Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 813678,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/813678/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 180,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "ensure that it is used for what it was intended for. Whereas governors might not like that, it is a responsibility of the Government that is giving that money. We know that the national Government is the one that gives most of the monies for development to the county governments. Unfortunately, county governments have not been able to raise enough money for development at the county level. We all know that there is a lot of waste at the county level and that money is not going to what it is intended to do. Until we all agree that we own the access roads, the health centres and the technical schools in our areas, we will not win the battle. Therefore, Madam Temporary Speaker, those who are given the responsibility at the county level to do the feeder and access roads owe it to the people of that county to make sure that it happens. When I was the Member of Parliament for Dagoretti Constituency, there used to be a lot of arguments on the issue of money to do the feeder roads. Dagoretti is not all a city; it is mixed, with a part of it being urban and another part rural. I would say: “We did this road using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).” The County Council of Nairobi then would say that it was their road, they put their money there. The road was used as a cash cow and money did not do what it was intended. We should ensure that money spreads not just on a given road which everybody is claiming to have done, but also to do the other roads in the counties, constituencies or wards. I say so because no matter how much money is available for this work, if there is no accountability that we are all committed to see that a road is done, we will not win the battle. This is like a calling; no one needs to be supervised. The need for good access roads cannot be gainsaid. We know that to open markets for our produce, we need these feeder and access roads. The produce cannot reach the markets without these roads since they connect the farms to the markets. On the Big Four Agenda which has been talked about a lot, one of the pillars is food security which will ensure that there is enough food for everybody. In Kenya, I believe we produce enough food for everybody. However, we have to move that food to where it is needed. That is why I congratulate Senator Kasanga for bringing this very important Motion. I encourage her to go ahead and bring a Bill, so that it becomes a law to standardise the rural roads. I hope that she will also include the urban roads; the township, not the Central Business District (CBD). When you look at where our people live, there are also no roads there. When we talk about development, we should include everybody. Madam Temporary Speaker, we must see how to save all the produce that is lost by ensuring that we have good feeder roads. This will enable the farmers reach produce to the markets, so that it can reach areas where there is inadequate food. Farmers will get their worth for the farming because they have sold their produce. When we look at the issue of affordable healthcare or good health for everybody, patients need feeder roads to access where the health centres are. I have heard of cases where expectant mothers cannot reach the health centre which might be four or five kilometres away. We cannot talk of accessing affordable health if that mother cannot make it to a facility. We congratulate the First Lady who worked very hard to make sure that mothers deliver in a health facility or are helped by a trained nurse or doctor. To support the work which the First Lady is doing and even the President’s Big Four Agenda 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."
}