PS Forestry Drives Sector-Wide Coordination to Fast-Track Tree Growing and Service Delivery

The State Department for Forestry has intensified efforts to strengthen coordination and enhance performance across the sector following a high-level public service engagement convened by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Mr. Felix Koskei on 14th April, 2026, as part of the ongoing re-energisation and revitalisation of the Public Service.

The consultative virtual meeting brought together leadership from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry alongside key sector agencies including the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND), Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), with a shared focus on improving performance and delivering timely, quality services to wananchi.

Building on this momentum, Forestry Principal Secretary Mr. Gitonga Mugambi on 15th April, 2026 convened a sectoral meeting at the KFS Karura Headquarters, bringing together Heads of Department within the State Department for Forestry led by Secretary for Administration Mr. Patrick Meso and leadership of Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs) led by KFS Board Chairman Mr. Titus Korir, Chief Conservator of Forests Mr. Alex Lemarkoko and KEFRI CEO Dr. Jane Njuguna alongside senior sector officials.

The meeting focused on strengthening institutional collaboration, aligning sector priorities, and accelerating implementation of key Government programmes. It underscored a unified commitment to delivering results under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, particularly in enhancing livelihoods for communities that depend on forest resources.

Deliberations reaffirmed the sector’s shift towards measurable, results-based performance, with emphasis on improving tree survival rates, restoring degraded ecosystems, and ensuring that tree growing initiatives deliver both environmental and socio-economic benefits.

PS Mugambi urged officers to remain objective, uphold the rule of law, and operate within established legal frameworks, while maintaining high standards of professionalism and accountability. He emphasised the need for strong cohesion and collaboration among SAGAs to ensure effective coordination, noting that a united and disciplined approach is critical to achieving the national target of increasing tree cover to 30 percent.

Also present at the meeting was Secretary, Forest Development Mr. George Tarus, Under Secretary Mr. Kihara Ndung'u, Senior Chief Financial Officer Mr. Tobias Osano, Ministry's Principal State Counsel Ms. Fatma Ali and Director Economic Planning Wilfred Omari.