By Michelle Ndaga
Kenya will on October 10, 2025, observe Mazingira Day with a large-scale fruit tree planting exercise across all public and private primary schools, as part of efforts to boost tree cover and promote environmental stewardship.
The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry announced that each of the country’s 35,570 primary schools will plant at least 2,000 fruit trees, translating to over 71 million seedlings nationwide.
The initiative aligns with the government’s broader 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme, aimed at enhancing forest and tree cover to combat climate change and improve livelihoods.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa urged Kenyans to participate actively in the exercise by visiting their former primary schools to plant and donate seedlings, clean surroundings, and reconnect with their local communities.
“Mazingira Day is not just a holiday; it is a call to action for every Kenyan to contribute to restoring our environment,” Barasa said.
Although the day is a public holiday, the Ministry of Education has directed schools to open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to facilitate the planting exercise.
The National Youth Service (NYS) will supply fruit tree seedlings at a subsidized price of KSh 150 each to ensure availability across the country.
The 2025 Mazingira Day theme, “Citizen-Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship,” emphasizes individual responsibility in environmental conservation.
The government has particularly focused on fruit trees, highlighting their dual role in promoting sustainability and enhancing school nutrition through future harvests.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast favorable weather conditions for the exercise, with most regions expected to experience dry and sunny conditions, while parts of Western and Coastal Kenya may receive light showers conducive for tree planting.
Environmental advocates, however, have cautioned that the success of the campaign will depend on sustained care and monitoring of the planted trees beyond the one-day exercise.
Originally celebrated as Moi Day, the holiday was renamed Mazingira Day to reflect Kenya’s growing commitment to climate action and environmental restoration.
