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There is no doubt
Kenya has enjoyed unprecendented highlight by having a Nobel Prize
Winner among us. But is it Kenya as a country or a Kenyan, Prof.
Wangari Maathai, that should be basking in the limelight?
No one can deny that Prof. Maathai is a hero. We are all very
proud of her efforts towards the preservation of our environment.
She has fought for many years preaching the gospel of environmental
conservation that goes along with tree planting. She has encouraged
all sorts of people to wake up and do something about trees. This
she has done through “the Green Belt Movement” - her
crusade vehicle.
Our capital city Nairobi used to be known as ‘the city in
the sun’ due to its cleanliness and beauty from trees. In
very rare cases in the world will you find trees grown in major
cities.
In Kenya we are blessed with beautiful geographical features and
scenery with forests being among the main attractions. In the
1980s the Government through the Ministry of Environment and Natural
Resources, set aside a date in the calendar of events, where organizations,
schools, corporations came together to plant trees –“Tree
Planting Day”.What has happened to those memorable days
where thousands of Kenyans volunteered to plant trees? The government
must now re-focus on this agenda given that we have the Nobel
Laureate amongst us. I wonder how many of us really follow this
very simple rule, ‘cut one plant two’. We know trees
serve as water catchments areas, fuel (charcoal) and construction,
among others. The reason why Prof. Maathai was recognized as a
winner of the Nobel Prize is because of her hard work. She does
less of politicking and concentrates on her work If our politicians
and leaders would follow her footsteps then Kenya would be further
than we are now.
Many of our leaders spend most of their time politicking in and
out of their constituencies, insulting their fellow colleagues
in public and counter-accusing each other. How do you go round
removing logs in other peoples’ eyes yet you haven’t
done the same in your own eyes? It’s a high time for us,
Kenyans to stand up firm and make our country look good. Let’s
plant trees and look after our environment to avoid disasters.
Let Prof. Maathai be our role model.
As for the politicians, do your work right and
lets make Kenya a better place for all. My question once more
- is it Kenya that has won the Nobel Prize for peace or our iron
lady Prof Maathai? In my mind I believe Kenya has nothing to celebrate
because there is little to show off in terms of forest management
and tree planting. Kudos Prof Maathai.
Mercy Njenga
Nairobi.
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