KERICHO, Kenya — National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has announced that Parliament will push for increased funding to the Ministry of Environment to fence and secure all gazetted forests across the country in a bid to curb encroachment and deforestation.
Speaking during the 48th graduation ceremony of the Kenya Forestry College in Londiani on Friday, Wetang’ula said the move is crucial to achieving President William Ruto’s plan to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, a flagship goal of the government’s climate agenda.
“The National Assembly will push for enhanced budget allocation to the Ministry of Environment to fund the fencing of gazetted forests as part of efforts to realise the President’s target,” he said.
Wetang’ula noted that protecting forests would enable Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers to better safeguard water catchment areas that are vital for the country’s ecosystem and livelihoods.
He also urged county governments to work with KFS in training forest extension officers, saying collaboration between national and devolved governments was key to sustainable forest management.
While condoling families affected by recent landslides, the Speaker called on the Environment Ministry to map disaster-prone areas and prioritise tree planting as a long-term mitigation measure.
“Forests are the lungs of our nation and essential to our survival,” Wetang’ula told the graduating forestry students, urging them to take the lead in restoring degraded landscapes.
Wetang’ula lauded the Kenya Forestry College as a centre of environmental leadership and technical excellence, adding that forestry education is central to addressing climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.
He reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to enacting laws that protect water towers, empower communities, and promote climate-smart practices nationwide.
The Speaker also praised the government for prioritising forest and landscape restoration through the 15 Billion Tree Growing Initiative, commending the college for aligning its programmes with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
He said the college’s expanded technical and vocational training courses were creating green jobs and supporting the transition to a circular economy.
Today, while presiding over the 48th Graduation Ceremony of the Kenya Forestry College, I warned that rampant forest destruction undermines President William Ruto’s 15 billion trees initiative and pledged that the National Assembly will push for increased funding to fence all
Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa challenged institutions to scale up their tree-planting efforts to support the national target.
Dr. Barasa said the ministry has deployed a team to support relocation efforts in Elgeyo Marakwet, where deadly landslides recently displaced families.
“We will work with counties to raise awareness among residents in high-risk areas to encourage them to move to safer locations,” she said.
Kericho Governor Dr. Eric Mutai said the county was enhancing environmental conservation under programmes funded by the national government and development partners.
