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Kazi iko! Ruto directs recruitment of Forest Rangers, Officers


President William Ruto has directed the immediate recruitment of 2,700 Forest Rangers and 600 Forest Officers to drive the Government’s agenda to increase Kenya’s forest cover to more than 30 percent by 2032.

The President said the drive is meant to eradicate the negative effects of climate change, especially in arid and semi-arid areas.

“Without a doubt, climate change is complicating our roadmap towards socio-economic transformation and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals,” said the President.

He said the Government was in the final stages of designing a Special Presidential Forestry and Rangeland Restoration Acceleration Programme.

“The plan is to grow 5 billion trees in the next 5 years, and an additional 10 billion trees between 2027 and 2032. This will eventually lead to the rehabilitation and restoration of 10.6 million hectares through constituency nerve-centers in the 290 constituencies, as well as some specially selected ecosystems,” said the President.

He also noted that his aim is to create a green environment.

“As we seek short-term measures to respond to the evolving situation, I have directed that a long-term and sustainable solution to the planetary challenges be put in place. The ultimate solution includes greening our country to more than 30 percent of tree cover by 2032,” said the President.

He said data on Kenya’s forest cover was alarming since only 5.2 million square kilometers of Kenya’s 59.2 million square kilometers is under forest cover. “The remaining 54 million hectares are bare earth, exposed to erosion and biodiversity loss. Over 80 percent of this lies in arid and semi-arid lands,” said the President.

“I, therefore, urge all Kenyans to support the government’s call to grow at least 15 billion trees in the next 10 years,” said the President.