The Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) has partnered with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to plant tree seedlings in Mombasa County to adopt a degraded mangrove site in Ganahola, Mkindani ward.
In 2019, IRA and KFS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to plant and adopt a degraded mangrove site in Ganahola.
Speaking to the press on Friday after the planting exercise, Insurance regulatory authority Chairman Mwambu Mabonga said that IRA has been conducting tree-planting events as part of the corporate social responsibility.
“This is just a start. As the IRA team, we are committed to ensuring that we partner with Kenya Forest Service and other environment players to plant trees in different parts of the country,” Mwambu said.
Mwambu lauded the national government officers (NGAO) in the region for leading the community in planting trees as one way of restoring the degraded forests in the region.
“The few hours I have been here, I have seen how the NGAO officials are collaborating with locals to ensure that they increase forest cover,” Mwambu said.
Mwambu added:
“It is our collective responsibility to take care of our environment. Our institutions of learning should set aside land for planting trees.”
Mwambu noted that climate change is real and more efforts are needed to conserve the environment for the benefit of the next generation.
He revealed the Authority plans to start insurance clubs in schools.
He advised KFS to revive forest clubs to spearhead and inculcate the culture of tree planting among learners.
Former Bumula MP said that the initiative aims at attaining President William Ruto’s directive of planting 15 million trees in the Country.
He added that deforestation has really brought about changes in rain patterns, drought and drying of rivers.
Also present was IRA CEO Godfrey Kiptum who said that the Authority since 2019 has planted more than 35,000 mangroves in the region.
On his part, Coast Region Forest Conservator Nafasi Mfahaya encouraged Mombasa residents to take advantage of the rains and rehabilitate 14,000 hectares of mangrove forest.
KFS Board Chairman Job Chirchir said the community's involvement in the conservation efforts in the Ganahola forest will help in the restoration of the forest.
