The people of Kenya had a holiday on November 13 to complete a special mission: planting 100 million trees.

The government initiative is part of an ambitious program aimed at reforestation 15 billion trees over 10 years.

And for starters, it is expected on the first day of the holiday that every Kenyan plants at least two trees to reach the goal of 100 million.

Environment Minister Soipan Tuya expressed confidence that “every Kenyan will take responsibility for the initiative” to help in the fight against climate change.

Trees help combat global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air while releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

The government makes it available to the people for free 150 million seedlings in public nurseries and their forestry agencies so that Kenyans can plant them in designated public areas.

But he has also encouraged Kenyans to buy at least two to plant on their own land.

People’s reaction

Kenyan President William Ruto led the launch of the initiative in the town of Makueni, in the east of the country.

Other ministers were sent to other regions to lead the process together with provincial governors and other officials.

At a site near the source of Kenya’s second longest river, Athi, dozens of people gathered, including soldiers and residents, some with their families.

The children in particular were motivated by the initiative. GETTY IMAGES

“I’m happy to be here to show my love for the environment,” student Wycliffe Kamau told the BBC.

“I came here to plant trees because our water levels have dropped. Even here, at the source of the river, the levels are very low because the trees have been cut downcommented Stephen Chelulei, a local resident.

“We need to combat climate change so that our children have a place to live when we are gone.”

Tree planting will be monitored through an internet application, Jaza Miti, which will monitor the exercise, allowing individuals and organizations to record activities including plant species, number and date of planting.

Jaza Miti will also help people plant seedlings verify that the land is suitable for the species, said the Ministry of the Environment.

The goal is to plant 15 billion plants in ten years. GETTY IMAGES

Minister Tuya told this to local television resident on Sunday evening The answer was ‘surprising’. and that two million users of the application had already registered that day.

He warned that no planting would take place in the northeastern region, where there have been floods due to the El Niño phenomenon, which have caused dozens of deaths, thousands of displacements and damage to infrastructure.

Questions about the program

Some analysts believe it is unlikely that many people, especially in cities, will participate. For some it will be another day of rest.

Environmentalist Teresa Muthoni told the BBC that the initiative is a “very good idea” but that it is not organized in a way that all Kenyans plant trees.

He said that “many people have to continue their work to put food on the table… this comes at a time when our economy is not doing well and many people are struggling financially.”

He also noted that “many of the 150 million trees available” in public nurseries are exotic.

“It is very important to plant the right trees in the right place”he claimed.

The government has also been criticized for advocating tree planting failing to control illegal logging in forests as it recently lifted an existing ban.

But on Sunday the minister defended the decision, saying only forests intended for commercial purposes were affected – around 5% of the total.

He said this was necessary to feed local demand for timber and create jobs, adding that the government was taking action against illegal loggers in other forests.

Tuya said the exercise will continue even after the special holiday and hopes that 500 million trees will be planted by the end of the rainy season in December. (JO)

Ken Mungai contributed to this report.