Kenya targets 17.24 million trees in Mazingira Week, with Mazingira Day on 10 October

The Kenyan government set a target of planting 17.24 million trees during this year's National Mazingira Week, with the biggest push on National Mazingira Day, Saturday 10 October 2026, The Standard reported on 6 October. Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said the trees were to be grown to commemorate Mazingira Day, according to The Star on 10 October.

The national event was held in Trans Nzoia County. President William Ruto led tree planting at the Kenya Seed Company's Elgon Downs Farm in Endebess, The Star reported on 10 October. He handed cocoa seedlings to farmers, unveiled aerial seeding technology and launched the Mt Elgon Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme Strategic Plan 2026–2036. Under the programme The Star published earlier that day, the ceremony was to start at Konoin Primary School in Shikhendu before moving to Elgon Downs Farm.

An official from the State Department for Forestry, who was not named, said in Endebess that 3.3 million trees had been planted on the day and 4.41 million during the week, and that the data was still coming in, People Daily reported on 10 October.

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.