Programme:
Earth Report investigates the impact that development has had on the environment and explores what is being done to protect our planet.
Contributor:
Wangari Muta Maathai, Kenyan environmental and political activist.
Broadcaster:
BBC World
Episode Summary:
Environmental campaigners make it their business to be a thorn-in-the-side of governments. So what makes an environmental activist, go into politics? In this edition of Earth Report we look at environmental activists who crossed the divide to become leading politicians. They've also won international recognition through awards from the UN and the Goldman Environmental Prize.
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Transcript:
Change was also being forced on the regime of Arap Moi by both Kenyans and an international donor community fed up with corruption and repressive rule.
"The long road that we had walked started showing us light at the end of the tunnel."
Political Ambitions
As government pressure on her eased off, Dr Maathai's supporters urged her to consider, moving into politics herself. But she saw reasons to bide her time.
"Since 1992, they had been telling me I ought to join the government - they felt that if I were in government there will be a difference. People don't quite understand how these political games are played...and so they think that just because you become an MP you ought to be able to do everything for them, so I really did not want to go in there unless our side of the political divide was the one in power...because if we were in power, I could see opportunities for change..."
It was to be a full ten years before her political ambitions were realised. The election of President Mwai Kibaki brought to an end four decades of KANU rule, 24 years of them headed by Daniel arap Moi. It was also the beginning of Wangari Maathai's political career in government.
"When I went to my people and I said I am interested now, I think we can win, I think we should be in this coalition...I was overwhelmed by the support that I got... 97% of the people in my constituency voted for me, that was a huge mandate."
Government for the People
President Mwai Kibaki has vowed to stamp out corruption in Kenya, and to bring a new era of openness and transparency to the country. Wangari's position in the new government is Assistant Minister for the Environment.
"Now, one of the reasons why I feel this is a great time to be in parliament and to be in government is because Moi is gone, his ruling party is gone and now we are ruling in a coalition of mostly pro-democracy advocates whom for many years were trying to change the system. So now, we have an opportunity to do all that we had wanted to do for so many years."
"I got into politics because I believed in something. I had stood up for something....and I wanted some of the values for which I had lived and worked and strived to find themselves into the mainstream politics in Kenya. I saw the possibilities were enormous. Now we have a government of the people for the first time I think."
Today there are over five-thousand grassroots nurseries throughout Kenya, and though Wangari's time is mostly taken up by politics she is still actively involved in the Green Belt Movement. In rural areas her ideas and values are deeply entrenched in people's minds.
"I find that relationship with the people amazing...it is almost like we have made a contract with them, that I must be the person who makes sure that the environment is rectified...I must make people feel that this government is taking care of the environment."
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Wangari Muta Maathai speech at Rio Conferenceby knowyourrights20081,690 views
she should run for president
daudiking 2 years ago