Let us all rally behind Ruto’s roadmap of greening Kenya

By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga

Worth Noting:

• Seemingly, the first priority is to phase out fuels whose three main products are super petrol, diesel and kerosene. The fossil fuels would be replaced by electrical energy, sunlight [solar], geothermal, biomas, wind energies.
• The journey has already started. A number of motorists are no longer using fuels. They have changed the systems of their vehicles and shifted to electrical energy.
• On tree planting, President Ruto has asked the chiefs and other administrators to lead in this exercise. Educate the people in your locality about the importance of trees and make sure you have convinced them to plant as many seedlings as they can.

Hours after he jetted back from a working visit in the United States of America, President William Ruto dedicated his 56^th birthday to his campaign of greening Kenya. In his speech after planting several trees in Ngong Hill Forest, Dr Ruto called on all Kenyans to support his efforts.

As we know, our country is yet to fully recover from devastating negative effects of climate change. Trees play an important role in mitigating this.

As a natural carbon capture, the trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Trees, on the other hand, release oxygen from sunlight which we breathe.

During the Jumhuri Day cerebration, the President stated.   Our target is to plant 15 billion trees and increase the forest cover from 10 percent to 30 per cent.

The president’s interventions are in line with the resolutions of United Nation Conference on Climate Change.

He was among the world leaders who had attended the latest 27^th session, dubbed COP27, held in Egypt.

In his speech, Dr Ruto fired salvo at the powerful nations, accusing them of leading in pollution of climate. Africa is contributing very little to this problem, yet it is one bearing the greatest brunt.

He called on these nations to change and participate effectively in reversing the negative impacts of climate change.

Our first calling is to protect humanity and this requires every one of us to play their role of ensuring no more lives were lost due to drought, floods, typhoons and other related effects.

In Egypt, the use of fossil fuel, deforestation and destruction of forests were listed as the root causes.

For President Ruto, he has also announced that his government was leaving nothing to chance in ensuring Kenyans fully adopted and embraced green energy/ renewable energy. We have set out the timelines.

Seemingly, the first priority is to phase out fuels whose three main products are super petrol, diesel and kerosene. The fossil fuels would be replaced by electrical energy, sunlight [solar], geothermal, biomas, wind energies.

The journey has already started. A number of motorists are no longer using fuels. They have changed the systems of their vehicles and shifted to electrical energy.

On tree planting, President Ruto has asked the chiefs and other administrators to lead in this exercise. Educate the people in your locality about the importance of trees and make sure you have convinced them to plant as many seedlings as they can.

The chiefs should also organize public barazas dedicated to the same cause. Besides supplying the locals with seedlings, they should lead them in planting.

The chief is also required to identify a piece of public land and make it a forested area in that village. Part of land should be reserved for tree nurseries.

In Ngong Hill forest, the President was accompanied by Deputy President [DP] Rigathi Gachagua.

The DP told him. As you can see Your Excellency, majority of the cabinet secretaries are not here. They have heeded your call and are in other parts of country presiding over these exercises of tree-planting. This showed the targets set out by Dr Ruto would be met.

Joseph Mutua Ndonga is a Writer and Political Commentator based in Nairobi