Nairobi Regional Commissioner (RC) Katee Mwanza has called on government workers to double their efforts in tree planting in the quest to green the city and reclaim the green city in the sun glory.
Mwanza said that in line with the president’s environment protection agenda through tree planting which targets to plant 15 billion trees by the year 2032, Nairobi region has a target to plant 15 million trees.
The RC, addressing heads of departments on Friday called on all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) to mainstream tree planting in their programmes and projects.
Mwanza said that there is nowhere in Nairobi where trees cannot be planted, highlighting that they have plans to utilize all the available spaces in their efforts to green the city.
“The other day we were with the president for the pass out in Embakasi and I saw huge tracts of Savannah land which is bare, we will work to have such places covered with trees,” he said.
The RC added that Nairobi has a lot of vehicles whose emissions lead to air pollution and there is a need to have trees planted on the road reserves and they will act as the first point of absorbing the emissions from the vehicles.
“We are working with relevant stakeholders to plant trees along Nairobi River, a move which will help in the restoration of the heavily polluted river,” said Mwanza.
The RC explained that restoration of Nairobi River is critical since it flows and joins the Athi River and as it enters into the Indian Ocean it becomes Sabaki River and all the pollutants in the river end up in the ocean thus affecting marine life.
“The government through the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and other stakeholders are providing tree seedlings in support of the environment protection programme,” said the RC.
Mwanza called on Chiefs to continue producing tree seedlings in their nurseries and this will ensure a constant supply and replenish trees that have been taken for planting.
Mwanza at the same time called on individual Kenyans to also plant and nurture trees in their homes and boost the government efforts.
“Leafy suburbs like Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Karen among others have maintained trees and their environment looks good, this should be emulated in other estates and this will even improve people’s living standards,” said Mwanza.
He at the same time called on civil servants in the city to focus on service delivery and implementation of the government’s agendas, saying that Nairobi County has the largest population of about 4.5 million people, which poses unique challenges, thus everyone should work to ensure that the government unlocks these barriers.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
