown from negative to now about 6 per cent. With that growth and with what the President indicated, the road map is to get to 10 per cent. That means, therefore, that we will be able to get more jobs, more people will earn better and establish themselves as well as employ others. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the effects of any growth--- The way the administration has gone about investing in infrastructure has ensured economic growth in this country. We have seen roads being constructed throughout this country; may it be going towards Machakos, you will find a road being repaired or constructed afresh. Even going to Nyeri, you will find a road being constructed or going towards Nakuru, another is being done. That is putting March 21, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 51 infrastructure in place so that businessmen can cut down on costs of repairs and be able to move their products to the market. That is the only way the economy can grow. As the Ministry responsible for water and irrigation, we have put in place more programmes as compared to previous administrations. The previous Government used to give the Ministry of Water and Irrigation - I am talking about 2002/2003 Budget - only Kshs2.3 billion. Now, this Government has given the Ministry of Water and Irrigation Kshs11.5 billion. That is why you are able to see more dams being constructed, more water points being drilled, more water projects, which had stalled, being revived and other new ones being put in place. When we went on recess, I took time to go round the country. I visited several constituencies. I would like to thank hon. Members for the support they have given my Ministry and the interest they have shown in the water projects. Apart from one constituency I went to, all the others, where there is a dam or borehole being constructed, hon. Members have shown interest. I would like to encourage hon. Members to take part in ensuring that the monies we send to the villages or districts is properly monitored, not only by my officers but also by people elected in those areas. So, I want to commend hon. Members for the support they are giving this Government in ensuring that funds are properly spent. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we talk about the CDF, some people are trying to separate the CDF from Government achievement. That is Government's money; taxpayers' money given through Parliamentary representation to the constituencies. The role of hon. Members is to guide in that process. That is an achievement and I also want to applaud hon. Members who have ensured that this money is spent well. However, there is one area that we must look into: The money being spent by the Local Government. My colleague, Mr. Kombo, must look at it critically. The CDF, the Local Authorities Transfer Fund (LATF) and the Local Authorities Service Delivery Action Plan (LASDAP) were allocated Kshs7.5 billion yet if you go to the villages, you will see projects by the CDF, which is Government's money. However, you will not see projects by councils. I am not criticising the Ministry but I would like to point out that something must be done. This money should be seen working the way we see CDF working. It must be seen! If the difference is only Kshs2.5 billion, then we should only see that difference in the villages the same way. It means that this money, therefore, is going to the pockets of the clerks. The councillors must be given more powers to be able to run that Fund the way hon. Members have managed to run CDF and is successful. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when the President was making his Speech, he alluded to the fact that his Government is going to give funds to women. Some of our colleagues have criticised it. They have said that this is political. However, whether it is political or not, this is a political Government. Any programme brought to this House is for the benefit of Kenyans; whether brought by the Opposition or the Government. However, this is a political Government and that is a political programme. It will assist people not only in the Government supportive areas, but all Kenyans. Women in this country play a very important role. If that money reaches women--- In fact, I propose that, that money should be more than what is going to the youth. Women perform very important roles and I would like to see them given more money from that Fund. This matter should not be politicised. It should be seen as a way of empowering our women to do more. If President Kibaki has found it necessary to do this, nobody should come up to criticise it. Why did you not do it when you were there? Why did you not create the Youth Enterprise Development Fund and the Women Enterprise Development Fund when you were in Government? Why did you not ensure that the Constituencies Development Fund Act was passed when you were in Government? These are the credits that we must give where they deserve, and credit must be due where necessary. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, one of our colleagues has accused Ministers for using 52 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 21, 2007 public funds in their campaigns. When you talk about Ministers, you must be specific. I have gone round myself, but only with regard to water projects. You must be specific and say: \"This Minister.\" You cannot just say: \"These Ministers are misusing public funds.\" Some of us are doing a good job. So, when you talk here, you should be able to state who in particular you are not happy with. You should not stand here to say that all Ministers are spending Government resources doing other things. We go out there to see that Government projects are properly implemented. We also go out to interact with the people on the ground to get their feelings with regard to what needs to be done. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the issue of creation of new constituencies, I would like to see more constituencies created. In fact, I would like to propose that this House must have a minimum of about 300 Members. I would also like to see us create about 80 more constituencies. Why am I saying so? My constituency, for example, is very big. Even going round the constituency alone without talking to anybody will take you a number of days. We need to split these constituencies so that we can reach our people and administer programmes, like the ones funded by the CDF and others with the necessary and adequate capacity. We need to agree on how many constituencies we need to create. I am proposing that we create 80 more constituencies so that we can have a total of 290 constituencies and ten slots for nominated Members of Parliament. That will give us 300 Members of Parliament who will be able to represent our people properly in this House. Every voter pays taxes, and if you are not properly represented in this House, then something is wrong. With regard to the issue of the Constitution, I would like to support what the President said. It is time we engaged in dialogue. Chest-thumping has no place in Kenyan politics, whether it is done by Members of the Opposition side or the Government side. There are people who think that whatever they say is always right; it is not necessarily so. You must also be able to listen to the other side of the story. So, chest-thumping does not pay. It is better we sit down as leaders and agree. At the end of the day, the people on the ground do not talk about the Constitution, rather it is about how they can meet their basic needs, for example, how they can educate their children. It is only us in the political class--- In fact, people are interested in how education can be made free, how bursary can be increased, how the CDF can be increased and so on. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I would like to support the President's Speech."
}