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{
    "id": 503427,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/503427/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 200,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Oyugi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 444,
        "legal_name": "Augostinho Neto Oyugi",
        "slug": "augostinho-neto-oyugi"
    },
    "content": "The other progressive amendment is to the extent that the county environment committees are going to be given power to manage issues in environment at the counties. That is a useful thing that ought to be given consideration. As I said, the fact that you want to make this Bill to be aligned to county governments, and also you want to make this Bill respond to the right to information--- Those were useful amendments. You are having issues to deal with climate change in the proposed amendment to Section 56(8). There will be conflict when you have various provisions dealing with climate change in one piece of legislation, and you also have same provisions in another piece of legislation, unless you have that by reference and concurrence. Otherwise, there could be provisions within the Climate Change Act that we passed and in this particular Bill, which will be in conflict and then it will be difficult to harmonize issues of climate change properly. The other retrogressive part is the insertion of Section 104, which empowers the Cabinet Secretary, on recommendation of the Authority, to set standards to acceptable levels of radiation in the environment. My understanding is that it is the Authority that is supposed to be setting up the standards as opposed to the Cabinet Secretary. So, it is supposed to be that the Cabinet Secretary makes recommendations to the Authority to set the standards for radiation as opposed to the Authority making recommendations to the Cabinet Secretary. A progressive amendment is to the extent that penalties are going to be enhanced for the various players. There are various people who engage in willful pollution. Examples are people who do factories, or people who have various constructions all over the place. I have seen the section that seeks to increase the penalties. I think we should even be giving harsher penalties because the only thing we can give to prosperity is a good, safe and clean environment. So, I really think that yes, amendments bring in a few useful things but there needs to be more at the Committee Stage, when we look at this Bill properly, to take back the retrogressive clauses, so that at least we have a proper Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act. With those remarks, I do support because I promised to ensure that my colleagues also speak."
}