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{
    "id": 396636,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/396636/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 84,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Lonyangapuo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 447,
        "legal_name": "John Krop Lonyangapuo",
        "slug": "john-lonyangapuo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand to join my colleague in thanking Sen. Mositet for this timely Motion which reminds us about the duties of the national Government and the county governments as clearly stipulated in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution. Even somebody who does not know how to read and write can understand that maintenance of roads in the counties must be performed by county governments. Although the Act that was generated in 2007 established KeRRA, many roads that were supposed to be done by KeRRA have not been done and yet in every county, there exists a KeRRA office and engineers appropriately assigned. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the problem arises to the extent that we ask that this Motion be supported so that all these functions can be administered by the county governments and that the KeRRA officials work with the officers in charge of roads in the county. I am told that all the funds that were supposed to have been devolved to the counties are still at the KeRRA headquarters. Since 2007, KeRRA has been storing the money at their headquarters and releases it in bits. There is a huge temptation, as always, since we are human, if you are the head of KeRRA, your heart may be tempted to please your home heritage; you give more money to the KeRRA offices where your interests are. This is not something unique. It calls upon us to say this is what was envisaged when we were releasing the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 law is more recent than the Act of 2007. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when I was working closely with a sister Ministry closer to that of Roads, I followed these issues closely. Members of Parliament from every constituency would go and queue to see the Director-General or the officers who work in Nairobi and not those ones on the ground. This means that unless we do not trust what we did in our law or what we approved in the Constitution which stipulates and gives duties appropriately, then it means we have defeated logic. The CDF and the KeRRA funds that were released in bits would go to every constituency and somebody is appointed by the MP to be in charge of the Roads Committee and then the KeRRA officers would work together with them. We found that roads were not done to the required standards. There are about four roads that I know in West Pokot County which fall directly under KeRRA. They all emanate from Kapenguria at the headquarters. There is one that starts from Kapenguria through Kapipich all the way to Elgeyo Marakwet County. That road is the lifeline for development activities in the area. But when the rainy season starts, it becomes impassable and all the farm produce – the milk in particular – gets spoilt. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}