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{
    "id": 830552,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/830552/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 612,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Halake",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13184,
        "legal_name": "Abshiro Soka Halake",
        "slug": "abshiro-soka-halake"
    },
    "content": "A country must run on planning and on planned urban development as opposed to just things cropping up every day. We have seen what that can do in terms of even just disasters. I do not want to repeat what everybody else has said. Having come from a background of disaster management, this Bill which seeks to provide a planning, construction and maintenance of county roads, streets, lanes, alleys, parking bays, drainage systems and pavements and to provide for proper planning of access roads to commercial buildings, is very timely. Our counties are starting to do spatial plans and come up with all the strategies for development both in terms of urban and other development. So, this is a good time for this House to come up with a framework that guides this planning. I do not want to talk about the different duties of the county executives because this is well assigned. Sometimes to be a developing country is an opportunity for us to get things right with regard to green infrastructure. I know other countries have a lot of infrastructure and then they have to green them afterwards. Green infrastructure is basically the multi-functionality of infrastructure – be they roads or pavements – so that they look at proximity to population, amongst other considerations. It is for us to use this opportunity to make laws at this time when sustainable development is a key consideration, to look at our urban development, infrastructure and roads from the angle and lens of green infrastructure as well. Madam Temporary Speaker, as I said, I know these ideas around the green economy, environmental, social, cultural and economic aspects of urban development and policy can be a bit difficult because there is no single definition for some of these things. However, we have an opportunity in our laws to make sure that as we develop our infrastructure and make our plans, we look at those kinds of things that make sure that we are not going backwards like the countries that had developed at a time when climate change or other environmental footprints of our urban development were not an issue. I am happy with all the provisions, except for Clause 8(3) which alludes to compulsory acquisition of land. I am a bit concerned because we have seen what has happened in the recent past with regards to demolitions and other movement of populations when the Government goes ahead to acquire land compulsorily. For example, we have seen in the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) line, Kibera and some places where The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}