Murkomen unveils Ksh.14B plan to restore Cherangany ecosystem after deadly landslide

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has unveiled a Ksh.14 billion restoration plan aimed at reviving biodiversity hotspots as part of efforts to curb climate-induced disasters.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting with partners under a ten-year programme dubbed CHERISH, Murkomen said the funds will be used to restore about 62,000 hectares of degraded land within the Cherangany Hills ecosystem.

He noted that environmental degradation has increasingly escalated into a security concern, warning that climate-related damage is no longer just an ecological issue but a national risk.

“We are talking about livelihoods. We are talking about protecting springs, rivers, protecting life, protecting Turkwel Dam, protecting Turkana, and protecting Kerio Valley. There is no Kerio Valley without Cherangany Hills,” he said.

The Chesongoch landslide was cited as one of the worst climate-induced tragedies in Kenya, where 39 people lost their lives, with several others still missing to date.

“Green jobs, agroforestry, carbon markets, and climate finance are not abstract concepts. They are practical tools for empowering communities, and through CHERISH, we are unlocking these opportunities for youth and vulnerable groups,” Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa stated.

Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisely Rotich added, “Elgeyo-Marakwet is a very fragile ecosystem. It is made worse by the degradation, but I think from this we want to say things will change.”