Former CS Moses Kuria /SCREENGRABFormer presidential advisor Moses Kuria has proposed that headquarters of Environment Ministry be relocated to Nyandarua county.
Speaking during World Environment Day commemoration in Olkalou, he said the region is uniquely positioned as Kenya’s natural environmental hub.
Kuria said Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa made the right decision by attending the event in the county, describing her visit as symbolic and fitting given Nyandarua’s ecological significance.
“Your decision to come to Ol Kalou was the right one,” Kuria said.
The former cabinet secretary said Nyandarua is home to key natural features, including parts of the Aberdare Ranges, Lake Ol Bolossat, and forest ecosystems, making it a suitable location for the ministry's headquarters.
He said these features give the county a central role in Kenya’s environmental landscape..
“The county of Nyandarua is the only place with a national park, arboretum, and Lake Ol Bolossat. It’s the county of environment,” he said.
Kuria said the presence of the Aberdare ecosystem strengthens the county’s case as a natural centre for environmental conservation efforts, adding that the region has long been associated with the preservation of water catchment areas and biodiversity.
He said relocating Ministry of Environment headquarters to the county would also elevate the profile of counties outside Nairobi and reinforce the importance of decentralisation in government operations.
Kuria said communities in Nyandarua have also historically played a key role in environmental conservation.
He said residents have lived in close interaction with forests, water towers and agricultural ecosystems that depend heavily on environmental protection.
“If there are people who know how to conserve the environment, it’s the people of Nyandarua,” Kuria said.
World Environment Day events in Olkalou brought together national and county leaders, environmental stakeholders and community members to discuss conservation efforts, climate change adaptation and sustainable land use practices.
World Environment Day is observed annually on June 5 as the United Nations' primary vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment.
The global observance focuses on critical ecological challenges and urges governments, businesses and communities to engage in sustainable practices.
Kenya joined the global community in commemorating this year's World Environment Day at Arboretum grounds at Olkalou, in Nyandarua county.
The day is marked under the theme “A Global Call for Climate Action“ with a slogan: Climate Crisis and Solutions.
