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{
    "id": 1516327,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1516327/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 226,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Introduction of this fine will ensure that Kenyans who are not very keen in complying with the law do so because the punishment is punitive enough to make sure that people comply. That provision is a welcome move. There is a provision under the proposed amendment to Section 54 of the Forest Conservation and Management Act, where the KRA is expected to create an incentive to ensure that not only the public, but also private forest proprietors are given an incentive. The introduction of Subsection (d), which provides that income and other tax deductions will be an aspect that the KRA will provide to private entities in order to ensure tree planting programmes. This is one of the most important things. There will be an incentive not only to the public who are protecting the forest, but also private proprietors. Those who have availed themselves to implement programmes on tree planting. If, for example, you are allowed to get a tax waiver by virtue of planting certain number of trees, many of us and private forest owners will push their limits to ensure that they maximise on the amount of the possible tax waiver they can achieve when this provision is implemented by the KRA. The provisions of Section 55 seek to amend the law by introduction of a tree planting week. That will make sure that every Kenyan is under an obligation to support the process of tree planting within that one week so that we run away from the pronouncements that we always rely on where we expect the President or his team of leadership to gazette a day. We will have the period between 15th and 21st March every year dedicated to tree planting. In ensuring that this becomes law, we will support the pronouncements by the President to target the achievement of over 15 billion trees in a period of 10 years. The proposed amendment to Section 57 as proposed by the Hon. Senator ensures that every person licensed to harvest trees is required to replace each harvested tree in accordance with directions of the service. This is more or less the earlier provision, as I said, the responsibility of directing and designating a place to replace the harvested tree should be removed from the service. We have so many sawmillers across the country who harvest trees when they are mature enough. The requirement in law that they are supposed to replace trees should be removed from the service and provide that once you have been given a certain number of trees to harvest in a certain forest, whether public or private, as a licensed harvester person, you are required to replace them. That is a good move. We only need to make sure that we have a policy on implementation so that those who are unable to implement within the provisions of that law are subjected to the provisions of law on offence and the penalties available. Madam Temporary Speaker, I have looked at the statistics of the forest cover across the country. The county that I represent, Bomet County, has a forest cover of 24 per cent. That is not enough. We are targeting to push it to make sure that we have gone beyond 50 per cent. The sponsor of this Bill, Sen. Abdul, has a forest cover of 10.3 per cent. The proposal that Sen. Abdul is making is very important. It will ensure that we not only achieve the Presidential call to enhance tree planting to make sure that we achieve the 15 billion within 10 years, but also ensure that we go by the global move on 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."
}