EALA
Speaker, Rt. Hon Daniel Fred Kidega is joined by the Minister for
Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta at the tree planting occasion.
Musician Boniface Melodie works up the crowd at the tree planting initiative in Gatsibo district over the weekend.
Governor
Odete Uwimariya, EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Daniel Fred Kidega and the
Minister of Forestry, Dr Vincent Biruta join other locals in admiring
products used in honey harvesting in Gatsibo over the weekend.
EALA
over the weekend participated in Umuganda (Community social work) in
Kizinguro, Gatsibo District in Rwanda using the occasion to join
citizens in tree planting.
The
occasion saw the legislators engage also in sensitization as part of the
outreach activities in the area. It coincided with the National Tree
Planting Initiative launched countrywide.
Speaker,
Daniel Fred Kidega hailed the citizens of Rwanda for their
participation in development of the country. He said the country had
continued to progress and praised President Paul Kagame for his
leadership. The Speaker urged the citizens to take advantage of the
integration process and draw from its tangible benefits.
“Do
not look at Gatsibo as the only market for the honey you produce. What
is produced here should and can be sold in the five Partner States,”
the Speaker said.
The Speaker called on the globe as it convenes the COP 21 in Paris, France, to give the continent a fair deal.
“On
Monday, governments are meeting in Paris to discuss a possible global
agreement on climate change aimed at keeping global warming under 2°
Celsius. As EALA Members, we are calling upon our technical negotiators
to push for a fair deal,” he said.
“Africa
is not a major pollutant like developed countries that emit a lot of
gases. Yet Africa is most vulnerable to climate change effects. The main
polluters should pay more and be the main players in reducing global
warming”, the Speaker added.
The
tree-planting initiative in Gatsibo shall enable the citizens to plant
25,000 trees in the area. Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent
Biruta hailed the Armed Forces for playing a key role in sustainability
and maintained that food security and conservation of non-timber
projects was vital.
The occasion took place hot on the heels of the passage of the EAC Forests Management and Protection Bill 2015 by EALA.
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.
The
Bill seeks to operationalize 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
Governor of the Eastern Province, Odette Uwamariya, remarked that 15,000
hectares of land had been set aside for re-afforestation and said the
Community would constantly be sensitized on importance of forestry and
good governance among other thematic areas.
In
attendance were senior government officials, EALA Members and the
diplomatic representatives from Netherlands, Belgium and Israel.
Representatives of the Rwanda Natural Resources Authority and the Rwanda
Agricultural Board also attended.
In
March 2011, EALA participated in the Anti-Nyakatsi drive (grass thatched
houses) in Kanyinya sector, Nyarugenege district on the outskirts of
Kigali and helped to construct houses during an Umganda occasion led by
President Paul Kagame.
One
month later, EALA returned to the area to distribute 300 sheets of iron
to underscore its desire to see shelter provided as a basic right for
all.
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