Carbon Credits: Kalonzo Accuses Ruto of Corruption in Kenya’s Climate Change Deals
Wiper Party Leader, Kalonzo Musyoka on Thursday alleged that President William Ruto was on a mission to sell the Kenyan airspace to foreign powers.
While speaking at a burial in Machakos, Kalonzo read a sinister motive in Ruto’s Climate Change agenda, claiming that the head of state was signing deals that would haunt Kenyans shortly.
These deals, he added, were being sealed without the knowledge of the citizens, as Ruto was keen enough to disguise them to appear beneficial to the country.
In particular, Kalonzo claimed that Ruto flew out to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai to seal deals with foreign nations to sell the country’s airspace.
“Kenyans are worse off now than even last year, let us be careful. Let alone KICC where your offices are, or KPC which is a very important national strategic and security installation, they have even begun selling air,” Kalonzo alleged.
His remarks centered around government plans to privatize several parastatals, including the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK), and Kenya Pipeline Company Limited (KPC).
Kalonzo also faulted the Members of Parliament for passing the Climate Change (Amendments) Act 2023 and demanded a review of the enacted law.
“Carbon credit is the next frontier of immense corruption, where you are selling our airspace, that one, how you passed those acts of Climate Change. You have to revisit,” Kalonzo said.
“The country’s oxygen, the carbon sink, our forests, have been taken, and if you doubt me, and MPs if you doubt me, look at the Climate Change Act 2023 as amended afresh, you will notice our air is being sold without even our knowledge, because it is now carbon trading all over the world.”
On September 1, President William Ruto assented to the Climate Change (Amendment) Act, 2023, aligned with the Africa Climate Summit and Africa Climate Week held in Nairobi.
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The Act, built upon the foundations laid by the Climate Change Act 2016, aims to push Kenya towards realizing its obligations under the Paris Agreement. It also introduced provisions for the regulation of and participation in carbon markets.
It further provided for the establishment of a carbon registry that would be accessible to the public with registers detailing carbon credit projects and the amount of carbon credits issued or transferred from Kenya.
Ruto, who has been at the forefront of championing Climate Change in Africa, has been lauded as a revolutionary leader, contrary to Kalonzo’s allegations, which PoliticalPulseChat could not independently verify.
At the Africa Climate Summit, African states pledged to support Climate Change policies in line with Ruto’s campaigns. The United Kingdom, meanwhile, pledged Ksh8 billion to boost green projects in Africa.
“The UK is working closely with African partners to fight climate change, boost resilience, and help those whose lives are most impacted,” British Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell said.
Kalonzo’s sentiments came against the backdrop of Ruto’s trip to Dubai to attend the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28).
The President, who left the country on Thursday, is set to preside over Kenya and Africa’s Climate Agenda. Ruto will deliver a statement on behalf of all African Presidents, pushing for reforms per recommendations agreed in the Nairobi summit.
Carbon Credits: Kalonzo Accuses Ruto of Corruption in Kenya’s Climate Change Deals