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"content": "because the Government has already committed the country to a treaty that may not be worth binding our country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this House has a lot of issues to address. For instances, forests are found in counties yet the other day the Government said that the national forests fare under them. Who should be the custodians of these forests? I suggest that forests should be as of necessity within the jurisdiction of the counties where they are placed with the national Government having an overwhelming interest; in which case, there is a collaborative approach in the planting, development, expansion, protection and management of our forests coverage. We, as a House, need to obligate our counties so that, probably in the next 10 years, there should be no county with under 10 per cent forest cover; and then increase another 10 per cent forest cover after that is achieved. Yesterday, you heard me say that a country like South Korea, in 1963 had about seven per cent forest cover. Today it has 71 per cent forest cover. This is because of the progressive goals that you said yourself; set, achieve and set another target. In this country, when you fly over forests, you would think that this country is at war. There is massive destruction of forests by charcoal burners, landless invaders and sometimes, it is just rogue forest officers doing all manner of things to undermine the ecological future of our country. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this House should be vested with the necessary authority. We have been asking the Jubilee Government to effect the provisions of the Constitution. We cannot have a country that has no definition of its international boundaries. The counties of Turkana, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay, Narok, Taita-Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Moyale and Marsabit are all enjoined with the responsibility of being custodians of our international boundaries. We need to define it in the Constitution. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if you look at the Constitution of Uganda, you will see that it defines Uganda’s international boundary up to the hills, small rivers and many features to the extent that nobody can make a mistake. We have simply said that our international boundary shall be described in an Act of Parliament. Where is that Act of Parliament? We have nothing three years after the Constitution was promulgated and there is still nothing. That is why we have asked the Government to move quickly and bring a Bill to this House for debate. Today, it is arguable as to whether the Elemi Triangle is our territory or not. I know that it is our territory. However, when you go to South Sudan, the Elemi Triangle is defined in their Constitution and national map as part of their territory. This is a powder keg waiting to explode in future. If we let our neighbours draw maps that obviously claim our territory as theirs and we do nothing, in law, we could easily – in the event of a dispute in future – be told that; “You are estopped from raising this argument because you sat on your rights and did nothing.” Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the boundary between Kenya and Uganda was said to be at the centre of the mouth of Sio River. The River has since changed course and moved two kilometres inside Kenya. Therefore, is the centre of the mouth of Sio River still the international boundary between Kenya and Uganda? Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there are also arguments about Migingo Island that if some of us were not there to exercise restraint, could have led to a conflict. If Kenya wanted to fight back with equal or even greater force when Uganda sent its army to Migingo Island, we, probably, would have had a serious conflict between Members of the East African Community (EAC). However, we, the advisors, restrained. We agreed that we are brothers and, therefore, we 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."
}