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{
    "id": 667220,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/667220/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 673,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Mati",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2469,
        "legal_name": "G.J. Munuve Mati",
        "slug": "gj-munuve-mati"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. Let me join the Members in supporting this Bill. Speaking after some of my colleagues reminds me of a book I read on European history about Marie Antoinette, who saw people demonstrating and asked what their problem was. She was told that they wanted bread. She asked why they could not have bread. She said that if there was no bread, then they could have cake. I say this because I listened to Hon. Ombaka as she was talking about zebra crossings and cabs. We do not have those things in Mwingi North. We do not have any road that we can talk about as having potholes. It is very interesting to listen to my colleagues and know the difference and the dichotomy between my constituency, Mwingi North, and other places in the Republic of Kenya. From the outset, I would like to congratulate His Excellency, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, and his Government for having remembered us. I have said it many times in this House that my constituency has 800 metres of tarmac, 53 years after Independence. I am reliably told that by the end of my five-year term, we could see 70 kilometres of road being constructed. This is a very big leap that will see Mwingi North join the rest of the world in terms of development. It is a shame that we have persevered that level of under-development as other parts of the country developed albeit the fact that we have been represented at very high levels of Government. We do not want to fret or cry over the past. The important thing is to positively look forward to what is in store for my people in Mwingi North. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, this also includes the whole line from your constituency, Kibwezi East, all the way exiting through Tana River. Crossing the two rivers in Ukambani on tarmac will be a big thing. It will extend to Athi River, all the way to Tana River and into Tharaka Nithi. This will be a miracle in terms of economic growth for my region. Our region has the two biggest rivers and we can practice irrigation. With a good transport network, we can get our produce to Mombasa, Nairobi, Meru and build a 24-hour economy. It should not be lost to us that this road, once constructed, will be a major highway to Ethiopia. We have suffered long enough. The Bill anticipates some responsibility for the county governments. It is a responsibility that I am skeptical about because although every county without exception in the Republic of Kenya spends at least Kshs1 billion on roads maintenance and repair, in my part of the world, I have not seen an inch of murram in my constituency done by my county government. My hope and prayer is that they will pull up their socks or they will be pulled out of those positions. We cannot lose money repeatedly year in, year out, to non-existent roads. 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."
}