The Journey to 2030

Focus: Successes so far and what needs to be prioritized

Kenya Vision 2030 is an economic development plan by the Kenyan government to develop several different economic zones in various parts of the country. The plan aims to produce annual economic growth rates of 10%.

The Kenya Vision 2030 is anchored on three pillars; the Economic, Social and Political. Under the Social pillar of Vision 2030 Kenya aims to be a nation that has a clean, secure and sustainable environment. The goals that would facilitate the realization of the aims under Social pillar are to increase forest cover from less than 3% at present to 10%; and to lessen by half all environment-related diseases.

Different players and stakeholders have been involved with ensuring that this is achieved. Green Africa Foundation through an initiative Plant Your Age recently held an event calling on Kenyans to plant trees equivalent to their age during short rains period with the climax of the event being a tree planting exercise at the Nairobi National Park on the 17^th November 2012. During the event that started early in the morning over 22,000 tree seedlings were available to be planted in which Kenyans from all walks of life converged at the two planting sites within the park and planted trees.

KWS Southern Conservation Area Ass. Director Ms. Kahihia, Green Ambassador Stephen Njoroge and Green Africa Foundation Founder Dr. Isaac Kalua during the Plant Your Age event at the Nairobi National Park

The highlights of the event were Stephen Njoroge a green ambassador who at the age of 12 has planted over 12,000 trees graced the occasion as the chief guest and urged pupils and students not to shy away in taking part in this noble activity. He called upon participants present to plant eighty one trees in honour of President Mwai Kibaki who turned 81 on the 15^th of November. In attendance was the KWS Southern Conservation Area Assistant Director Ms. Ann Kahihia who gave a speech on behalf of the KWS Director who could not make it to the event. Nairobi National Park Senior Warden Mr. Mark Cheruiyot was also in attendance.

In the specific strategies involving promotion of environmental conservation in order to provide better support to the economic pillar flagship projects and for the purposes of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) attention now has to go also to such events. Planting of trees should be the new talking point or agenda in both our mainstream media and social media. Much of the attention has been on infrastructural developments and progress made economically. Our environment has a direct relationship with all the other developments thus needs to be cared for passionately and sufficient focus being given to it by the media.