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"content": "issues was about where Class D roads will fall. In the earlier dispensation of our roads network, Class D roads fell under county governments. There was a lot of contestation on this issue because reclassification was supposed to ensure that the roads, according to usage, can be assigned to the right entity. This brought forth quite differing presentations from both the Ministry and the county governments. I am glad to say that, finally, consensus was hammered out during the Inter-Governmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting that was chaired by the Deputy President and which included all the governors. After this agreement was reached, reclassification was agreed upon and Class D roads were agreed to be under county governments. However, Mr. Speaker, Sir, let us also be clear about where this contest was leading us. The road network left under county governments is probably almost 140,000kilometres. However, the amount of money disbursed to counties compared to all the other allocations, for example, for paying wages and to other development projects; the percentage of those funds that would be left to any governor, whether in Nairobi, Mandera or Lamu, would barely be adequate for them to satisfactorily address the need for good roads in the counties. Therefore, this is a step in the right direction. However, it is one step awaiting too many because the bulk of our country is still within those counties that we would be calling underdeveloped. We, therefore, still have a lot to do. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue that was heavily contested was on the increment of the allocation to counties via the fuel levy. This was also agreed upon. I am happy to report that after consultations with both sides, we agreed that for the time being, we will retain the percentage as it was. As the Senate Majority Leader has said, most of the work right now either in developing, re-carpeting or repairing of roads is being done by the national Government. This is due to, sometimes, the lack of capacity in counties, inadequacy of funds or by the sheer magnitude of work required to be done by any county government. Those two issues were hammered out, making the work of this Committee easy, because what we had to address then were the other issues. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I do not want to be repetitive of what the Senate Majority Leader has said. However, let me just say a few things on that question of reclassification. If reclassification is followed through and if each agency does what it is supposed to do with efficiency and in collaboration with county governments--- One of the issues that needs to be brought out clearly in this House – because the Senate is the father, representative and advocate of counties--- As we allocate these funds and give the bulk of resources to KeNHA, with the new hat or umbrella it is wearing and the other agencies, that still being the responsibility of those agencies under the management by the national Government, there is no argument that would be made that any road – be it under the national Government agencies or county governments – does not pass through a county. Those roads still pass through counties and they still have effect on counties. The input of how, for example, the local area or shopping centre will be done when a major highway is passing through a county or shopping centre within that county will still require the input of the county government. Therefore, for this new reclassification to be 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."
}