Mazingira Day: North Eastern leaders rally communities to step up tree planting efforts

North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno has issued a rallying call to teachers, learners, and residents to intensify tree planting efforts, as the region continues to lag in meeting its national environmental targets.

Speaking at Iftin Primary and Junior Secondary School in Garissa Town during the Mazingira Day celebrations, Otieno revealed that the region has achieved less than 40 per cent of its annual target to plant 295 million trees.

“As a region, we have not even reached 40 per cent of our annual target. We’ve only planted four million trees. We must all work harder to bridge this gap,” said Otieno.

To accelerate progress, Otieno proposed a practical solution in which every student in the region should adopt and plant a tree.

He emphasised that tree planting alone is not enough, urging communities to embrace sustainable environmental practices and take personal responsibility in the fight against climate change.

“The theme of the day — Citizen-Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship — is about individual and collective action. We must go beyond tree planting to make conservation a way of life,” he said.

Otieno also highlighted the wider benefits of environmental restoration, including preventing drought, floods, and the conflicts often triggered by climate-related disasters in the region.

Beyond environmental concerns, the Regional Commissioner called on locals to take advantage of the new national ID registration process, noting that the additional vetting requirement had been abolished.

“There’s no more vetting. I urge every eligible citizen to go and get their ID cards,” he stated.

He further encouraged residents to support ongoing government development projects such as roads and market construction, which he said would enhance connectivity and economic opportunities. He also urged the community to work closely with security officers to maintain peace in the region.

Also present at the Garissa event was Dr Richard Lesiyampe Leserian, Acting CEO of Kenyatta National Hospital, who echoed the call for continuous tree planting beyond Mazingira Day.

“Let’s make tree planting a daily habit, not just an annual ritual,” Dr Leserian said. “As we plant trees, let’s also focus on educating our children. I’m proud of the learners here.”

During the Garissa celebrations, 300 trees were planted by students, teachers, residents, and local leaders. The event also featured clean-up drives and environmental awareness campaigns.

In Wajir County, Principal Secretary for Culture and Heritage Ummi Bashir led similar celebrations at Senior Chief Ogle Girls’ Secondary School in Habaswein Town, Wajir South.

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Addressing the media, PS Ummi underscored the urgency of climate action, particularly for pastoralist communities in the North Eastern region who continue to suffer from prolonged droughts.

“This tree planting exercise is part of President William Ruto’s flagship agenda to build climate resilience,” she said.

PS Ummi called on institutions and individuals to mark Mazingira Day through meaningful action, reaffirming the government’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

She was accompanied by the Wajir County Security Committee and members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Wajir Base, who actively took part in the tree planting exercise.

From Garissa to Wajir, Mazingira Day 2025 served as a powerful reminder of the region’s role in national climate action — with leaders, learners, and locals uniting under the call to green the arid lands of North Eastern Kenya, one tree at a time.