PS Omollo urges Homa Bay residents to protect forests as cover stands at 3.18%
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has urged Homa Bay residents to increase tree planting efforts to combat forest degradation. Despite planting 25 million seedlings since 2022, the county's forest cover remains at 3.18 percent.
Why it matters
The initiative is part of a national strategy to reach 15 billion trees by 2032, addressing critical environmental sustainability goals in Kenya.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo at Lambwe Forest during the 2026 Mazingira Day celebrations, October 10, 2026/FAITH MATETE Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has urged Homa Bay residents to step up tree planting and protect existing forests, warning that seedlings must be nurtured to maturity to increase the county’s forest cover.
Speaking at Lambwe Forest during the 2026 Mazingira Day celebrations, Omollo said communities had a critical role in preventing forest degradation and encroachment as the country pursues its target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
He said Homa Bay had planted approximately 25 million seedlings since 2022, but its forest cover remained at 3.18 per cent, while tree cover stood at 10.4 per cent.
The figures, he said, underscored the need for sustained efforts to expand tree cover and restore degraded landscapes.
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