Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Zachariah Njeru, has urged Kenyans to plant at least 30 trees each and nurture them to maturity in a bid to boost conservation efforts and mitigate climate change effects.
The CS, who led the tree planting exercise in Namanga hills forest reserve to honour the victims of floods, reiterated that tree planting was critical in the protection of water sources.
“Planting trees safeguards, protects and restores our natural water towers and sources. We have an obligation as a country to sustainably conserve the environment not only for the current generation but for the future generations as well,” he said.
Over 100,000 tree seedlings were planted during the exercise with the CS pledging to make impromptu visits to the site to ensure the planted trees are taken care of.
Njeru further called on the residents to plant trees at their homes and pledged to provide fruit seedlings to the local community as a corporate social responsibility to motivate them to take care of the environment.
Accompanied by Principal Secretaries Julius Korir (Water and Sanitation) and Ephantus Kimotho (Irrigation), the CS noted that his Ministry was committed to achieving its tree planting target in order to meet the Presidential directive of growing 15 billion trees by 2032.
The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation adopted two counties of Kiambu and Kajiado where it shall be undertaking extensive tree planting and nurturing exercises on a regular basis.
Other leaders who joined the CS in the tree planting exercise include Kajiado Deputy Governor Martin Moshisho, Kajiado Central Legislator Memusi Kanchory, Secretary Administration for Irrigation David Yatich, Secretary Administration for Water and Sanitation Stephen Kihara among other senior officials.
By Rop Janet
