[PHOTOS] Planting Day: Ruto leads effort for 15 billion trees

President William Ruto on Monday presided over the inaugural of the  National Tree Planting Day.

Joined by First Lady Rachel Ruto, the President presided over the planting of over 150,000 trees at Kiu Wetland in Makindu, Makueni County.

Kenya Defence Forces had taken over the site where the Head of State will plant a seedling to mark the start of a journey towards growing 15 billion trees by 2032.

Kenya Forest Service head Alex Lemarkoko said that 150,000 seedlings will be planted at Kiu Wetland and 100 million across the country.

The Kenya Kwanza Cabinet Secretaries all led the tree planting exercise across the other 46 counties.

Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said his government targets to grow 344 million trees by 2032, with 34 million grown each year.

Mutula said that during the October-November-December rains, the county will grow 10 million trees.

Encroachment and degradation of the Kiu/Kiboko water catchment have resulted in the reduction of the levels and recharge rates of the springs causing water shortage for domestic, agricultural, and livestock keeping in the adjacent community, especially those in Makindu Town.