GOVERNMENT UNVEILS NATIONWIDE 17.24 MILLION TREE PLANTING DRIVE AHEAD OF NATIONAL MAZINGIRA DAY 2026

Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa alongside Government Spokesperson Mr. Charles Owino and senior ministry officials inspect tree seedlings at the Kenya Forest Service Nairobi Conservancy Office during a press briefing to announce the nationwide rollout of National Mazingira Week and the target to plant 17.24 million trees leading up to National Mazingira Day

NAIROBI, KENYA — The Government of Kenya has launched a comprehensive environmental action week targeting the planting of 17.24 million trees across the country. The rollout serves as a major milestone toward the national target of growing 15 billion trees by 2032.

Addressing journalists at the Kenya Forest Service Nairobi Conservancy Office, Government Spokesperson Mr. Charles Owino highlighted the critical nature of the initiative alongside Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Dr. Deborah Mlongo Barasa, and Principal Secretaries Mr. Gitonga Mugambi (Forestry) and Dr. Eng. Festus Ng'eno.

The official theme for this year's observance, "Our Environment, Our Responsibility: Collective Action for Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship," frames environmental protection not merely as a policy guideline, but as an urgent personal commitment required from every citizen, public institution, and private partner.

To execute the ambitious week-long campaign, the government has designated specific sector-focused days leading up to the main national event:

• Education Sector Mobilization: Institutions ranging from primary schools to universities and TVETs will participate in localized environmental cleanups and planting activities.

• Mine Site Ecological Restoration: Targeted tree planting will focus on restoring degraded mining locations across Kakamega, Siaya, Migori, Busia, and Kisii counties under the supervision of the Mining and Forestry departments.

• Infrastructure Greening: Dedicated exercises led by the State Departments for Roads and Transport will focus on clearing highway drainage networks and greening major transit corridors.

• County-Level Cleanups: All 47 counties will conduct coordinated sanitation and cleanup exercises at their respective headquarters under the leadership of NEMA and the State Department of Climate Change.

The week will culminate on Saturday, October 10, with National Mazingira Day. The national celebrations, hosted in Trans Nzoia County at Kenya Seed and Kimothon, feature a three-tiered execution framework:

1. The Presidential Green Challenge: A targeted nationwide planting window aiming to plant 5.1 million trees across 79 sites in 31 counties. This session will coincide with key policy launches, including the Eco-Sort Takataka ni Mali initiative, the JazaMiti USSD code, the rollout of the Cocoa Value Chain, and the distribution of over 5 million fruit tree seedlings.

2. Grassroots Dialogue and Action: Over 77,000 village elders spanning 30 counties will lead community environmental discussions (barazas) and direct the planting of 100 trees per village, generating an estimated 7.7 million trees.

3. Institutional and Security Services Commitments: Formal state agencies are taking on major planting quotas. The Kenya Prison Service will plant 1 million trees across 68 correction centers, the National Youth Service (NYS) will plant 1.5 million trees following graduation parades, and military units will be mobilized by the Ministry of Defence across their operational bases.