National Assembly · Afternoon Sitting

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Education regarding the preparedness of schools to deal with the effects of the recent heavy rains and associated challenges that came with it. The recent heavier-than-normal rains that pounded various parts of the country caused…

Hon. Malulu, this falls under your docket.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. We will write to the Cabinet Secretary (CS) on Tuesday or Thursday next week – that is if he will be available – and, thereafter, present the report to the House.

When you invite the Cabinet Secretary (CS) , ensure that the Member is duly informed so that she is present during the CS’s attendance, and this should not take more than two weeks.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, we have a seven-days rule when it comes to inviting a CS. Whenever the Departmental Committee on Education has statements to answer, as a practice, we usually invite the concerned Members to appear before us. The Chairman would then present a statement to the House, which also becomes new to the specific Member. Thank you.

Hon. Member for Bobasi, I hope you are now ready.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44 (2) (c) , I rise to request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure regarding the reconstruction of a collapsed bridge in Nyamache Town within Bobasi Constituency. The bridge located in Nyamache Town is a critical infrastructure for the residents of Bobasi Constituency…

Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure, Hon. Komingoi.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Give us two weeks so that we can get the response from the said agency and report back to the Member.

Have you heard that? He has said within two weeks, the Committee would have gotten back to you. Hon. Gisairo.

Hon. Temporary Speaker, I rise to state that going by this statement that has emanated from the heavy rains that we have recently

experienced nationally, and which have destroyed most of our roads, it is of concern that as we sit here today, around 20 per cent of KeRRA money has not been remitted to the constituencies to assist Members to fix the roads. We are here discussing roads and being told that we will get responses after two weeks and yet, there is money that is stuck at KeRRA headquarters and not being allocated to …

Hon. Nguna.

Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I wish to add my voice to this matter. We know the effects of the just concluded rains. We have waited for so long but those monies from KeRRA have delayed. We did tender processes and the contractors moved to the sites. I ask your indulgence on this matter. Ensure that we get the money at the right time so that we can expedite the process of road repairs in our …

Thank you. Hon. Kipyegon.

Thank you very much. I would also like to add my voice on this weighty matter. As you all know, we had very heavy rains recently. Most roads and bridges were damaged, including in my constituency. We have damaged bridges that I reported mid last year. We want a very firm statement from the State Department for Roads to tell us when bridges like Sugutek, Chepkositonik, Kosior and Chemaluktany in my…

Hon. Komingoi, today is 12th June

I reckon. I am in the same boat. All Members of this House know the effects of the El Nino and the rains that damaged our roads. The damage was not only on KeRRA roads, but also KURA and KeNHA roads. We met the Ministry last week. They promised to give us an action plan for the damages, especially the bridges that have cut off connections within communities not only in the countryside, but also in…

Hon. Komingoi, the Members’ concern, apart from the Member for Bobasi, is the 22 per cent of money already available and allocated to KeRRA. That is the Members' concern. When is it going to the ground? Two weeks is too long.

You may be aware that the Chairman of the Departmental Committee on Transport and Infrastructure made a Statement last week about the specific question of savings purportedly held by KeRRA and engineers given instructions not to expend the money. That question was disposed of last week and the regional engineers will have the money. The money had not been taken. They had just been instructed not t…

to have received all the monies to all the constituencies for the 2023/2024 Financial Year for the implementation of KeRRA roads. That is the 22 per cent and the 10 per cent. The monies that were in contention were the savings out of the contracts issued. It was settled so that constituency roads committees can plan for the execution of the projects that Members will have identified to be used on …

Thank you. We will not engage in debate on that. The answer he has given is satisfactory to me. Hon. Komingoi, you can see what is happening. You need to take charge of this matter and have it dealt with as soon as possible. Before I go to the next Order, let me ask Members to join me in welcoming students from these three schools, who are seated in the Public Gallery: St Lucia Girls High School …

[(Applause)]

Thank you for giving me this chance to welcome students from Trans Nzoia County, Kesogon Secondary School. I welcome you to the 13th Parliament. I know we have future leaders amongst you. Learn something from these legislators as you sit here. From here, go work hard and smart. You will be someone very important in this country in future, if you work hard and smart. Welcome.

Thank you. Next Order.