HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 837604,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/837604/?format=api",
"text_counter": 235,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kwanza, FORD-K",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi",
"speaker": {
"id": 2065,
"legal_name": "Ferdinard Kevin Wanyonyi",
"slug": "ferdinard-kevin-wanyonyi"
},
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for allowing me to continue. First and foremost, we should have some order. Currently, with the increase in population, we see many buildings coming up in urban areas, municipal areas and markets without planning. Therefore, this classification has come at the right time. We need to have order. Recently, I was in Dubai, a place I last visited almost 10 years ago, when it was just a desert and you could count the buildings. I stayed there for about two months working for a multi-national company called Kodak. When I was there, I looked for that company and I could not find it because the town is very well organised. In fact, as I was there, the Cable News Network (CNN) said Dubai is one of the most dynamic cities in the world today because of good planning. Therefore, there is need for us to implement this possibly based on population. Also at the same time, as somebody has mentioned, we should set aside some land for agricultural and industrial development. Today, we see people putting up buildings left, right and centre and it is difficult to get the required services. There is need for us to plan our urban areas based on the population and that way, the governors of respective counties will competitively use the boards to run the counties effectively. Secondly, we have also to take into consideration the social amenities that go with this. In Tanzania those days, there was this Vijiji vya Ujamaa which were started by the late President of Tanzania so that they could collectively have social amenities. Today, in my own constituency, I have a district headquarters that is coming up, but looking at it, I think we just have to demolish some areas because there is no plan for it. Therefore, the future of that particular town will become a problem. I support this Bill because it is a right thing from the Senate. The only question I have is about the establishment of the so-called urban development funds. What is the source of that money? Kenyans today are already over-burdened with taxation. I, therefore, want the Committee to come up and explain to us where the money is going to come from. If it is just going to be from the rates and rent, let it be done so that we can be able to maximise on the migration from rural areas to urban areas, the markets coming up, municipalities, cities and what have you. Last but not least, I also want to say that if we do not plan our cities today, tomorrow we will be in a lot of problems. Look at our own Industrial Area. Look at Kibera and Industrial Area where people stay, you cannot even access your neighbour. Therefore, I support this and I think we should be able to come up with a proper plan to classify our urban areas as provided. Thank you."
}