The government has asked Kenyans to visit their nearest chief’s office to get tree seedlings for planting during the National Tree Growing Day set for Monday, November 10, 2023.
In a statement on Friday, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo urged all Kenyans to participate in the exercise.
Omollo said President William Ruto will launch the National Tree Growing Day at Kiu Wetland in Makindu, Makueni.
The PS said at the county level, the tree-growing activities will be championed by Cabinet Secretaries in at least two counties, hosted by respective governors and supported by PSs, county commissioners and other senior state officials.
"National Government Administrative Officers will be supporting the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry in coordinating the exercise which is part of the Kenya Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Programme towards growing 15 billion trees," the PS said.
"County Commissioners have already convened technical planting teams in their respective counties comprising of representatives from the Kenya Forest Service, National Environment Management Authority among other government and non-governmental stakeholders."
He said the National Tree Growing Day has been set aside taking advantage of the ongoing short rains.
Omollo said this follows the gazettement of the National Tree Growing Day.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared November 13, a public holiday.
In a gazette notice, Kindiki said the public shall be engaged in tree growing countrywide.
"In Exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Public Holidays Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares Monday, November 13, 2023, a public holiday in which the public shall be engaged in tree growing countrywide," the gazette notice read.
This comes after the November 3, meeting when the Cabinet agreed to designate a special working day for tree planting in recognition of the effects of climate change and compliance with the 15 billion tree pledge.
"This aligns with the Government's National Tree Planting Campaign under the Presidential Programme for the Accelerated Restoration of Forests and Rangelands," a statement from Cabinet reads.