Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 251647,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/251647/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 195,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kimeto",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 351,
        "legal_name": "Anthony Kimeto",
        "slug": "anthony-kimeto"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I was interrupted, I was saying that resorts near Lake Turkana lack good roads. This country can fetch a lot of foreign exchange if tourists visit some of the areas. However, since there are no good roads, you find that this country cannot earn foreign exchange because vehicles might not be able to move from one area to another, especially in game reserves, lake resorts and so on. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, most areas in this country should have airstrips. Airstrips are very essential because if somebody gets sick, for example, they can be airlifted to institutions where they can get treatment, for example, in Nairobi. In fact, I would recommend that each constituency has an airstrip, if it is possible. Airstrips can also be used by small planes to airlift agricultural products to key markets, for example, in Nairobi. The Government should plan and make projections on how it intends to construct such airstrips. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is very difficult to transport processed tea leaves from the factories. We should have a good railway system in the tea growing areas of this country. Farmers in these areas have problems of transportation. Pastoralists, especially in the North Eastern Province, also need a good railway system so that they can transport their animals for slaughter to Nairobi. The railway line we have in this country was constructed in the 1900s. To date, not much has been done to improve it. Whom are we waiting for to develop the network? In London, for example, they have underground railway lines. Why can we not emulate them and develop such railway lines? We are not many and we are in a position to develop this kind of infrastructure. Why do we not develop railway lines in the North Eastern, Eastern and Coast provinces? This way, we will facilitate even the low income earners to move from one region to another. Why do we not have electric railway lines in every part of this country? The sugar belt of this country also lacks a good railway system to assist factories manufacturing sugar to transport this important commodity. We should put up a good railway line system in this area to enable sugar to be transported to every part of this country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we have been requesting the Minister for Transport to look into this area for a long time. He should have done something small to show us that he is making progress in this area. I hope if all these suggestions are implemented, Kenyans will benefit. This is all development because without tarmacked roads and a good railway system, this country will not develop. Therefore, we should think of better infrastructure for this country so that we develop to the standards of other countries in the world. The Minister for Roads and Public Works should ensure that road construction is done to high standards. The right equipment should also be used to construct our roads. Major roads should be up to standard so that resources of Kenyans are not wasted. If funds for construction of roads 682 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 26, 2006 are misused, the Minister should be alerted. We need competent Ministers---"
}