William Ruto's Gov't Declares May, Friday 10 National Tree Planting Day

• The national government set aside Friday, May 10, to be a public holiday in honour of the victims of the recent flooding
• President William Ruto added that tree planting would be undertaken across the country on the day as a recovery from the ravages of the floods
• As of Tuesday, May 7, the number of deaths from the floods stood at 238 in less than a month since the disaster resulting from the heavy torrential rains hit the country

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi: The national government has invited Kenyans to a national tree-planting day event slated for Friday, May 10.

The day will be a public holiday.

Why Ruto declared Friday a public holiday

President William Ruto added that the holiday would be used to honour the victims of the recent flooding.

"Friday 10th of May 2024, a day set to remember those that have been adversely affected by the ravages of climate change. Let us use the day to work towards improving our environment.

On this day, we will plant trees and remind ourselves that the solution to climate change is taking care of our environment,” said Ruto.

Ruto said about 200 million trees would be planted on the day, calling on each Kenyan to plant at least 50 seedlings.

The tree-planting event will connote the nation's recovery from the flooding.

How many Kenyans were killed by floods?

Government data indicated that as of Tuesday, May 7, the number of people killed by flooding and other impacts of the heavy rains had risen to 238 after 10 more bodies were recovered on Sunday, May 5.

While leading the distribution of food and non-food goods around Nyanza, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said 75 people were still missing after being swept by floods in various parts of the country.

Mwaura disclosed that 47,000 households had been displaced by the floods nationwide, with Nairobi county leading with 164,000 people reportedly affected.

He added that close to 600,000 learners had no schools to go back to since many institutions were either hosting displaced people or destroyed with toilets sunk and roofs blown off.

When will schools reopen?

Meanwhile, learning in the second term has been slated for resumption on Monday, May 13.

This comes two weeks after the reopening was postponed in the face of the flooding.

Ruto gave the update during his meeting with Maa leaders at State House, Nairobi, on Wednesday, May 8.

The schools would have opened for the second term on April 29, but the government set the date for May 6 before it was indefinitely postponed.

On May 3, the president indefinitely suspended the reopening of the schools across the country as a precaution against the flooding disaster.

The announcement was a resolution by the president following counsel from the Meteorological Department and other stakeholders.

He further called on MPs to allocate more National Government Constituencies Development Funds (NG-CDF) to help schools rebuild after being ravaged by floodwaters.

Proofreading by Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke

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President William Ruto (l) at a past tree-planting exercise in Nairobi.

William Ruto's Gov't Declares May, Friday 10 National Tree Planting Day

William Ruto's Gov't Declares May, Friday 10 National Tree Planting Day