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{
    "id": 948757,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/948757/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 339,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kasanga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13185,
        "legal_name": "Sylvia Mueni Kasanga",
        "slug": "sylvia-mueni-kasanga"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, as I said earlier, the Motion is very clear; that all that needs to be done is operationalization of the laws that have already been envisioned to make our environment better than we have. We, therefore, have this task of keeping this conversation going. Our cities and towns are growing fast, thanks to devolution. We are having a more urbanized population and are encouraging our communities to also embrace urbanization. Part of the reason is because we want to deliver services easily. Hopefully along the way, our land policies could also change and then we can start embracing the need to leave larger areas for tree cover. Madam Temporary Speaker, we cannot over-emphasize the importance of trees. When you are at your home in your garden or yard, and you are taking a rest while sitting under a tree, you feel relaxed. It has a mental application to it, if we are going to go into the psychology of being around a tree as opposed to being around a concrete place. I am, therefore, urging this Senate to look deeply into it; that this conversation of trees should never end. Madam Temporary Speaker, I do not really need to go into the statistics of it. The country is falling far behind when it comes to our target of 10 per cent tree cover. When is the national week for planting trees that we were promised by the Government some time back? The Cabinet Secretary (CS), Keriako Tobiko, launched a National Tree Planting Campaign on 7th March, 2018. Why have we not seen this metamorphosizing into a national agenda that can be done week-long every year or ever so often, because of the targets that we need to reach? In history, we have seen one of the great leaders in the Northern parts of Africa who tried to push the desert by planting trees. It is true that we can completely change our environment by planting trees. For those who have been privileged to travel to the Middle Eastern countries, you have seen what they have done with their deserts. They have actually planted trees, which are yielding an environment that is even cooler than our very own city here today. Therefore, Madam Temporary Speaker, I urge the Senate to look into this issue so that we can put to task our county governments on the role they need to play. More importantly we should have this conversation going; such that as leaders that everywhere, we must talk about trees. We must talk about the importance of planting trees within our compounds, our communities and our cities. We must task our county governments to plant trees even within the cities. For instance, why is the planning department at City Hall approving drawings that have no green areas for people to relax and play? Trees and green areas have a very direct impact on the psychology of the human being. In modern cities, you can see how far The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}