West Pokot County Commissioner (CC) Apollo Okello has led a multi-agency security team and other stakeholders from the national and county government in planting over 3500 trees at the Kapenguria police station compound so as to conserve the environment.
Speaking during the function on Tuesday, Mr Okello said that the county has set a target to plant 1.5 million trees during this rain season so as to contribute to the government’s plan to plant 15 billion trees in the country by 2032 as directed by President William Ruto
“Today we have planted 3500 trees, and at the county level we have planted over 40, 000 trees, and we are targeting to plant 1.5 million tress before the end of this rainy season,” Mr Okello said.
The county commissioner urged area residents to take advantage of the ongoing rains to plant as many trees as possible in a bid to address the effects of climate change.
“Planting many trees helps to slow down the connected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss across the county and country at large,’’ the CC explained.
He however, urged farmers to desist from tilling on hill slopes as it reduces the stability of the soil making them susceptible to landslides.
“Let’s conserve hill slopes and avoid unfortunate incidents of landslides in the county,’’ he said.
The CC noted that landslides have affected the county as a result of human activities such as settlement, farming activities, and deforestation on the hill slopes.
Okello noted that trees are a source of income urging farmers to plant them as means of reducing poverty and hunger in areas hit hard by climate change.
He encouraged local administrators to work with other stakeholders from the national and county governments to plant trees before the end of the rainy season.
The CC urged the county government to take the lead in ensuring the forests that were handed over to them by the Kenya Forest Service, especially at the hills of Alalei and Kamatira forest among other government forests in the county, are well conserved.
He said the government will not allow the destruction of forests for charcoal noting that police officers will be alert to arrest offenders.
By Anthony Melly and Caren Ruto
