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{
    "id": 401030,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/401030/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 83,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, first, I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Land and Natural Resources because they provided to me this Statement in advance so that I was able to interrogate it. It concerns me that the last paragraph of the statement, the Cabinet Secretary in charge of environment admits that there is logging going on in three forests in Makueni without the National Environment Authority’s authorization. In the Statement, the Minister does not state whether this is legal or illegal and why they have not taken any action. Secondly, I bothered to check with the forest officers last week and the order referred to in the last paragraph has not reached Eiwani Forest, Kaiti Forest and Kivale Forest. They have not received these orders to the extent that the logging is still going on. Would I be in order to propose that the Committee goes back to the Cabinet Secretary and provides this House with the order that they have issued to the various organizations including NEMA to stop the logging of these forests? More importantly for them to confirm whether or not it is a policy of the National Forest Service to allow the logging of forests without proper authorizations from NEMA. Thirdly, from the Statement, it appears that somebody from the National Forest Service has decided that they have to log forests in Makueni for purposes of wood which appears to be insufficient to the country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in my question, I had requested the Committee to seek for an answer as to whether there is a policy by the national Government on logging and selling of trees. They have not answered that question. It, therefore, becomes important for that answer to be brought to this House. I am sure you are aware that there is a report before the Senate and it appeared in the press last week showing the status of forests in the country. Without an answer as to whether it is a national policy on logging of forests, how do we know on what basis the National Forest Service allowed the logging of forests in Makueni which appears to be number 20 in terms of forest cover and left out other counties which have more trees to be logged for the purpose of wood? So, I am requesting that you allow or give directions that this Statement be done comprehensively, so that the questions that I have set are answered and we can know whether or not the logging in Kivale Forest, Eiwani Forest and Nzaui Forest in Makueni Constituency was not deliberate or not done for purposes of commercial entity and, therefore, they are hiding under the policy of wood for the country, yet it is for personal gain. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."
}