Omollo reveals Homa Bay’s forest cover as he warns against tree-planting failure

Homa Bay County's forest cover stands at just 3.18 percent, despite planting 25 million tree seedlings since 2022. Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo warned during Mazingira Day celebrations on October 10, 2026, that the county needed to intensify tree growing and protect existing forests from degradation and encroachment to improve its forest cover. Homa Bay's overall tree cover is 10.4 percent, far below the national target of over 30 percent by 2032.

Omollo stated that Homa Bay's target is to plant trees across 100,000 hectares, requiring 14.9 million seedlings annually. He emphasized that the community must ensure planted trees survive and grow to maturity, warning that planting seedlings alone would have little lasting impact. Communities, through forest associations, bear the primary responsibility for tree survival.

The county, part of the Nyanza Forest Conservancy, has six forests, including Lambwe Forest. Nationally, approximately 2.2 billion trees have been planted by October 5, 2026, towards the government's target of 15 billion trees by 2032, which is 14.7 percent of the goal. Omollo emphasized the need for participation from the Ministry of Environment, government administrators, county governments, community organizations, and other stakeholders in tree growing and environmental clean-ups.

Village elders have planted 7.7 million trees across more than 77,000 villages, but Omollo stressed that communities must take long-term responsibility for seedling survival. At Lambwe Forest, close to 6,000 trees were planted by his address, with a target of 10,000 for the day. As the short rains approach, he urged residents to plant more trees, including fruit trees, in various public spaces to take advantage of the favorable conditions.

Omollo urged residents to capitalize on the upcoming short rains between now and year-end to plant as many trees as possible. He also warned of the potential impact of heavy rainfall forecasted for the October-December season, which could threaten lives and disrupt access to schools during national examinations. He appealed to parents, teachers, and examination officials to ensure students' safety by avoiding flooded roads and considering necessary adjustments for difficult travel conditions.