- The CS said this is the reason the government is working with everyone to ensure the country has enough tree cover to protect the environment.
- He added that through the tree-planting initiative, the country will have the much-needed ecological stability.
Interior CS Prof Kindiki Kindiki has said that Climate change and its devastating effects are now categorized as a national security threat. https://rb.gy/35fq3k
Image: MINA
Interior CS Prof Kindiki Kindiki has said that Climate change and its devastating effects are now categorised as a national security threat.
Speaking on Friday, when he led a tree planting exercise in Marsabit, Kindiki said that in the last month, the ongoing floods, which are a result of climate change have killed more Kenyans, compared to those who have lost lives through acts of terrorism over the last 10 years.
He noted that it is now classified alongside terrorism, banditry, and livestock rustling, as well as cultural and religious extremism and the manufacture, sale, and abuse of illicit alcohol and narcotic drugs.
The CS said this is the reason the government is working with everyone to ensure the country has enough tree cover to protect the environment.
He added that through the tree-planting initiative, the country will have the much-needed ecological stability.
“Even if you put together all the people in our country who have been killed by terrorists in the last 10 years, they are less than 300 in total, yet these floods in one month have taken away 258 of our brothers and sisters," he said.
“Therefore, we consider climate change and its devastating effects of floods and drought as a serious national security threat and that is why we stand in solidarity in a whole-of-government, whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approach, to say we must reclaim our environment and to grow enough trees to make sure our country has ecological stability.”
The tree-planting exercise is part of the national call by President William Ruto to have Kenyans plant trees across the country.
Following the President's directive, Friday (May 10) was declared a public holiday for tree planting in honour of the victims of floods.
So far over 293,661 people have been affected by the floods directly, where some have lost lives, others property and crops. A number are still missing.
President Ruto and all Cabinet Secretaries have been assigned counties where they led the tree-planting exercise.
The current administration aims to plant at least 15 billion trees by 2032, in an initiative led by President Ruto.
This is also in a bid to achieve the recommended 10 per cent forest cover.