Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has declared climate change as one of the five major security threats facing the country.
According to Kindiki conflicts between farmers and pastoralists are caused by the scramble for limited resources, which have been depleted due to climate change effects.
“We consider and have defined climate change as one of the five major security threats facing our country today,” said Kindiki.
The other four national security threats include terrorism, banditry, livestock rustling, trade, use and abuse of illicit alcohol, narcotics and psychotropic substances and cultural, religious and political extremism.
To mitigate climate change effects the CS directed all National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs) to regularly lead tree planting and growing activities in counties.
Kindiki stated that tree planting will now become a national culture in an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change, including droughts and floods.
The CS spoke during the launch of a tree growing exercise in Garissa County.
“The perennial friction pitting farmers against pastoralists, often resulting in loss of lives, injury, and destruction of property, is a consequence of scramble for limited resources due to climate change. We have an individual and collective patriotic duty to conserve the environment and reverse the situation by planting and growing trees,” said kindiki.
“More than 300,000 tree seedlings will be planted in the North Eastern Region, with a target of 100,000 tree seedlings in each of the three Counties; Garissa, Mandera and Wajir. Each of the 441 Chiefs in the Region will coordinate the planting and growing of at least 680 trees in their Locations,” he added
The CS was accompanied by Governor Nadhif Jama, National Police Service Principal Administrative Secretary Bernice Sialaal Lemedeket, Secretary, National Administration Beverly Opwora and other Senior National and County Governments officials.
