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{
    "id": 1122780,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1122780/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Narok North, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Richard ole Kenta",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 420,
        "legal_name": "Richard Moitalel ole Kenta",
        "slug": "richard-moitalel-ole-kenta"
    },
    "content": "Let the Departmental Committee on Lands liaise with the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and the County Government of Machakos to ensure that there is adequate consultation on the zoning. We have also said that the Government, through the National Treasury, should reinstate the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) fees to help NEMA sustain operations, regular and random inspections, monitoring, equipping laboratories and building capacity. I was made to understand that the fee was re-introduced because originally, NEMA was paid fees commensurate to the cost of the projects. However, someone misadvised the Government that there was no need for that fee. This killed NEMA as it could not monitor or follow up on those pollution issues or any other thing. This was a terrible thing because the National Treasury is not giving NEMA money. If this has been done, well and good and, if it has not been done, it should be done. It is unreasonable for someone to construct a Kshs10 billion building and not pay anything to NEMA. Earlier on, the intention was to assist in bringing in investors, but this is to the detriment of NEMA and to the Kenyan people. We are actually giving free services to people who do not deserve. Those people bring in a lot of money and should pay for the damage caused to the environment. We have also recommended consultations between NEMA, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to develop and forward to Parliament a draft policy to regulate the sulphur content in imported petroleum products, including heavy duty oil. This is what is utilised in these factories and is the main pollutant. It is important that the concerned ministries bring a policy regulation framework to assist. This is informed by the fact that, if you just let your citizens take in these destructive chemicals, then you are failing as a Government. Hon. Speaker, the Report is very comprehensive and it is upon this Parliament to ensure the safety of the Kenyan people. Even if you want factories and the economic empowerment of the Kenyan people or other investors, the health of Kenyans is paramount. If we allow pollution just because we want to please the investors, then we are not doing what we are supposed to. Therefore, I urge this august House to be on the side of the Kenyan people and support them on 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."
}