News

Tree planting with the First Lady and Kenya Defence Forces

May 5, 2018

Today, the Green Belt Movement joined First Lady H.E Margaret Kenyatta, Ministry of Environment & Forestry Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko, Cabinet Secretary for Defence Ambassador Raychelle Omamo, Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku and the community around Kibiku forest in Ngong for a tree planting event organized by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

Speaking at the event, the First Lady noted that "Our stewardship towards the environment is a collective resolve and responsibility." She said it will require the collective resolve and resilience of all Kenyans to recover what has been wiped out through human actions and the devastating effects of climate change. 

“This is no longer a waiting game. Our actions require urgent, bold, decisive response from all stakeholders, both private and public to promote behavioural change to address the threats posed by our human actions”, said the First Lady.

600 KDF service ladies participated in the event where 4,000 indigenous tree seedlings were planted ahead of the national tree planting day slated for May 12, 2018. Under the KDF Environmental Soldier Programme (ESP), the security officers have so far planted over 23 million trees in various forests across the country including Kamae, Kipipiri, Mount Kenya, Suam, Mount Elgon and Mau Eburu.

The First Lady said the country has witnessed the adverse effects of environmental degradation including decline and extinction of thousands of animal and plant species, phenomenal drying up of rivers and receding water levels in our water reservoirs, and widespread crop failure that threatens food security.

“As a nation, as a community and as individuals we need to do more to find solutions to the growing social, economic and development challenges caused by climate change”, she said.