HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 677711,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/677711/?format=api",
"text_counter": 313,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "revised, modified and withdrawn. It also deals with how disputes concerning physical planning can be resolved. These types of development plans include, the national physical development plan, the regional physical development plan, the county physical development plan, the local physical development plan and special area plans. The advantage we have in the Senate is that we have a few Members who are specialists in this area, including the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Kivuti. That advantage, coupled with the advantage that we are the protectors of devolution will give us the best possible input that we can make towards improving this Bill. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, Part 4 deals with development control. It sets the objectives of development control, the authority of planning authorities to undertake development control, the procedure for obtaining planning permissions for development and offences relating to violation of development control. If there is an area that has brought untold anguish in this country, it is the one on violations related to development control. Initially, there were parts of Nairobi which were designated for particular types of buildings either industrial, residential or mixed development, but the flouting of those plans and corruption, especially in the local authorities, that has brought down the entire noble objective of having a planned country cannot be over-emphasised. We have cases where buildings have collapsed, because a ten-storey residential structure is next to a river bed. I do not think any physical planner would have envisaged a building 15 meters away from a flowing river. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I hope that this aspect of development control will help us. In many towns in this country, we have areas designated as middle-income residential areas. Someone may, therefore, take a loan, get an approval and establish a home either for rental purposes or residence as a family. However, somebody else may get an approval to establish a metal works garage just outside that residence to do welding and fabrications of all manner of metal works. You can imagine the agony the family will go through for the rest of their lives. Therefore, the issue of development control must be respected. This Bill puts strict penalties for people who either collude with the authorities or violate development control arrangements. There are provisions in Part 4 that penalize people who violate development control in such a way as to interfere with the preservation of heritage sites, like museums, archives and historical monuments which should be preserved. In this country we take the issue of heritage sites casually. We have historically significant monuments and sites which are irreplaceable. The treasure in those monuments and sites is great. For example, we have sunken cities of Gedi in the north coast and so many other places in Lamu. In western Kenya, we have places that my brother, the Senate Minority Leader, is more conversant with, including the Crying Stone in Kakamega and the Elephant Caves in Mt. Elgon. These must be preserved so that no one puts up a five-star hotel because they have realised that many people are going to Kakamega because devolution is taking root. That notwithstanding, development must always respect the environment and our national heritage. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}