President William Ruto has linked the accelerated tree-growing drive to his bid to reduce the cost of living by addressing the cost of food.
Speaking in the Kiu wetland in Makueni County where led the country in marking the inaugural tree planting day, President Ruto said his administration was committed to making the lives of Kenyans bearable.
“The work we are doing today is part of the measures we have put in place to ensure that we reduce the cost of living through ensuring that there is water and rain to produce enough food so that the country is food secure. That is the primary essence of the campaign to grow 15.7 billion trees in the next 10 years,” President Ruto said.
“This national assignment of planting trees across Kenya is not about age, religion, party and the area you come from. It is about us as a nation and our future and the future of our environment and the future of our food security as a country. Therefore it is a very important responsibility,” he added.
The President spoke after leading in the planting of 120,000 seedlings in the wetland which has been degraded over the years. He also ordered the eviction of 83 households that have encroached on the wetland and directed Lands Principal Secretary Nixon Korir to start the process of gazetting it immediately to pave the way for its fencing.
“We have agreed that the entire 2,000 acres of the wetland should be gazetted. Mr Korir should team up with the Makueni County government and start that work tomorrow. We shall resettle the 83 households which are found here,” he said.
According to conservationists, Kiu wetland is recharged by Chyulu and Kilimanjaro water towers. It is the main source of water in Makindu and Kibwezi townships and the surrounding regions.
“When we were growing up, this wetland supported a vibrant horticulture industry in this region. This ended in 2012 when River Makindu, which emanated from the wetland, dried up completely thanks to over extraction and degradation of the wetland,” Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse said.
Concerted efforts to restore the wetland over the years have proved futile thanks to drought and destruction of the seedlings by livestock. The head of Kenya Forest Service Alex Lemarkoko told the Nation that the agency will deploy forest guards in the area to ensure that the young trees are not destroyed.
The Kenya Defence Forces, the police band and National Youth Service joined leaders and hundreds of civilians in planting thousands of seedlings.
President Ruto, his deputy Rigathi Gachagua , Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, Forestry PS Gitonga Mugambi and governors Mutula Kilonzo Junior (Makueni) and Joseph Ole Lenku (Kajiado) were among the dignitaries who watched as Kenya Forest Research Institute (Kefri) demonstrated how to use a Japanese potting bag technology that is environmentally friendly.
The institute’s Acting Managing Director Jane Njuguna said the technology, known as multi-stage adjustable rolled containers, allows seedlings to develop long roots, which boosts their ability to survive in dry conditions. The potting material can be reused up to 10 times, she added.
Kefri also demonstrated how to use seed balls to plant many trees in a short time. Technicians used a giant drone to broadcast seed balls of assorted tree species in the area.
