Kakamega residents urged to nurture trees to maturity

Culture and Heritage Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir led the National tree planting Kakamega chapter at Senyende in Shinyalu on November 13, 2023. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Leaders have called on residents in Western to normalisse the culture of tree planting.

The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) National Director Meshack Opwora, led the TVETs in planting trees and urged locals to nurture the trees to maturity.

Speaking at the Bungoma National Polytechnic, where 2,000 trees were planted, Dr Opwora said climate change was a reality that ought to be checked by mitigation measures like tree planting.

The institution's, Principal Rosebella Chukwu, revealed that they had adopted a clean energy directive by the TVETs and would lead the neighbouring community to adopt the culture to mitigate climate change.

"By doing this, we will be protecting our rivers, which are drying and creating a carbon sink which the nation can benefit from," said Dr Chukwu.

In Kakamega county, Culture, Arts and Heritage Principal Secretary Umi Bashir, who led the tree planting said the government has put in place measures to conserve Kaya forest in Kilifi county and Kakamega forest as national heritages.

"We have seen climate change affecting our heritage sites, and we want to collaborate with county governments to conserve Kaya and Kakamega forests as our heritage," said Bashir.

"We are going to give out seedlings to our people and particularly the community living under the guidance of Kenya Forest Services to grow trees in our forests," he said.

Speaking separately, Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, said they have allocated Sh100 million to fast-track the fencing of Kakamega Forest.

"We want to ensure we fence our only tropical forest to bar intruders and those who are out to destroy it," said Barasa.

"We are giving seedlings to groups which will spearhead planting of trees in our forest from now to December, where all county workers will have to plant 20 trees each," he added/

In Vihiga county, Sabatia MP Clement Sloya, launched tree planting in his constituency where he was joined by youths.

"TI will follow up to ensure it does not end at the tree planting stage but that we go ahead and care for e what we planted," said Sloya.

Kabras Rugby Team under West Kenya Company said it has introduced a new program for cane farmers to plant fruit trees like avocado that is climate and environmentally friendly.

"We are conducting civic education to all cane farmers to conserve the environment by planting fruit and exotic trees alongside sugar cane," said Edwin Achayo, Kabras Rugby Team Manager.