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{
    "id": 188222,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/188222/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 154,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Khalwale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 170,
        "legal_name": "Bonny Khalwale",
        "slug": "bonny-khalwale"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I wish to thank the Mover of this Motion because this is a very challenging moment to have a Motion like this in this House. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I say this because the hon. Assistant Minister, Mrs. Kilimo, has set an example. She stood here at the Dispatch Box and asked the Government to resettle the people of Marakwet so that the Cherangany hills can be protected. I honestly wish to appeal to hon. Members from the Kipsigis Community, some of them were my very close friends, to borrow a leaf from the hon. Assistant Minister. They should go home and talk to their people about the importance of protecting this forest. They should also approach the Government to advance funds and proper programmes so that these people can move out of this forest. We want Kenya to be there for us and Kenya to be there for the future. I am saying this from the bottom of my heart. I wish to acknowledge that Cherangany Hills is a great asset not only to the people upstream but even us who come from downstream. We know our rivers; River Lukose, River Yala, River Isukhu and Nzoia River, all come from that area. We must protect this place. For this reason, I would like to go a step further and remind the Government that, today, we have the Kakamega Forest. Right now, as I speak, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company is cutting down a whole six kilometres of Kakamega Forest in the name of trying to take electricity to Chisaina Primary School, Ikuyo Primary School and Rondo Retreat Centre. We would like the Kenya Power and Lighting Company to be more innovative instead of making aerial lines in this forest. They should seriously consider doing underground cables so that we do not destroy Kakamega Forest that is very important to our people. More importantly, even as they destroy Kakamega Forest today, we have special species of trees there. We have the elgon teak and other pine trees which are huge. Some of them are 80 metres tall. These trees have now been given to strangers in the Idaho and Isukha community where I come from. If, indeed, we must cut down these special trees, then the proceeds of the timber that will come from these trees in Kakamega forest should be used to construct and develop Ikuyo Primary School, Chisaina Primary School and other neighbouring institutions instead of 2018 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 23, 2008 giving some strange Arabs and Asians who live in Kakamega Town and beyond. I wish the Minister in charge of the Kenya Power and Lighting Company could listen to us and move quickly to Kakamega Forest and stop what is going on there. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}