The Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Moses Kuria, has challenged Kenyans to embrace President William Ruto’s tree planting agenda, which seeks to have 15 billion trees planted in a decade.
CS Kuria, who led a tree planting exercise at Mulaha Primary School grounds in Siaya town today, said the ongoing climate change can be checked if effective methods are taken to restore nature.
Flanked by the Principal Secretary for Performance Delivery Management, Veronica Nduva, and Siaya County Commissioner, Susan Waweru, Kuria especially called on Siaya County residents to take environmental matters seriously, noting that the county was ranked poorly in tree cover.
“Siaya is ranked at position 44 in the entire republic, and there is a need to improve the tree cover,” he said.
He urged the residents to ensure that all spaces in their farms and compounds are used to plant trees, adding that the public must be part of the climate change mitigation processes.
“We are seeing the anger of nature; we have lost loved ones and property. This tells us that climate change mitigation processes are not the preserve of the government, chiefs, or leaders but a collective responsibility,” he said.
The Regional Forest Conservator, Patrick Arunga, called for fast-tracking of the gazettement of all the hills in Siaya County in order to increase the forest cover.
“We only have two hills that have been gazetted, Got Ramogi and Got Abiero; we appeal for the gazettement of the remaining 17 in order to begin the tree planting on them,” said Mr. Arunga.
The occasion was also attended by the Siaya county secretary, Joseph Ogutu and a host of senior county government officials.
By Philip Onyango
