Barasa starts official engagement as Environment CS, thanks Ruto for appointment
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Deborah Mlongo Barasa on Thursday, March 27, 2025, embarked on her new duties in the environment docket after her reshuffling from the Health docket on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
In a statement, Barasa who was leading a tree planting exercise in Lelan, West Pokot, thanked President William Ruto for the trust placed in her through the new appointment as she affirmed her commitment to achieving the government’s target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
She went on to describe the exercise as a bold declaration of hope and emphasized the critical role of tree planting in tackling climate change, restoring degraded lands and securing a sustainable future for generations to come.
The CS also highlighted the challenges gripping the region such as prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall, urging the communities, calling on the communities to implement measures such as taking care of trees.
While acknowledging the ongoing efforts of local environmental champions to restore ecosystems, Barasa urged households to take ownership of tree care and challenged the youth and local leaders to drive conservation initiatives.
She further reaffirmed the ministry’s support for grassroots-led climate action.
“Highlighting the environmental challenges faced in the region—including prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall—Dr. Barasa urged communities to move from simply planting trees to growing them. She encouraged households, schools, and farmers to take ownership of tree care and challenged the youth and local leaders to drive conservation initiatives,” the statement shared reads in parts.
Barasa’s position as Health CS was occupied by Aden Duale who previously headed the Environment docket.
