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{
    "id": 813100,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/813100/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 99,
    "type": "other",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, we have had big projects like Road 2000 Programme. However, there are questions which beg for answers. For example, which authority is supposed to construct which roads? Which level of Government is supposed to be managing what class of road? That is the crux of the matter. This Bill provides for the establishment of the Kenya National Secondary Roads Authority (KNSRA). I see a lot of glutton in this Bill because all the roads seem to be the purview of the national Government. That is totally unacceptable. The County governments across the country are in dire need of tarmacking over 31,000 kilometres, but there is no proper financing mechanism. Critically looking at the KNSRA, you will see there is no much difference between it and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). We are only baptizing KeRRA by giving it a new name, so that it remains to be the purview of the national Government and under the control of the Members of the National Assembly through the constituencies. That is the truth. County governments may not maintain roads, but ordinarily, be pathways to market places and small towns. This is within their jurisdiction. How do you explain to me a provision within this Bill that 28 per cent of the monies allocated for roads be shared equally amongst the 290 constituencies? That is why you end up with a half a kilometre of tarmac road. We are not sharing development, but money. This does not augur well for the long-term macro-economic development of this country. This is totally unacceptable. Not all constituencies are at the same level of development. At the same time, there are roads that are more important than others in terms of spurring economic growth. If we do that, we just have a situation where we identify whatever road that we must do within a particular financial year. This is a very absurd way of predicating our development. Madam Temporary Speaker, as I said, this is an area that I have contention with. I urge this august House that we need to relook at that. We need to ensure that resources are allocated based on needs and priorities within the framework of the Kenya Vision 2030 and the way we would want to integrate Africa. Another key concern about roads is the costing. This issue has not been properly addressed by this Bill. It is left to the forces of supply and demand. We have done a comparative study that clearly shows that Kenyan roads cost three to four times the amount of money Tanzania and Uganda are using because of corruption. How do you justify Kshs4 billion being spent to construct a-11 kilometres road? How can that happen 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."
}