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{
"id": 1496002,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496002/?format=api",
"text_counter": 387,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Moiben, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Phylis Bartoo",
"speaker": null,
"content": "knowledge. I am a Member of Parliament and a farmer, but I am also a victim. I am guilty as charged because I have a eucalyptus plantation since it is a source of quick money. How many others are like me in Kenya? We might not…"
},
{
"id": 1496003,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496003/?format=api",
"text_counter": 388,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. David Ochieng’",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " How many years do you have to wait before you make that quick money?"
},
{
"id": 1496004,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496004/?format=api",
"text_counter": 389,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Moiben, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Phylis Bartoo",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Within two years. It is very lucrative because within two years, you get money, firewood and shade. In places where trees take a long time to grow and people do not have information on the effects of the eucalyptus tree, it is easy for someone to think that planting eucalyptus trees is the best thing that can happen to them because of the easy money. As I said before, there are people who imagine that to deal with climate change and plant many trees, the best tree to plant is the eucalyptus tree because it grows very fast and creates more tree cover since it is highly resistant and survives longer compared to the other species of trees. Even when the rains delay, the eucalyptus tree has a very high survival rate. I thank Hon. Mayaka. We should create a very clear regulatory framework and go out there and educate the masses on the pros and cons of the eucalyptus tree. If we must cultivate it, we should designate areas where we can do so, if it will not affect the environment. People still plant it because it is the fastest way to get money. Buyers encourage the masses to grow eucalyptus trees. Kenya Power is the first customer. They go around with big trucks buying eucalyptus trees. Who will sit back and refuse to grow eucalyptus trees when everybody else is making good money? We still have issues with firewood in our rural areas. Who will tell our mothers that the eucalyptus tree is not good for the environment and yet, it can grow within three years and sort out their firewood issues? Firewood is a very important ingredient in the rural areas. People need firewood to cook and in functions. It is the source of fuel for schools in Kenya, especially in my constituency, where they use firewood to cook. It is still the fastest source of income in every household, institution and village, especially in my constituency. Hon. Mayaka, I applaud you for taking the initiative to ensure that there is a framework which can be implemented and people can be educated, so that they can make informed decisions on whether or not they must grow eucalyptus trees. Hon. Temporary Speaker, where should they do it? Otherwise, Kenyans will still continue and because it is a source of income, why not? If it is also going to shape their livelihoods, why not? It is going to put money into their pockets, why not? Life is a process and in any way you put bread on the table, that is what you would go for. So, we need a very clear regulatory framework. We need to come out of our offices, especially the Ministry of Environment, and go to the villages and educate our mothers."
},
{
"id": 1496005,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496005/?format=api",
"text_counter": 390,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. David Ochieng’",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Well said, Member for Moiben. This chance goes to the Member for Bondo."
},
{
"id": 1496006,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496006/?format=api",
"text_counter": 391,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Bondo, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Gideon Ochanda",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon Temporary Speaker. Yesterday, when Hon. Irene told me about this Bill, I asked her twice... If you look at Nyamira and Kisii, every piece of land has blue gum trees. So, when I asked her whether she was very sure about this, I just thought it could be true. There is quite a bit of havoc that, that tree might be causing. However, what happens to your neighbouring counties if we do away with blue gum? It is a hard question. It is really a hard question that requires quite a bit of soul-searching. One thing that we have in the country is that we do not do much in terms of background checks in terms of even the varieties to ascertain whether they are seed varieties or they are tree varieties, or whether they are animal varieties in terms of what we bring around. A lot of those exotic plants and animals definitely have issues with our environment. So, we need to check that blue gum. Of course, they have brought in a number of varieties from"
},
{
"id": 1496007,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496007/?format=api",
"text_counter": 392,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Bondo, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Gideon Ochanda",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1496008,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496008/?format=api",
"text_counter": 393,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Bondo, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Gideon Ochanda",
"speaker": null,
