Government Calls on Kenyans to Donate and Plant Fruit Trees During Mazingira Day
Environment CS Dr. Deborah Barasa addresses journalists during a media breakfast in Nairobi ahead of this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations to be held nationwide on October 10, 2025.
The government has called on Kenyans to return to their former primary schools to donate and plant fruit trees as part of this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations, which will be marked nationwide on October 10, 2025, under the theme “Citizen-Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship.”
The campaign, dubbed #TurudiPrimoTukadonateFruitTrees naTukacleanEnvironment, aims to inspire citizens to take personal responsibility for restoring the environment through tree planting and clean-up activities.
Speaking during a media breakfast in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Dr. Deborah Barasa said the initiative is anchored on a simple but powerful idea going back to one’s roots to give back to the community.
“We are inviting every Kenyan to go back to their former primary school to donate and plant a fruit tree, and to clean and green the school environment, our schools are where values are first planted, and by returning there, we nurture a sense of environmental responsibility in the next generation,” She said.
Dr. Barasa noted that this year’s Mazingira Day will be marked across the country, led by President William Ruto, members of the Cabinet, Principal Secretaries, and Chief Executives of State Corporations. Each will lead by example by planting fruit trees and spearheading clean-up exercises at their former or designated primary schools.
The CS announced that she will personally lead activities in Trans Nzoia County, where she will join the school community in planting fruit trees and conducting a clean-up exercise.
She explained that the focus on fruit trees was deliberate, as they provide both nutritional and economic benefits to schools and local communities.
“Fruit trees are life-giving they feed, shade, and sustain. They provide nourishment for our children, income for schools and families, and shade that improves the learning environment,” she said.
Each school is expected to plant at least 2,000 fruit trees, while learners will receive seedlings to plant at home to extend the campaign’s impact into their communities to facilitate access, the National Youth Service (NYS) will distribute fruit tree seedlings nationwide at a subsidized cost of KSh 150 per seedling.
Since the launch of the 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme in December 2022, Kenya has planted over 1.06 billion trees, marking significant progress toward achieving 30 percent tree cover by 2032.
“This is a demonstration of the collective spirit that drives our country , the belief that change begins with each of us,” the CS said.
She added that the ministry continues to strengthen the policy, legal, and institutional frameworks to make environmental progress sustainable. Among these are the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, new regulations promoting responsible trade in forest products, and the Agroforestry and Bamboo Development Strategies, which aim to create green jobs and link tree growing with livelihoods.
On his part, Principal Secretary for Forestry, Mr. Gitonga Mugambi, affirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring nationwide participation, saying the campaign will empower both communities and the environment.
“Come October 10, we all go back to our primary schools and plant fruit trees. The target is a minimum of 2,000 trees per school, but we encourage Kenyans to plant as many as possible,” he said.
He noted that technical support will be provided through Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI) and Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers across the country, while private nurseries will also be supported to create local jobs through seedling supply.
Mugambi highlighted the remarkable progress achieved so far, saying Kenya has planted over one billion trees in just two years, compared to 38 million in the previous five-year period.
“We are now ready to accelerate this effort, and we are confident that by 2032, the 15 billion tree target will be achieved,” he said.
The Ministry underscores that Mazingira Day is not just a one-day event but a continuous national movement that unites Kenyans in restoring the environment and promoting food security. The campaign aims to nurture a culture of environmental stewardship among learners, families, and communities.
Through the #TurudiPrimo initiative, Kenyans are being encouraged to turn tree growing into a lifelong habit one that restores degraded landscapes, strengthens community resilience, and contributes to a cleaner, greener, and more prosperous nation for future generations.
