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{
    "id": 94162,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/94162/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 238,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Chachu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 18,
        "legal_name": "Francis Chachu Ganya",
        "slug": "francis-ganya"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I thank all hon. Members who have contributed to this Motion and, in particular, Mr. Kinyanjui who seconded it. I agree with them that we need to have a well organized public transport system. We need to have proper legislation to regulate emission rates. I think it is very important for us to have age limits for the vehicles that are using our roads and highways. In this country, any vehicle on the road must be road worthy. I think it is time we have age limits for vehicles that are worthy to be on highways. I agree with Ms. Shabesh that for cross- cutting issues such as transport, we need to involve the relevant Ministries such as the Ministry of Transport and others so that, collectively, they can address the problems that we are posing. I also concur with my fellow colleagues that the use of clean energies or what environmentalists call soft energies needs to be encouraged in this country. We should use solar to power our vehicles. We should also have electric trains. They are being used in Seattle in the USA and other cities in the world. That way, we can have a public transport that is ecologically sound. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I do agree that we need to have punitive measures and policies to penalize fuel guzzlers in this country. The idea is having carbon tax and ensuring that those who are responsible for polluting our environment are also made to pay additional tax or revenue to the State; it is an idea that needs considering. I will again repeat what I said earlier that we need to make it mandatory in this country for all the vehicles that are imported in Kenya to have catalytic converters, which will really reduce the emissions from our vehicles. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I will again urge the Government to reduce sulphur levels in our fuel from the current 10,000 parts per a million to maybe 50 parts per million. This can be done administratively by gazetment. I also think that regular vehicles maintenance and inspection are critical in reducing vehicle emissions. Those of us who have lived in the Western World know that every year or so, you have to take your vehicle for inspection, and it has to be roadworthy. Emission is one element that is actually inspected. I think it is time we had legislation and policies to ensure that we safeguard our air quality. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, as I finalise, it is important for our refinery in Mombasa to be upgraded to reduce sulphur levels in our fuel. It is a shame for Kenya to be number 98 out of 100 countries that are ranked by the United Nations as having the dirtiest fuel in the world. I think, as a nation, we can do better than that. I think it is time we ensured that the diesel we produce in this country has a more reasonable level of sulphur than we have today. With those few remarks, I beg to move."
}