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"id": 179813,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/179813/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kajembe",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Environment and Mineral Resources",
"speaker": {
"id": 163,
"legal_name": "Ramadhan Seif Kajembe",
"slug": "ramadhan-kajembe"
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"content": " Thank you very much, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. Let me say very clearly and with a lot of confidence that I support the spirit of this Motion. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Mover of this Motion, and even the hon. Member for Naivasha Constituency, both are members of the appropriate departmental committee - the Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Lands and Natural Resources. About three months ago, we attended a meeting in Bonn, which brought together 193 countries. My colleagues were there. I was the Leader of Delegation at that time. What they have really moved in this Motion, I would say, is a product of that meeting we attended in Bonn. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we talk about climate change and global warming, the whole world is affected. More so, when you talk about global warming, our friends in Europe are suffering more than us because of industrialization. However, we, as a country, are members of the Kyoto Convention. It is true that one or two countries in the world did not sign the protocols to that convention. But Kenya is a signatory to that convention. After lengthy November 12, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3403 discussions, we went to the meeting in Bonn where, again, we took a position on how best we are going to handle the climate change and global warming. In that meeting, Africa was told to take a position. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, a month ago, I and the Assistant Minister of Health went to Gabon, where 53 countries of Africa participated in a meeting as a follow up of the Bonn Meeting. Just yesterday, I came back to Kenya from Zanzibar, where seven countries from the region discussed the same issue, which included the pollution and other problems affecting Lake Victoria. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, next week, I will be travelling with a very powerful delegation to Doha, Qator, again to discuss about climate change, global warming, pollution and all those issues. The reason why I have raised these issues is because, from the treaties and protocols that we have signed as a country, one country cannot do a legislation about that subject alone. So, what we have agreed globally - and I am talking about 193 countries in the world - is to continue with the issue of global warming and climate change until we exhaust it. We should come out from the convention with very concrete resolutions. Now, from those resolutions, since we are party to the treaty, a copy of the conventions will go to every respective country in the world. Every respective country in the world will do a legislation to that effect. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am afraid because if we do a legislation alone as a country - as Kenya--- I can see the concern of hon. Members. I congratulate hon. Members who spoke in favour of this Motion. They are concerned and we are all concerned about it! But if, today, we do a legislation and next week I am going to Doha, do I tell the world that we have done a legislation and yet no country has done it yet? I think it is very important that we wait for this matter to be exhausted by the countries of the world. That is because the treaty will be there. The protocol will be there and we will sign it! Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are concerned, as the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, about this issue. We are taking measures. If you look at the environmental concerns today, they have been divided into two. That is what we go by with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), countries of the world and other interested parties. There are domestic problems like river pollution where we can say: \"Let us take immediate action\". Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if we look at our rain towers; the Mau Forest, Mt. Elgon, Cherangany Hills, the Aberdares and so on, you will see people going to those areas and doing destruction by logging and other things that violate our environment. The Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, is concerned! I heard one hon. Member say here that the Prime Minister is doing nothing. But let me put it on record that a few weeks ago, we went to Mau Forest. We were flying in helicopters and we saw areas where the forest has been destroyed because there is no political goodwill! Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, some people hold discussions with us and agree to do certain things, but when they leave, they go to do logging, make a lot of money and forget that they are destroying the lives of the Kenyans. When we were at the Mau Forest, we talked to the people. The meeting was very successful. The only problem was with the media houses. They wrote that the people were going to be evicted. Nobody will be evicted. The people are now talking with the Government and are very satisfied that a solution will be found. The Ministry would have wished to have a select committee, as was proposed by the Mover initially. But according to the Standing Orders, we cannot do that. It is good for us to establish a select Committee, so that we can consult on this issue. We need to consult more on this issue. If the Mover says that we defer this Motion to give him ample time to come up with amendments, as he has suggested and establish a select Committee, then we will consult. After we finalise consulting 3404 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES November 12, 2008 with other countries in the world, which are about 193, then we can come here and pass comprehensive legislation."
}