Kabras RFC assistant coach Edwin Achayo and club captain George Nyambua underscored the need to protect the environment because it is the best way to appreciate nature.
Achayo said because their home ground is situated in the forest, the club will continue supporting the vision of their sponsor.
“Every year we develop a calendar to plant trees. This year, we have achieved the target of planting more than 10,000 trees and our sponsor keeps reminding the players that the best way to appreciate nature is by planting the trees,” said Achayo.
He added: “Before Kenya Cup starts, we are again going to set the target of planting trees three times the number of points we shall have amassed in the entire season as we did after last season.”
Nyambua, who doubles up as the Kenya Simbas captain said: “We play all our home games in the forest and the scenery is good because of the evergreen trees. As rugby players, we also have a role to play in environmental conservation by planting trees like we do regularly.”
Kenya Cup champions Kabras Sugar and West Kenya Sugar Company sugarcane farmers were among Kenyans who came out on Monday to plant trees to conserve the environment.
The players and farmers planted at least 3,000 seedlings in Senyende within Kakamega forest and 2,000 in Chalicha, Kiminini constituency.
The club and company have been active in the protection and conservation of the environment, particularly the Kakamega forest.
The 5,000 seedlings were donated by Rai Group of Companies chairman Jaswant Rai in support of the national government’s initiative to increase forest cover to mitigate climate change.
Rai affirmed his commitment to assisting in the protection of Kenya’s only tropical rainforest; the Kakamega forest through the continuous planting of trees.
“Rai Sugar is cognisant of the fact that the sugar industry is prone to environmental disruption and because of this, 75 percent of our corporate social responsibility budget is committed towards environmental protection,” he said.
“Rai Group will continue working closely with Kenya Forest Services (KFS) in Kakamega in the development of seedlings within the Kakamega forest catchment area for ease of access by the local community and learning institutions within the county and other entities involved in afforestation activities.”
Rai rallied Kabras players, sugarcane farmers, and employees to continue planting trees to protect the surroundings.
“Tree planting should be a continuous exercise. The trees we are planting now are meant to safeguard our future generation as a country because global warming is real,” said Rai.
“We always sensitize farmers in the regular meetings we have with them that as they grow sugarcane, let them also plant trees and they have heeded our call.” Recently Kabras RFC and West Kenya Sugar Company partnered with the county government of Kakamega to plant tree seedlings in Kakamega forest and more than 10 local schools.
Among the schools that benefited from the tree planting program were; Kakamega School, Kakamega Primary, Mwiyala Primary, Lurambi Primary, Koyonzo Boys, Malava Boys, Malava Girls, and Malava Polytechnic.