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{
    "id": 617721,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/617721/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 171,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Dr.) Ottichilo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 131,
        "legal_name": "Wilber Ottichilo Khasilwa",
        "slug": "wilber-ottichilo"
    },
    "content": "Other natural resources, apart from wildlife, are forests. We have gazetted forests which are spread throughout the country. Because of increase in population there is very high demand and, indeed, many Petitions have been brought to this House to degazette some of those forests so that they can be used for settlement. The purpose of this Bill is to ensure that we do not degazette some of our crucial forests which are water catchment areas without due consideration to their ecological importance to mankind. Again, this is extremely important. Having said that, I have a number of concerns with this Bill on a few issues which I feel we need to consider. One of the issues that is in the Bill that I feel very strongly--- (technicalhitch) --- must give a consent. I believe that is not right. I believe we cannot control research. Research s allowed anywhere in the world. After it has been done, the outcome of that research is evaluated to find out whether it has any negative impact to human welfare or not. By categorising genetic material as one of the natural resource or material that must be ratified by this House, I believe, we shall stifle research in this country. As we speak, most of our national universities have many programmes on biotechnology. If we were to pass this, we shall almost cripple most of those departments because they will not be able to carry out research. It is not necessarily that all genetically modified organisms that are used to engineer our crops and animals come from outside the country. Some of these materials are generated by our researchers in our laboratories. We also have regulations on how these materials are generated and how we should ensure that these materials are not released into the environment without due diligence and without serious tests. As we go to the Third Reading, I will propose that these parts be removed from the classes of materials that must be looked into by this House. We also need to look at water resources. The classes we have been given in this Bill clearly shows that under the water resources, we must give authority for the extraction of sea water within the territorial sea for private commercial use. Again, this is an area we need to look at because people along the coast use sea water for various reasons. For example, if you go to Magarini in Malindi, you will find that we have many salt factories that extract salt from sea water. So, we have to consider whether we need to have those companies vetted or ratified here before any extraction can be done. That is an area we need to look at."
}