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{
    "id": 405979,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/405979/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 82,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. ole Kenta",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 420,
        "legal_name": "Richard Moitalel ole Kenta",
        "slug": "richard-moitalel-ole-kenta"
    },
    "content": "I thank you hon. Speaker Sir, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important Bill. I would like to compliment the able Chair of the Committee, hon. (Ms) Abdalla, for her presentation yesterday. This Bill is important because it involves communities and Kenyans in general. One thing you must know is that without wildlife, Kenya will not be in the world map as it is at the moment. You have heard and read that the Maasai Mara has been rated the eighth wonder of the world and the great migration of the wild beast is actually what brings interest. The Bill, which is taking over from the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap. 376 recognizes communities for once. I salute the communities that have sacrificed, for many years, their land and lives so that these animals can be preserved for posterity. I believe that it is a duty of each one of us to ensure that wildlife does not disappear from the face of this earth. I believe the new Kenya Wildlife Service is also accommodating the ordinary people because when you look at the Act, we now have members of the public, especially those in wildlife areas incorporated in the board. The other very important thing is that this Act actually recognizes conservancies; this has enabled communities living in the wild areas to benefit. I strongly believe that national parks should actually be national reserves because it is the communities that preserve this wildlife. I was very happy that the Committee realized that the new Act, with the stroke of a pen, had taken away national reserves from communities, yet it is community land. I am happy to say that the Committee, in its wisdom has reinstated them to the communities. We must also look at the issue of compensation. It is a very pertinent issue, because you cannot live with wildlife, sacrifice your life and when hurt by those animals you are left helpless, desolate and all that. As the able Chair said yesterday, the Committee had looked at all those things and made amendments which shall be presented before this House. I am sure the Committee has done a good job and this House will support it. The other thing is the penalties for poachers. The beneficiaries of this poaching are not Kenyans. We have seen foreigners killing our animals for the sole purpose of taking horns for libido enhancing benefits. I believe that we should not encourage such things. The penalties of life imprisonment and Kshs. 20 million fine should be encouraged and supported, otherwise tomorrow we shall have no wildlife. As we all know, the black Rhino is actually at the brink of extinction. Such that in future our children will be looking at such animals in pictures, as the Member who has just spoken said. You go to in situ as if you are in another land; we shall be having the same problem and we shall actually forestall it. The other very important thing is that, we should know that this Act has also created a human face; it is now not unlawful to kill wildlife in self defence. We are not saying you must kill, unless it is in self defence. Why would you want to kill an animal that is not a threat to your life or to your property? The other issue is compensation for crops destroyed by wildlife. Many Members are complaining about it. Any crops that are destroyed will actually be compensated at market value prices. I believe that should not worry Members any more. The other issue that was very sensitive and which was accepted under Section 61 of the Act; is that now, The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}