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{
    "id": 707236,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/707236/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 225,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) G.G Kariuki",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 330,
        "legal_name": "Godfrey Gitahi Kariuki",
        "slug": "gg-kariuki"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I have looked at the Report which the hon. Member has presented to this House and it is encouraging, and so are the last remarks by the Member of the Committee who has spoken before me. Everyone is aware that we need roads in various places. The people who did projections did not envisage population growth. The roads that were tarmarcked by the Europeans who owned coffee estates are now dilapidated. At that time, the elites were settled at the central and traditional districts like Nyeri, Murang’a, Embu and Kiambu. All these areas are traditional districts which benefited a little. The black people could not enjoy good roads because most of them did not have cars. A good number of Kenyans are now educated. We should deal with the affairs and problems that we have based on international standards. There is comparative advantage for tourists and investors who visit our country. We need to construct good roads so that people can easily transport their produce to the market. I found some ladies harvesting in their small shambas and they told me that they could not sell their produce because they cannot access the market. They also told me that middlemen buy their maize at Kshs2,100 per bag, which is less than the Kshs3000 per bag that they would get if they took it to the market. Our people are making losses yet they elected leaders to represent them in the National Assembly and the Senate. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the things that are important to the people who elected us always take the back seat. It is so unfortunate and we should blame ourselves as Members of these powerful institutions because the people gave us the power to represent and defend them through these institutions. As a leader, you should help your people through good and bad situations. Therefore, the philosophy of road making did not just happen. It came about because of population growth. We need to construct good roads so that the local people are able to access the markets and sell their products. In 2014 there was a problem between the county governments and the national Government on who should manage the construction of roads. In some areas, county governments pretend to have done some roads which were already done by the Kenya Roads Board (KRB). The Committee on Roads and Transportation needs to investigate to make sure that county governments perform the roles that are set out for them. County governments like Kakamega and Turkana which get about Kshs10 billion can afford to tarmac roads. However, counties like Laikipia, that get less than Kshs8 billion are not able to construct good roads. What kind of road can you tarmac with such a small amount? What kind of road can you open up other than following what you found? If you are following what you found, you assume this district remains stagnant 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"
}