5 hours Ago By KNA2
Nandi County residents have been challenged to utilise the currents rains being experienced in the region to plant trees in their homes and designated public places. Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo asked residents to green their county with various types of trees since their growth squarely depends on water, which is available in plenty. Kabogo regretted that the residents were not planting enough trees as it should be, as some of the homes and farms had no trees at all.
“We can’t water trees here like other places in this country since here there’s abundant rainfall. Ensure that everyone including children, have trees so that we can take this county to another level,” said the CS when he led a tree planting exercise Tuesday in Chebilat forest Aldai constituency. He said residents should surround their homes with trees because they clean our air and also make our homes beautiful.
“If we plant trees, we’ll breathe in clean air and enjoy many other advantages, including beautification of our homes,” he said. The CS, however, accepted a request from the locals to allow agroforestry in areas with already fully grown trees. Kabogo asked the residents to follow protocol that will be led by the County Forest Conservator and his team which will allow survival of trees alongside growing of crops.
He promised to continue supporting the tree planting exercise in the country but asked leaders not to politicize the tree planting campaign as the benefits belong to Kenyans and not to certain individuals. Nandi governor Stephen Sang also said survival of already grown trees remains a big challenge and urged Kenya Forest Service to allow agroforestry as security for them. “Please allow the community to co-exist with the forest.
Allow them to take care of these trees alongside their crops,” Sang pleaded. The governor pointed out that 16 percent forest cover was not enough for the county that receives plenty of rain throughout the year. “16 percent Forest cover for the Nandi that receives plenty of the rains throughout is not good news and that is why we are committed to work with national government through the Ministry of Information to ensure that before the end of this year, we have pushed that percentage to 20 and by 2040 we’ll hit 40 percent,” Sang said.
He urged the residents to ensure that they plant trees alongside tea plantations and plant friendly trees in their home compound. Sang directed all departments in Nandi to support the national government initiative of planting 15 billion trees by 2030. Nandi County Forest Conservator John Momanyi said all schools have a target of planting not less than 1000 trees this long rainy season when schools open.
He said all chiefs were also under firm instructions to plant not less than 200 trees every week in designated public places. Momanyi revealed that he has over 0.5 million tree seedlings ready to be planted in his office and that county residents should visit him for tree seedlings.
He thanked the county administration for supporting tree planting in the area. During the function, over 10,000 trees were grown in a ten-hectare piece of land within the forest. Nandi South Deputy County Commissioner David Mbevi who represented Nandi County Commissioner Caroline Nzwili said the National Government Administrative Officers and other county key players had made sufficient programs to ensure the county surpasses its tree growth target by 2030.
The Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy has adopted Nandi County as its focal point towards achieving the Presidential target of achieving 15 billion trees by 2030. Aldai Member of Parliament Marrianne Kitany, other senior public officials from the Ministry of Information, Communications and Digital Economy were also present, among others..
