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{
    "id": 93324,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/93324/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 225,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Chachu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 18,
        "legal_name": "Francis Chachu Ganya",
        "slug": "francis-ganya"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I congratulate the Minister for moving this Motion. I also congratulate the Ministry for the good work that it has been doing in the last few years. In particular, I want to highlight the situation of the Nairobi River and our water towers. The tree planting that is going on in all our constituencies in this Republic is something to be proud of. Having said that, I want to address the issue of air pollution in this country. For us to have clean air in this country, we must reduce vehicle emissions as well as the sulphur levels in our fuel. For the last 30 years, developed countries have managed to have cleaner air by having cleaner fuels and vehicles. This is an effective pathway for us to reduce air pollution. Benefits from cleaner fuels and vehicles in developed countries have been lower emissions from existing fleets of vehicles as well as enabling international cleaner vehicles and technologies which would reduce transport related air pollution. Kenya, for instance, already has introduced cleaner fuel, namely, unleaded petrol. However, for this to be effective, the Government must gazette the use of catalytic converters for our vehicles. If that legislation is put in place, it will enable us to have cleaner vehicle technologies in this country which can reduce vehicle emissions. Secondly, reducing sulphur levels in our fuel is critical. High sulphur level in fuel has many negative impacts on our health. In addition, high sulphur levels hinder international cleaner vehicle technologies which only function with the low sulphur fuel. Kenya was ranked by the United Nations at position 98 out of 100 countries in the world with dirty fuel. These are countries which have very high levels of sulphur in their fuel. For instance, the sulphur levels in diesel in Japan is 10 parts per million while diesel from the Kenya Refinery is at 10,000 parts per million. This is a shame. This country can do better than that. I know the Minister is a very effective Minister and can do what is necessary to ensure that we have low sulphur levels in our fuel. The Government should urgently gazette 50 parts per million sulphur levels for imported diesel. Some countries like Morocco, Brazil and Mexico have successfully introduced low sulphur levels in their metropolitan areas. If we just do those two things, namely, reduce sulphur levels in our fuel and reduce vehicle emissions, we can have cleaner air and better environment in this country. With those few remarks, I beg to support the Motion."
}