Ruto to plant trees

Agriculture minister William Ruto has said he will launch a countrywide tree planting drive.

Mr Ruto, who has been at loggerheads with the Prime Minister Raila Odinga over the conservation of the Mau Forest, says the tree planting exercise should not be restricted to the water towers but should be a nationwide affair.

The Agriculture minister has joined hands with a section of leaders from the Rift Valley to push for the compensation of those evicted from the Mau forest.

Mr Ruto on Sunday said the ministry of Agriculture will launch tree nurseries from April this year to nurture and distribute tree and fruit seedlings to farmers.

“Let us not politicise and individualise conservation matters for our own benefit. We all agree that the forest must be conserved and we need to do more to improve the forest cover in the country,” he said.

The drive by Mr Ruto is likely to be seen as a direct onslaught on Mr Odinga. The pair have had frosty relations with the latest issue on which they have differed being efforts by the PM to save the Mau.

On Friday, the Prime Minister led a team of local and foreign dignitaries in a high-profile ceremony which marked the start of a tree planting initiative in the Mau.

On Saturday, the PM’s office sent a note to newsrooms thanking Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, the diplomatic community, the civil society and student organisations who showed up for the tree planting exercise.

“This is history. I thank you most sincerely for helping to make the history happen,” the PM said.

He said all those who showed up demonstrated a brave stand and showed a practical desire to save our water towers.

The PM said the tree panting exercise was just the beginning of “a long and difficult journey”.

“I am counting on you so that we can finish this fight. We have a duty to ensure that we create a country that is at peace with its environment and I am confident that there will be no turning back after the successful launch yesterday (Friday).”

Speaking in Kericho yesterday, Mr Ruto issued veiled criticism of Mr Odinga when he said some leaders were politicising conservation issues.

On the constitution, the Agriculture minister emphasised the need for two drafts to be presented at the referendum, arguing that was the surest way of getting a new supreme law for the country.

And the minister clarified that there were no plans to relocate the Kenya Tea Development Authority processing plant from Kericho, as had been alleged by a section of civic leaders.

Instead, he said the facility would be expanded to produce more tea varieties to boost farmers’ income.

The minister spoke at the Muslim School in Kericho during a fund raiser accompanied by assistant minister Charles Keter and MP Benjamin Langat.