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{
    "id": 1516311,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1516311/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 210,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kisang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this forward-looking Amendment Bill by the Senator for Garissa. I remember in 1980s when I was in primary and high schools and in early 1990s, there were campaigns across the country by the former President, the late Daniel Arap Moi, on afforestation. These campaigns went throughout the year. In primary schools, children were encouraged to plant and grow trees. When you go back to your former primary or high schools and you see the number of trees that we grew, you become proud of that. This assisted greatly the climate change. Between 2003 and 2022, we did not properly campaign on afforestation and that is why the volumes in the Rift Valley lakes have gone up because of climate change. However, we need to go back to those days and ensure that we use our children in primary and secondary schools to plant and grow trees. This will ensure that we reach 15 billion target by 2030. It will not be easy to reach this target if we do not use all avenues to plant and grow trees. Madam Temporary Speaker, there are many benefits of doing afforestation. Apart from medicinal, source of water and timber, we need trees. I thank the Senator for coming up with this amendment and urge all of us to incorporate our counties because counties have resources. Also, the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has a two per cent on environment, which if utilized well, everyone in all our constituencies will plant something. This will enhance and increase our forest cover. It is only a few counties that have more than 10 per cent forest cover. We need incentives for our communities to know that growing and planting trees is beneficial to the community and counties. We passed the Mining Bill some time back where mineral resources are found and some percentages goes back to the local communities. There is also a 5 per cent and 20 per cent that goes to the counties. Madam Temporary Speaker, in this amendment, Sen. Haji needs to bring an additional amendment on when KFS harvests trees so that the local community and counties get something. Communities take care of forests. When KFS harvests trees, what remains for the county or that community? This is so that they own it. Otherwise, for now, there is no incentive for local communities to protect forests. I believe we need to bring additional amendments in order to encourage our people and know that is also their resource. They protect the forests. However, when KFS harvests, they take all the money. We also need to agree on this and put it in this Bill that 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."
}