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Marabou stork invasion: Sakaja explains why trees in the CBD are being pruned

By Kevin Cheruiyot September 23rd, 2022 2 min read

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has responded to complains by Nairobians over the ongoing pruning of trees within the city’s Central Business District (CBD).

Through his Twitter handle, the governor said that the move was taken following an invasion of the city by Marabou storks. He also said that the pruned trees will be nurtured.

“I have been assured that the pruning done after the outcry by pedestrians due to the recent Marabou stork’s invasion was procedural and that the tree shall be nurtured,” Governor Sakaja said, adding that his administration is keen on increasing tree coverage in Nairobi.

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Early this week, county workers started pruning trees along the Kenyatta Avenue, where Marabou storks are frequently seen perched on trees.

The large birds are largely scavengers. There are also a number of threats associated to the birds, and endoparasites have been identified in wild marabous.

Early this year, the former President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that Kenya attained the Constitutional 10 per cent tree cover target, and that the country has set a target of having the tree cover extended to 30 perc ent by 2050.

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Mr Kenyatta urged on Kenyans to always take the advantage of rains to plant more trees. He also launched the National Tree Growing Fund and Campaign.

In 2020, during the launch of the refurbished Michuki Memorial Park, Mr Kenyatta said that there was need to improve the tree coverage in Nairobi, and to make it among the green cities in the world.

“We are here to affirm that a city is not great because of its lofty and towering brick-and-motor assets. A city is great because its citizens are great; and its environment is great,” he said at the time.

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