Kenya Defence Forces joined the Green Belt Movement to celebrate the Wangari Maathai Day, at the Hon. John Michuki Memorial Park in Nairobi. The event was celebrated in conjunction with the Africa Environment Day that is marked annually on 3 March.
Under the theme Reimagining the Future: Clean and Green Cities for All, Build Back Better. This years’ theme focused on drawing attention to the urgent need for safe, green, clean sustainable cities. The participants took part in a series of activities that included a clean-up exercise of the park, and a tree planting session.
Speaking during the event, Kenya Forest Senior Deputy Director Mr. Patrick Kariuki, stated that the park demonstrated a climate-smart recreational space open to all Nairobi residents, which can be replicated in other urban centers in Kenya and around the continent.
Speaking at the same event, Colonel Suleiman Kibwana stated that KDF stands ready and continues to play its part in protecting our country not only from traditional threats but also from unseen enemy of environmental destruction, drawing from the core mandate of defending and protecting the sovereignity and territorial integrity of this country.
“KDF started the Environmental Soldier Programme (ESP) way back in 2003, whose mission is to make practical contribution of National efforts aimed at mitigating effects of, and countering environmental degradation. KDF in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment among other partners, we have been able to plant over 27 million trees and we still going,” he added.
During the event, KDF was recognized for outstanding contributions to the protection, restoration and rehabilitation of green spaces in Kenya through the KDF-Environmental Soldier Programme (ESP).
The event brought together organizations such as the UN Habitat, Nairobi Metropolitan Services and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA).
Add Comment