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{
    "id": 573812,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/573812/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 426,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13119,
        "legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
        "slug": "agnes-zani"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker, for recognizing women Senators in this House. We rarely get such accolades and we need them more often. We assert ourselves in this House and continue to do our duties diligently as Senators. Two or three days ago while in Mombasa for our meeting with Members of County Assemblies (MCAs), my son sent me a message saying that there were hailstones in Nairobi. I told him that it was impossible. I asked him to send me a photograph of what he was talking about. On looking at it, it looked like snow. I told him that one day it will snow in Kenya and Africa. This is the impact of climatic change that we have now become aware of. It is very real. The sort of temperatures and the way the environment and seasons were formulated have completely changed. Apart from raining havoc, for example, farmers may not know the season to plant because it is not very clear when it will rain or not. It is also not clear when there is going to be a storm or flooding. I know efforts have been made towards disaster reduction because that creates a problem. Climatic change has been most vulnerable and affected the very poor. It is easy for the privileged to adjust but not the poor. Madam Temporary Speaker, I congratulate the originator of this Bill which, I think, is overdue. I know lots of efforts have been done in climate change but there has been very little coordination. In fact, when it comes to disaster risk reduction which is also related to climatic change efforts in a way, there has not been a lot of coordination; only theoretical material that has been discussed. However, when it comes to actionable plans on who should take charge of what, that has not been very clear. It is, therefore, very important that this Bill that hopes to address matters of coordination, planning and action be put in place. This Bill establishes creation of a climatic change council that is very broad and clear in terms of its mandate. Therefore, they will be able to deliver. It also sets up a climatic change directorate which is key. More important, it seeks to give climate change response measures and actions. This is critical because for as long as we do not find a way to respond, sometimes there is very little that we can do about changes especially those which become disastrous. However, the idea is to plan in advance and we are able to do so. For example, The Netherlands is surrounded by water but they have found a way to ensure that they are not submerged. They have learnt to keep the water away and keep their environment safe. Madam Temporary Speaker, the same applies to climatic change. We can actually look for ways and means. If we know, for example, as a result of climatic change we will have longer dry periods, we can then plan for that by having more irrigation initiatives and even changing planting seasons. As much as we are not God and we are unable to 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."
}