Take advantage of Elnino rains to plant more trees, Kalua urges Kitui residents
Eastern
By
Philip Muasya
| Oct 12, 2023
Kitui County residents have been urged to take advantage of the projected El-Nino rains to plant more trees to increase the tree cover in the arid and semi-arid county.
The call was made by Isaac Kalua Green, the chairman of the Green Africa Foundation at Mutha in Kitui South where his foundation donated 1000 seedlings to local schools and farmers.
Kalua urged farmers in the arid and semi-arid county to be at the forefront in efforts to address desertification in the region which had been caused by years of tree cutting for charcoal production.
"Now that we are likely to get above-average rains in this region, let us go out there and plant more trees as a way of combating desertification. Trees will also help in conserving the environment, besides, tree growing is also an income-generating activity," the environmentalist told the locals.
He spoke during a homecoming ceremony for Mutha ward MCA Dominic Mwamisi who was elected on Kalua's Green Thinking Action Party (GTAP).
READ MORE
India-Africa ties must move towards investment-driven growth, capacity building
Fresh protests erupt in Moyale, Sololo and Marsabit as border dispute tensions escalate
Why Kenya's 2013 Sports Act must die and be reborn
Suluhu's threat of violence to the youth takes East Africa backward
What revival of Voi-Taveta railway line means for local, regional trade
Why France cannot ignore the reparations issue
Truck drivers have protested delays at the Webuye weighbridge
Sofapaka staring at relegation as Gor Mahia eye title charge
The GTAP leader also led students at Kyuasini secondary school in planting trees where he also donated 100 bags of cement and laid a foundation stone for a classroom at the school.
Dr Kalua noted that Kenyans have a personal responsibility to contribute to the government's initiative of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
He said that declining forest cover over the years had contributed to prolonged droughts and water insecurity across the country.
Noting that arid and semi-arid regions presented a great potential for tree growing, Kalua appealed to residents living in those regions to take advantage of the expected rains set to start this month and plant trees in natural forests and even in farms.
He explained that there was a direct correlation between the destruction of forests and water insecurity.
He said that more trees would ensure that water sources are protected as well as rejuvenating soils for improved agricultural production.
Recent research has shown that Kenyans deplete more than 150 million trees annually through charcoal burning and timber.
Kalua said this can easily be reversed if Kenyans continuously planted trees every rain season.
Continuous planting of trees will also increase forest cover and reduce the impacts of droughts to the rural population, he said.
While delving into politics, the GTAP leader said that political leaders in the country have a right to constructively criticize and correct the government whenever there was something to correct it about, urging the government to take positive criticism positively.
"The government is for us all and has a duty to listen to and serve all Kenyans. There is need for constructive dialogue so that we take the country forward," he stated.
Kalua described GTAP as the party of the future whose policies stood for improved well being of Kenyans. He urged the government to prioritize finding long term solutions for pressing problems bedeviling Kenyans such as the high cost of living and inflation.