Kenyans yesterday reacted with scepticism to a statement from President William Ruto that the country grew 750 million trees in 2024.

The President said this was part of the country’s commitment to growing 15 billion trees by 2032. Speaking at State House on Monday, Ruto urged global leaders to unite, warning that “climate threats do not recognise borders”.

A report by Kenya Forestry Service has painted a grim picture of the country’s plantation cover. KFS said an assessment of forest cover from 2000 to date presents a fluctuating trend – from 7.8 percent in 2000 to 6.6 percent in 2008, and 8.83 percent in 2021.

Deforestation is defined as conversion of land from forest to non-forest use across all management systems and strata, which does not include the planned and periodic felling of public plantations.

On the other hand, degradation is defined as conversion of forest from a higher canopy cover density to a lower one.

The major concern is that the loss and degradation of forests exacerbate impacts on already vulnerable populations, with direct repercussions on livelihoods. Degraded land in Kenya is estimated at 21.6 percent with about 12,000 hectares of forest land converted to other uses or lost through natural causes every year.

The key drivers of forest degradation that undermine forest coverage include agricultural expansion, unsustainable logging, livestock grazing, rapid population growth leading to high demand for forest products, and inadequate forest governance.

But who is to blame for degradation in Kenya? Over time, the political class has been blamed for grabbing forestland. That is why many Kenyans are sceptical about President Ruto’s 1.5 billion annual tree planting target. It has been a case of a government preaching water and drinking wine.

Only in December last year, plans were at an advanced stage to set up a leisure facility named Karura Golf Range within Ngong Road forest. The KFS and National Environment Management Authority (Nema) had already issued licences and permits to private developers. It took public uproar for the decision to be rescinded.

That is why we are asking President Ruto to walk the talk on conservation.