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{
    "id": 475975,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/475975/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 35,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "July 23, 2014 SENATE DEBATES 5 Sen. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the hon. Senator had sought a clarification last week with regard to the fact that the loans and grants from China are for projects that are in areas where the President and Deputy President come from. He specifically mentioned Central and Rift Valley. Specifically, he mentioned two of the projects. I want to state that he mentioned a grant for reconstruction of Gatundu Hospital at Kshs1.52 billion and Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital Project at Kshs9.85 billion. If you go through the schedule, it will be clear that these projects are national projects that span across the country. I want to give examples. In the completed projects that add up to Kshs40 billion, you will find Moi International Sports Complex which is the first project funded by China, it is a national project in Nairobi. It is not favoring any particular region. The widening of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) - Uhuru Highway Road, which will cost Kshs1 billion is a national project. It is not something that is either in Central or Rift Valley. The construction of Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Nairobi’s Eastlands was for Kshs2 billion. This was done a few years ago. The Nairobi-Thika Super Highway, again, is part of the Nairobi Metropolitan. If you come to Ol Karia Geothermal, the cost is Kshs7.5 billion. That is providing power to Kakamega and other parts of this country. Procurement of equipment for NYS was Kshs4.2 billion. This is a national issue. The list goes on, it is long, I do not want to go through all of it. But when you come to the ongoing projects, which I am sure is the Senator’s area of concern, the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital, this is located in Nairobi. The hospital is not located in Rift Valley or Central. This project commenced more than four years ago. It was not started by this Government. Therefore, the question of saying that it was started and is favouring the two incumbents is wrong. In fact, this project was started at the time when his side was part of the coalition that was in government then. It is almost reaching completion. The Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital is a national university. The procedure is that universities apply to the Treasury for funding. If Maseno University in Western Kenya applies tomorrow for funding through a programme like this one, the National Treasury will process it the same way they processed the other one. I do not think there is anything skewed about the Kenyatta University Teaching, Research and Referral Hospital. The other issue is on the Nairobi-Southern bypass Project. Again, it is part of the northern corridor that goes all the way to other countries in East Africa. The cost for this is Kshs19 billion. Apart from the standard gauge railway, the other single largest item is listed as No.12 on the provision of drilling materials for 80 geothermal wells in Ol Karia. Lastly, the other project the Senator is concerned about is the reconstruction of Gatundu Hospital. This is a grant of Kshs1.52 billion. Gatundu Hospital, like any other hospital, applied through the Ministry for funding. This is a grant that has been given to assist reconstruction of that hospital. So, with all due respect to the Senator, I do not see anything you would say is skewed or that the projects are favouring Central or Rift Valley region. These are all national projects that benefit every part of this country, to a large extent."
}