The National Assembly environment committee has proposed the renaming of Karura Forest after the late environmentalist Prof. Wangari Maathai.
The committee successfully deliberated on the renaming of the forest during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Environment led by CS Keriako Tobiko.
Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan, who tabled the proposal in Parliament, wants the forest named after Prof. Maathai in recognition of her efforts in protecting the wooded area.
He argues that Karura Forest provides a home to many animals and plant varieties thanks to Prof. Mathai’s efforts.
“It also provides Appropriations-in-Aid revenue for the government, through fees obtained for its therapeutic benefits that attract thousands of runners, walkers, cyclists, campers, and tourists every year,” he added.
CS Tobiko said the ministry will engage Kenyans in public participation and consult with the Cabinet before the renaming can be done.
Karura Forest, which covers 2,570 acres, is one of the largest urban gazetted forests in the world. It was gazetted in 1932 and has over 600 species of wildlife.
Prof. Maathai was the founder of the Green Belt Movement and was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
She served as assistant minister for environment and natural resources in the government of President Mwai Kibaki and MP for Tetu between 2003 to 2007.
Maathai died of complications from ovarian cancer on September 25th, 2011.
Thank you Brother Keriako…
Thank you Brother Keriako Tobiko for initiating this long overdue project of renaming Karura Forest Dr. Wangari Maathai Forest. Let us remember and recognize that through her devotion to preserving and improving the environment through planting trees, she was awarded the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She was the first African woman to win this special award.
Let us look back and thank the late government minister Dr. Tom Mboya who was instrumental in establishing the “Airlift” that brought many students to study in the USA and therefore put Kenya on the world map. President Barack Obama’s father was on this airlift as well as the late Dr. Wangari Mathaai.
Personally, I thank her for introducing a more objective and neutral word “micro-nation” in the English language’s lexicon. She introduced this word to replace the more insulting English word “tribe” as a better alternative. Instead of addressing the Maasai people as a tribe, it is much better to advance her alternative “micro-nation” in her memory.
For many of you who are too young to remember, when the British settled in Kenya after the Berlin Conference, (November 15, 1884 to February 26, 1885), the British embarked on occupying other people’s lands by force and creating artificial non-existent names to address the victims of the Conference.
The Gikuyu people were now identified as “Kiuks” or Kikuyu” tribesmen. The Kipsigis were called “Lumbwa.” A new word was coined to represent the Tugen, Nandi, Pokot, Keiyo, Marakwet, Terik, Sengwer, Lembus, Kipsigis, and Sabaot people as the “Kalenjin.” The Gusii people were now “Kisii.” The Bantu of Western Kenya became the “Abaluyia.”
In conclusion, let us all keep Wangari’s name alive by immediately discarding the use of the word “tribe” and using her preferred word “micro-nation” beginning today. Kenya is therefore made of more than 44 distinct “micro-nations.”
I slightly differ with this:…
I slightly differ with this: One is that they probably don’t know the meaning of Karura. Secondly, merely renaming it after the honorable Prof Wangari Mathaai but coyly cutting the trees right left and center doesn’t honor her legacy.
They should instead pass a bill to preserve the environment and name that bill after her.
PS: Dictatorial tendencies names airports, roads, parks after people and am not sure Ms. Mathaai would belongs to that category.
I really appreciate all she…
I really appreciate all she did, but we renamed Forest Park d the Wangari Mathai ?Rd?….. The forest would’ve been more to what Wangari did….but Surely there are other Kenyans who’ve done something for Kenya too.