Roads and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen has urged various government agencies to support the youth in forest conservation.
Speaking today during the National Tree Planting Exercise in Gembe Hills, Homa Bay County, the CS said the youth should play an active role in combating climate change effects.
Murkomen said that there was a need to adopt a multi-agency approach in the conversation about the highly degraded Gembe Hills Forest in Homa Bay County.
He noted that the forest in Mbita Sub-County was under serious threat from reckless human activities, leading to the near extinction of trees which existed in the forest.
At the peak of the hills, only grass and stones could be seen instead of trees.
Murkomen was accompanied during the tree planting exercise by Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, and Homa Bay County Commissioner Moses Lilan.
Murkomen said the government was committed to ensuring that the forest reclaimed its lost glory.
The government officials secured 100,000 seedlings, which were planted in the forest.
“We are adopting this forest to restore its lost glory by planting trees here,” Murkomen said.
He said they plan to plant three million trees in the Gembe Hills over the next decade.
“We will engage the youth to safeguard and nurture the trees to ensure they grow to maturity. We don’t want to just plant the trees and abandon them,” Murkomen said.
Dr. Omollo said they are committed to transforming the forest to curb the adverse effects of climate change in the area.
“We want to ensure this forest is not the way it is today. Its current status is not pleasing at all.” Dr. Omollo said.
The PS told residents to comply with the government directives on safety measures during the ongoing heavy rains.
“Let’s comply with the government directives on safety measures during the ongoing floods to avoid loss of lives and property,” Dr. Omollo said.
Wanga said her administration was ready to work with all partners to combat the adverse effects of climate change in Homa Bay County.
She said it was regrettable that the heavy rains had caused a landslide which killed four people and injured two others in Suba South Constituency about a fortnight ago.
She told residents to refrain from activities which lead to deforestation.
“We must know that deforestation leads to the adverse effects of climate change. Let’s plant as many trees as possible to reduce the adversity of climate change,” Wanga said.
She emphasised the significance of collaboration between the two levels of government in conservation efforts in the county.
By Davis Langat
