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{
    "id": 89598,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/89598/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 235,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ethuro",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 158,
        "legal_name": "Ekwee David Ethuro",
        "slug": "ekwee-ethuro"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to somewhat support the Vote for this Ministry. We are under obligation, as a House, to support the Government. But this House cannot be made to endorse the wishes of the Government, a Government that does not seem to understand its priorities. I have no problem with any part of this country being given money. But I have serious problems when the priorities of this Government do not seem to tally with the priorities of this nation. I cannot understand how the Ministry of Roads can give Kshs5,000 to Kitale-Nadapal Road. The Kitale- Nadapal Road is about 1,000 kilometres long. The Assistant Minister who seconded this Motion travelled along that road in his capacity as a PS, and this is the outcome. I am sure that even the money he and his officers spent--- I had an opportunity to travel on it with the Prime Minister, when he was the Minister for Roads. Mr. Minister, you were flown there just to do one bridge that is not even in the estimates. This country is larger than the areas that Dr. Khalwale mentioned. This country needs to grow faster and we must commit ourselves to Vision 2030. It is a Government vision; it is not ours. In fact, it has not come to this House, but we are busy supporting it. When a government departs from its commitment to a vision that has been clearly stated, I wonder what else we are supposed to do, as a House. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think this House should give the final warning to this Minister, in particular, that the days of just supporting anything are long gone. Dr. Khalwale, if you have abandoned that Motion, I do not know under which circumstances, we are at liberty to revive it. I also want to fault the Ministry in terms of the Constituencies Roads Committee. I serve as the Chair of the CDF Committee and this House gave us that opportunity. This House also passed an amendment to the Finance Bill which became an Act. The Minister in his wisdom decided not to implement what is law. For how long will we act with impunity? I was about to second Dr. Khalwale’s Motion, especially when he took away the money for travel; part of the reason why we cannot get to this point to clarify this matter is that the Minister has been travelling too much. The Minister needs to be available to us. If anything, let us travel to North Eastern Province and Turkana. Those are the places that we should be travelling to together, Mr. Minister. But when you travel out of the country and deny us the opportunity to demand from you what the law has asked of you, I find it extremely difficult to support you. But I am in a catch 22 situation, because I still have to give you money. I am also glad that you have given money to the Lodwar Southern Bridge. Which one is that one? You cannot even get the spellings right. Where will you take that money because there is no such a place? Lodwar South Bridge? Where is that money? Nginyang-Kathodo-Lokori Road that connects Baringo and Turkana is a major security road that will prevent the peasants of Pokot and Turkana from killing each other. You are giving it a pittance again. We want this country to make progress. We want to ensure that the road network, especially in areas that have never been considered before, get priority. What you have done in Isiolo and Merille is good. Continue. I support, with reservations."
}