Climate Change Now Threat To National Security- CS Kindiki

Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has now declared climate change a threat to Kenya's security.

In a statement, the CS on Monday, November 13 blamed the perennial friction pitting farmers against pastoralists, often resulting in loss of lives, injury, and destruction of property, as a consequence of the scramble for limited resources due to climate change.

The global phenomenon was classified alongside four other threats to Kenya's national security including terrorism, banditry and livestock rustling, trade, use and abuse of illicit alcohol, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and cultural, religious and political extremism. 

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki waters a tree seedling in Garissa County on November 13, 2023. /KITHURE KINDIKI

The CS underscored the need to plant and grow trees across the country as it is one of the ways of saving the country from the negative effects of climate change.

"We have an individual and collective patriotic duty to conserve the environment and reverse the situation by planting and growing trees. 

"Tree planting and growing will be a National culture in the Country and all National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) are directed to spearhead it in their respective jurisdictions to save our Country from the ravages of climate change, including droughts and floods," he stated.

The CS noted that more than 300,000 tree seedlings will be planted in the North Eastern Region, with a target of 100,000 tree seedlings in each of the three Counties; Garissa, Mandera and Wajir.

Furthermore, each of the 441 Chiefs in the Region will coordinate the planting and growing of at least 680 trees in their Locations.

Kindiki's statement came as he launched the National Tree Growing exercise in Garissa County.

Governor Nadhif Jama, National Police Service (NPS) Principal Administrative Secretary Bernice Sialaal Lemedeket, Secretary of National Administration Beverly Opwora and other Senior National and County government officials were in attendance.

The tree-planting exercise, which witnessed all cabinet secretaries oversee the drive in their allocated counties across the country, is in a bid to achieve President William Ruto's ambitious target of 1.5 billion trees in a year and 15 billion trees in the next 10 years.

It is part of a broader programme aimed at combating deforestation and increasing the country’s tree cover to mitigate the effects of climate change in the country.

Kindiki had declared November 13 a special public holiday for the tree-planting exercise, though it remains unclear if the holiday will be a one-time event or be marked every year.

President Ruto and DP Rigathi Gachagua accompany a child during the National Tree Planting Day exercise in Makueni County on November 13, 2023. /PCS