On 13 October 2018, the Inspector General of the National Police Service, Mr. Joseph Boinnet, launched the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë nationwide tree planting project at the Kenya Police Staff College, Loresho, Nairobi. Spearheaded by ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Kenya, 273,000 tree seedlings were planted simultaneously in most police establishments and respective neighboring public institutions in 35 out of the 47 ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë regions across the country.
Addressing the participants, the Inspector General acknowledged the crucial role ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Kenya had played in improving good policing practices in the National Police Service. He observed that the bonds of friendship had promoted national and international cooperation amongst Kenyan police officers, leading to the exchange of professional experience, the preservation of human rights and also contributed to world peace; in addition to promoting the respect of law and order amongst police officers. ‘This has enhanced the image of the police and assisted police officers to improve the relation with the general public, and contributed to a mutual understanding of mutual problems that police officers face on and off duty’, he said.
‘As police officers, we want people to understand that there is a direct correlation between the way we manage our natural resources, and peace. It is against this background that the ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Kenya, in partnership with other stakeholders, has organised the ‘My Tree, My Peace, My Future’ initiative to incorporate all willing partners towards this worthy cause that will realise the planting of 1,000,000 tree seedlings in our Police institutions and neighboring public institutions’.
The initiative has been designed to achieve the following objectives:
- To bring communities together under the theme of My Tree, My Peace, My Future’ with the aim of preserving World Peace.
- To sensitise the young generation to the value of trees in our environment.
- To achieve the target of planting 1,000,000 trees in public institutions across the country within one year, beginning with the Police establishments.
- To improve police public relations by engaging the public (communities, schools/colleges, Scouts and county governments) in the exercise.
ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Kenya envisages that this project will help communities create an environment which is friendly and healthy for habitation, reduce carbon gases to stop global warming, regulate the rainy season, boost agricultural produce, improve food production, revive the country's economy, provide wood fuel for schools, and ensure soil and water conservation. Additionally, the main idea is to have maximum public participation in the spirit of police – public partnership, thereby creating strong links essential for community policing.
The ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë initiative has already secured partnerships with learning institutions, county governments, private entities and individual members of the public, who have donated tree seedlings, both in cash and in kind. The partners include: the National Police Service, the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), county governments and public as well as private corporations.
Jared Ojuok, Secretary General ÍõÖÐÍõÁùºÏ²ÊÌØÂë Kenya