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{
    "id": 968340,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/968340/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 369,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatangi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 646,
        "legal_name": "Paul Kimani Wamatangi",
        "slug": "paul-kimani-wamatangi"
    },
    "content": "Surprisingly, at conceptualization, all construction costs are taken into account except compensation. The person on whose land the road will lie will have to wait until the Government looks for funds somewhere else. We know the kind of problems that we have with mobilization of resources by the Government. Sometimes you find that county administrators are used to coerce the local people to allow the contractor to access their land and start building on it. The person waits for the compensation and yet the people who are building the road – mostly the Chinese – have new trucks, tractors and people they are paying because they have been paid mobilization fees which equals to 40 per cent of, for example, Kshs15 billion--- Madam Temporary Speaker, we have directed that in the future, conceptualization of such projects must include the element of compensation. This is so that if the award is being given under a structured loan, part of that loan should be inclusive of the amount that will be paid to our local land owners. It is in that respect that we also directed the NLC to treat this matter with urgency. It was confirmed to us that Kshs300 million was paid and further Kssh400 million was paid. We have been assured that the last amount for the compensation of the people in Eldoret will be paid in the next Financial Year. I also want to inform the House that upon consultations, the Committee is aware that the Government is negotiating a Kshs20 billion infrastructure bond. We have persuaded the Government that part of these funds should also be used for compensation. Like I said, people in Kitui, the Western Bypass, the road that is being built between Wangige and Ruaka; Westlands and Limuru, are all crying. They have not been paid. We are pursuing that they all be paid as they should, which is their right as enshrined in our Constitution. On the issue of under valuation, it is on record that there is a lot of collusion with the former officers of the NLC. Sometimes, you find that those commissioners approach a land owner and collude with some of them who are corrupt and overvalue the property. On the other hand, in some cases, if you do not play ball, they undervalue your land. You will find that two neighbours, each with one acre of land, one is compensated at Kshs1 million and the other at Kshs3 million. There is no justification for that. This is the same size parcel of land, in the same locality, and across the road. However, because one did not agree to do a deal with them, their land is undervalued. We ordered that all the compensation awards that had been given must be revised to follow the proper land rates as applicable within those areas. Madam Temporary Speaker, on the question of halting the project, majority of the Petitioners and members of the public that we engaged with were in agreement that the project is a good one. It will help the area. Halting the project would not necessarily be an advantage of the intended purpose and to the benefit of the local people. After negations, we were persuaded that there can be an amicable arrangement. With a guarantee of payment, the project can continue, but that is only after payments have been made. On the question of phased compensation, we agreed that in the event that the Government does not have enough money to compensate for the entire stretch of the road, compensation can be phased. This means that when the compensation has been 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."
}