Tobiko: We’ll continue working closely with religious among other groups in environmental conservation

Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko makes a point during the courtesy call (1

Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Keriako Tobiko has confirmed plans to partner with local religious and other organized groups to raise awareness on environmental conservation.

The Government, Tobiko said, has stepped up public engagement initiatives geared at involving interest groups on matters relating to environmental conservation as enshrined in the constitution.

Speaking in his office when he hosted the head of the Anglican Church in Kenya, Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit, who had paid him a courtesy call, Tobiko said the Ministry of Environment and Forestry is prioritizing public participation forums to raise awareness on environmental issues.

Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko makes a point when Archbishop Sapit visited him

Such public participation forums, with religious among other interest groups, Tobiko said will help accelerate and entrench much needed behavioural change on environmental matters including tree planting campaigns.

“Time is certainly not on our side and we have committed to involve religious and other interest groups including the private sector on a range of environmental conservation programmes,” Tobiko said, adding that, “on the immediate basis, we need to walk together with religious organisations among others on tree planting campaigns, support for plastics management on a reduce, reuse and recycle basis among other public education initiatives.”

Anglican Church Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit signs a visitors book when he paid courtesy call to the CS

The preamble of our Constitution, Tobiko said, acknowledges the supremacy of the Almighty God of all creation and implores us to remain respectful of the environment, which is our heritage, while sustaining it for the benefit of future generations. “Working with religious groups is therefore a right fit in our efforts to meet the onerous task ahead,” he noted.

Tobiko reiterated his ministry’s commitment to provide technical support for local public and private sector institutions taking part in the national tree planting campaign.