Elgeyo marakwet: Residents, leaders and environmental stakeholders planted 22,000 tree seedlings during the inaugural Cherangany Hills Peace and Conservation Race held at Tebe grounds, Kapyego ward in Elgeyo Marakwet County as part of efforts to restore the degraded Cherangany Hills ecosystem.
According to Kenya News Agency, the event was organised under the Cherangany Hills Ecosystem Restoration for Livelihood Improvement, Sustainability and Harmony (CHERISH) initiative. It brought together national and county government officials, development partners, athletes, and local communities in a campaign aimed at promoting environmental conservation, peace, and talent development.
Speaking during the event, Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, emphasized the importance of nurturing the planted seedlings. ‘The 22,000 trees planted today need to be conserved. If conserved when young, they will protect us when they are big,’ Murkomen said. He highlighted the pivotal role of local administrators, especially chiefs, in ensuring the survival of the seedlings.
Murkomen elaborated that the CHERISH initiative aims to tackle environmental degradation while empowering communities economically and socially. The program is based on five key pillars: ecosystem restoration and climate resilience, community empowerment, education and knowledge management, promotion of sports and talent development, and resource mobilisation.
He noted that the Cherangany Hills ecosystem, encompassing four counties, has historically produced world-class athletes. The race was organised to combine sports, environmental conservation, and community cohesion. ‘As we gear up for the official launch of the CHERISH programme, we saw it fit to have a race to empower our local athletes, promote talent, foster peace and cohesion, and involve the community in environmental conservation,’ he added.
Murkomen explained that the tree-planting exercise took place at the edge of Embobut Forest, one of the 22 gazetted forests within the Cherangany Hills ecosystem, which is a critical water tower serving millions of Kenyans.
Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Amb. Dr Ida Odinga, also addressed the event, expressing concern over the continued destruction of the Cherangany Hills ecosystem, which threatens livelihoods, water sources, and biodiversity in the region. She urged communities to adopt conservation and sustainable land use practices, stressing the need for change.
Odinga emphasized the vision of the CHERISH initiative, which seeks to restore 20,000 hectares of degraded land while creating employment opportunities for local communities, especially young people. She urged youth to become ambassadors for protecting the environment and called on development partners and investors to support conservation efforts, noting the long-term economic and social benefits of such investments.
Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Dr Deborah Barasa highlighted the importance of collaboration between government agencies and local communities in achieving the country’s tree-growing targets. She pointed out the extensive administrative network of the Interior Ministry, which is capable of mobilising communities for environmental restoration.
Barasa encouraged Kenyans to plant at least 15 trees every rainy season in support of the national tree-growing campaign championed by President William Ruto’s administration. She stressed the effectiveness of community-led afforestation, ecological restoration, and sustainable livelihood programmes in protecting forests and improving livelihoods.
