HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 189250,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/189250/?format=api",
"text_counter": 213,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Wamalwa",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 148,
"legal_name": "Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa",
"slug": "eugene-wamalwa"
},
"content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker. I beg to support this very important Motion brought by hon. Kaino. It is a very important Motion because of the nature of Cherangany Hills and what it means to this nation and African Continent. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, a lot of attention has been directed to the Mau Forest. Cherangany Hills has not received half the attention that Mau Forest has received. I want to thank the hon. Member for bringing this Motion, because Cherangany Hills is a very important natural resource to this nation. It is a water catchment area that supplies water to hundreds of thousands of Kenyans. It cuts across many districts, as hon. Kaino has said; from Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Marakwet and all the way to Western Province, Nyanza and Lake Victoria. This same water does not only serve the people of Trans Nzoia, Marakwet or Uasin Gishu districts, but also many districts as well as countries. This is because River Nzoia receives water from the Cherangany Hills from almost six tributaries. River Nzoia flows and takes the most water to Lake Victoria through Budalangi. From Lake Victoria is where River Nile flows all the way to Egypt. Therefore, I want to agree with my colleagues who have said that, indeed, the people of Egypt owe us a debt of gratitude as a nation, and they should actually be called in to participate in the efforts of safeguarding and promoting the safety of the water of the Cherangany Hills. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, coming from Trans Nzoia, we have a major water project, that is, the Kabolet Water Project. It is a water project that will benefit almost all the residents of Trans Nzoia District and other districts. This water comes from the Cherangany Hills. Whereas we have previously been receiving water from River Nzoia at a very high cost--- In Trans Nzoia West, particularly in Saboti, we have had to pump water from River Nzoia, upwards. It has consumed a lot of power and money in terms of expenses to ensure pumping of water to supply the entire Kitale Town. But right now, there is a big project underway that will ensure the flow of water by the force of gravity from July 16, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1861 Kabolet, all the way to every part of Trans Nzoia District. Therefore, we attach a lot of importance to this Motion. We are urging the Government to move with speed to ensure that the Cherangany Hills are secure. Looking at the problems that are facing this very rich natural resource, we have had the problem of deforestation. If you were to overfly Trans Nzoia District, particularly the Cherangany Hills and Mt. Elgon, it is not the same at it was many years ago. Mt. Elgon is bare and many other parts such as Cherangany do not have the same forest cover that they had years ago. Indeed, this deforestation is endangering our water catchment areas. The Government needs to do something fast to ensure that we protect our catchment areas. You will find that there has been illegal logging going on. We urge the Government that there should be stiffer penalties against illegal logging. We have had the problem of charcoal burning that has resulted in the loss of many of trees, that have ended up being burnt to supply charcoal. We have also had the problem of insecurity. This forests have harboured criminals. We have had incidents of cattle rustling, particularly between West Pokot and Trans Nzoia districts. Many of the cattle rustlers have ended up taking refuge in this forest. We are urging the Government, apart from securing the water catchment areas, to provide enough security to ensure that we do not only emphasize afforestation because we must do so. Without afforestation and planting trees, we are going to lose this forest. I was very pleased to hear the outcome of yesterday's summit meeting on Mau Forest, chaired by the Prime Minister, where it was resolved that there should be a special police unit to ensure that the illegal logging going on in Mau Forest and other areas, does not continue. I would urge that apart from the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife ensuring that we have enough Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) warders in these forests, not only to guard the trees and stop charcoal burning, it should also provide security for the people of Trans Nzoia and the neighbouring districts. This will ensure that cattle rustlers do not live in the forests. This needs to be done as a matter of urgency. We will also be urging that since the areas around Cherangany Hills are known as the bread basket of Kenya, with the fast pace at which we are losing our forests, we are realising a change in the rain pattern. If we do not plant trees and maintain the forest cover - because this has a direct effect on rain in this area - we will have problems. We will not have enough rains in this area to grow the maize that we have been growing. We will, therefore, not produce the millions of bags to feed Kenya. It is a very important issue that we need to look at. I wish to really support this Motion and urge that the human activities that have adversely affected Cherangany Hills and surrounding forests be checked by the Government. There are also activities or human activities that have resulted from lack of policy and action on the part of Government to ensure that the landless people of Kenya who have ended up in this forest - the so- called squatters - are catered for. The Government has done nothing to ensure that the problem of squatters has been resolved. It is not by choice that we have these people in the forest. It is not enough to go and kick them out. We must have a provision and clear policy to deal with the problem of squatters. We have had conflicting statements from the Government. When we had Prof. Maathai in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, she was against the shamba system. Today, the Minister for Forestry and Wildlife, Dr. Wekesa, has indicated that the shamba system might be going on. We need a clear policy from the Government on the issue of shamba system; whether we are going to allow people to live in these forests and have the shamba system in place and, at the same time, take care of the trees and plant more of them. We need the Government to come out with a clear policy on how the issue of squatters will be resolved, not only in Mau Forest and Cherangany Hills, but everywhere else, particularly in Trans Nzoia District. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, as the Member of Parliament for Saboti Constituency, I wish to state before this House that, indeed, Saboti and Trans Nzoia are the headquarters of 1862 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES July 16, 2008 squatters. Something needs to be done by the Government quickly. With those few remarks, I beg to support this Motion."
}