Kenya's government targets 17.24 million trees on Mazingira Day, 10 October

The Kenyan government plans to grow 17.24 million trees for Mazingira Day on Saturday 10 October 2026, Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said, according to The Star on 10 October.

The national event is in Trans Nzoia County. The Star reported that President William Ruto will attend the Presidential Challenge and national tree-growing ceremony, which starts at Konoin Primary School in Shikhendu and moves to the Kenya Seed Company's Elgon Downs Farm in Endebess.

The Star said the Kenya Forest Service and Community Forest Associations will lead more than 51,000 community planters at 79 sites in 31 counties, planting more than 5 million trees. Village elders will plant 100 trees in each of 77,252 villages. The Kenya Prisons Service will plant 1 million trees in 68 facilities, and the National Youth Service 1.5 million. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions and basic education institutions will also take part.

Government Spokesperson Charles Owino announced the week-long programme on Monday 5 October, The Standard reported on 6 October. The Standard said the Presidential Green Challenge on Saturday targets 5.1 million trees at 79 sites in 31 counties, and that the day includes the flagging off of 5.3 million fruit tree seedlings.

The 17.24 million trees are a building block towards the national vision of 15 billion trees by 2032 under the National 15-Billion Tree Growing Programme, according to The Star. The Kenya News Agency gave the theme as "Our Environment, Our Responsibility: Collective Action for Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship."

Barasa said every tree will be counted, geo-tagged and certified, The Star reported. The JazaMiti platform is ready for geo-tagging and real-time counting, and seedlings have been prepositioned. She said the plan also includes 90-day survival checks, quarterly tracking of pledges and long-term support for Community Forest Associations and farmer groups.

The Standard quoted Barasa on survival on 6 October: "Our input is planting trees, but let us remember that our outcome is really survival."

The Kenya News Agency reported on 9 October that planting had already started in several places ahead of the day. Along the Eastern Bypass, 10,000 trees were planted under the Mazingira Highway Greening initiative, led by Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and Barasa. In Kwale, 3,075 mangrove propagules were planted at Gazi-Uwanja wa Nguruwe, and in Embu 4,000 Grevillea robusta seedlings were planted at Jeremiah Nyaga National Polytechnic in partnership with KCB.

Barasa urged Kenyans, including faith communities, the private sector and civil society, to volunteer. "Plant a tree. Adopt a seedling," she said, as quoted by The Star.