Environment CS Dr. Deborah Barasa Launches Nationwide ‘Turudi Primo’ Campaign Ahead of Mazingira Day 2025

By Grace Mwende 

NAIROBI, October 8, 2025 — Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry has announced a nationwide campaign to mark Mazingira Day 2025, urging citizens to return to their former primary schools to plant fruit trees and lead clean-up exercises under the theme “Citizen-Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship.”

Speaking during a media breakfast in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah M. Barasa said this year’s initiative, dubbed #TurudiPrimoTukadonateFruitTrees, is designed to connect environmental action with personal responsibility and community heritage.

“We are inviting every Kenyan to go back to their former primary school to donate and plant a fruit tree, and to clean and green the school environment,” Dr. Barasa said. “Our schools are the foundation of our nation. By returning there, we not only plant trees but also nurture a sense of responsibility in the next generation.”

The event, scheduled for October 10, will be led by President William Ruto and the entire Cabinet, with each Cabinet Secretary, Principal Secretary, and head of a State Corporation expected to spearhead tree planting and clean-up activities in their former or designated schools.

Dr. Barasa announced that she will lead activities at Kabuyefwe Primary School in Trans Nzoia County, where she and fellow alumni will plant fruit trees and participate in a community clean-up.

Each school is expected to plant at least 2,000 fruit trees, with learners also receiving seedlings to take home to extend the environmental impact into their communities. The National Youth Service (NYS) will provide fruit tree seedlings at KSh 150 each, with distribution points to be announced across the country.

“Fruit trees are life-giving — they feed, shade, and sustain. They nourish our children, generate income for schools, and improve the learning environment,” the CS noted. “The trees we plant today will feed and sustain others long after we are gone.”

Since the launch of the 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme in December 2022, Kenya has already planted over 1.06 billion trees, marking significant progress toward achieving 30% tree cover by 2032.

Dr. Barasa also highlighted ongoing policy and legal reforms to enhance sustainable forest management, including the Forest Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and new frameworks to support forest product trade and private sector investment in tree-based enterprises.

The Ministry has also launched Agroforestry and Bamboo Development Strategies to promote green jobs, expand value chains, and strengthen community livelihoods linked to environmental conservation.

Kenya has further operationalized the National REDD+ Registry, a system for tracking carbon reduction projects and generating climate finance — positioning the country as a leader in forest-based climate solutions.

Dr. Barasa emphasized that Mazingira Day is not just a one-off celebration, but a sustained call for citizen action that aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and national efforts to build a circular, climate-resilient economy.

“Mazingira Day is not just about trees — it’s about people. It’s about unity, renewal, and responsibility,” she concluded. “By planting today, we secure tomorrow.”

This year’s celebrations are expected to transform schools into hubs of environmental action, blending tree planting with climate education, clean-up campaigns, and community engagement across the country.