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{
    "id": 530619,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/530619/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 59,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "This has to be relooked into so that environmental management is a national service. We should have a professional body. If they find you building on a wetland, they should stop you and you obey. When they give you directions on how to build, you have to obey and that should not escalate the costs of investments in the country. Many countries do this. I do not see why Kenya cannot do it. I hope the passage of this Bill and the incorporation of the county government will address some things; first, the protection of forests. I want to pick from where Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale left regarding Kakamega Forest. This is one of the few remaining tropical forests in Kenya apart from the Mau and Aberdares. When the Kakamega County Government came into place, the Governor was clearly told that he had nothing to do with forests. Fellows sitting in Nairobi started giving out licences upon licenses to loggers. It had to take the villagers to move in and stop the loggers on Kakamega Forest because it was not clear who was responsible. Now that in this Bill, the county governments are responsible for the protection of the environment within their jurisdiction – this is very elaborate in Clause 50 all the way with about 14 or 15 sub clauses giving authority to the county governments to take care of dams, rivers, water resources, mining, forest related activities, agriculture, processing and manufacturing, electrical infrastructure, management of hydro carbons, water waste disposal and so on. This is very important. However, it must also be accompanied by the technical capabilities of each county to take care of this. Mr. Speaker, Sir, if you go to some counties, you will find dams which were set aside by the colonial regime. I am not aware of any elaborate structure to set up land for dams in this country since Independence apart from haphazard constructions of dams. Some are constructed and end up holding no water. All the land that was set aside for dams has been encroached on and completely grabbed by land grabbers. We want to see county governments recover this. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I know you come from a county with fewer rivers. In the past, where there are many rivers, farmers were not allowed to farm up to riverine or forest protection areas in the colonial days and immediately after post-Independence. Today, farmers are scratching up to the water of the river to the extent that the streams are contaminated and the water sources are dilapidated and drying up. As a result, we end up with some of the dirtiest streams and rivers in this region. If you look at Lake Victoria, you go to the Ugandan side, the lake is blue and clean, but on the Kenyan side, it is dirty; grey and sometimes almost red because of the heavy silt that the rivers are pouring into the lake. We want to see county governments putting up legislation through the county assemblies to ban farming at an agreed distance from streams and rivers so that the quality of water in the river is protected and the river itself too. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in western Kenya where I come from and large parts of Kisii County, you will see some very bad trees called blue gum (eucalyptus) planted on all wetlands. We are told that these species of plants suck out almost all the water, both ground water and even the aquifers below them. I would want to see a situation where there is regulation. Plant indigenous trees along wetlands, at water sources, along riverine areas and that will help the environment. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}