YESTERDAY: MACHAKOS COUNTY TARMAC ROAD GET LAUNCHED Dr. Alfred Mutuas speech OPENING OF MACHAKOS COUNTY GOVERNMENT’S FIRST TARMAC ROAD SPEECH BY H.E. GOVERNOR ALFRED N. MUTUA Today is a historic day for us as people of Machakos County. Today we turn what has been a fading dream into a reality. Today we are achieving two major feats: One, we are opening the fastest built highway in Kenya and possibly in Africa – 33 kilometres in only 3 months. Two, we are also proving that by employing austerity measures, a reserve price and by eliminating corruption, we can spend 650 million Kenya Shillings instead of the proposed 1.6 billion Kenya Shillings for the road. We have funded construction of this road from our devolved county funds and local collections. This Kithimani to Makutano ma Mwala road is considered the most important link road in Machakos County. It cuts the distance between Garissa and Mombasa by 5 hours and Matuu and Machakos town by 2 hours. Ladies and Gentlemen, What we have achieved today in Machakos is not magic, but a new way of doing things. This new way is motivated by concentrated focus on providing services to Wananchi. We are a poor country Kenya and far behind many nations. Development does not have to be slow but can be speeded up for the benefit of Mwananchi, so as to create wealth and eliminate poverty. The normal style in Kenya of building a road is to allocate it to one contractor. Therefore, if the contractor spends a month to build a kilometre to required standards, a 33 kilometre road would take thirty three (33) months or normally 36-48 months (3-4years), as Wananchi wait. In Machakos, we divided the road into sections and gave it to eleven different (11) contractors - each with three kilometres. The contractors were to build one kilometre per month. Now, we are done and our Wananchi can benefit. In addition to building the road, we have also installed street lights on the entire 33 kilometres stretch of the road. This program has necessitated installation of twenty eight (28) transformers that are also providing electricity to the community along the road. As part of our Machakos security program, CCTVs have also been installed on the road and a rest area constructed. We are doing all this under our Machakos ideology of MACHAKOS MAENDELEO CHAP CHAP. To catch up with the rest of the world we need Maendeleo Chap Chap for our mothers, fathers, unemployed youth and children. In conclusion, Ladies and Gentlemen, There has been talk of rallies and revolutions in our country. The revolution that Kenyans want is the kind of revolution we have in Machakos. A revolution of working differently, more efficiently, stretching the shilling and providing real, tangible services to Wananchi. Kenyans want to see a revolution that speeds up provision of water, roads, healthcare and jobs. Kenyans do not want a revolution that calls for demonstrations and violence. I know this because, as a leader, I have asked my voters what they want. The truth is that Kenyans are scared of violence and any action that may destroy the peace we enjoy. We all agree the opposition has a vital role to play to keep the National Government in check but this has to be done wisely and cautiously so as not to burn our country. As a member of Cord, I want us to put pressure on President Uhuru’s Government for speedy implementation of projects. However, this pressure cannot be through mass action, demonstrations and political insults. Our country under its new constitution is like a new born baby. If we start tossing this baby back and forth like a volleyball, the baby will eventually slip, fall and crack its head – Kenya will perish. Finally, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to thank my team, the Minister, Engineers, staff etc for the work they have done on supervising the road, CCTV Camera installation, street lighting and much more. I also wish to commend the various contractors for adopting to Maendeleo Chap Chap way of doing things. Today we have demonstrated it is possible to save tax payers money and produce timely results. Let us now enjoy this road that for 50 years has been a distant dream – the dream has finally come true. Thank you and God bless you. E-N-D June, 26th 2014
Posted on: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 08:50:41 +0000
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