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{
    "id": 294687,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/294687/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 350,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Kimunya",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Transport",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I said, Traffic Management is a very complex issue. It is not just a legal issue, but a social issue. I have heard comments like providing parking places for people who are coming into town, so that they can leave their vehicles behind to decongest the city. I can confirm that the railway station at Syokimau will serve that purpose. I went to inspect the work and which I hope will be open to the public from next month, we have created a situation where there is a lot of parking space for people using Mombasa Road. They will come, park, their vehicles and get on to the train. The way we have designed the coaches is that each will take 200 people. Therefore, a train with six coaches will bring 1,200 people from Syokimau to town within 22 minutes. That removes about 100 vehicles on the road simultaneously. The congestion we have in town will be reduced. People will only need to drive to Syokimau Station, leave their vehicles their and come to town. Then they will go back to Syokimau, assemble and drive back home. This will reduce all the congestion we are having in town. We have also identified nine points into the City where all those things would be happening. Therefore, so many things are happening. They are not supposed to be addressed through a Traffic (Amendment) Bill that suggests do “a”, “b”, “c” and “d”. It is scaring people, but it not practicable. I can see all these Members of Parliament have an issue. You drive when you are late and you will all, probably, be the first ones in jail for over speeding, overtaking and yet there are reasons why you do it. Those circumstances need to be sorted out through a different angle, through decongesting the road so that one does not need to get into traffic jam because you are rushing to Parliament to ask or answers a Question or rushing from one Committee to another one. These are realities of how we live in this place. We looked at those things and said that we needed a very comprehensive solution through enhancing penalties, but within reasonable means, so that they are not seen to be punitive, victimizing people or criminalizing traffic matters. Traffic matters are not criminal. It does not constitute criminality whereby it can even bar you from being a Member of Parliament. We cannot over-criminalize them, but be sensitive to the balance between deterrence and not being seen to victimize people. What this Bill is doing is going to one extreme. Our Bill has sorted out all that by consulting all stakeholders and doing public debates. We are going to bring it this House, so that hon. Members can also debate it rather than just bringing one extreme or the other."
}