Duale revealed that there would be three activities for the day centred around environmental conservation.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Tuesday, October 8 unveiled the programme for the upcoming Mazingira Day celebrations, planned for Thursday, October 10.
In a statement, Duale revealed that there would be three activities for the day centred around environmental conservation.
The Mazingira Day celebrations will be the first of their kind in the country after President William Ruto signed into law the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2024, which prominently renamed Utamaduni Day, celebrated every year on October 10, Mazingira Day.
“In furtherance of the Constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment, H.E President William Ruto on 24th April 2024 assented to the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments Bill 2024) that saw the Public Holidays Act amended, redesignating Utamaduni Day as Mazingira Day, to be observed as a national holiday on 10th of October every year,” stated Duale in part.
CS Aden Duale planting a tree during the launch of the Absa Kenya Foundation, at Karura Forest on October 3, 2024. /ADEN DUALE
“Mazingira Day is a crucial opportunity to accelerate environmental protection and raise awareness of the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. It calls for urgent meaningful actions from both government and citizens to ensure prosperity and sustainability for present and future generations.”
Duale added that aligned with the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Programme, Mazingira Day supports the goal of restoring 10.6 million hectares of degraded land by planting 15 billion trees by the year 2032, through a whole of Government and Society approach.
To celebrate Mazingira Day, Duale encouraged all Kenyans to participate in environmental conservation initiatives which include:
1. Clean-up activities to rid the environment of unwanted waste from homes, roads, parks, beaches and any other areas that require clean-up;
2. Tree planting in line with the government efforts towards accelerating landscape and ecosystem restoration by growing 15 Billion trees by 2032 which will also be instrumental in addressing the effects of climate change. These can be done in homes, schools and other available spaces;
3. Organising and attending forums as well as getting involved in activities that highlight pollution control and good waste management practices that encourage the circular economy model of reduce, reuse and recycle at household and commercial levels.
“In a bold step towards environmental protection and conservation, the Bill amends the Public Holidays Act, renaming Utamaduni Day as Mazingira Day to be observed on October 10 every year,” a statement from State House read in part on Wednesday, April 24.
Initially, the proposal sought to remove the Utamaduni Public Holiday but the move was reversed during the debate of the bill in the National Assembly. MPs passed a proposal to rename the holiday and theme it around increasing awareness of environmental conservation.
Mazingira Day will be a day for all Kenyans to engage in environmental conservation activities, including tree planting and growing. This move is in line with the government’s push to accelerate the 10-year 15 billion tree-planting programme that includes forest, wetland and rangeland restoration.
It was also explained that the renaming of the holiday was in line with the government’s initiative to mitigate the negative effects of Climate Change.
Utamaduni Day was a public holiday in Kenya observed on October 10 every year to celebrate the country’s rich cultural diversity and heritage.
President William Ruto signs into law the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill, 2024 on April 24, 2024. /PCS