CS Barasa leads joint push to restore Mount Elgon ecosystem

‎Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa has called for a unified national and regional response to restore the rapidly degrading Mount Elgon ecosystem in Bungoma County.

‎Barasa urged government institutions, county administrations, communities and development partners to collaborate under a coordinated restoration framework.

She was speaking on Tuesday during a multi-Agency forum on the update of the Mt Elgon Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme (Mt.Elgon-ICLIP).

‎Barasa warned that Mount Elgon’s condition has reached a critical stage.

‎“Mount Elgon will only recover if we act together, with urgency and with discipline,"she said.

‎The mountain’s wider ecosystem spans roughly 4,000 square kilometres across Kenya and Uganda, including protected areas covering more than 1,200 square kilometres.

‎Scientific assessments show that the forest has lost a significant portion of its cover over recent decades, with Kenya’s side alone recording nearly a 15–18 percent decline.

‎“We are looking at nearly 15 to 18 percent loss on the Kenyan side alone. This level of destruction is no longer something we can discuss casually. It is directly linked to the landslides, floods and unstable river flows we are witnessing, "the CS noted.

‎ Barasa said deterioration is now directly contributing to floods, landslides, soil instability and erratic water flows across the region.

‎She noted that Mount Elgon is one of Kenya’s key water towers, feeding major rivers that drain into Lake Victoria and supply thousands of households for domestic and agricultural use.

‎ “If we don’t act now, we compromise water security, food production and biodiversity in this region, "she cautioned.

‎Barasa said that the mountain also plays a central role in carbon storage, climate regulation and biodiversity protection.

‎ According to Barasa, the continued loss of forest cover places communities, food systems and wildlife at risk and undermines the country’s climate resilience.

‎The CS emphasised that restoring Mount Elgon requires joint effort rather than isolated activities.

‎She confirmed that the State Department for Forestry has already aligned its programmes with the national target of 15 billion trees and is promoting bamboo development, agroforestry, carbon market opportunities and ecotourism.

‎“Restoration is not just about planting trees. It is about building a future economy around sustainability,” she said.

‎She confirmed that PS Harry Kimutai will coordinate the Mount Elgon restoration drive, saying the project carries both environmental and peace-building importance given the mountain’s transboundary nature.

‎Forestry PS Mugambi Gitonga echoed the urgency and said communities living around the forest will be placed at the centre of restoration.

‎ He explained that the ministry is consolidating all restoration work under a single programme and aims to plant 10 million trees annually on the mountain.

‎Gitonga said previous gaps between forest authorities and local residents slowed conservation, but the new structure is designed to remove those barriers.

‎Bungoma Deputy Governor Pastor Jennifer Mbatiany threw the county’s weight behind the CS’s call for collaboration.

‎Speaking as both a leader and a native of Mount Elgon, she said the forest has undergone decades of decline that must now be urgently reversed.

‎“I have seen what Mount Elgon was when I was 15 and what it is today. The difference is painful. We cannot allow this mountain to continue dying," Mbatiany said.

‎She affirmed the county commitment to restoration.

‎‎“We have pledged to plant 19.3 million trees by 2032, and we have already planted one million this year. This is our source. This is our identity, "she said.

‎‎Mbatiany attributed past failures to restore the forest to leadership gaps.

‎ “We took too long to reach this point because leaders were not fully engaged,” she said.

‎“Now we are on board, and we are speaking directly to our people in the languages they understand, "she added.

‎Community representatives also pledged to support the restoration campaign.

‎ They note that young professionals will lead awareness drives, digital outreach and local mobilisation for tree planting and environmental education.

‎ They emphasised that the community has been waiting for leadership direction and is ready to take part in restoring the ecosystem.