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{
    "id": 89571,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/89571/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 208,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. I. Muoki",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 87,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Mulatya Muoki",
        "slug": "isaac-muoki"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. In fact, I was about to rise on a point of order on that issue. I am the Vice-Chairman of the Committee and I am representing my able Chairman, who is in the House but he has just come from an overseas assignment. Therefore, we will give him time to rest. I would like to say that our Committee is mandated to undertake issues on transport, roads, public works, construction and maintenance of roads, rails, buildings, airfields, seaports and housing. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in considering the estimates of the Ministry of Roads, the Committee met the Minister on 24th June 20910. We received submissions, presentations and the relevant reports. The Minister came along with his technical staff. The Committee also considered the following policy papers on the Budget; Vision 2030, the medium term plans, Printed Estimates for the Financial Year 2010/2011 for Vote 13, the Budget Speech by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance 2010/2011, the Budget outlook paper for the financial year 2010/2011, the Budget Strategy Paper for the Financial Year 2010/2011 and the Economic Survey for 2010/2011 and any other relevant documents. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we looked at the total net requested from the Exchequer by the Ministry, the comparison of the previous year’s allocation, allocations to the new projects and programmes, the Ministry’s absorption capacity, areas, projects and programmes which were left out of the Estimates and all development projects whether new, ongoing or stalled. We also looked at the critical issues that the Ministry intends to achieve during the financial year 2010/2011. We also looked at how the Ministry intends to live within the shortfall between the total net requested and what they were given in the Budget. We also looked at the performance and implementation status of the projects and programmes in the previous financial year budget of 2009/2010. We also looked at the proposed allocation vis-à-vis the achievements of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan. Then we also looked at the Budget of State corporations under the Ministry; the Kenya Roads Board (KRB), the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and others. We also looked at the District budgets and the other estimates. I wish to sincerely thank our Chairman who ably steered the Committee. I would also like to thank my colleagues, the Committee Members, who also did a very commendable job. I would also like to thank the Minister who was very prompt in attending the Meeting and his technical staff. I would also want to thank your office and also the Office of the Clerk for enabling us to achieve what we were able to achieve as a Committee. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will not go to the details of the budgets and the figures because the Minister has already discussed that. However, there are some issues I would like to raise. You will notice that despite the fact that the Ministry of Roads, as the Minister has indicated, was given about 30 per cent more money that in the previous years, the funds still fall short of the optimal requirement. You will agree with me that although the Ministry of Roads has done quite a lot in terms of improving the road network in the country, there has been previous neglect. Therefore, what they have achieved in the last seven years is not sufficient to cover the whole road network in the country. That shortfall still needs to be addressed. The Ministry would do better with more finances from the Exchequer. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as a result of that, some key roads were left out. We have the Kitale – Nadapal road which was left out. We also have the Rumuruti – Maralal road which was also left out. We have the Nuno – Modogashe – Wajir Road and the expansion of Ngong’ Road and Outer Ring Road and Kibwezi – Mutomo – Kitui – Isiolo Road. I would like to say here that some of these roads which were left out of the budget are very crucial. This is because if you look at the road network in the country, you will observe that some areas have actually been neglected and yet they have very important connecting roads. If you remember, last year, I talked very strongly about the road from Voi to Taveta. I think the Minister has taken it on board now, but we also talked about the Kibwezi – Kitui Road. We have raised this issue with the Minister, as a Committee. We have also raised it with the Minister as Members of Parliament from that region. We have also raised the same issue with His Excellency the President. You will recall and agree with me that at some point, the Minister had promised to have this road budgeted for. However, as you can see, it has been left out. Therefore, what I am saying is that, these key roads which were left out of the budget need to be addressed very urgently. We think if these roads are done, our country will be connected with other neighbouring countries and this will spur development. I would, therefore, like to urge the Minister to address the issues of the roads that I have mentioned and in particular, the Kibwezi – Kitui Road which we were promised was to be in the budget this year but was left out. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Committee also observed that there was no clear policy on identification of roads and prioritization for tarmacking and, therefore, the Members would like to be clear as to how roads are prioritized and tarmacked. It should be clear so that Members do not have many questions. We will know which road is prioritized and so on. The Committee, therefore, recommends an increase in funding to fulfil this kind of shortfall and address the issue of these roads. The Minister has said that the development partners are partnering with him. I would urge him to go out of his way to see if we can have development partners address the issues raised above in this submission. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other issue the Committee observed was that of constraints in absorption. We have observed that this affects projects which are co-funded by our development partners. Because of lengthy procedures, the absorption capacity is always very low. If you look at the absorption capacity of the Ministry of Roads, it is very low. It is made that low by the procedures with development partners. This issue needs to be addressed so that the money coming from the development partners can be processed faster so that the Ministry can implement their projects fast. The other issue that I would like to raise is the issue of road maintenance. We were not very clear on this issue. You find that some roads are being maintained but others are done and left for quite a while. They, therefore, deteriorate to such a point that they have to be done again. As a Committee, we are urging the Minister to have a very clear policy on road maintenance. We should have a policy from the time the road is done all the way. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also like to make an observation on the issue of efficiency. We want to congratulate the Minister and his staff but still the Committee feels we can have better efficiency from the Ministry because, as you can see from the enthusiasm among Members, a lot is expected from this Ministry. It would only be good if the efficiency of the Ministry is enhanced to meet the expectations of the Members of Parliament and the public at large. Therefore, I would like to recommend the following to the Minister. First, the Minister should explore strategies towards improvement of efficiency in the procurement and disbursement procedures, particularly with our development partners. You find that if a road is identified for tamacking, it may take a year or two years for the process to be handled. Secondly, the Minister should address the transitional challenges facing the parastatals in the Ministry. Here, I am talking of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA) which were recently established. I would like to inform the Minister that we have key issues we would like to observe with KERRA. We have discussed with the Minister and most Committee Members are aware. Members would like to be very clear on the mandate of KERRA because most of the work of the Ministry of Roads is done by KERRA at the grassroots and that is where most Members are involved. Therefore, Members would like to be clear on the mandate so that there is no conflict of interest and conflict in terms of implementation. The other issue I would like to observe with KERRA is the delayed disbursement of the funds to constituencies, especially last year. Since that was the start of this approach, we hope that this year, the disbursement will be faster so that we can have the roads done fast by the Constituency Roads Committees (CRCs). Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would also like to point out to the Minister that as Committee Members, we have received complaints about some regional managers. I am not saying all regional managers or all the engineers. I am talking about some regional managers. If we complain about one, two or three, I think it is high time the Minister and his senior staff addressed the issue of regional managers. We get these complaints from our colleagues and it is only good that we highlight them to the Minister for the necessary action to be taken."
}