The 2026 edition of the AIPH World Green City Awards was also announced with entries opening in early 2025.
Mandera County under the leadership of Governor Mohamed Khalif rolled out a greening initiative where nearly 300,000 trees have been planted to address frequent droughts.
The governor in a previous interview said his administration intends to plant a billion trees by the end of his five-year term.
Under the plan, the county has enlisted some 1300 families to tend to trees planted within the municipality amid efforts to raise the trees with leftover water.
"Every moment they cleanse themselves for prayers, the water is not poured out as waste but used to hydrate the trees, shielding them from being dried up by the unforgiving sun," said Khalif.
Under the initiative, every family will adopt a tree and nurture it with participating families getting a stipend of Sh10,000 monthly as a form of motivation to do the work while being afforded an avenue of income.
"I'm proud of this municipality greening project because it has not just transformed the face of Mandera, but also given it life and made our county a significant place of the future," Khalif said.