Over 17 million trees targeted as Kenya marks Mazingira Week 2026

Mazingira Week, which began on Monday, October 5, will culminate in National Mazingira Day on Saturday, October 10. The national campaign is being conducted under the theme, “Our Environment, Our Responsibility: Collective Action for Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship.”

The scale of this year’s programme is reflected in the number of institutions and communities mobilised to participate.

According to Government Spokesperson Charles Owino, the 17.24 million-tree target will be achieved through seven planting streams involving communities, government institutions, educational institutions and other sectors.

Village elders will lead one of the largest components, with a target of planting trees across 77,252 villages. The stream is expected to account for 7.7 million trees.

Another stream involving the Kenya Forest Service and Community Forest Associations will target five million trees at 79 sites across 31 counties. The National Youth Service will plant 1.5 million trees, while the Kenya Prisons Service will plant one million trees across 68 correctional facilities.

The education sector is also expected to make a contribution, with Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions targeting one million trees, basic education institutions 640,000 and higher education institutions 400,000 trees.

The Government says the programme is designed as a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort, with different institutions taking responsibility for environmental restoration within their areas of operation.

The national focus will extend beyond planting.

Every tree planted is expected to be counted, geo-tagged and certified, creating a system intended to track both planting and survival. The Government says digital tools such as the JazaMiti platform are ready to support geo-tagging and real-time counting.

The campaign will also continue beyond National Mazingira Day. The Environment Ministry says the national effort includes 90-day survival checks, quarterly tracking of pledges and long-term support for Community Forest Associations and farmer groups.

The week has been divided into sector-focused activities. Tuesday, October 6, is designated Mazingira Education Institution Day, with tree planting and environmental clean-ups expected in educational institutions. Wednesday will focus on mine-site restoration, while Thursday has been set aside for highway greening and drainage clean-up. Friday will be Mazingira Cleanup Day across all 47 counties.

Saturday will be National Mazingira Day and National Tree Growing Day.

The national event will be hosted in Trans Nzoia County, where the Presidential Green Challenge will target 5.1 million trees at 79 sites across 31 counties. More than 51,000 community members are expected to participate.

The Government says the programme will continue annually, reinforcing the message that environmental conservation is not a one-day activity.

The national theme, therefore, is being presented not merely as a slogan but as a call for personal and collective responsibility in growing and protecting Kenya’s environment.