Thursday, 20 March, 2025
Environment Committee engages stakeholders on the Meteorology Bill (Senate Bill No. 45) 2023, and the Environmental Professionals Institute of Kenya Bill No. 36 of 2024.𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐨𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲.𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟏𝟗𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐
Representatives from different groups today continued to make their submissions to the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Environment Forestry and Mining as the Committee makes strides into enriching the contents of the Meteorology Bill (Senate Bill No. 45) 2023 and the Environmental Professionals Institute of Kenya Bill, National Assembly Bill No. 36 of 2024 that seeks to bring sanity and effectiveness in the environmental and meteorological sectors respectively.
In order of appearance, Pastoralists Alliance for Resilience and Adaptation Across Nations (PARAAN) were the first group to appear before the Committee sitting under the leadership of Hon. Charles Kamuren (Baringo South - Vice Chair). In their memorandum submitted to the Committee, PARAAN recommended the need to consider decentralising meteorological services through the Meteorology Bill to allow dissemination of information in local languages.
"Hon. Chair, we come from remote and marginalised areas, this approach will enhance inclusivity, efficiency and usability of meteorological services, ensuring that all communities can benefit from timely actionable weather information. We also call for the Meteorology department to collaborate with the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA). This calls for changes in some clauses of the Bill Hon. Chair", said Mr. Liban Golicha (PARAAN).
Prof. Nzioka Muthama was the second to appear. On behalf of the Wangari Maathai Institute for peace and Environmental studies (University of Nairobi), Prof. Nzioka suggested that the Environmental Professionals Institute of Kenya Bill considers professionalism on leadership composition.
"Hon. Chair, This will strengthen research functions within the institute to allow them to make informed decisions that are evidence-based to guide environmental policies and strategies, ensuring they are effective and sustainable. Further it will address capacity building, innovation and development", Prof. Nzioka.
Hon. Charity Kathambi (Njoro) called on the professionals appearing before the Committee not to be selfish with the law on the composition of the institute.
"You don't need to be so strict especially on leadership positions, we have professionals from other fields who have been very good managers in areas that are different from what they studied, have some room for other Kenyans".
Others who submitted their views to the Committee include Prof. Joseph Karauka and Prof. Sammy Letema from Kenyatta University, both are lead experts at the Environmental Institute of Kenya.
Committee Vice Chairperson and session chair Hon. Charles Kamuren has called on more stakeholders to continue making their submissions to the Committee until end of this week.