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{
    "id": 1008575,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1008575/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 131,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Mwaura",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13129,
        "legal_name": "Isaac Maigua Mwaura",
        "slug": "isaac-mwaura"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I rise to present a Petition on behalf of the petitioners. Petition to the Senate concerning the gazettement of the Ondiri wetlands Kenya. Ondiri is a corruption of the word “old lake.” We, the undersigned friends of Ondiri Wetlands Kenya folk, citizens of the Republic of Kenya and in particular residents of Kiambu County, Kikuyu Constituency draw the attention of the Senate to the following - (1) That there are a myriad of threats and challenges that the wetland has been facing which has resulted to its continued degradation and over exploitation of its resources. This includes but not limited to pollution, water obstruction, encroachment, overgrazing, plantation of eucalyptus on its riparian reserve, infrastructural development and fodder harvesting. (2) That the wetland lacks formal protection status which threatens the wetland and attributes to low environmental literacy among the surrounding communities and poor coordination by the stakeholders (3) That there is continued operation of greenhouses which lack proper waste management practices and this has led to release of chemical effluents into the wetland which is violation of Rule 81 of the Water Resources Management Rules, 2006 which prohibits discharge or application of any poisonous toxic, noxious or obstructing matter, radio activity waste or other pollutants into a water body. (4) That some of the land owners surrounding the wetland have encroached into the wetland for agricultural expansion and construction of residential homes. Riparian land owners have build permanent structures and cultivated horticultural crops beyond the set back line. The eroded soil causes segmentation of the wetland, thus raising the issue of ground seepage of sewage effluent into the wetland. (5) That there has been unregulated abstraction of water from the wetland and there are about over 40 permanent water pumps drawing water from the wetland yet this is one of the sources of Nairobi River, out of which 50 per cent lack permits and are unmetered making it difficult to monitor water abstraction from the wetland. This contravenes Section 36b of the Water Act 2016 which requires the issuance of permits for abstraction of water. (6) That we have made the best efforts to have these matters addressed by the relevant authorities, all of which have failed to give a satisfactory response. (7) That none of these issues raised in this Petition is pending in any court of law, constitutional or any other legal body. Therefore, the petitioners humbly pray that the Senate investigates this matter and - (i)Initiate a formal protection status for Ondiri wetlands in the Republic of Kenya 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."
}