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"id": 1480027,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1480027/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Aden Duale",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry",
"speaker": {
"id": 15,
"legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
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"content": "County, Lake Baringo in Baringo County, Lake Naivasha in Nakuru County and Tana Delta in Tana River County. In order to promote the wise use and conservation of our wetlands and all the associated resources, my ministry is implementing the management plans for several wetlands in our country. I do not want to read out the list because it is long. However, I have provided the Member with the list. They include Gambella Swamp Integrated in Meru, Lake Kenyatta Management Plan in Lamu, Tana Delta Management Plan in Tana River, Sabaki Estuary Management Plan in Kilifi, Lake Jipe in Taveta, Munungu Swamp in Embu, Saiwa Swamp in Trans Nzoia, Kibirong Wetland Management Plan in Nandi, which are all ongoing, and Lake Bogoria Management Plan, which is under review. The ministry is also restoring all our degraded wetlands by mobilising various stakeholders, including the national government agencies, county governments, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), the general public and our local communities to restore all degraded areas through planting of trees. This is part of the wider 15 billion trees initiative started by President William Ruto. It is very important to note that the conservation and protection of our wetlands is our sustainability strategy towards attaining the 15 billion trees goal. Last but not least, we are also implementing a very transformative initiative dubbed ‘Adopt a Wetland’, which is spearheaded by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). This initiative seeks to catalyse the participation of different stakeholders. In a number of our wetlands, people have title deeds. I need the support of this house. When we cancel them, people will bring petitions, Motions and even an impeachment Motions to discuss me. I want this House to protect me because I will be protecting the wetlands. I do not want cartels to use the Floor of this House. I have witnessed what I am talking about because I lived here for a quarter of my life. I know what goes on. The second question sought explain on the measures that the Cabinet Secretary has put in place address this matter. Hon. Liza seeks to know the measures. Allow me to respond to this by first observing that the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry is unwavering in its commitment to protect Kenya's indigenous trees through regulatory enforcement. One of our top researchers, the CEO of KEFRI is here with me. We must respect scientific research. The communities must be engaged. All these are facilitated by Kenya KEFRI, which is domiciled in Muguga with research canters in many of our counties. As I said, KFS recently employed over 2,000 forest rangers and posted them to various regions and forest stations to strengthen its protection and conservation efforts as requested by the Member for Nakuru County. In the spirit of collaboration, the ministry has also deployed forest advisory staff to counties to advise and work with our county governments on forest conservation, development and management issues. In order to regulate tree harvesting on private lands, our ministry has implemented mandatory inspection and issuance of certificates of origin and permits for movement of all forest-related products. Finally, the Ministry actively supports community forest associations, which are formal groups of communities living adjacent to our forests that collaborate with KFS in sustainable management of our forests. The third question that the Member asked is about the status of the community forest associations. I will start by explaining the anchorage of community forest associations in the Kenyan laws. Community forest associations, as they are called, are incorporated under Section 9 of the Societies Act, Cap108 but they are domiciled in the forestry sector through Section 48, subsection 1 of the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016. Section 49 (1) of the Forest Community Management Association Regulations outlines the obligation of our community forest association. They are granted permission to participate in helping KFS in the management and conservation of our forests. Currently, we have 233 community forest 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."
}