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{
    "id": 291241,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/291241/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 279,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Raila",
    "speaker_title": "The Prime Minister",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 195,
        "legal_name": "Raila Amolo Odinga",
        "slug": "raila-odinga"
    },
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, this is not a question of the Prime Minister making sure. This is a collective responsibility of all Kenyans. We estimate that for us to achieve 10 per cent forest cover which is what we need, we need to plant 7.6 billion trees. Members also need to note that at the time of Independence of this country, the forest cover was 12 per cent. That was in 1963 when the indigenous people took over from Wazungu . Since that time, it has dwindled to under 2 per cent and to be exact, it is 1.7 per cent. Since we started these efforts, we have moved it to 1.9 per cent. In other words, we have added 0.2 per cent by our actions. However, we are still very far from the target of 10 per cent. That is why we want each and every Kenyan, Members of Parliament included, to participate in this effort of greening Kenya. Greening Kenya is not just about replanting but also going green in terms of energy. That is why we are now talking about kerosene free economy. That is why we move our people away from using kerosene lamps and using other lamps like solar lanterns. Here, we are also talking about other green energy sources like geothermal, bio-fuels, solar and wind. We also must make good use of our land. I am trying to appeal to the hon. Members here that they must be responsible. A Member must make sure that every year they plant, at least, five trees. This also includes each member of their family. So, if we begin with them, we will go somewhere. Then they should ensure that this is also propagated in the schools in their constituencies so that we use school children and students as the agents for change. Change is a language that is used broadly and we must use it much more broadly. There should be change of behaviour in terms of the environment; change in terms of our politics so that we do not become very ethnic when we talk to our people; change by deceasing from use of violence and insolent language when we talk to our people so that we appear to be patriotic and change when we talk about political party leadership so that we embrace political parties which are national in outlook and character."
}