Principal Secretary for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi has described the appointment of environmental champion Hillary Kiplagat Kibiwott as Ambassador for the 15 Billion Trees Campaign as a defining moment for Kenya’s environmental restoration agenda, praising him as a symbol of citizen-driven climate action. 

“The appointment of Hillary Kibiwott as Ambassador for the 15 Billion Trees Campaign marks a defining moment for Kenya’s restoration agenda. After witnessing him complete the final stretch of planting 23,326 trees in 24 hours, pending confirmation by Guinness World Records,” he said. 

In addition, the PS noted that he saw a determined, focused, and selfless young man committed to restoring forests in Kaptagat and beyond. 

“The same resolve was evident when I hosted him at the State Department for Forestry in Nairobi. He told me, The momentum is unstoppable,” he averred. 

The recognition follows Kibiwott’s remarkable tree-planting feat, in which he planted 23,326 trees within 24 hours, a record that is currently awaiting confirmation by Guinness World Records.  

The challenge was completed nonstop from 11 am on 22 April 2026 to 11 am on 23 April 2026 at the Kessup Block of Kaptagat Forest in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. 

Speaking on the significance of the appointment, PS Mugambi said Kibiwott’s action demonstrated the urgency of climate restoration. 

“The speed at which he planted the trees sends us a clear message: we do not have the luxury of time, we must move with urgency to restore our forests. His appointment as Ambassador for the 15 Billion Trees Campaign is one of many recognitions to come for putting nature first,” he said. 

He further assured Kibiwott of government backing in his new role. 

“Hillary, you have our full support as you mobilize young people across all 47 counties to drive rapid forest restoration,” he added. 

Kenya’s 15 Billion Trees Campaign, launched in 2022 by President William Ruto, aims to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, increasing national tree cover to 30 percent. The initiative seeks to restore degraded landscapes, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create green jobs through large-scale ecosystem restoration led by communities, institutions and young people. 

Tree planting has increasingly been recognized as a key nature-based solution to climate change, with forests acting as carbon sinks that absorb carbon dioxide and help stabilize global temperatures. Studies by institutions such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) affirm the role of forests in reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.