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{
    "id": 1456817,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1456817/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 65,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Thang’wa",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "It is time for the department of environment to say that they have done nothing and do not know anything about Siany Wetland. The Ministry of Interior and National Administration also responded by saying that they will endeavour to restore the wetlands. The wetland, as will be outlined in the Environment Management Plan that will be developed, will be looked into. If you look at all these issues, there is a problem. The people of Siany said they have 101 acres and the report is talking about 104 acres. However, when you convert 41 hectares, it is 101 acres. The people of Siany Wetland want a solution to preserve this Wetland. Wetlands should be protected areas. We should come up with a law that they should be protected areas because they are the source of water. These wetlands were initially lakes, but because of many years of degradation and earth movement, they became wetlands because of the flora and fauna. Even in Kiambu County, we have Ondiri Wetland that was initially 74 acres, but it is now 37 acres. It was actually an old lake. The name Ondiri means an old lake. The people in Kikuyu Constituency have joined hands to preserve Ondiri Wetland. The Government or the counties should come up with proper policies on protecting these wetlands because they are the source of water. I do not know whether you know that Nairobi water comes from Ondiri Wetland. It is the mother of 40 water springs in the area of Kikuyu and the surrounding plus Nairobi. I thank the committee because they came up with very nice recommendations, but they should have timelines. This is because if we leave it like that, they will take their sweet time. You have heard of the Government agency or department that is the KPS. The other entities, that is the Nyamira County Government has nothing about it; they are also planning. NEMA has done nothing; they are also planning. The KFS has done nothing; they are also planning. The NLC has done nothing; they are also planning. The only person who has done something is KPS and it is to take the land. This report should have given timelines to make sure that the people of Nyamira County are engaged. They should also go to Kiambu County in the Ondiri Swamp. Whatever they do to Nyamira, they do to Kiambu so that we protect these water sources. Otherwise, in future, we will have no water, even in Nairobi and in our homes. There is a saying that says, “Never drain a river until it dries.” What that means is be the person to make sure that river has water by sustaining it, planting the proper trees and coming up with the initiative to protect those areas. From the report, the petitioners came because they fear that they are going to lose the swamp. Why are they losing the swamp? Some of them are to blame because there is cultivation. They are cutting the indigenous trees so that they can plant. That is why as the Senator of Nyamira County and the Senator of Kakamega County were saying, we should involve them to make sure that they exit peacefully or they do their agricultural activities while preserving the wetland. There is construction in that swamp. They even have constructed a primary school. If they build a school, they are inviting population. People go where there are schools, water and good institutions. When you build a school, you are already inviting 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."
}