EALA enacts Forest Management Bill
EALA has passed the EAC Forests Management and Protection Bill 2015 in effect putting in place a regional framework to conserve the environment.
The Bill, whose mover is Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, sailed through at its 3rd Reading after the Committee stage scrutinised its various clauses, proposing amendments. The Report of the Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources was presented by Hon. Judith Pareno on behalf of the Chair.
The EAC Forestry and Management Protection Bill, 2015 hopes to promote the development, protection, conservation, sustainable management and use of the forests in the Community, especially trans-boundary forests ecosystems, in the interest of present and future generations. It further wants to espouse the scientific, cultural and socio-economic values of forests and harmonise national forest laws.
Once amends are integrated, the Bill is expected to undergo assent by the Heads of State in line with Article 63 of the Treaty for the Establishment of EAC. The Bill seeks to operationalise Article 112(1) d) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC in which Partner States undertook to co-operate in the management of the environment and agreed to take necessary disaster preparedness, management, protection and mitigation measures especially for the control of natural and man-made disasters.
The Bill delineates the roles and responsibilities of Partner States and seeks to promote uniformity and integration in the area of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and management. Finally, the Bill seeks to create a regional mechanism which would enable a timely intervention in disaster situations.
The Assembly had at its last sitting in Nairobi in October 2015 adjourned debate on the Bill. The adjournment at Committee stage followed the successful Motion for the same, tabled by the Chair of EAC Council of Ministers, Hon. Dr Harrison Mwakyembe, seeking for more time to enable the United Republic of Tanzania to make input.
Hon. Dr Mwakyembe then informed the House that the United Republic of Tanzania was expected to go to the polls in October and that it was necessary for the debate to be put on hold until such time that a new Government is in place to effectively enable the Partner State to make its input.
The Bill has five parts with the Preliminaries and objectives contained in Part 1. Part two covers general measures on forest management and protection while Governance and institutions of forest management and control are entailed in part 3 of the Bill. Part 4 amplifies trade in forest related products while section 5 envisages co-ordination matters under a Board known as the EAC Forests Board to be operationalised by the Council of Ministers.