Principal Secretary for Internal Security Dr Raymond Omollo has led residents of Homa Bay County in marking Mazingira Day with the planting of more than 6,000 trees at Lambwe Forest, as Kenya intensifies efforts to achieve its ambitious target of growing 15 billion trees by 2032.
The exercise brought together government officials and local communities in a nationwide environmental restoration campaign aimed at increasing forest and tree cover, combating climate change and promoting environmental stewardship.
Speaking during the event, Omollo said the national tree-growing initiative remained a key priority of President William Ruto’s administration, with government officials across the country participating in activities to advance the target.
“Today is Mazingira Day. It was previously Moi Day, but following changes to the Constitution, it became Utamaduni Day. Through the directive of President William Ruto, it is now celebrated as Mazingira Day,” Omollo said.
He noted that the President had made tree growing a national priority upon assuming office, with the country now working towards planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
“By now, we have planted approximately 2.2 billion trees, representing about 14.7 per cent of our target. The 2032 deadline is approaching, and we must accelerate our efforts to ensure we achieve this vision,” he said.
Omollo said President Ruto was leading tree-planting activities in Trans Nzoia County, while Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries had been deployed to different parts of the country to coordinate environmental restoration initiatives.
The nationwide campaign forms part of Kenya’s broader ambition to restore approximately 10.6 million hectares of degraded landscapes and increase national tree cover to 30 per cent.
This year’s Mazingira Day theme, “Our Environment, Our Responsibility: Collective Action for Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship,” underscores the need for coordinated action by government institutions, communities and individuals under the slogan Panda Miti, Boresha Mazingira.
Omollo emphasised that Mazingira Day had evolved beyond a one-day event into a broader national commitment requiring sustained action from all sectors of society.
“Mazingira Day is no longer a one-day exercise. It is a whole-of-government and whole-of-society commitment to the environment, with shared responsibility for planting, protecting and nurturing trees to maturity,” he said.
Activities marking the 2026 celebrations began on October 6, with tree-growing initiatives in schools, technical and vocational education and training institutions, universities and colleges.
On October 7, attention shifted to the restoration of former mining sites, followed by highway cleaning and drainage clearing on October 8. The National Environment Management Authority also coordinated nationwide clean-up exercises across all 47 counties ahead of the main celebrations.
At the centre of the campaign is the Presidential Green Challenge, which targets the growing of more than 1.5 million trees across 79 sites nationwide. Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries have been assigned leadership responsibilities for tree-growing and clean-up activities in different counties.
Village elders have also contributed to the initiative, having overseen the planting of approximately 7.7 million trees across more than 77,000 villages, according to Omollo.
The Ministry of Environment and the Kenya Forest Service are providing technical guidance, while National Government Administration Officers are mobilising communities through chiefs, village elders and public barazas. County governments are supporting the campaign through clean-up exercises and tree planting.
Homa Bay steps up restoration efforts
Homa Bay County, which falls under the Nyanza Forest Conservancy, has planted approximately 25 million seedlings since 2022 as part of the national restoration strategy.
However, the county’s tree cover stands at 10.4 per cent, while forest cover is estimated at 3.18 per cent, highlighting the scale of the work required to meet national environmental targets.
Omollo said the planting of more than 6,000 trees at Lambwe Forest was a significant contribution to the campaign, although the exercise had initially targeted 10,000 seedlings.
With the onset of the rainy season expected to provide favourable conditions for tree establishment, he urged residents to take advantage of the rains to expand tree-growing efforts.
“We should not only plant indigenous trees but also fruit trees. We need to ensure that the trees we plant survive and grow to maturity,” he said.
The emphasis on nurturing seedlings reflects the government’s broader push to ensure that tree-growing campaigns translate into sustainable increases in tree cover rather than simply counting seedlings planted.
Preparedness ahead of anticipated heavy rains
Omollo also called for heightened preparedness in Homa Bay as the county braces for anticipated enhanced El Niño-related rainfall.
He commended the team led by the county commissioner for putting in place the necessary preparations and urged government agencies and communities to work together to minimise the potential damage associated with the rainy season.
“Let us ensure there is minimal damage during this rainy season,” he said.
The call comes as the government links environmental restoration with broader efforts to strengthen climate resilience, protect ecosystems and reduce the vulnerability of communities to the effects of extreme weather.
As Kenya pursues its 15-billion-tree ambition, the Homa Bay exercise highlights the importance of sustained community participation, intergovernmental coordination and the protection of planted trees if the country is to achieve its long-term target of 30 per cent national tree cover by 2032.
