PHOTOS: Barasa makes familiarisation visit to KFS headquarters in Karura

Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Mulongo Barasa on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, made a familiarisation visit to the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) headquarters located in Karura, Nairobi County.

The visit marked her first official engagement with the institution tasked with the sustainable management, conservation, and development of Kenya’s forest resources since taking up her role.

Barasa was accompanied by Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi and was received by the KFS leadership team led by Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko and KFS Board Vice Chairman Kunal Chowdhari.

During the tour, the CS was taken through the agency’s core operations, forest conservation strategies, and ongoing projects aimed at addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation.

Newly appointed to the environment docket

Barasa assumed the role of Environment CS on March 26, 2025, following a Cabinet reshuffle that moved her from the Ministry of Health.

Shortly after her appointment, Barasa led a tree-planting exercise in Lelan, West Pokot, on March 27, 2025, where she reiterated the government’s commitment to environmental restoration and the broader climate action agenda.

She described the event as a “bold declaration of hope”, stressing the importance of sustainable land use and ecosystem recovery.

“The environmental challenges faced in the region—including prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall—are a wake-up call. We must shift from simply planting trees to nurturing them. That means communities must own and protect these trees,” she stated during the event.

She also urged youth, farmers, and local leaders to take the lead in conservation, adding that the Ministry will continue to support grassroots climate action to ensure long-term impact.

Barasa took over the docket previously held by Aden Duale, who was reassigned as Health Cabinet Secretary.