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{
    "id": 783555,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/783555/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 145,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Oundo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13331,
        "legal_name": "Wilberforce Ojiambo Oundo",
        "slug": "wilberforce-ojiambo-oundo-2"
    },
    "content": "I must confess that I have lived in the City for many years. The issues of traffic, inadequate transport and lack of service lanes remain a problem, but I believe the approach taken to solve the problems is not the right one. There is no shortage of legislation and policies to manage traffic affairs in this country. For example, just the other day, we passed the Urban Land Use Policy, the Land Use Policy and, at the moment, we are debating amendments to the Physical Planning Act that are adequate to provide solutions to the endemic problem of traffic in this City. The Urban Areas and Cities Act enacted in 2012 is very clear on the roles and functions of managing traffic and related activities in this town. I sincerely feel that this particular Act attempts, in all practical purposes, to emasculate the powers of the county governments to manage the affairs of this country. We have the Nairobi Metropolitan Growth Strategy, which did not include Murang’a County. As my colleagues have said, if we included Murang’a County, we could as well have included Nakuru County, Narok County and all counties within a radius of 100 kilometres. From my technical perspective, I feel that including some of those areas is just duplication and a waste of time. I concur with my colleagues who have spoken before me; that the issue of traffic does not affect Nairobi and its environs alone. While driving to Mombasa, you know how many hours it takes you to get to the city centre from Mariakani. Many times, even entering Kisumu Town occasionally from Nyamasaria can be a traffic problem, not to mention the chaos that are normally in Nakuru Town as you cross the railway bridge to the Ngata side. Those of us who have on occasions driven through Eldoret know the number of hours you spend to drive through Eldoret Town. My view is that we should have generated a country-wide Bill to address traffic challenges in prime cities in this country, instead of merely concentrating on Nairobi area. We read an ulterior motive and mischief on the part of the national Government in coming up with this particular Bill. Looking at the various issues affecting Nairobi, transport is integrated to other issues. Issues of traffic and congestion in Nairobi are integrated to other issues such as economic performance, housing and the rest. Many people opt to live outside Nairobi City because of the high cost of living and the high rents. If we could solve that problem, we would probably not wonder about the issue of traffic congestion. The issue of traffic congestion also has to do with the poor working capacity or ability of the Traffic Department. Generally, we have seen many occasions where traffic lights have worked seamlessly, where we never have major traffic jam. However, whenever traffic police officers from the Traffic Department step in, the city clogs up. The issue for drainage has nothing to do with Murang’a, Kitengela and Machakos. It essentially has to do with the internal drainage system. As you know, drainage causes the biggest traffic challenges in this town. We need to strengthen Nairobi County. On the issue of constitutionality of the Bill, my simple understanding is that we could look at it project by project, and not as a long-term issue. What do we do once we solve the traffic problems in Nairobi? Does the Act become irrelevant or are we in a way trying to perpetuate some kind of national supervision of the affairs of Nairobi County? While the motive or the long-term intention is good, the way the matter is being approached smacks of mischief. On that score, I oppose the Bill as drafted and as intended to be applied."
}