Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has criticized President William Ruto over the ongoing Africa Climate Summit, which he termed as “hypocrisy”. The senator took to Twitter on Monday to express his displeasure with the summit, which is being held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
Hypocrisy of the highest order! We are here talking about climate change and up above the main hall a Helicopters, which is responsible for a significant part of the carbon footprint in the world is hovering over. @UNFCCC @Environment_Ke pic.twitter.com/cMYqg0mliF
— Sen. Ledama Olekina (@ledamalekina) September 4, 2023
Olekina argued that the summit should have been held in a desert, where the effects of climate change are more visible and urgent. He also questioned the sincerity of the president, who he accused of being behind the destruction of forests and wetlands in the country.
The senator’s tweet sparked mixed reactions from netizens, some of whom supported his sentiments while others accused him of being disrespectful and divisive. Some also pointed out that the senator was part of the Senate Committee on Energy, which oversees environmental matters, and challenged him to propose solutions instead of complaining.
The Africa Climate Summit, which kicked off on Sunday, is a three-day event that brings together leaders and experts from across the continent to discuss and mobilize action on climate change. The summit aims to showcase Africa’s achievements and challenges in addressing climate change, as well as to explore opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
President Ruto, who officially opened the summit, said that Africa was committed to playing its part in mitigating and adapting to climate change, despite being the least responsible for global warming. He also called for more support from developed countries and international partners to help Africa cope with the impacts of climate change.
The president highlighted some of the initiatives that Kenya has undertaken to combat climate change, such as increasing forest cover, expanding renewable energy sources, promoting green agriculture, and implementing the ban on single-use plastics. He also urged other African countries to adopt similar measures and to work together for a common goal.
