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"id": 198983,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/198983/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Maathai",
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"speaker": {
"id": 226,
"legal_name": "Wangari Muta Maathai",
"slug": "wangari-maathai"
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"content": "sect. But as hon. Muite said, sometimes we know that when these things are done indiscriminately, there is no doubt that, occasionally, innocent people are killed. Even one person should be protected. We do not have to wait until a genocide is committed to appreciate the violation of human rights. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is very important, especially in Protocol No.9, to protect the natural resources. This region has extremely valuable natural resources, some of which have been mentioned like the lakes, rivers and mountains. But one of the most important natural resource we have in this region is the Great Congo Forest with respect to the climate change, this forest is extremely important not only for the region but also for the entire continent and, indeed, the entire world. The world is warning us, especially here in Africa, that although we are not contributing a lot to the greenhouse gases that are causing global warming, nevertheless Africa, perhaps, because of our geographical position and the fact that we have the Sahara Desert in the north and Kalahari Desert in the south, we are going to be very negatively impacted by global warming. One of the ways that we can mitigate this is by protecting our forests, especially the Congo Forest. Besides the Congo Forest, of course, we have other forests like Mabira Forest in Uganda and other forested mountains in Kenya and Tanzania. It is very important that we protect these forests, if we want to ensure that our descendants will be safe in this sub-region. Even as we speak, people in this country have almost come back to the same position where they were literary taking over open spaces and developing them. Even as we speak, there is a developer at Spring Valley who has resisted any effort that is being put up by citizens and he is actually building on a piece of land that was originally kept as an open green space. Somebody in the Ministry of Lands has given that man a title deed. When you check that title deed, you can see quite clearly that it is very different from the original title deeds in that area. So, this was definitely done much later in the Ministry of Lands. Even the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Mwiraria, has been to that site. I have also spoken personally to the Minister for Lands, Prof. Kibwana. How can somebody in this country be so daring as to decide that just because he has a piece of paper which was, definitely, irregularly acquired, go ahead and ignore the outcry from the residents and the Ministers? I understand that even hon. Nyachae was stopped by the residents at one time and told to intervene so that this man does not develop the area. Against all appeals, that man went ahead and cut down some of the oldest trees that we have in Nairobi. I am appalled by the audacity of some of the developers in this country. It is as if we have gone back to the days when we were fighting for Karura Forest. I would hate to imagine that I would have to go down the streets or walk to these areas, again, to protect them from individuals who still do not understand that any city needs open green spaces. So, it is right to sign a treaty like this that is protecting the natural resources of the region. But if we are not able to enjoy a clean and green environment in our homes here in Nairobi, where we live, and keep landgrabbers away from the green open spaces that were left by those who planned the City, then of course, even a protocol like this means nothing. This is because if we cannot protect a green open space in Spring Valley, we are not going to protect Mt. Kenya, Aberdares or even the Congo Forest. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would, in fact, want to use this opportunity to thank Al Gore, the former Vice-President of the United States of America (USA) who recently got the Nobel Peace prize for his work on global warming and climate change, and especially because that issue is very close to the fact that protecting the natural resources, especially the environment, is so important. By getting this prize, what the Norwegian Nobel Committee is emphasizing is that protecting natural resources is a priority in the world today. So, it is in our national interest that we 4540 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 17, 2007 ratify a protocol such as this so that we can protect not only our natural resources but also the resources in our region. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to also mention the fact that Lake Victoria is one natural resource that is shared by many countries. I want to, again, appeal to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, that even as we are losing Lake Victoria to the water hyacinth and many people and saying that part of the reason why we are not able to get as many fish in the lake is because of the intrusion of this hyacinth - Right now, as I speak, that water hyacinth has hit Lake Naivasha - this lake could be saved if the Ministry would go there and literary and physically scoop out the water hyacinth. But it amazes me that just like I said at the beginning, sometimes I think we do things because we are given money to do them, rather than do things because we need to do them. Somebody will wait until some international body recognizes that Lake Naivasha has been hit by water hyacinth and we will have a conference about the water hyacinth in Lake Naivasha. But right now, the Ministry should go there and literally scoop it out, because if we do not do that very soon, we will have the same problem that we have in Lake Victoria. It is these kinds of resources that we should very seriously protect with these protocols. With those few remarks, I beg to support."
}