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{
    "id": 993968,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/993968/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 62,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sakaja",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13131,
        "legal_name": "Johnson Arthur Sakaja",
        "slug": "johnson-arthur-sakaja"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I want to thank my distinguished uncle for bringing this Statement. Indeed, we have a problem with our transport and truck drivers. I will be very glad to share with the Chairman of this Committee the interactions we had because the Ad hoc Committee on Coronavirus Pandemic sat with the Cabinet Secretary of Transport, the Cabinet Secretary of Health, Transporters Association led by Ms. Ireri who represents them as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Cabinet Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Even after having reported, I think the Committee needs to go further and deeper on this issue. We had already agreed and it is part of the Report that the Senate has recommended. The drivers and the Truck Transporters Association requested to have their testing ahead of their journey and certificates issued for those who are not positive. The East Africa Commission (EAC) guidelines need to be followed up in terms of honouring these certificates across countries. At the time we were doing this Report, we had 50 Kenyan drivers quarantined in Rwanda. We had others in mandatory quarantine in Uganda. Our neighbours have not been treating us well when it comes to this, because we agreed to do mandatory testing at all points of entry and sensitize drivers to adhere to these protocols. Madam Temporary Speaker, besides that issue, as of today, I can tell you, because we are talking with these truckers, traffic there is around 42 kilometres. The number of people who are testing are very few. They need to increase staff and doctors who are there testing and taking samples from these drivers. We have governors who decided to be creative in a very improper way. If you look at what the Governor of Machakos is purporting to do, it is very unfortunate; they are removing number plates from trucks that stop in Machakos County. He does not own that county. We agreed with the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination that the Regional Commissioner and the County Commissioner should make sure that the Governor of Machakos stops harassing truck drivers because at some point, they have to stop during their journey. 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."
}