Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has officially announced that Monday, November 13, will be designated as a public holiday.
According to a notification published in the gazette on November 6, Kindiki stated that the general public is expected to participate in a nationwide tree-planting initiative on this day.

“In Exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Public Holidays Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares Monday, November 13 2023, a public holiday in which the public shall be engaged in tree growing countrywide,” the gazette notice read.
“The exercise is part of Kenya’s Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Program–Towards the Growing of Fifteen (15) billion trees.”
Kindiki mentioned that a specific nationwide location will be set for the tree-planting event, and it will be overseen by President William Samoei Ruto.
Cabinet Secretaries and Governors are assigned to lead tree-planting activities in all 47 counties, with the aim of involving all Kenyan citizens and the general public in these efforts.
This decision to establish a unique working day for tree planting was reached by the Cabinet on November 3, as a response to the challenges posed by climate change and to fulfill the commitment of planting 15 billion trees.
“This aligns with the Government’s National Tree Planting Campaign under the Presidential Programme for the Accelerated Restoration of Forests and Rangelands,” a statement from Cabinet read.
Every Cabinet Secretary will be responsible for adopting a minimum of two counties and providing guidance for this project.
The Cabinet emphasized that the initiative’s primary goal is to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and restore forested areas.
President Ruto has consistently encouraged Kenyan citizens to support his goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. He assured that his administration is committed to the complete execution of this agenda.
The government is planning to distribute tree seedlings through local chiefs to expedite tree planting activities nationwide.
This ambitious tree-planting drive intends to raise the nation’s forest cover by five billion trees.
The government has also established a national objective to plant 500 million trees throughout the country by December 25.
President Ruto’s dedication to tree planting has garnered recognition from both local and international leaders.
King Charles III expressed his admiration for the President’s tree-planting initiative, commending the President for his commendable efforts in this regard.
“Having been planting trees for most of my life, I thought I was doing rather well, but your ambition for planting 15 billion trees makes me admire your efforts,” he said.