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WATCH: First Family’s Christmas message to Kenyans

By Wangu Kanuri December 26th, 2022 2 min read

President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel have implored Kenyans to plant trees in their message to Kenyans on his first Christmas as Head of State.

The First Family delivered their message in a video posted on social media on Christmas eve.

In their joint speech, the first family reminded Kenyans that it was their duty as citizens to care for the environment.

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Ruto who donned a black suit, pink shirt, and a purple checked tie said: “We have a generational obligation to stop environmental destruction, prevent the loss of biodiversity and protect the integrity of the earth’s ecosystem.”

Mama Rachel who wore a flowery purple dress that was matching her shoes added: “Let us, therefore, use this blessed season of abundant rain to plant as many tree seedlings as we can to show that we care for ourselves, humanity, and the earth.”

The First Family also urged Kenyans to share love and spread joy. Acknowledging that Christmas is a Christian event where believers celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the first family asked Kenyans to live to the spirit of this festive season, ‘Peace on earth and goodwill among all people.’

On his birthday last week, Dr Ruto launched a tree restoration program at Ngong Hills Forest to kick start his plan of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

Leading by example, Ruto planted 56 trees to mark his 56th birthday, as other counties held similar functions that saw a total of 560,000 trees planted.

Speaking during the launch, the President said the initiative would help combat the effects of climate change, which had unleashed calamities such as droughts, floods, unpredictable rainfall patterns and disease and pest outbreaks.

“To a considerable extent, these adversities are the direct and indirect consequences of human failure to observe its ecological imperative. Instead of preserving the integrity of the planet’s vital systems to enhance the earth’s livability for all of creation, we have embarked on thoughtless exploitation and the insidious pursuit of prosperity in ways that do not take environmental costs into account,” he said.