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{
    "id": 510122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/510122/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 147,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. F.K. Wanyonyi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2065,
        "legal_name": "Ferdinard Kevin Wanyonyi",
        "slug": "ferdinard-kevin-wanyonyi"
    },
    "content": "for a fact, our drivers do not behave well on the roads. You will find a Zebra Crossing at the schools or hospitals, but motorist just pass without taking note of that. Of course, the excuse is that there is vandalism of sign posts. I am happy that this week we managed to pass a law on scrap metals. That may also deter people who remove sign posts from the roadsides. Above all, I have travelled as most people have travelled here. You will find that most of those institutions; whether it is a hospital, where there is Zebra Crossing, we have what they call a safety kite which carries up a road sign. If there are no sign posts, you will find somebody volunteering or a school employee with a sign to show that children are crossing. That is how we can save our children from risks. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I was in Japan recently and I saw that example. Somebody comes with a sign showing children crossing so that motorists can stop. But basically, we have a problem on our roads. The other day, I was travelling and I was following a school bus. I could not believe my eyes. In fact, I drove ahead of the bus hoping to catch up with the traffic police on the road and accuse that driver because children were actually hanging on the windows. My security officer told me that some of them were dancing in the bus because there was loud music in the bus. That meant, whoever was in that vehicle, I supposed there must have been a teacher or, at least, somebody from the school, plus the driver---Allowing children to dance in the school bus is very normal, but allowing children to hang out on the windows is very dangerous. In a normal Kenyan society; there is something amiss. Therefore, something must be done. Earlier on, somebody mentioned that we may need to have road safety media awareness on the national media; either on the radio or television. This mode will remind our people that some of those deaths we see on our roads are our own creation. There is no school bus that can go from here to Machakos or to Mombasa without a teacher or school matron and yet, we see that kind of behaviour on our roads. We have seen so many of those incidents. The other thing I wanted to mention is that roads that are being constructed to date--- I wish the Vice-Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport, Public Works and Housing could listen! That is Eng. Mahamud. As hon. Mahamud walks out, I want to say that there could be road constructions today in Kenya or elsewhere in developed countries as Kenya is equally developed, but we should have at least, a lane for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. I have seen that elsewhere. Provisions are there and as we construct roads in this country, we should have a lane specifically for motorcycles. If you go to Thika Road, you will find that we have a problem. We have provision for footbridges, but somebody takes a shortcut by running across the main highway. Of course, most of our children you seen around are accompanied. You will see a parent; either a mother with a child from school carrying books and running across the road instead of crossing using the footbridges provided. I have seen that and I am sure most hon. Members of Parliament from that side know that it is a very high risky area. You see a parent pulling three children across the road. That is bad manners. When you are involved in an accident, who do you blame? That is exactly what is happening. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I have seen in my own area in Trans-Nzoia a parent giving boda boda rider money to take children to school and he carries six The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}