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{
    "id": 554949,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/554949/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 285,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Lentoimaga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2756,
        "legal_name": "Alois Musa Lentoimaga",
        "slug": "alois-musa-lentoimaga"
    },
    "content": "At this particular moment in Africa, we are trading lowly. We do not trade so much among African countries. That is within East Africa, West Africa and Central Africa. Even in East Africa, we are not doing very well. But we trade more with Europe and America. A study had shown that trade among Africans is only 2 per cent. The rest is between us and the countries that are almost 8,000 to 10,000 kilometres away from Kenya. If developed well and we appreciate the initiative of the East African Heads of State, this railway line will increase trade in Africa and connect Africans with each other. It will modernise Africa in terms of opening new avenues for trade. It will also guarantee safety. At the moment, travelling is so much insecure because we get a lot of accidents because of the very many vehicles that are using our roads. It is sometimes risky and that is why we sometimes say that it is even safer to go by air than by road. However, a standard railway line can guarantee safety in our country. Hon. Deputy Speaker, it will also reduce congestion in our cities. We have a lot of congestion at the moment because of the many vehicles and there is a lot of traffic jam. This railway will reduce the number of vehicles on our roads, especially the trucks because by developing the railway line, the heavy trucks which are ten tonnes and above will not exist on our roads. They will be transporting goods along the railway. They will therefore not be around the cities and towns that are within our areas. It will also increase the life of our roads because at the moment, we know it is these heavy trucks which destroy our roads. If a road is developed, hardly can it last for three before you start looking for money to repair it. I am also sure that it will also reduce corruption at the weighbridges. Weighbridges are being used to allow those heavy trucks to destroy the roads. I am sure it will develop our areas, especially northern Kenya. It will develop towns that have been sleeping and have never grown. It will make those towns grow, become bigger and continue creating more trade. Hon. Deputy Speaker, it will also make us know each other as Kenyans and East Africans. We have diverse cultures but we are not able to connect to each other because 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."
}