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{
    "id": 502789,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/502789/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 376,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Eng.) Gumbo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 24,
        "legal_name": "Nicholas Gumbo",
        "slug": "nicholas-gumbo"
    },
    "content": "agree that the transportation of Nairobi residents to and from work was a much more efficient undertaking than it is now. Even as we engage in interventions such as this, both the Central Government and the County Government of Nairobi must seriously consider as a matter of urgency investing in a mass public transport system. It is hardly 20 years ago when traffic in Nairobi was flowing like clockwork. Those were the days of the KBS when you knew that a bus in a particular route would be at a particular stage at a particular time. This is still possible. Even as we do that, we must also seriously consider the limitations that we have put on the importation of vehicles. The Kenyan economy has grown, more so with the rebasing and maybe, as one of the ways of limiting traffic on our roads, it is time we limited the age of vehicles that we import into this country. Apart from helping us to contain and deal with traffic issues, it will also help us in growing the nascent motor vehicle industry in Kenya. It is a fact that the more we import these second hand vehicles into the country, the less we give the opportunity for our people, especially assemblers to expand their businesses. We know that when you import, you use your scarce currency resources as opposed to when you manufacture and attract foreign currency resources. We need something close to a marshal plan to deal with the traffic situation. It is not just in Nairobi alone. It is very interesting to note that these days, even what were previously smaller towns like Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret, have traffic snarl-ups. The advent of the devolved governments, much as they have come with their advantages, have also brought certain disadvantages, particularly with regard to the traffic management. A lot more money is now going to the counties. Kenyans are now able to invest at those levels. This is also bringing in problems that we have to deal with. I support, but we must courageously graduate this Motion into a Bill, so that as a House, we pronounce ourselves on this problem. This problem is affecting all of us. It cannot be right that to travel a mere two to three kilometres in Nairobi sometimes take us as much as one to two hours. The economy will grind to a halt and the losses are numerous. We should come up with a plan to deal with this issue and make traffic flow improve. More importantly, we need to have a courageous plan to come up with a mass transport system for Nairobi, where as much as possible, people will see the incentive and the need to leave their private cars at home and use a comfortable mass transport system. That is a more long-term remedy than these measures that are targeting only certain parts of the City as opposed to dealing with the problem in totality. With those remarks, I support."
}