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{
    "id": 292859,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/292859/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 480,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "44 Wednesday, 13th June, 2012(A) Mr. Magwanga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "This is a very important Bill for this country. Allow me to congratulate hon. Jakoyo Midiwo for bringing these amendments. In Kenya, people do not respect the rule of law. This is very critical for this country. We have lost quite a number of our people on the roads. We do not respect these laws. Much as we are actually bringing new policies, people do not respect and internalize them, so that they become part of our culture and guide us to do better things on our roads. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, identification and registration of motor vehicles for number plates and owners is very critical. In a number of occasions we have had hit-and-run vehicles; hardly are the owners of the vehicles or the drivers traced. So, surrendering a registration number plate to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) when the ownership is being transferred to another person is very important. That way, any vehicle will be easily traced in the records available in the offices. I recommend and support the identification of the ownership of vehicles by the registration number plate. We have quite a number of people who drive defective motor vehicles on our roads. They cause accidents to other road users. These are vehicles which do not have brakes. They are vehicles which cannot be controlled and so they cause accidents on our roads. So, driving defective vehicles on our roads must come to an end. I tend to think that this Bill is likely to do that. Driving under the influence of alcohol has really caused a number of deaths on our roads. This must be the major contributor of accidents on our roads. If we bring in stiffer laws which will bar those under the influence of alcohol from driving on our roads, the number of accidents will come down. Another important thing which this Bill is prohibiting is driving on the pavements. This is where drivers cross pavements and drive on pedestrian lanes. This causes accidents on our roads. If this Bill goes through, it will bar reckless drivers from driving on the pedestrian walkways. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Bill is actually trying to instill some discipline in the issuance of driving licences. We have quite a number of people who own driving licences, yet they do not know how to drive. This is a fact. You will find somebody with a driving licence, yet he does not even know how to start or move a vehicle. This means that there are irregularities in the issuance of the driving licences. This must be streamlined to ensure that only those who have been trained properly and certified are issued with driving licences. This way, we will avoid road carnage. We have seen cases where drivers have killed school children. This can only be curtailed by having experienced drivers and those who care about the lives of those in their vehicles as drivers. In the developed countries, for one to drive, one must be experienced in driving. They respect the road signs. They respect pedestrians. Whenever"
}