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{
    "id": 242516,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/242516/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 187,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Nyachae",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Roads and Public Works",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 342,
        "legal_name": "Simeon Nyachae",
        "slug": "simeon-nyachae"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. The KRB is a statutory body charged with the responsibility of administration of funds derived from the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund, and other funds that may accrue to it. The Board operates under the Kenya Roads Board Act. To be able to accomplish its responsibilities, my Ministry has been pursuing the following strategic objectives: facilitation of adequate provision of physical infrastructure through policy formulation, research design, supervision and regulation of standards to facilitate development and maintenance of infrastructure throughout the country, provision of operational logistics, manpower development and technical support in roads construction and maintenance, mobilisation of resources from both the public and private sector for development, construction and maintenance of roads, facilitation of provision of adequate cost-effective building materials to Kenyans through policy formulation, review of legislation, research on new and low cost building materials and technologies, dissemination of research findings and promotion of innovative technologies, formulation of policy for development and maintenance of public buildings. My Ministry undertakes the above functions under the following expenditure Sub-Heads of Vote 13 - general administration and Planning, buildings and other public works, roads and other services. The state of infrastructure in the country still remains of great concern to all Kenyans. Members of this august House know that over the last two decades the general condition of rural and urban roads in Kenya has been deteriorating due to under investment and inappropriate institutional framework. The poor condition of our roads is affecting quick enhancement of economic growth in our country all around. The challenges in the roads sub-sector cannot be addressed without sufficient funding, improved construction capacity and supervision. The increased funding for roads projects, if backed up by a corresponding construction capacity, will go a long way in addressing the 2130 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 18, 2006 challenges in the roads sub-sector. Further to the foregoing, the Government recognises that the existing institutional framework within the roads sub-sector has not been able to address the challenges in the sub- sector. The existing structure within the Roads Department is quite bureaucratic, and has not been reformed to capture the aspirations and expectations of the changing world. In this regard, the Government has set in motion a number of reforms aimed at addressing these shortcomings as follows. (a) Establishment of three roads authorities once appropriate legislations have gone through this House, hopefully, by December, 2006. The institutions to be established will be the Kenya National Highways Authority; the Kenya Rural Roads Authority; and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority. (b) Realignment of the functions of the various existing organisations such as the Kenya Roads Board and conversion of the three service departments of the Ministry, that is, the Mechanical and Transport Department; Materials Department; and the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology into semi-autonomous Government agencies. (c) Enhance the involvement of the private sector in maintenance of roads and road financing. (d) Increase capacity in the roads subsector. (e) Continue using labour-based methods under the Roads 2000 Programme in order to generate employment opportunities in programme areas. (f) Enhance the supervision of road projects to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. (g) Encourage and support the training of local contractors in order to improve their capacity and performance. (h) Introduce a policy which requires contractors working on classified roads to operate for 24 hours a day in order to improve on the period of completing road projects."
}