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{
    "id": 382924,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/382924/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 93,
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    "content": "(a) By inserting the following words immediately after the word “livelihood: appearing in the second line: “further aware that other rivers across the country are a source of livelihood for many Kenyans.” (b) By deleting the words “Tana and Athi Rivers” appearing after the word “of” in the tenth line and inserting thereof the words “all rivers in the country.” (c) By deleting the words “within six months” appearing in the 13th line and inserting thereof the word “bi-annually.” So that, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Motion will now read as follows:- THAT, aware that a large population especially in Tana River, Murang’a, Embu, Kitui, Machakos and Makueni Counties depend on Tana and Athi rivers for their livelihood; further aware that other rivers across the country are a source of livelihood for many Kenyans; concerned that industrial, chemical and animal wastes and residual soil continue to find their way into these important rivers thereby seriously polluting them; further concerned that waste from Dandora dumping site is a major pollutant of Athi River; further concerned that the Government response against pollution of rivers has been grossly inadequate; appreciating the provisions of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act, 1999; cognizant that Article 69(1)(g) of the Constitution obligates the State to eliminate processes and activities likely to endanger the environment; the Senate urges the Government to take immediate steps to stop pollution of all rivers in the country, compel polluters to compensate those affected and further that the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources submits a report to the Senate bi-annually on specific measures taken to protect the rivers from pollution and compensation of those affected. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as my colleagues have contributed, we note that if there is any matter that needs to be declared a national disaster in Kenya at such times as these when we are starting devolution, it is none other than the pollution of our rivers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, all the tributaries of Athi River and Tana River emanate from the Nairobi area, Kajiado and Mt. Kenya. Water is life and you cannot challenge this fact; it is known like that. It is just the other day in May when the Government marshalled a lot of resources to go and rescue the people along the River Tana, Budalangi, Baringo and most of the areas which were affected by floods. Millions of money was spent; manpower and people were taken there to go and rescue the people. Similarly, a lot of wealth was lost, particularly in Tana River, where we saw people hanging in trees, with all their wealth gone because of the rivers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, so many things have happened that we have destroyed the riparian ecosystem. At the beginning of our Independence, if you can remember – for those of you who are older – nobody was allowed to plough or grow crops very close to the river; none! But today, the Ministry of Agriculture slept on the job and all the implementing agencies that were supposed to make sure that this law was implemented went into slumber. These are some of the laws that we want to be stringently obeyed and followed as a result of this Motion. If you look at our industries, we are now encouraging industries to come, but as they come, what happens? We have bodies that were started The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}