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{
    "id": 1186925,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1186925/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 272,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Ali Roba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, thank you. I rise to contribute to this Motion on the Effects of Upstream Activities on The River Tana to the Residents of Tana Delta. Some of the effects the development projects that have been done upstream has on downstream communities of Tana River. I was fortunate enough to have been the head of delegation of Riparian State Meeting on Daua River damming project that was proposed by The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). However, what I experienced when riparian States met here in Nairobi is vigorous opposition from Somalia and Ethiopia because of what they termed as the impact on downstream communities. They said that the impact is not clear to them. As such, that project has not been implemented to date. The people of Garissa and Tana River who are downstream in as far as this Northern Tunnel Intake project in Murang’a is concerned, the need is extremely apparent. It needed to have been undertaken in consideration of the impact it will have on downstream communities with respect to farming, livestock and the water content of Tana River. Now that the project has been finished and the impact has become apparent to the extent that Sen. Mungatana, MGH has brought this to the attention of the House, I rise to support a post-project Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental and Socio-Impact Assessment (ESIA) on downstream communities to be undertaken by the relevant authority. In order to weigh the extent to which downstream communities have been affected is mitigated by way of controlled exploitation of resources of Tana River in terms of the water and care of the original objective of the Norther Tunnel Intake Project. As the Senator has said, the water levels have reduced tremendously. Farming activities along the river in Garissa and Tana River have been affected. We acknowledge the need for Norther tunnel intake for purposes of provision of water to Nairobi and Murang’a and other areas. However, we equally acknowledge that fact that downstream communities also need to be taken into consideration and their challenges looked into. If this project was to happen and the water is not affected, then the project is worthwhile. If post implementation ESIA has not been adequately carried out for purposes of determining how much it has affected downstream communities, be done together with an economic impact assessment of the investment we have done as a Government. We want to see to it that Tana River and Garissa counties are cushioned against the impact by whatever means necessary. I support and request that it is considered a resolution of this House that post project Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) is done and whatever measures that need to be taken to cushion downstream communities are done. Thank you."
}