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{
    "id": 1516331,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1516331/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 230,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Kamar",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 33,
        "legal_name": "Margaret Jepkoech Kamar",
        "slug": "margaret-kamar"
    },
    "content": "call them, we need to have environmental and tree planting clubs in primary schools and secondary schools. Not to mention that with a Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) coming, it is very important that we also have a course on afforestation, conservation and climate change so that it becomes part of us and part of what we are doing. On tree planting, we need to go back to make ourselves very sensitive, make our children very sensitive to environmental behaviour. One other thing that used to be in those olden days was the Chiefs Act. The Chiefs Act was used to protect the environment at the same time it was used to protect watercourses. Water catchments were protected under the Chiefs Act and you would not be allowed to fell a tree without asking for permission, whether it was in a public facility or on your farm. This is what would make Clause 40(a) monitorable. When we talk of a person who harvests a tree should replace the tree under the direction of an area designated by the service, you will find that that can only happen if you are in a forested area if you fell a tree. However, you must again have a permit to even fell that tree. Once that has been done, you can only be designated if it is within a forested area or a forest land. What about our pieces of land? We need to start controlling the tree felling. I remember tree felling was banned even in private lands and it helped regenerate forests within the country. So we need to relook at that and see how we can manage the Chiefs Act. As our colleague Wakili Sigei was saying, on the issue of tree felling and regulating the felling of the trees, it is not only by permits from the service, but it is good to make sure that there is accountability on the ground. So let us see how we can bring it down so that we can revisit the Chiefs Act much later if it is there. I do not think that it has been referred to in a long time. We can bring what was in the Chiefs Act also here, so that we are talking of the designated service and the chiefs of the area. Those are the people who will see from the first instance if things are going wrong and they are the ones who can monitor if you have planted or not. I think when we talk of forest conservation, for us to conserve, let us conserve both what is in the public land and what is in our private lands. I also want to persuade my colleague on the issue of a planting week. I want to persuade him to have a planting month. Planting month from 15th March to 15th April because of the rainfall pattern that is in this country. We know that that is the main rainy season. If we can allow a month, then the Cabinet Secretary responsible will be able to organise so that you start your planting right from Mandera and come to Lake Victoria. One month would be more reasonable for me than one week. We do not want again to apply the week and then when there is drought, we cannot do anything. I am requesting my colleague that we observe a national tree planting month from 15th March, as he has said, all the way to 15th April. I do not think there is any other amendment I would like to introduce, except to congratulate my colleague because this is a wonderful piece of law. Thank you and I support. 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."
}