This archive report was first published on 6 June 2020.
On June 5, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta brought together Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and Maj Gen Mohamed Badi, the head of the Nairobi Metropolitan Service, in a bid to foster unity and cooperation in transforming the city.
Speaking at the Arboretum park during an event to mark World Environment Day, President Kenyatta emphasized the importance of working together to achieve quick turnaround of interventions in transforming the city.
The event, which was attended by both Sonko and Badi, marked the first time they met face-to-face in public. The President's call for unity comes at a time when Sonko has been at odds with the national government over the management of the city's key functions.
Despite the Governor's initial reluctance, he eventually agreed to sign a revised budget that gave the Badi-led team Sh3.5 billion. The development is seen as a significant step towards resolving the long-standing dispute between the two parties.
During the event, President Kenyatta also urged Kenyans to emulate the late Professor Wangari Maathai's passion and achievements in the conservation of the environment. He highlighted the country's progress in sustainable development, restoration, and preservation of its biodiversity, and challenged Kenyans to protect and bequeath their heritage to future generations.
The President also witnessed the ground-breaking for the development of a borehole that will assist in the setting up of a one million tree nursery in the park. World Environment Day is observed on June 5th every year and has been celebrated for the last 45 years.
President Kenyatta listed several ongoing initiatives aimed at conserving the environment, including the restoration of Michuki Park, the expansion of Nairobi National Park, and the reclamation of grabbed forest land. He underscored the key role forests play as a reservoir of biodiversity and emphasized the government's commitment to achieving the 10 percent national tree cover target.
As part of the government's conservation agenda, the President said all major infrastructure projects, including the Standard Gauge Railway, are being implemented in a manner that ensures biodiversity is not tampered with. He also called for closer cooperation between government entities, the private sector, and local communities to ensure the country's botanical and zoological diversity is maintained.
