Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 442122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/442122/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 38,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kembi-Gitura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 242,
        "legal_name": "James Kembi Gitura",
        "slug": "kembi-gitura"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish to thank Sen. Obure, on behalf of the Committee, for that reasonably elaborate answer. I had received an advance copy of the same. I wish to raise two or three issues on this matter. As you note, the road was opened barely two years ago and already there have been 290 deaths. We have put up foot bridges and zebra crossings. I note that it is only in Kenya that we have a highway where there are zebra crossings, bumps and rubble strips. There is nowhere in the world where, on a super highway, you find pedestrians allowed to cross such a road. Pedestrians do not cross super highways like they do on Thika Road. A total of 290 deaths in such a short period are many. I note from the supplementary paper attached to this response that one of the reasons why this is happening is because pedestrians do not want to use the foot bridges. The report states that one of the challenges that they are facing is that many pedestrians avoid the foot bridges and there is no proper enforcement of pedestrian control. I would like to put the following questions to the Chairperson: Why are the pedestrians not using the foot bridges? Am I correct to suggest that one of the major reasons is that the foot bridges are not safe, particularly at night and that no pedestrians will agree to use them because they could be mugged? That is when most accidents happen. Secondly, why is there no proper enforcement of pedestrian control? Thirdly, since there is vandalism of metal barriers, why has the Ministry not considered using reinforced plastic as road barriers like is happening in other countries such as South Africa? Since we have many metal barrier thieves who smelt the metal, why has the Ministry not considered using the reinforced plastic as road barriers since they will be stolen? Finally, why has the Ministry not considered enhancing the penalties so that the 783 pedestrians who were charged in courts of law will not cross the same road at the same spots because of the stiff penalties that will be given? I say this because; for how long will we have pedestrians dying on the Thika Super highway so soon after it was opened?"
}