DNK International By Charles Wasonga,Nairobi.
The government has revealed that it has so far planted 1.8 billion trees under the Presidential 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme, aiming to increase national tree cover to 30 per cent by 2032, launched on November 22, 2022.
Principal Secretary for the State Department for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi added that the department intends to plant another more than 2.5 billion trees during the impending El Nino rainy season.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday July 22 in Nairobi after officiating a high level breakfast meeting which brought together government officials, development partners and key stakeholder in forestry sector, Mugambi said that his department already has enough seedlings for the exercise.
The forum was convened to enable government officials, stakeholder and donors explore strategic investment opportunities in the forest sector in furtherance of the greening agenda being pursued by the government of President William Ruto.
“So far we have planted 1.8 billion trees and intend to plant 2.5 billion more trees during the El Nino rains which we are told is in the offing. We in the department of forestry we call on stakeholders, our donors and Kenyans at large to support this initiative since planting trees is everyone’s responsibility,” Mugambi explained.
The PS called on Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), which is the research organ of the department, to move from its role of generating concepts to real action helping in the nurturing of the already planted trees.
“We need action, if we are conserving mangrove, let’s do it. For our experts in Kenya, this is not the time to churn concepts and ideas, but to act. Let nurture the trees that we have planted so far,” he said.
He appreciated the work being done through the “Jaza Miti” app created to monitor the growth of tree seedlings already planted but insisted that everybody should actually go to the ground and monitor how the trees are growing.
At the same time, PS Mugambi reiterated that the government will continue implementing development projects in gazetted forests.
“Conservation efforts need to go hand in hand with development projects. In that respect projects like Talanta Stadium will continue in part of Nairobi National Park amid opposition from some groups of conservationists,” he said.
Last month PS Mugambi stirred controversy when he insisted that the government will continue with its plan to construct an air strip, golf course and state lodge in Imenti Forest in Meru County, amid opposition from some residents and groups of forest conservationists.
The high court in Meru had also stopped the project pending the hearing and determination of a petition filed opposing the initiative.
[DNK-International@July 22,2026]
