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{
    "id": 445348,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/445348/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mugo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 85,
        "legal_name": "Beth Wambui Mugo",
        "slug": "beth-mugo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this Motion which I support and to congratulate the Mover, Sen. Mositet for his foresight. We all know the value of infrastructure; good roads are the major deciding factors for economic growth. At the moment, the nation is focusing on poverty reduction so that our people can have better standards of living. A lot of growth is centred in our agricultural centres and those townships, which are not the cities, are the immediate stop and the nearest to our farmers. Therefore, to improve marketing for their produce, it is very important that we put a lot of effort in maintaining those roads. It is true we are at cross roads when things are moving from the national Government and being devolved to counties. Nevertheless, we must not allow a gap where some of the roads become almost impassable. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we, therefore, support this move. In the meantime, KURA which is the one that has been maintaining the cities and the municipalities expands even to those other areas where the headquarters of counties have been established. Until such time when the new move to put some roads under counties and major international roads in the national Government so that there is continuity in maintaining roads in those townships which are now becoming major towns because they are county headquarters. We know that sometimes there has been pulling and pushing between the national Government and the counties as to who is in charge of what roads. That can also be one of the major problems. We urge the counties to move with speed, organize themselves and sit with the Ministry and decide or come up with which roads they are responsible for. The counties will be best placed to really do those roads within their counties. Nevertheless, it is an issue that cannot be left unattended. Many counties are crying that their roads are becoming impassable. That can be detrimental and bad for the economy which we are all trying to grow so that we can have enough for our citizens. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also know that other amenities such as schools are located in those townships. It is important that the teachers and the students get to schools without having to go through mud like we did when we were growing up and got very dirty. You will find that some teachers do not want to be transferred to some areas because those areas do not have passable roads. I have seen that happen, especially in some areas even in the city where some of the teachers living in the Eastlands area were finding it difficult to be posted in areas whey they felt that the roads were impassable. To promote equality for all counties we strongly recommend that maintenance of roads is addressed equally and that all roads are made passable. I support."
}