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{
    "id": 94155,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/94155/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 231,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Otichilo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 131,
        "legal_name": "Wilber Ottichilo Khasilwa",
        "slug": "wilber-ottichilo"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I rise to support this Motion and first I want to thank the Mover of the Motion for bringing it because it is very timely. The issue of climate change is one that now cuts across the whole globe and it is one that is acknowledged worldwide that is should be addressed globally. The issue of pollution in this country is increasing everyday because, as our economy improves, many Kenyans are buying cars and putting up various industries. For example, in Nairobi, the number of vehicles that have increased in the last 10 years is enormous. Therefore, the issue of pollution has become an issue of concern and as the Mover alluded in his speech, the issue is causing a lot of problems particularly in terms of medical care. We have a lot of increase in respiratory diseases because of pollution. Therefore, this issue needs to be addressed and the major culprit in this area is the transport system. The transport system in this country needs to be re-examined because vehicles are the major culprits in terms of pollution. In this regard, there are a number of issues that we need, as a country, to put in place in terms of legislation. Among these are the issues such as how to reduce pollution particularly in our urban areas. There are many ways to reduce urban pollution and among the possible solutions is the way we put up our urban infrastructure to ensure that we decongest the movement of vehicles. We need to put in place legislation that allows the use of other means of transport like bicycles. For example, if you go to countries in Europe like the Netherlands you will find most people go to work using bicycles. That reduces a lot of pollution and congestion. So these are some of the areas that we need to examine. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, we need to come up with legislation that looks at how to phase out vehicles that are inefficient, fuel guzzlers, those that pollute our urban areas particularly by emitting out various gases like carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and many other gases that actually contribute to climate change. If we are to address the issue of pollution, we need to look at our transport system; what transport system do we put in place that will reduce pollution? Currently, in Nairobi and other urban areas, each one of us who buys a car gets on the road. That is why we have a lot of congestion in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening and in the process, there is so much carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere. Most of us who sit in the cars as we wait for them to move, we are inhaling a lot of carbon dioxide and this will contribute to various medical problems like respiratory diseases. So we need to introduce mass transport systems like trams and the subways which we have in Europe. These subways will give people a chance to walk rather than get into vehicles. We need to introduce vehicles like electric trains so that we can minimize pollution in our urban areas. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, many of us have acquired cars and each one of us wants to drive. We need to introduce a policy that ensures that people are enforced to share cars or pool cars so that we do not have everybody going on the road. We need also to look at policies that will introduce road and fuel levies to discourage people from driving their cars when actually they could use public means. We need to come up with laws such as mandatory vehicle inspection to ensure that cars are well maintained in order to reduce pollution. You will agree with me that the current vehicle inspection is not legalized. It is a process that is there to ensure that somebody gets a sticker so that the vehicle can remain on the road even if it is unroadworthy. We need to pass this Motion so that we can introduce legislation that will compel vehicle owners to install pollution control devices such as the three-way catalytical converters that can reduce pollution particularly of nitrogen oxide and nitrous gases to a very high level. We also need, where possible, to introduce legislation that will look at the possibility of coming up with carbon tax for those people who pollute the environment so that people can be able to pay for it. This will discourage many people from driving when it is not necessary. We also need to come up with a law that will bring in programmes like traffic zoning so that we have areas which are zoned in such a way that we have low carbon zones where people are only supposed to walk and not drive. We need to look at the issue of disposal of electronic equipment mainly mobiles and computers. These gadgets are very good but I can assure you they are causing a lot of pollution in the environment and as of now, nobody seems to know how to dispose of these electronic gadgets. Therefore, we need a legislation and policy on this issue. We need to introduce the use of green energy like; solar, wind and biogas as a measure to ensure that our environment is less polluted by various greenhouse gases. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}