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{
    "id": 394818,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/394818/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 447,
        "legal_name": "John Krop Lonyangapuo",
        "slug": "john-lonyangapuo"
    },
    "content": "THAT, aware that the city of Nairobi has grown to be a large cosmopolitan and metropolitan city in Kenya and the East African region and that it acts as the gateway to the rest of the countries in the hinterland; cognizant of the traffic jams occasioned by the ever increasing number of vehicles and narrow roads leading to time wastage, fuel consumption and insecurity to motorists; noting that there have been increased cases of incidents that require intervention of emergency services in the city of Nairobi; recognizing that Article 184 (1) (c) of the Constitution of Kenya and the Urban Areas and Cities Act provide for a participatory mechanism by residents in the governance of urban areas and cities; realizing the need for clearly marked emergency lanes in our road network; the Senate urges the National Government to develop a policy framework for the creation of emergency lanes to be used exclusively by ambulances, fire fighting motor vehicles and other authorized emergency response locomotives within the city of Nairobi and all other cities and towns in the country. Madam Temporary Speaker, as I introduce this amendment, I want to join my colleagues in thanking Sen. Karaba for introducing this Motion which, as we have rightfully canvassed, is something that should have been in place from the time we got Independence. We heard from Sen. (Dr.) Machage that from the early 1900s when the City of Nairobi was planned, the roads were meant to carry a capacity of not more than 300 vehicles. At the moment, Kenya imports not less than 5,000 vehicles per month through the Port of Mombasa. This translates to over 60,000 vehicles per year. Most of those vehicles remain in Nairobi. To that extent, for the last many years, so many vehicles have been crowded here in Nairobi. It is very serious that we do not have plans that have been visibly implemented here to open up the roads. A little bit of work has been carried out on Mombasa Road for the last ten years since the NARC Government came in, but a substantial change to the extent that we see lanes that are dedicated for such emergencies has not been done yet. It is such a nightmare for the tourists that come to Nairobi to leave the airport to town. If such a lane was available, it would be very easy for emergency vehicles to reach destinations that are required. When tragedy visited Kenya at the Westgate Mall, it was such a mess that even taking the patients to hospital was so difficult because we do not have such lanes. What does it cost if we sit down as a nation to come up with policies that we must stand by? The first one should be the use of the train service. All the vehicles that are in this town, the owners do not stay in this Central Business District (CBD). They come from far flung estates. If you go to places like the United Kingdom and other countries, they have engaged a train that can, for example, pick people from Langata where they have parked their vehicles and take them to Westlands and Thika. These trains must not necessarily be on land, but above the ground. We are using a lot of money in making the roads. If we consolidate this amount of money, we could save between Kshs20 billion to Kshs80 billion per year. Some of these things we are talking about can easily be done. Flyovers are also essential in order to open up the little roads that we have. The only nightmare that we have in Nairobi is the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}