Nyanza leaders from across the political divide and government officials joined hands on National Tree Planting Day.
Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria presided over the tree planting in Kisumu at GK Prisons in Kodiaga. Several local leaders, including Nyanza Regional Coordinator Flora Mworoa and former police spokesman Charles Owino, joined in the exercise.
Prof Daniel Tarus, Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration Finance and Planning and officials from Kenya Forest Service participated in the exercise that also attracted learning institutions.
Broadcasting and Telecommunication Principal Secretary Edward Kisang'any presided over the event in Nsari village, Bonchari sub-county, Kisii.
Kisii University Vice Chancellor Prof Nathan Ogechi and Keroka Technical Institute Principal Haron Maosa said they would lead the campaign to set up modern nurseries to support the initiative to plant 150 million trees.
The PS was joined by Kisii Governor Simba Arati, County Commissioner Tom Anjere, Nyaribari Masaba MP Daniel Manduku and his Kitutu Chache North counterpart Japheth Nyakundi.
Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore and Principal Secretary Joseph Mugosi joined Nyamira County residents in planting trees.
Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo, County Commissioner Onesmus Kyatha, Woman MP Jerusha Momanyi and Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo joined the CS at Nyaisa Manga SDA Primary School.
The trees were planted at the school and the Juvenile Remand Prison.
The leaders emphasised the need to plant indigenous trees, which they said will positively contribute to the conservation of water and the environment.
Bore noted that about 50,000 seedlings of indigenous trees were planted across the county.
"Every resident must participate in this exercise, and as such, every resident should plant at least one indigenous tree for us to make a sustainable impact on our future generation," she said.
Pupils from Nyairang'a Primary and Secondary schools in Nyamira and Nyansakia in Kisii county turned up at their respective schools to plant 7,000 indigenous trees.
Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko led the tree planting exercise at the Angugo area in Nyatike, while Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga led a delegation from the national government in the exercise at Kendege Prisons in Kuria East Sub-County.
Currently, Migori County has a 0.3 per cent forest cover which is below the recommended 10 per cent.
The governor cited the importance of nurturing trees to maturity. "We have been engaging in the process of tree planting, forgetting the important aspect of nurturing trees to their full maturity," Governor Ayacko said.
The tree planting targets each sub-county to have more than 510,000 trees.
Bondo MP Gideon Ochanda challenged the government to reconsider the days for planting trees across the country.
Speaking in Wambasa and Got Matar, where he led the residents in planting over 1, 000 trees, the MP said April was the ideal month for planting trees.
"The short rains in November this year might not be the same next year, and it's therefore important that the government reconsiders this to a month that we are sure of the long rains," said Ochanda.
The lawmaker also urged the government to coordinate forestry and environment services between the national and county governments, saying that Siaya was still doing poorly in tree and forest cover.
"We're still far much behind as a county, and we must have concerted efforts to ensure that we get back to some of the things that we were doing as a country in terms of soil and environment conservation during former Presidents Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Moi's reign," said Ochanda.
The MP decried the shrinking spaces in public institutions.
He urged locals to plant trees on their property.
Ochanda dismissed myths surrounding some indigenous tree species, saying every tree has value.
- Reports by Anne Atieno, Stanley Ongwae, Eric Abuga, Clinto Ambujo, and Isaiah Gwengi.
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