"content": "one time to another. They were saying that one variety was the cause of many problems and it was wasting land. The next one was consuming a lot of water. They are now saying that there is a better species which matures quickly from South Africa. Everybody was encouraged to grow it for purposes of what was being said in terms of the economic returns. If you look at all this, there are quite a bit of contradictions that go with it but, definitely, some background check needs to be done on some of those species. A much more important thing is the whole issue of water catchment areas – what we call riparian areas or water towers. Definitely, what we call water towers or catchment areas are the ones that have rain. They are the ones that have water. So, if, again, you want to grow some of those trees where there is much water, then it means that it is in the water towers that you will be growing those kinds of trees. This is because when we talk about riparian areas, which are a very big problem in this country, we do not know the extent from a river surface or lake surface or some kind of natural water body. If you even look at the swampy areas, one does not know exactly how much of it is riparian. The Constitution says for example, with regards to water levels, that it is what you measure at the highest point. So, if there is a way that counties could get people to realise that if you are talking about a river and you are talking about the catchment or the extent at which the riparian goes, I think there needs to be marks. So that, beyond the marks, you do not do certain things and certain activities are permissible within the marks. Until we do that, it is going to be a very big problem. For example, if you are saying that you cannot grow blue gum in some parts of the country, it is going to be a major war against the public like it has been mentioned. Thats is because people have been encouraged over a period of time to grow those trees. They are a source of income. It is true they are a source of income. Everybody has grown the trees and there is market for them. So, if you want to do away with it, you must create a very serious alternative source of income for some of those places. Like I have mentioned, in Nyamira and Kisi, each piece of land has a banana and a Eucalyptus tree. Of course, they are doing that because of the kind of returns that come with it. So, let us take time and check what riparian areas are, where they are, whether they are marked and their geography is known so that people can get it. We need to know the exact source of some of those tree species, whether they are seeds or whatever. We are slowly getting dependent on all manner of seeds from external sources. Seeds are basically coming from outside. We no longer have our own seeds, including the food crops that we are growing. Some kind of a research needs to be properly conducted around this area so that we do not get into situations that we are finding ourselves in. There are some contradictions. If you say that the plant takes 40 litres of water per day, what happens to that plant when there is no rain? If that was the case, then all of them would be dead in a moment when there is a dry spell. In my view, some of those things need to be checked whether they are right or wrong, even if we are using them for purposes of convincing ourselves. If one eucalyptus tree takes 40 litres of water per day, then it means that all of them would die when there is no rain, without us even debating about it here. To some extent, I agreed that those things need to be checked. We must look at the kind of information and education we have sent out in terms of the economic benefits of some of those trees. Partly, there is a lot sense in terms of what Hon. Irene is bringing out but, on the other hand, there is quite a bit of a challenge that has to go with it. How do you even implement it in the first place? Unless you just want to have the Amendment Bill in the shelves and no agency is able to implement it. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
},
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"id": 1496009,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496009/?format=api",
"text_counter": 394,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. David Ochieng’",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Umulkher Harun."
},
{
"id": 1496010,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496010/?format=api",
"text_counter": 395,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. David Ochieng’",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1496011,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496011/?format=api",
"text_counter": 396,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Nominated, ODM",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Umulkher Harun",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I would like to support the Bill by Hon. Irene Mayaka. It is important to first clarify that this particular Amendment Bill will not affect the tea farmers as they mostly grow the crop 500 metres from the riverbanks. This is specifically targeting those who grow within the riverbanks, and it is a way of protecting our wetland areas and water catchment areas. The debate on climate change is not just big in our country, but also globally. It is important that we do our best to stop any man-made contributions like that particular activity of growing the eucalyptus along the riverbanks. It is my hope that this Amendment Bill will be effected and the Cabinet Secretary will then use it as a directive to come up with a framework that will guide the farmers and all the growers of the eucalyptus. The framework will also serve as an example because of the challenges that we have had, especially what my colleague Hon. Oundo has raised. We are one of the people who have been greatly affected by the mathenge tree. Somebody thought of coming up with a proposal for arid and semi-arid areas and assumed that mathenge was the best tree to make the areas become green, but our cows and goats have ended up being toothless. It is not just a crisis to the environment, but also a human crisis. Therefore, such frameworks are very important. I want to encourage and congratulate my colleague for bringing this particular Bill. I hope that the Members will support it. It is important that I emphasise on the clarification that it will not have any impact on tea farmers. It is rather a holistic approach of supporting the growers and a way to mitigate and protect our environment. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker."
}
]
}