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{
    "id": 419427,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/419427/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 121,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Anyang’-Nyong’o",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 193,
        "legal_name": "Peter Anyang' Nyong'o",
        "slug": "peter-nyongo"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, let me begin by commending the Committee for this Report and for having chosen to go to the Port of Mombasa as their first responsibility to this House. As previous speakers have said, the Port of Mombasa is key to the economy, not only to this nation but to the region. Historically, this has been the port of entry to the East African Community (EAC) and beyond. The port is an extremely useful facility as, indeed, Sen. Boni Khalwale has said. I want to go further than that and say that since this is a Committee on Energy, Roads and Transportation, Mombasa, as a city cannot function if transportation in the city itself is problematic. I hope that when the Committee went to Mombasa, they flew into Moi International Airport and went by road to Mombasa which is a herculean task. Although the City of Mombasa, during the Coalition Government, tried to clear the road from the airport to the city, that clearance of kiosks and other things just improved it marginally. There is still a very big problem. Going to Mombasa via Moi International Airport, with all the tourists coming in, having heard all the glorious things about Mombasa, they find it a nightmare to get to the City. Most tourists who come here get shocked at how difficult it is to wade your way through the island before you go to the tourist hotels. The Government, at this point in time, with all the plans of the past – I have been in two administrations and I know that there have been plans to decongest Mombasa. They should use the Dongo Kundu Road which has been there for many years. Now, I understand that it is being constructed so that the south coast can be opened up and the economies in the south coast and Kwale can be enhanced. While doing that, the current congestion in Mombasa is a nightmare with all the matatus, tuk tuks and boda bodas that have invaded our cities. Unless we do something about infrastructure in the city, particularly the inner city, then it will not function. The port may as well improve as Sen. Khalwale has said but getting out of that port to upcountry continues to be a nightmare. This will continue to be a nightmare if nothing is done. The second thing I want to say about Mombasa is that, given the fact that this is our show case city owing to the fact that it is a port of entry, we cannot just ride on the glory of tourists hotels. That is well and good. However, as a Kenyan city with historical significance, the renewal of Mombasa is very important. I get ashamed when I go to Mombasa and I see it being run down. The buildings are old and have not been painted. The infrastructure has been broken down and this is a task that cannot be left to the County of Mombasa. Mombasa is a national asset and requires massive investment, some kind of a marshal plan to bring it to the modern time and for it to be a showcase for our country. Having said that, I would like to point out that the other responsibility of this committee is to take care of roads. Roads are very much connected to energy. One of the things that should be done is to take off the roads all the tankers that bring petroleum from Mombasa up to the upcountry and traverse our nation into Uganda, Rwanda and 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."
}