23 April 2008
Nairobi — Members expressed outrage at the poor state of roads in the country and challenged the grand coalition Government to give the sector priority.
They appealed to the new Roads minister, Mr Kipkalya Kones, and assistant minister Wilfred Machage, to prioritise the worst affected parts of the country in maintenance and building of new roads.
Mr Elias Mbau (Maragua, PNU) stunned members when he recalled that the impassable roads in his area frustrated colleagues who had driven there to attend the burial of former Embakasi MP David Mwenje last month.
Said the Maragua MP: "Most of the mourners, who included MPs, were forced to abandon their cars and walk to the home of Mr Mwenje because of the impassable roads. I am now glad that the assistant minister has assured us that the said roads would be repaired as a matter of urgency."
Address issue
Earlier, Dr Machage had concurred with several members that the state of the roads in the country was worrying, but he assured them that the new team in the grand coalition would address the issue as a matter of national importance.
The assistant minister revealed that the Maragua MP had made several visits to his office on the matter and was given the assurance that the Maragua-Gatheru-Irembu road would be upgraded to bitumen standards after survey and design works are done.
But the Kuria MP, who is a former East African Affairs minister, was taken to task over the roads issue by MPs Charles Kilonzo (Yatta, ODM-K), Abdul Buhari Ali (Isiolo South, Kanu), Gitobu Imanyara (Imenti Central, CCU), Fahim Twaha (Lamu West, Kanu), John Mbadi (Gwassi, ODM), Olago Oluoch (Kisumu Town West, ODM), Kiema Kilonzo (Mutito, ODM-K), Erastus Mureithi (Ol Kalou, PNU), Shakeel Shabir (Kisumu Town East, ODM), Ekwe Ethuro (Turkana Central, PNU) and Yusuf Chanzu (Vihiga, ODM).
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