President Ruto’s dream for a better Kenya extends beyond the economic betterment, with him expressing concerns on tackling climate change and the adverse weather challenges. The Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action in partnership with the NYS has embraced the challenge of reforestation.

Speaking yesterday at the launch of a tree planting campaign in Machakos, the CS, and Hon Aisha Jumwa has urged all Kenyans to embrace a culture of planting trees wherever and whenever they can. The Tree Growing and Restoration campaign is a directive by the President in the Bottoms UP BETA Agenda to increase forest cover in the country.

The Tree Growing and Restoration campaign seeks to plant about 50 million trees all over the country, by the years 2023. CS Hon. Jumwa said that so far, the NYS has planted about 10,000 tree seedlings in various fields of the service’s units. She stated that the Ministry’s partnership with the NYS will see about 10% of each of the 22 units planted with about 10 Millions tree seedlings.

An increase the country’s forest cover is in directly alignment of the Africa Landscape Restoration Initiative whose goal is to combat the massive deforestation the continent has encountered in the recent past, reduce greenhouse emission and restore about 5.1M hectares of landscape.

Hon Jumwa reminded Kenyans that the way to tackling drought and lack of rainfall as well as reverse the effects of climate change, is to plant new trees as well as protecting the ones we have. She urged Kenyans to avoid unnecessary tree cutting, echoing H.E Ruto’s sentiments of the collective responsibility to better the country.

Have you planted a tree recently? Climate change effects have begun to become more aggressive, so like President Ruto says, making a more concerted fight on climate change is the responsibility of all Kenyans and Africans by extension. In the wise words of Hon. Jumwa, plant a tree, whether by yourself or by rallying the community near you. Future generations will thank you.

The BETA goal to restore the country’s forest cover by planting 50 Million trees countrywide is viable dream. So far, there has been 35 Million tree seedlings prepared ready for transplant in March 2024, the next heavy rain season. The government has pledged to support all initiatives to plant as many trees as possible, hopefully surpassing its set targets.