The Ministry of Health has cautioned Kenyans against engaging in extreme physical activities such as prolonged tree-hugging without proper medical check-ups, warning that the viral trend could pose serious health risks.
In recent weeks, Kenyans have enthusiastically embraced the tree-hugging challenge, an endurance movement that has rapidly spread across the country. The trend gained national attention after environmental activist Truphena Muthoni completed a 72-hour challenge on December 11, 2025, sparking widespread participation.
What started as a conservation-focused act has since evolved into a nationwide phenomenon. Participants from diverse backgrounds have adopted the challenge to spotlight social, environmental, health, and mental wellness causes. The movement has generated admiration, humour, debate, and growing concern, firmly entrenching it within Kenya’s digital activism space.
Speaking on Thursday, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni urged individuals attempting such challenges to ensure they are medically fit and adequately prepared. She warned that engaging in strenuous activities without proper health screening and training could have dangerous consequences.
“You have seen people have a huge mood to hug trees. People have started strenuous exercises to hug trees. If you want to do the strenuous exercises, you must be checked if you are medically fit," she said.
"Even those who do marathons, they just don’t wake up and ran 40 kilometers, they have to train every morning for one month to three months. Some of you wake up and hug trees for five days,” she added.
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While many Kenyans have praised the determination and courage shown by participants, others have raised concerns that the growing wave of endurance stunts may dilute the original message championed by Truphena Muthoni.
On social media, some users questioned the safety of prolonged tree-hugging, warning of potential health risks including dehydration and urinary tract infections. Others approached the trend with humour, suggesting the challenge should be seasonal rather than a continuous spectacle.
Despite the criticism, videos of the tree-hugging challenges continue to trend across TikTok, Facebook, and X, attracting thousands of views, reactions, and comments.