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{
    "id": 813654,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/813654/?format=api",
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    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, having welcomed the pupils and teachers from Kamunyu Primary School, allow me to also contribute to the Motion by my colleague, Sen. Kasanga, on the need for the establishment of standard policy regulations for the construction and maintenance of rural access roads. The state of roads, especially in rural Kenya following the recent heavy rains, is pathetic. Access to markets, schools and social amenities has become a difficult task almost everywhere in this country. Madam Temporary Speaker, one of the biggest challenges that we face as a nation is lack of standards in the construction of our roads, especially roads in rural Kenya. This Motion could not have come at a better time because the news just in is that our President has just announced that Kenya has doubled our shareholding in Africa 50, a continental platform that deals with funding of infrastructure development. Our initial funding was Kshs5 billion and now we have moved to Kshs10 billion. It is a statement that we, as a nation, are serious about infrastructure. The basics of all infrastructure is access roads, especially, in rural Kenya. Madam Temporary Speaker, the Kenya Roads Bill has been debated in this House. Clause 6 of the Bill proposes the creation of a Public Roads Standards Board (PRSB). It is a board that is expected to set and oversee the implementation of standards of all categories and classes of both national and county roads. When you look at the Constitution and the institutions that are proposed to sit on that board, you will realize that almost every relevant agency of Government that deals with roads is represented. The same Bill, in Clause 101, creates the County Roads Agencies, which will be responsible for standards of roads in the counties. The widening gap in that provision is that the County Roads Agencies are not represented at the board that is supposed to be setting standards for roads, including the ones in the counties. Madam Temporary Speaker, this Motion by Sen. Kasanga is timely and will lay the foundation on which regulations for the operationalization of the Bill, if it is passed, will be based. We have just listened to the contribution of our colleague, Sen. (Eng.) Hargura. He has listed a number of technologies that are available, affordable and 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."
}