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{
    "id": 84525,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/84525/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 214,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Raila",
    "speaker_title": "The Prime Minister",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 195,
        "legal_name": "Raila Amolo Odinga",
        "slug": "raila-odinga"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a number of the clarifications that have been sought are really related. If for example, you look at the concerns of hon. Murgor that lorries should be kept on one side, or that overtaking should not be done on the right side of the road; that ambulances cause accidents on the roads; that the police put weigh bridges on one side and, therefore, cause accidents; all those have to do with traffic regulations which are available but are not being enforced. There is nothing more that needs to be done, other than ensuring that the police do enforce the traffic regulations which exist already. Mr. Chanzu raised the issue which was discussed here yesterday, that is the co- ordination between the Office of the President and the Ministry of Transport. I give an undertaking that we will ensure that those two Ministries do work in tandem. Mr. Maina Kamau wanted to know about Thika Road; the construction work is causing dust which makes the residents of the area suffer. He was also concerned about diversions which are causing accidents, and said that sometimes there are no clear markings. I agree with the hon. Member that the contractor is under an obligation while creating a diversion to do it in accordance with the provisions of the Traffic Act. Secondly, there should be clear markings for motorists so that they can see it at a reasonable distance and know that there is a diversion in front in order to avoid an unnecessary accident. However, I do not know if there is anything that can be done about dust. There are certain risks that must be borne by the population when you are carrying out a construction of this magnitude. It is not possible, for example, to tiptoe with a Jumbo jet. You cannot bring the Jumbo jet from the air and land it without making noise. Likewise, we cannot carry out road construction without some dust being emitted. There is nothing that the contractor can do. Therefore, I am afraid that I cannot save businessmen using Thika Highway from dust. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Mr. Kathuri talked of the issue of PSV vehicles. PSV vehicles are normally in a rush because they compete. The problem that he is talking about is just lack of enforcement of regulations. On the issue of instant ticketing, I know that this matter is now being considered, and that very shortly we will have traffic officers armed with tickets that they will be able to issue to offending motorists on the spot. Regarding Mr. Shakeel’s question, I talked about rapid transit train which is already now under consideration. In fact, the Kenya Railways Corporation is working on this, and within the next few months we will have the first Mono Rail Train in our city. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member further suggested that the GK vehicles are reckless, and that they should bear the names of the Ministries. The fact that they are GK vehicles is sufficient identification. Whether or not you write the name of the driver on top of the vehicles, in my view, does not really help. People know that this driver is driving a Government vehicle. Whether the vehicle belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Roads or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it does not make a difference."
}