The Head of State on this day kept a low profile despite the theme of the award ceremony touching on climate change, a matter he has been so passionate about since taking office two years ago.
First Lady Rachel Ruto on Thursday, October 10 hosted the first First Lady’s Mazingira Awards (FLAMA) Ceremony at State House, an event many would have expected President William Ruto to attend, but didn’t.
The Head of State on this day kept a low profile despite the theme of the awards touching on climate change, a matter he has been so passionate about since taking office two years ago.
According to spot checks on his social media accounts, the only post he made was that of a “Happy Mazingira Day” graphic poster with the message “Plant a tree and leave a lasting legacy” inscribed at the top left-hand side.
President Ruto’s championing for climate change and advocacy for tree planting even saw him rename the day from Huduma Day to Mazingira Day in a move to accelerate environmental protection and raise awareness of the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity, and pollution, thus his silence on this day raised a bit of eyebrows.
President William Ruto (R) and First Lady Rachel Ruto plant a tree at the Grove of Nations in Jerusalem Forest, Israel, on May 9, 2023. /X.WILLIAM RUTO
Still, Rachel was a main feature at State House where she awarded winners of the first edition of the FLAMA Awards that gave learners opportunities to contribute to Kenya’s climate action through creative expression: art, essays, and spoken word.
The First Lady noted that climate change is the single greatest challenge facing humanity and demands urgent action from all of us. “Though children are not responsible for the problem of climate change, you bear its heaviest burden,” a statement from the Office of the First Lady read in part.
Through FLAMA, children have demonstrated exceptional commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability.
Aden Duale, the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Environmental, appreciated the role education plays in Kenya’s environmental restoration agenda by integrating environmental education into our children’s learning experience.
“This helps cultivate a culture of environmental stewardship and responsibility and inspires lifelong commitments to protect our natural world,” added the statement.
CS Duale revealed that the Kenya Kwanza government is serious with its vision to plant 15 billion trees by 2030. He revealed that to ensure this happens, President William Ruto gave every Cabinet Secretary, County Commissioner, and Governor a target for the number of trees they must grow.
According to the CS, the government is also looking into ensuring that 30 percent of the 15 Billion trees planted are fruit trees. He revealed that the government has tasked the Kenya Defense Force (KDF), National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KeFRI), and the Kenya Prison with ensuring the right seedlings are distributed in the country to ensure fruit trees are part of the 15 Billion trees.
Dr. Belio Kipsang, the Principal Secretary of, the State Department of Basic Education, underscored the alignment of FLAMA to the Competency-based curriculum. He promised the inclusion of FLAMA in the Ministry of Education’s annual calendar of activities to allow every learner to participate.
Other leaders present for the ceremony included James Njoroge Muchiri, Deputy Governor of Nairobi County; Gitonga Mugambi, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Forestry and Collins Oyuu, the Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General.
The award targeted learners in over 89,000 schools in all 47 counties of Kenya, creating a generation of environmentally conscious citizens.
Rachel Ruto’s award comes at the backdrop of highlights that environmental education has been integrated into the school curriculum aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 and the national goal to plant 15 billion trees by 2030.
