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{
    "id": 510180,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/510180/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 205,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Eng.) Gumbo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 24,
        "legal_name": "Nicholas Gumbo",
        "slug": "nicholas-gumbo"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the reason for moving this amendment, as I have stated when moving my amendment is that, I personally feel that as a country, we need to increase our production of energy. However as we do that, we have to do it in a way that is safe and takes cognizance of the fact that we are still largely a developing country. If you look at the energy policy which we have discussed at the Committee level - both the Energy Policy and the Draft Energy Bill will be coming to this House soon - it has been proposed to take cognizance of our development blueprint, which is Vision 2030. The vision aims to transform Kenya into a newly industrialised middle income country providing high quality of life to all its citizens in a clean and secure environment. The Vision 2030 has identified energy as a key foundation and proposed the use of nuclear energy for purposes of electricity generation in the Draft Nuclear Energy Bill and the Draft Energy Policy. Clearly, if the Motion was to be adopted in its original form, then some of the ramifications would be, for instance, the drastic amendments to the proposed Energy Policy and the proposed Energy Bill. In the amended form, the message we are sending out there is that all the processes that are in place, such as exploring the possibility of deploying nuclear energy in Kenya, can go on. However, even as we go on with those processes, it is important that as a country, we emphasise more on the renewable energy which is in abundance in Kenya. As the Chair may be aware, only the day before yesterday, the Treasury signed for the start of one of the largest wind energy contracts in Africa. This is the Lake Turkana wind power project. As we speak, there are projections that from our geothermal resources, we are embarking on a process to generate a further 210 Megawatts from Geothermal resources. These contracts have been signed with the Geothermal Development Company of Kenya. Of course, I have said it before clearly one of the ironies of our country is that it is sitting on the equator. In fact, Kenya is perhaps the only country which sits equidistantly; almost equally. There is an abundance of solar and sunshine. Every square metre in Kenya can generate up to one kilowatt of solar energy and so that is the irony. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, it is ironical because even as we speak, the generation from solar is almost insignificant. I do not think it has even reached 40 megawatts. If you compare that with temperate countries like Germany - I am privileged to have visited Germany early in the year – you will be surprised. The surface area of Germany is just about 60 per cent the surface area of Kenya which is 583 square kilometers, which is also temperate. But as we speak Germany generates up to 36,000 megawatts from solar. It is quite ironical. Indeed, the opportunity for exploiting the available renewable energy resources that we have is there. Therefore, I think it is important that as we move ahead with this Motion, we give the Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB) the opportunity to continue undertaking the studies that they are doing. Clearly the risks with nuclear energy are there. Of course, one would argue that over time you have had largely three major nuclear accidents in the world; the three islands incident in the 70s, the Chernobyl and of 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."
}