Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has challenged the Maa community to prioritize planting trees in the year 2023 so as to increase forest cover in the area and mitigate effects of climate change.
Speaking during Emanyatta cultural event’, in which young maa morans mark the end of warrior ship and beginning of eldership, held in Kilgoris, the CS noted that planting trees is now a matter of urgency as effects of climate change are being felt all over the world and challenged every individual to take up the responsibility of planting trees.
She reiterated that President William Ruto has launched a programme that will see over 15 billion trees planted in a period of ten years and encouraged everyone to be part of the programme.
“This translates to each individual planting about 300 trees in ten years. We do not only want to plant trees but also to nurture them so that they can flourish. This can be achieved if we all work together,” she said.
She called on leaders to lead by example by planting trees in every function they attend so as to create a culture of tree planting.
“When we arrived in Emanyatta, the first thing we did was to plant trees. This is a good show of leadership which we want every Kenyan to embrace,” said the CS.
The cultural event was attended by a number of Maa leaders among them Governors Patrick Ntutu (Narok), Jonathan Leleliit (Samburu), Joseph Ole Lenku (Kajiado), Narok women representative Rebecca Tonkei and Narok West MP Kitilai Ntutu.
Her sentiments come at a time when Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde has called on members of the public to take advantage of the ongoing rains to plant trees in their farms.
Masinde challenged residents to put up tree nurseries in their farms, as an income generating activity as they will sell tree seedlings to organizations and institutions like schools, hospitals and churches.
“I encourage every farmer to plant trees and especially fruit trees like avocado, tomato trees, mangoes and oranges that do well in this region. The fruit trees will help to conserve soil moisture as well as providing balanced food for their families,” he said.
By Ann Salaton
