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{
    "id": 774705,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/774705/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 264,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. ole Sankok",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13166,
        "legal_name": "David Ole Sankok",
        "slug": "david-ole-sankok"
    },
    "content": "advised by the late Wangari Maathai, but we gave a deaf ear. We were advised by Hon. Michuki, but we did not listen. Now we are painfully paying for the sins and atrocities we have done not only against the advice of those great leaders, but also against the Holy Bible. When I hear Hon. Osotsi mention the name of Raila Odinga, and other Members mention other names, it pains me because this is no longer a political matter. When he starts mentioning, during such a very important debate, the people’s president, we also have the President of the Law Society of Kenya, the Students Organisation of Nairobi University (SONU) President and many other many presidents in this country and we do not have to bring them into this House. We have to debate this important issue. I support that policies should also be put in place in collaboration with county governments. Every public institution from our primary schools to secondary schools and others like Purko Sheep Ranch in Narok should have not less than 10 per cent forest cover on their land. As the Government, we are the ones who should lead from the front. We should be geared towards 50 per cent forest cover in all our public institutions from primary schools to other public lands. We also want to engage county governments to enact bylaws and policies that will bring on board the private sector in the commercialisation of forests. We have trees like bamboo, which are economically viable and their growth rate is quick. They improve the climate especially in terms of attracting rain. We should encourage our people to plant trees not as an enforcement or as a punishment, but as another economic activity for them. We should also enforce laws that guard against destruction of our riparian areas. Our rivers are drying up not necessarily because there is no rain, but because we have destroyed our forest cover that supports our springs. There are very minute springs which can be destroyed by animals and once they are opened up, evaporation takes effect. The springs then do not drain into rivers which support livestock and wild animals downstream. We need to enforce these laws especially on riparian areas. The only thing that gives me hope is that the CS for Environment is a man I have known for a long time and I am sure the country has another Michuki. We are sure that the laws that we are talking about in this House and the money that is being allocated will be used efficiently and prudently. Hon. Keriako Tobiko is a no-nonsense man. He started by saying that logging and cutting down of indigenous trees is illegal. I know he means his word. Wherever he is, I want him to know that our children and our generations to come depend entirely on him. He should pull up his socks and make sure that laws passed by this House are enforced. He should also make sure that we engage the private sector. We do not need to scare them. We need to explain to them. We need to hold proper public participation to tell them of the need to conserve our environment so that we do not attract a curse as I have read in the book of Leviticus to our generation to come. I support this Sessional Paper."
}