Nyamira residents and county employees have spruced up major markets and planted trees in the county to mark World Environment Day.
The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Environment, Energy, Mining, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Dr. John Matiang’i, representing the Chief Guest Governor Amos Nyaribo during the exercise, observed with concern that human activities have endangered the environment and its greenery ambience.
“In Nyamira County, as much as we have the advantage of prolonged rainfall seasons which should entice us to plant trees, we are unfortunately propagating a ‘green desert’ stealthily. We plant eucalyptus trees along riparian areas, which has dried up our water streams, causing stunted growth on food crops, killing them before harvest because of their deep widespread roots which sap all the nutrients and water from the soil.
This trend makes our environment lack a variety of plant species meant to enhance biodiversity and nurture a healthy ecosystem,” CEC Matiang’i observed.
He stated that the county government is committed to safeguarding its environment for current and future generations and emphasised that the county would respond with urgency to the issue of plastic pollution, which was still a serious environmental threat due to poor disposal and management.
“To mark today’s World Environment Day, we shall plant trees along the tarmac road within Nyamira town municipality and clean up all our major towns in the county to foster healthy trade, enhance public health and reflect on milestones achieved in maintaining a healthy ecosystem,” Dr. Matiang’i remarked.
Nyamira County commissioner Mr. Erastus Mbui advised the residents to embrace recycling of plastic waste so that it could be put to proper use and at the same time generate income.
He urged all present to take personal responsibility in doing the right thing on matters of waste management because “we all have what it takes to sustain a clean, safe and healthy environment in order to live and thrive as projected.”
“We now have carbon crediting for economic gain for those who will grab this opportunity. It is a venture with great investment returns if we embrace it and be zealous in the conservation venture.
The 15 billion trees target by 2032 in Kenya is achievable and all citizens are encouraged to be participants in this drive because it will not only benefit us now but even for generations which will come after us,” CC Mbui urged.
Nyamira County officials, students and members of the public planted trees along the highway in Nyamira town municipality and cleaned seven major markets in the county.
This year’s theme for World Environment Day is Beat Plastic Pollution to rally for collective action to spearhead real solutions of adopting sustainable practices which help in ending plastic pollution.
By Deborah Bochere
