By Peter Ochieng
President William Ruto on Friday literally folded his sleeves and led the country in the national tree growing exercise.
The National Tree Growing Day marked today was gazetted early this week, as a response to effects of climate change, which have been linked to devastating flooding, responsible for the death of over 250 people, since the onset of the March, April and May heavy rainfall.
Speaking at Kiambicho forest Karua Hill A, in Murang’a county, Ruto said all other economic ventures had been stopped because tree planing was a matter of great national importance.
“Today, we have stopped everything else in the country. We have stopped going to the farms, businesses, schools and all others because tree planting is very important. Planting trees will help us to prevent flooding and drought.”
The Head of State said his administration is hell-bent on increasing the percentage of the country’s forest cover.
“We have agreed as a nation that we want to increase the country’s forest cover from 12% to 30%. That is why we are saying that a place like here in Kiambicho where there was a forest, we plant trees again in collaboration with the community so that we save our country from the adverse effects of climate change,” he added.
His Cabinet Secretaries were spread across the country to spearhead the exercise. Cabinet Secretary(CS) for Public Service Moses Kuria led the exercise at the Koguta forest in Nyakach Sub county, Kisumu county.
“Even if we are late, we have decided as a government that we must do something. All of you know that people have died as a result of floods. Have you heard that the government has been swept away by floods? The people are the ones being swept, which means that we must collaborate to prevent such occurrences,” said Kuria.
“It is not the duty of the regional commissioner or the police, it our collective role. I will be coming here over and over again. Please don’t fail me,” the CS added.
In Homabay county, Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary (PS) in the ministry of interior and national administration was at hand to lead the exercise at Gembe Hills, alongside governor Gladys Wanga.
“Our national government administration officers are at hand to work closely with our colleagues from the Kenya forestry, county government and the local leadership to ensure that in a matter of years, these hills will not be as bare as they are today,” said the PS.
The Tree Growing Day is part of the government’s mechanisms of reaching the 15 billion trees mark by 2032.
