The Principal Secretary (PS), State Department for Irrigation, CPA Ephantus Kimotho, Saturday, led the staff, local leaders and schools, forest associations, Friends of Ololua Forest and surrounding Communities in Commemorating the International Day of Forests.
The PS, who has adopted Ololua Forest also launched what he called ‘The six Cs of conservation at the Ololua Forest’ to lead its restoration efforts.
He observed that the event marked the start of a conservation drive, a journey he emphasized, will bring together local elected leaders, well-wishers, partners, communities neighbouring the forest, Kenya Forest Service, Local Schools, the County Government of Kajiado, Forest Associations, the State Department for Irrigation and Friends of Ololua towards the conservation efforts.
Kimotho while enumerating the six Cs of conservation emphasized that the surrounding communities and their livelihoods, will be at the heart of his environmental protection efforts.
“We cannot do without the support of the surrounding communities. We are going to support the establishment of tree nurseries and a borehole, to aid the tree nurseries, provide 200 beehives to Women and User Groups, distribute 2000 avocado seedlings to farmers and 20 local school through the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, distribute 10 model dustbins to schools and support the establishment of Mazingira Clubs in schools,” the PS revealed.
He enumerated the six Cs as; Conservation, which includes electronic fencing, and restoration of 50,000 acres; Communities and Livelihoods: which includes the establishment of tree nurseries, sinking and equipping of boreholes, provision of beehives and model dustbins among other activities: clean energy, which includes distribution of energy saving jikos, and provision of solar lighting.
Others are: Circular Economy where a Material Waste Recycling Centre will be established in a bid to keep the environment Clean, provide jobs opportunities to the youth and distribute model dustbins: Clean Water where three boreholes will be drilled and equipped to provide 4,500 households with Clean Water: Climate Smart Agriculture; which will involve working with the County Government of Kajiado to map the farmers in an effort to establish agriculture value chains to benefit the communities.
The PS emphasized the critical need to protect the forest, to not only safeguard the biodiversity, but to also provide livelihoods to communities neighbouring the forests.
He added that he will be mobilizing resources to electronically fence the forest through various initiatives. Among these initiatives is an inaugural walk slated for 25th April, this year at the forest, and called on Kenyans to support these efforts by joining the walk.
PS Kimotho revealed that he has already received commitments from friends and partners for putting-up an electronic fence on 23 of the first 25 acres around the Forest.
The PS revealed that the neighbouring communities will play a critical role in the restoration efforts and promised to hold a public participation exercise to determine where the gates to the forest will be located.
The event, which was graced by the PS for the State Department for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Eng. Festus Ngeno, was also attended by the Regional Conservator of Forests for Nairobi, Joyce Thuku, Members of County Assembly (MCAs) for Ololua, Eno Matasia, Ngong Township and Ongata Rongai Wards; Chief Executive Officer, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Jackson Kiplagat, whose Organization has also adopted 25,000 acres of Ololua Forest for restoration, Forest Associations led by Ngong Hills Metro Chairman, Friends of the PS, Local Schools, Officers from the State Department for Irrigation, Women and User Groups.
By Peninah Kihika and Esther Maku
