Safari Rally’s greening legacy project gathers momentum

 

Hundreds of residents of Gituamba village near Kasarani on Saturday joined top government officials in marking World Environment Day by planting trees at the World Rally Championship Safari Rally’s Super Special Stage as part of the ongoing Safari Rally Greening Legacy Project.

The residents, led by their group leader Mary Wangari,  said they were happy to be part of the project which has planted 2,400 trees in the wind-swept grounds where the WRC Safari Rally competition will start on June 24 when top international professionals join local drivers in a show of speed and driving skills.

The chief guest at the event was State House spokesperson, Kanze Dena, who urged Kenyans to support the initiative which targets to plant 19 million tree seedlings in the next three years.

“Today being the World Environment Day, and with the government leading Kenyans in Garissa in planting trees, we must ensure we have enough forest cover in our country, and it’s a good idea to come and partner with WRC to come and plant trees here at Kasarani,” she said.

“Safari Rally is close to everyone’s heart. It’s an opportunity for us to come together as a country regardless of tribe or colour. The environment is one thing that brings us together. We all need clean air and a clean environment. Let’s plant a tree each and every day,” she added.

In her message, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said: “As we mark the 2021 World Environment Day, the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage is committed to the theme of ecosystem restoration by planting 19 million trees across the country through the WRC Safari Rally Greening Legacy Programme.

“As we enter into the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, Kenya believes that Sports and Culture for Environmental Sustainability is the new frontier to a safer, cleaner, greener and more natural world.”

Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo said: “Sport is a powerful tool to rally the world towards humanity’s most important responsibility; ecosystem restoration. The WRC Safari Rally Legacy Program is a core tenet of the Ministry’s Agenda to Build Back Better.”

Safari Rally CEO Phineas Kimathi said that the exercise has so far seen over 600,000 trees planted this year, and the target is to reach one million trees before the Safari Rally starts on June 24 outside the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

“To mark the World Environment Day, we are planting trees in line with the Greening Legacy Project which targets to plant 19 million trees in three years,” said Kimathi.  BY DAILY NATION