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{
    "id": 504793,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/504793/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 161,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Chanzu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 11,
        "legal_name": "Yusuf Kifuma Chanzu",
        "slug": "yusuf-chanzu"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, hon. Speaker for the opportunity to support the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Amendment) Bill, 2014. Hon. Speaker, the environment means a lot to all of us, be it at the county level or globally. What we do is for our own good. It also contributes to what happens globally and, therefore, everybody must be cautious of what happens around us all the time. The most important thing is that, the Bill brings out issues that we need to pay attention to. Everybody who is supposed to participate in environmental conservation and management must know what roles they are supposed to play. At the national level, the issue of standards cannot be overlooked. The issue of standards is very important because the Government is involved at the national level. However, when it comes to managing various aspects, from place to place, be it constituency to constituency or from county to county, we must bring it down so that each suspect will be managed based on the prevailing situation. We had forests in a number of places, although they have been destroyed. This has now exposed us to a lot of weather effects. These are the areas that we really need to address so that, those who are in charge of conserving the environment, for example, forests, green vegetation and many others are able to do that. Hon. Speaker, I am also happy to note that there are penalties which have been introduced in this Bill and this will ensure that those who are involved in environmental destruction pay some penalties. Hon. Speaker, there is one very interesting aspect where I come from; Vihiga County. We had Maragoli Hills which were covered by a forest but it was destroyed. People now live on Maragoli Hills because erosion got rid of the vegetation and plantations which was there. Erosion left vegetation and stones exposed. Those who are trying to do farming and conservation of the forests cannot because it is all stones. There are those people who cut trees and sold them to the millers while others used them as firewood, thus leaving the place bare. This happened because there were no penalties for any person who destroyed the forest by felling trees. It is now good because we have penalties. Those who are caught destroying the environment are apprehended and punished. Hon. Speaker, the other thing is the level of participation. This is where this Bill talks about participatory environmental management, which is a very important aspect. Everybody who has got an opportunity to play a role is involved and this will allow an element of ownership in the process. If everybody feels they are involved, they are bound to take precautions in what they are doing. Hon. Speaker, the role of NEMA needs to be made clearer and this Bill is going to help us do that. There is the element of climate change, in which we have not had a 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."
}