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{
    "id": 1456794,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1456794/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 42,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mungatana, MGH",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "how they use the land is always in competition with environmental protection. When you want to keep the land undisturbed and it is pristine, it has problems when also development wants to be carried out. For instance, it is possible to discover gold in a place, which is environmentally supposed to be preserved. Additionally, we need to have a balance and in particular, I am bringing to your attention that the agency called the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) sometimes does things that do not make sense. For example, in Tana River County, we have had human habitation along the Bangale area. Bangale is an old settlement. It has been there for many years, all the way to Bulto Banta as you go towards Garissa. This is an area that has been in settlement like forever and people have lived there. Bangale is a big town and a lot of settlements are there. Therefore, if you go down all the way to Madogo on your way to Garissa County, all of a sudden, KFS has said this is our forestland. They went ahead to gazette the forestland without public participation. Right now, some very important donors have come to Madogo and they cannot do any form of development. They want to alienate the land so that they can do something for the residents. The County Government was not aware when the KFS went to gazette a forest area. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we were with you in Bangale when the residents, through their Member of Parliament (MP), were complaining that they cannot expand the land. In fact, the town itself has been put under forest. The KFS needs to be more reasonable. You cannot come and declare a forest where people are living and stop people from developing. Then, people cannot expand or do planning of the town. The World Bank has given us some money so that we can properly urbanize our towns like Madogo and Bangale. However, you will find that agencies such as this, which I call land grabbers, have wronged the people of Tana River County. These people are not talking about wetlands like we the one in Nyamira County. These are not wetlands; they are areas which are already occupied by human beings. These are not forests, they are in town. Someone declares it a forest and have put that notice after the people are already there and there is no public participation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am also taking this opportunity to say even though we have to preserve the environment, there are agencies that must not misuse this whole blanket on preservation of land, to do things that are wrong to the people. The people were there before. I have mentioned the KPS which was mentioned in this Petition that they have interfered with an environment that is supposed to be a pristine environment and reserved as a wetland. I am also mentioning the KFS, which is being totally unfair to Tana River County. You cannot go to villages where people are living and towns are in existence and then you gazette that area in the name of protecting the environment while the County Government is not aware. The area is not even a wetland. I am taking this opportunity to also ask Government agencies not to misuse these powers. We know that they come in the name of preservation of the forest. The next thing you will hear, the same forests have been alienated, and people have been given those forests. We know what has happened in Nairobi in all these forested areas. You are told The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}