Kenyan environmentalists honor Wangari Maathai amid escalating deforestation crisis

Yet, at her commemoration on March 3, 2025, the environmental champions she left behind find little to celebrate. They continue to face mounting pressure from powerful interests, raising the question of whether the late icon’s soul can truly rest in peace.

The Green Belt Movement, the organization Maathai founded to safeguard the environment, joined forces with the Conservation Alliance of Kenya to commemorate Wangari Maathai Day 2025 in Nairobi, honoring her enduring impact on environmental justice and conservation.

Environmentalists at the event reaffirmed Maathai’s timeless call to action: “There comes a time when humanity must shift to a new level of consciousness.”

However, they warned that Kenya is grappling with escalating environmental threats, especially the alarming rate of deforestation in Nairobi and the country’s critical water towers.

Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, conservationists painted a grim picture of the state of Kenya’s forests.

“Rapid urban expansion and unregulated development have drastically reduced Nairobi’s green spaces, degrading air quality and endangering essential ecosystems.

Beyond the capital, key water towers — including the Aberdare Range, Mau Forest, Karura, and Suam Forest — face unprecedented destruction, jeopardizing water security, biodiversity, and livelihoods,” emphasized Steve Itamba, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Forest Association (CFA), in a joint press statement.

Criticism was directed at the Kenyan government for failing to enforce its own conservation policies. Despite vocal commitments to environmental protection, activists accused influential figures and their allies of enabling environmental mismanagement and neglect.

This failure, they warned, poses a dire threat to both current and future generations.

“Environmental conservation is a shared responsibility. Inspired by Wangari Maathai’s legacy, we urge every Kenyan to take action — whether through advocacy, afforestation, or community initiatives — to save the country from looming climate change disasters,” the environmental crusaders urged.

The late Professor Wangari Maathai’s relentless fight for environmental justice was meant to inspire action across Kenya and beyond. Yet, environmentalists lament that her vision is being undermined by those entrusted to uphold it.

The Green Belt Movement and the Conservation Alliance of Kenya called on government leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to fulfill their duty of environmental stewardship.

They stressed that protecting Kenya’s forests is not just an ecological necessity — it is a moral and national imperative.