Residents of Nyandarua County have been challenged to avoid destruction of trees as a way of enhancing conservation of the environment.
Olkalou Central Sub County Deputy Commissioner Michael Ololtuaa called upon the residents to fast-track the tree planting exercise towards the achievement of the targeted 15 billion trees.
Ololtuaa, who was addressing the residents at Olkalou A.C.K. Primary School in Olkalou town, Nyandarua County, during the Olkalou town clean-up and tree planting exercise during the Mazingira Day celebrations, appreciated the Anglican Church for partnering with the state in the tree planting exercise.
“The church and state should work together towards common goals, notably during environmental conservation,” noted Ololtuaa.
However, the DCC challenged the residents to embrace the cleaning of their towns and tree planting exercises not only during Mazingira Day but as a regular exercise.
He called upon all stakeholders to work closely to enhance cleanliness of their towns as well as enhancing tree cover in their locality.
Bishop Rt. Rev. Major (Rtd) Samsom Gachathi of A.C.K Diocese of Nyahururu called upon all stakeholders to join hands to make our environment conducive to live in.
The Bishop added that man should take responsibility for cleanliness and caring for the environment as a God-given responsibility.
The cleric said that in the book of Genesis, when God created garden of Eden and then created man, he gave him the responsibility of taking care of the creation and hence cleaning our towns and planting trees is not only a directive from the government but God Himself.
Bishop Gachathi said the Anglican Church has been engaging in taking care of the environment through the Green Anglican Movement (GAM), which celebrates Green Anglicans Day in the Anglican calendar, which this year coincided with Mazingira Day; hence, the church partnered with the state to celebrate the event.
“Through the Green Anglican Movement, the diocese had organised an exercise to clean Olkalou town to mark Green Anglican Day; however, the day coincided with Mazingira Day hence the church had to join in celebrating the events,” added the Bishop.
He also echoed the sentiment of the DCC that the exercise of cleaning our towns and tree planting should not be limited to Mazingira Day but should be a regular exercise.
Nyandarua Chief Officer for Roads and Transport, Eng. Peter Karanja, who graced the occasion, urged the members of the public to enhance tree planting, citing that it enhances the cleanliness of the environment and the water they drink.
Eng. Karanja also noted that we are enjoying the good environment due to current trees which were planted by earlier generations and hence we need to embrace tree planting exercises for the generation to come.
The exercises of cleaning Olkalou town and tree planting at Olkalou A.C.K. Primary were graced by stakeholders such as Equity Bank, Kenya Red Cross, Equity Afya, the Green Anglican Movement, and the Lions Club of Nyandarua, among others.
By Kimani Tirus
