KAPTAGAT TREE PLANTING

PRESIDENT WILLIAM RUTO GRACES THE ANNUAL 7^TH EDITION OF THE KAPTAGAT FOREST TREE PLANTING

Members of staff from the National Treasury participated in this year’s Annual Kaptagat Tree Planting exercise which was graced by His Excellency President Dr. William Ruto.

The two days exercise led by Treasury Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo saw over 30,000 seedlings planted at the Kessup Forest Station by The National Treasury staff, corporates and members of the community.

Speaking during the event at Elgeyo Marakwet County, HE President William commended the National Treasury PS Dr. Chris Kiptoo for steering the Annual Kaptagat Tree planting initiative, and his exemplary work in forest conservation, and urged individuals, State agencies, Ccorporates, and Non-Governmental Organizations to take part in tree planting.

National Treasury PS Dr. Kiptoo who is the patron of the Initiative said since inception in 2017, over 1.2 million assorted tree seedlings have been planted and over 1000 hectares of degraded areas in Sabor, Penon, Kaptagat, Kipkabus and Kessup forest blocks have been restored.

“I took a personal responsibility to urge and mobilize the local community to rehabilitate the degraded the forest areas and riparian areas, creating awareness and sensitize them on tree growing as well as to mobilization of stakeholders in the region to participate in the tree growing,” he said.

The PS said the tree planting exercise is part of staff performance targets set for Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the governments’ bid to increase the country’s forest cover to 10% by 2030.

“Tree planting as a collective action action interventions that will contribute to Kenya’s global and national commitments, under the Nationally Determined Contribution, to abate Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by 32 percent by 2030”, He added.

Last year President William Ruto launched the 15Billion Tree campaign, dubbed #Mission15B #JazaMiti, which aims at rallying Kenyans, Corporates, Agencies and Non- Governmental Organizations to plant trees to rehabilitate forests.

The Event was calumniated with a thanks giving Ceremony for PS Dr. Kiptoo, on 1^st July 2023 following his appointment to the National Treasury. The thanks giving ceremony was held at St. Alphonso Mutei Secondary School, in Keiyo North, Elgeyo Marakwet County.

Present during the thanks giving ceremony were Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Chief Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, several MPs, Governors, religious leaders, Staff from the National Treasury led by Principal Administrative Secretary Samson Wangusi among others.