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"speaker_name": "Mr. Mbau",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is very discouraging to note that the whole of our transport system has been deteriorating instead of improving. If you consider the railway network, currently we cannot talk about a railway system that serves this country effectively. There were times when we used to have people and cargo transported by railway from Mombasa to Nanyuki, Mombasa to Kisumu and to other destinations. Today the railway network does not transport human traffic at all. This can only imply that the people who would normally use this cheaper means of transport now have to pay more for transport. I want to appreciate that since the NARC Government took over, there have been some changes in the countryside as far as trunk roads are concerned. It is good to note that we have the trunk system being addressed. Kenya is an agricultural country. The mainstay of our economy is agriculture. It is very difficult for our people to transport agricultural commodities from the hinterland so that they can take advantage of the main trunk. I am talking about the rural access roads. Fifteen years ago, we used to have a programme called Rural Access Road Improvement Programme, which no longer works. Even as we try to improve roads using the Fuel Levy Fund, the catchment roads remain in a despicable, desperate situation. I want to agree with the mover of the Motion, that unless the issue of roads is addressed comprehensively and we have a policy that informs this House and Kenya about the number of kilometres we are targeting to achieve and the number of roads we want to see done, year-in, year- out we will not know whether we have made any improvements or achievements. We will be moving like a radar that has no compass. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is now common knowledge that the efficiency, equipment and facilities at the Port of Mombasa leave a lot to be desired. Most cargo is now being transported to the Port of Dar-es-Salaam and, yet initially, the Port of Mombasa was the most superior in serving our neighbouring landlocked countries. This has been caused by some Government officials and agencies who have been procrastinating on taking decisive action on making the Port of Mombasa a free port. 690 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 26, 2006 The world trading blocks and shipping lines are focusing their attention on Dar-es-Salam. Sooner rather than later even the cargo that we are handling destined for Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will find its way to the Port of Dar-es-Salam. The situation worries me since we all know the implications of a free port to a country. Members of Parliament and Government Ministers have travelled around the world and seen what is happening in countries where free zones and free ports operate. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, most hon. Members here have been to the leading free port of Dubai and they know the benefits of having one. Despite this, when we say we would like to give the Port of Mombasa a free port status, nobody is willing to implement that decision. If we continue like this, we will not be making decisions in the best interest of our country. If the Port of Lamu was to be improved, the North Eastern Province would be opened up to connect to South Sudan and other countries. This Government can easily implement this because it has the necessary resources. The only problem is wrong priorities and mis-allocation of resources. Regarding priorities, there are areas that need more \"bitings\" than others. There is a lot that this Government can do to improve the lives of our people. We all remember that, immediately this Government took over, it embarked on a very aggressive programme of demolishing peoples' houses in the name of by-passes. But, three years down the line, Kenyans have not seen a single by- pass. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Government has, on many occasions, promised to build fly-overs to ease congestion at roundabouts. But, three years down the line, not a single fly- over has been built in this country. In other countries, people do not waste man hours and resources in traffic jams. They have simple fly-overs. Some are even single lanes, but they work. I urge hon. Members to pass this Motion, so that there can be a programme to build fly-overs and by-passes. If the Government promises to build a fly-over by 2007 and that is not done, whoever undertook to do that will be taken to task. As we stand now, Government officials and Ministers can promise anything, but nothing is done. I can see hon. Members standing up in their places! With those few remarks, I support the Motion."
}