Environmentalists want political representation

Regional environmentalists are campaigning to increase political representation for accelerated action against climate change.

They stress that participation into the governance issues of their own countries was the only way to influence action and environmental friendly policies.

During the Kampala regional conference on climate change recently, it was agreed that in the future elections, they take shot at both legislation and policy implementation levels of leadership.

Organized by the East African Green Parties Federation, the conference was supported by Sweden and other European green parties at Fair Way Hotel.

Under Green political parties from six Central and East African countries, over 300 environmental activists hailed from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Bukinafaso.

They were from the Ecological Party of Uganda, The Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, Green Congress of Kenya and the Burundi Green Movement among others.

The president of the East African Green Federation, Thomas Kentos Bakyayita, tasked members; "You should try your best to work as a team".

In politics, we always encounter differences which could come after arguments, failure to agree on issues but make sure those don't split you. Team work will be the basis of your success."

Green parties are formally organized political parties based on the principles of green politics, such as social justice, environmentalism and non-violence.

They believe that these issues are inherently related to one another as a foundation for world peace.

The leader of the Green Congress Party of Kenya, Martin Otieno Ogindo, argued that governments had fallen short in the implementation of mandates demanded of them through international ratified treats to protect and conserve environment.

He  maintained that the massive destruction of forests, wetlands, depletion of water bodies and other eco-systems with less action from governments' questioned their resolve to avert effects of climate change.

"I implore you the Green Parties in the region to work to be part of your governments regardless of how you get there," he said.

Special women consideration in the environmental protection and conservation interventions was highly campaigned for at the conference.

The chairperson of the East African Greens Federation Women's Network, Dorothy Nalubega, said; "It was mostly women who are affected by the effects of climate change".

The Ecological Party of Uganda, executive member, Nathan Mankoragye, announced that they were now becoming engaged in politics in the country to advance participatory democracy, social justice, poverty elimination, security on top of advancing environmental protection cause.