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"id": 242181,
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Kipchumba",
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"speaker": {
"id": 313,
"legal_name": "Joseph Kipchumba Lagat",
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"content": "The authorities being established are good. However, we must have one additional July 19, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2217 authority to take care of building of bridges. As long as we do not have a bridges authority, we will continue to build bridges which should cost Kshs10 million, at Kshs100 million. We should bring the authority under law just as other authorities like the Kenya Roads Board, the Kenya National Highways, the Rural Roads Authority and the Urban Roads Authority. If we bring it into law, any money that is voted to it will be used in the right way. I would like to urge the Minister to include a bridges authority in his proposal so that the money allocated to it is separated from that which is meant for road construction. We have talked about the private sector's contribution. We have always been told, in this House, that the private sector will be given a role to play in road construction. However, so far, I have not seen a document which has information indicating that there is a move to that direction. We cannot be talking about the private sector's participation without a paper or a law or even indulging the sector to participate. No matter how long we may discuss the issue, it may never make any sense. Let us be told how the private sector will participate in road construction. Indeed, there is a very serious lack of capacity in this country. We will vote the Kshs46 billion for this Ministry, but at the end of the year, probably Kshs20 billion will have been used. If the Minister can assure us that, indeed, all the funds will be used, then there would be need to give the Ministry an additional amount next year. If the funds we vote are not used, there will be no need of giving the Ministry additional funds. I want to request the Minister, after the Vote has been passed, to move fast and spend the money so that next year, when he makes a requisition for more, we can consider it. We have been talking about by-passes every year. Last year, a number of houses which were built on road reserves were destroyed to give way for the construction of by-pass roads. We have seen how much congestion is in this city and why the by-passes should be constructed soon. Given the fact that we are voting in money for the development of by-pass roads, the project should start immediately so that by the end of next year, we do have heavy trucks transiting through the city centre. We should encourage the development of underground tunnels. We must reduce congestion in this city. Our city, Nairobi, is planned poorly. The other towns we have are also poorly planned and the by-passes should also be constructed in those towns. We need the by-passes and they should have been constructed yesterday. Given that houses were destroyed for the construction of the by-passes, and that money has been allocated to the project, we want the projects done immediately. There are roads which need attention. The base of the Eldama Ravine Road, which was mentioned yesterday has collapsed. Whenever I pass there, I find contractors on site pretending to reconstruct the road. You cannot reconstruct a road whose base has collapsed. It is a waste of time because the moment it rains, the tarmac will be swept away. That road serves as an alternative route when the Nakuru - Eldoret Highway is blocked. Some of us use it as an alternative route. There is no reason why money should not be provided for the construction of that road. It is the only alternative route to Uganda, which is available. I have class \"C\" roads in my constituency, but every time I need money to do reconstruction, I have to beg the Ministry to avail the funds. We have been told before that class \"C\" roads are supposed to be under the mandate of the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. However, that is not the case. Those roads are not taken care of. We do not want to be beggars. Road C53A has never been reconstructed for many years now. We do not want to be going to the Ministry to demand or beg for funds which have already been provided by law. I, therefore, want to request the Minister to avail funds for the reconstruction of roads which are already classified, such as classes \"A\", \"B\" and \"C\" which are supposed to be taken care of by the Ministry. Procurement, we have been told previously, has been a problem and we hope that has been 2218 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 19, 2006 sorted out. All roads in the country must be under one Ministry; the Ministry of Roads and Public Works. Many times, we are told that some roads fall under the Ministry of Local Government. What does the Ministry of Local Government have to do with roads? Where does it get its engineers from? Why can all the roads in this country not be put under one Ministry? The reason why roads have failed in many local authorities is because we give them money and yet, they have no expertise. Most of the funds are embezzled. The way the local authorities are run is that, when they get some funds, they use them first for salaries. I, therefore, want to request that, in future, all roads, including those in urban centres, be put under one Ministry of Roads and Public Works. That can be done. That would make a lot of sense. We are duplicating roles and wasting money. We give people work which they cannot handle. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, like I said before, very little money has been provided for the purchase of equipment in the Budget. Last year, Kshs2 billion was allocated. This year, it is only Kshs42 million. I do not know whether the Minister is saying that we have enough equipment. We need more equipment! This House passed a law that every district must have a grader. We are now being told that a few have been bought. They have been distributed to 16 issuing centres. Give every district a grader! That will make a lot of sense. Most of those centres are very far from our districts. Therefore, I want to request the Minister to, in future, consider providing between Kshs3 billion to Kshs4 billion to purchase equipment and machinery. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}