Kiambu County has managed to plant at least seven million trees since President Dr. William Ruto last December commissioned the Programme dubbed “jaza miti,” to increase the country’s forest cover in the country by another 15 billion trees by 2032.
The initiative which seeks to combat the devastating effects of climate change and the looming biodiversity crisis was part of the government’s agenda to mitigate against challenges of the wider global warming attributed to adverse weather patterns experienced in recent times.
Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary (CS) Zachariah Njeru who led the County in a tree planting drive at Nyamweru forest in Lari, Limuru said it was critical that all Kenyans collectively engaged in the initiative for posterity.
He emphasized on the need to nurture the trees to grow to their maturity adding that it would an effort in futility if the seedlings were abandoned without the care required to see them through all seasons to ensure that their impact on the ecosystem were felt.
“Today we have included all sectors to see that we improve on our environment. It is important for Kenyans to take care of the environment as we know very well that if nature is degraded and we do not take care of it , it will cost us”, he added
Today, Njeru said was the beginning of many more such events that Kenyans were called upon to collectively participate in an activity for the common good of mankind adding that Nyamweru forest was an important catchment area for sources of water for residents of Nairobi and Kiambu Counties hence the need to protect the ecosystem.
The CS called on the community through associations to continue engaging with all stakeholders to protect the forest warning that “When the environment is destroyed all are affected an if they are also protected all will benefit thus the need for collaboration”
He urged schools, Churches and individual households to strive to grow trees in their spaces as a practice even when marking celebrations like birthdays or when a new member in the family is born to inculcate the culture of tree planting in the society.
“We can incorporate tree planting activities during the birth of a child by marking such celebration by planting a tree and within homes, let us plant fruit trees that are of benefit to us and at the end the Country will not be affected by climate change as it has now”, Njeru said
The CS further called on leaders from National and County governments together with other sectors to come together, collaborate and lead by example in tree planting exercises.
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi said the urgency to plant more trees to mitigate the effects of climate change was a collective battle against time to avert a looming global catastrophe saying the nation was on the right track considering the timing of the planting now when the rains were here.
In his speech that was delivered by the County Secretary Peter Ndegwa, the governor said the great initiative, if embraced by all, could propel the country towards achieving a substantial increase in forest cover which was a critical step in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.
“My administration has established a goal to ensure that our conservation initiatives actively contribute to the national agenda. This year, the County Government of Kiambu, in collaboration with water companies and other stakeholders, has set an ambitious target to grow approximately 200,000 more tree seedlings including indigenous, exotic, bamboos, and fruit tree varieties”, he said.
Wamatangi encouraged the Kiambu residents who took part in the national wide tree planting drive today after the government gazetted the day for the exercise to take personal responsibility by taking care of the tree the planted to maturity.
“It is crucial that our collective efforts are not in vain; we must safeguard these trees and continue planting others in our home” the speech read.
Kiambu County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha expressed optimism that the ongoing rains had created a conducive environment for the freshly planted seedlings to thrive.
“Since we were given directive of planting trees early this year Kiambu county has so far planted over 7 million trees, and just over the last two week when the rains started we have planted over 2 million and today we will be planting 190 ,000 trees” he said.
Kiambu Environment CEC David Kuria explained that Nyamweru forest which is at the tip end of Aberdares is a very important forest as it provides water not only to Kiambu County but others surrounding it.
“Three (3) people out of 10 in Nairobi use water from this catchment area. Equally 8 out of 10 people in Kiambu use this water and that is why it is very important that the this forest is taken care of”, he said adding that today’s event the County Government of Kiambu has contributed over 10,000 seedlings”, Kuria said.
Justice Benard Mweresa Eboso in charge of environment and land courts in Kiambu said when it comes to planting and growing of trees there are no boundaries and that all must work together calling upon wananchi to protect trees and also to continue planting them.
Director General Kenya Roads Board (KRB) Rashid Mohammed in his speech said planting of tree is a call for action for all saying that as KRB , for every one shilling fuel levy collected , they dedicated to delivering more reliable safer network on the roads
Three years ago , he added that they partnered with KFS to adopt 10 hectares of Matagwa block on Mai Mahiu opposite Naivasha road where they initiated growing of 12,000 trees and maintenance of site to ensure survival of the trees despite the harsh weather.
He noted that the Kenya roads board together with the KFS has further partnered to encompass the Nyamweru Compartment 2 block and since May this year, they have put plans to place and grow 200,000 trees each year to contribute to the overall government’s target and this equates to a total of 2 million trees within the next decade
“Today we plan forging partnerships with KFS and other like-minded organizations and our support extends to other activities ensuring the sustainability of trees we grow, specifically, the board has facilitated the installation of a solar powered water pump at the Lari Forest Station, A pump that is crucial for the areas of water needs, including those of the tree nursery, office and dispensary that receives up to 40 patients in a day”, the DG said.
“By incorporating this solar powered water pump, the station will be able to cultivate approximately one million tree seedlings annually and this represents a significant stride toward the overarching goal of afforestation and ecosystem restoration”, Mohammed
Forests provide critical ecosystem goods and services including food , fodder , water and even shelter , and with Kenyans economy highly dependent on natural resources including forestry the government has committed to plant over 15 billion trees in the next 10 years.
By Wangari Ndirangu
