Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muthoni has called on Kenyans to uphold the highest standards of hygiene and actively participate in environmental conservation.
Muthoni said doing so would supplement the government’s efforts to improve public health and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The PS made the call during Mazingira Day celebrations at Ngiriambu comprehensive School in Gichugu Constituency, where she led hundreds of residents, learners, and officials in a national tree planting exercise.
She emphasised the close link between environmental care and disease prevention and raised concern over the recent cholera outbreak that has affected several parts of the country, including Narok where five lives have already been lost.
“Cholera is a disease of hygiene. It is preventable, and that is why we are urging all Kenyans to maintain the same high standards of cleanliness and handwashing practices that helped us during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Muthoni said.
The PS said the Ministry of Health has intensified surveillance and prevention measures in the affected areas to stop the spread of the disease, adding that public cooperation was key to maintaining a healthy nation.
“When citizens are sick, the nation is sick. Development cannot thrive in a sick country. We must therefore make hygiene, sanitation, and environmental protection a daily practice,” she advised.
Muthoni stressed that the government remains committed to achieving President Dr. William Ruto’s vision of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, a national goal aimed at reversing environmental degradation, improving rainfall patterns, and addressing the growing adverse impacts of climate change.
During the event, 15,000 fruit tree seedlings were distributed to schools and to public to support the national greening initiative. Muthoni said fruit trees will provide both environmental and economic benefits to the community.
“Fruit trees not only help absorb carbon dioxide and prevent soil erosion, but also provide food, nutrition, and a source of income for families. They are a simple yet powerful way to promote both environmental and economic growth,” she explained.
The PS urged schools and community members to take ownership of the trees and nurture them to maturity, saying that sustainable environmental conservation begins at the household and institutional levels.
She further observed that changes in weather patterns have contributed to the rise of diseases such as malaria and cholera, noting that protecting the environment is also a way of protecting human health.
“When we plant trees, we are not just greening our country we are protecting our health and building resilience against diseases caused by climate change,” Muthoni added.
Elsewhere in the county, during a tree planting exercise at Kianwe Comprehensive School in Ndia Constituency, Kirinyaga County Forest Conservator Caroline Njeru revealed that the county currently boasts a 30.3 percent forest cover, one of the highest in the Central region.
She, however, emphasised that to meet the national target of 15 billion trees by 2032, Kirinyaga must plant at least 7.4 million trees every year for the next decade.
“We are doing well as a county, but there is still more to be done. To achieve our target, we must make tree planting a continuous culture not a one-day activity,” Njeru said.
The Conservator urged residents to take advantage of every opportunity, including social and community events such as weddings, funerals, and church gatherings, to plant trees as a way of giving back to the environment.
She further encouraged the public to prioritize fruit trees, citing their dual benefits to both the ecosystem and local livelihoods.
“Fruit trees have an economic and nutritional advantage. They not only help in soil conservation and carbon absorption but also provide food and income to families. When we plant a fruit tree, we secure both our environment and our future,” she remarked.
The Conservator called for closer collaboration between schools, local communities, and government agencies to nurture the culture of environmental stewardship and to ensure that every tree planted is cared for to maturity.
“Tree planting should not end at the seedling stage. Let us water, protect, and monitor them. Only then can we truly make an impact and leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” she said.
By David Wandeto
