Senate calls on investors to embrace conservation of the environment

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Nairobi, KENYA: Senate committee on the environment has urged Kenyans to embrace conservation of environment whenever developmental investments are initiated in a bid to curb environmental degradation in the near future.

Speaking while holding talks with Kisii governor James Ongwae, Members of the committee led by the chair Nyandarua senator Mwangi Githiomi urged the leaders to balance between development and conservation of the environment whenever they initiate developmental projects.

“We have to do due diligence and tough conditions to the investors once you give that land then they put fences, I have a case am pursuing where an investor gets land and even the watering point is fenced .”

“I have seen people get land for investment and start selling it.”Taita Taveta senator Jomes Mwaruma said.

Their remarks were echoed by Kisii senator Prof Sam Ongeri and Kisii governor James Ongwae said that
the leadership in the area is embracing the forestry policies by providing 900 acre land of trees in a bid to enhance forest coverage.

“We are giving 900 acres for conservation, those 900 acres we have in return for the 120 acres of the sugar factory,” Ongwae said

Ongwae presented a petition to the Senate for the variation of the boundaries of Nyangweta forest in south Mugirango Kisii county to have a sugar factory built.

Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Mr. Keriako Tobiko, by the end of this week, is scheduled to launch the Taskforce that was gazetted on 26th February 2018 to inquire into forest resources management and logging activities in Kenya at Kenya Forest Service.

Various stakeholders have been calling for the conservation of the environment by banning logging across the country.

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