Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1271904,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1271904/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 29,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Soipan Tuya",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 926,
        "legal_name": "Roselinda Soipan Tuya",
        "slug": "roselinda-soipan-tuya"
    },
    "content": "One of the conditions was the proponent to avoid any unnecessary clearing of trees at the intake site during the construction. The trenching of pipeline laying to be aligned along existing wayleave. The access road to be confined within the forest road up to four kilometres and 1.6 kilometres wide and adherence to the conditions for and the WRA and the Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) license through NEMA. One of the conditions, which is worth noting for this House and for Kenyans in general is that we are requiring that any project proponents, or proposals for projects to be established within protected areas, must be matched in equal measure by activities by the proponents to restore the environment to its proper form, so that we do not occasion unnecessary degradation, especially at the wake of the climate change crisis that we are finding ourselves in. One of the conditions is for the Tana Water Development Agency (TWDA) to rehabilitate 10 hectares of degraded forest within Mount Kenya. That is a small ask to do. As part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), KFS is negotiating with the proponent to construct a forest rangers camp at Kabiruini, support seedling production at Kathandeni Tree nursery and assist in construction of a footbridge to allow for ease of movement by the forest rangers within the forest. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in our response to the first Question, we have steps that the KFs has to follow before granting clearance for projects of this nature. One of them which is very critical is that the proponents have to get clearance from NEMA in the form of EIA licenses. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on this one, we cannot have an alternative way around it. When you look at the project, as it is right now, the proponents have not yet acquired the clearance from NEMA and the WRA. Mr. Speaker, Sir, my request is that, we may need to do engagements with the the Senate Majority Leader so that by the time we bring these Questions to this level, they should have at least gone through the due processes. We do not have to prosecute them in public before the processes are completed. Otherwise, they end up prejudicing the agencies that have to do due diligence and ensure adherence to the due processes of the law. When you look at the dates when the application was forwarded to the KFS, you will discover it was in March of this year. I am trying to move quickly so that I do not have to go word for word. The application came to us on 13th March, 2023 and immediately, the KFS began the process of taking the request through the Technical Committee of the Board of Kenya Forest Service which was dully done. By 27th June, 2023, the board had already made its decision to allow for the proponents to move to the next step. We got the letter from the Senate, on 24th July, 2023 after the board of KFS had already okayed the project. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in essence, my appearance here is premature from where I stand. We should have allowed the process to be completed for us to prosecute the matter. To respond to Question 1, by no means has the KFS refused to heed to this request. The process is ongoing. Currently, the KFS have given the okay to the"
}