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{
    "id": 457719,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/457719/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 403,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Waiganjo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2644,
        "legal_name": "John Muriithi Waiganjo",
        "slug": "john-muriithi-waiganjo"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for giving me this opportunity although I notice that I do not have much time. This is a very important Bill we are discussing this evening. Of course, this Bill is coming to replace the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap.376 of 1975 which is the operational statute. I would like from the outset to congratulate the Committee for doing a good job. This new Bill is coming to take care of the challenges that have ensued since the passage of the new Constitution. One of the challenges that are rampant is poaching. It is decimating most of our wildlife. We also have pollution of wildlife habitat. Human- wildlife conflict is also an issue that is addressed in this Bill. There is also the issue of compensation and insecurity. The Constitution under the Fourth Schedule makes the protection of wildlife and wild habitat a preserve of the national Government. This, of course, gives a challenge to the Committee. My main worry with this Bill is Clause 67(3) where we are talking about cropping and culling. These two things are a pain in the flesh. Of course, “cropping” means harvesting of animals and wildlife for their products and game meat. “Culling” is a selective removal of wildlife based on ecological and scientific principles for management purposes. We only need to look at our past experiences to know that if we include cropping and culling then we risk opening up our game reserves and parks to poachers. We know that KWS does not have the capacity to regulate cropping as has been demonstrated by the failure to prevent poaching. If KWS and the Government are not able to prevent the poaching of elephants and other animals, how then do you expect them to regulate cropping? Do you trust KWS to take care of our elephants when we know that a whole population of our elephants is now being decimated by poachers? Of course, cropping contradicts wildlife conservation principles and efforts of the past and should be left out of this Bill. I urge this Committee to reconsider---"
}