President Ruto Names Environmentalist Truphena Muthoni Ambassador for 15 Billion Tree Planting Initiative

President William Ruto has formally appointed environmental activist Truphena Muthoni as Ambassador for the government’s 15 Billion Tree Planting Campaign, a national initiative with broad implications for Kenya's land use and environmental policy.

The appointment was confirmed at State House, Nairobi, where Ms. Muthoni was also presented with a Head of State Commendation (HSC) medal. The President cited her “courage, fortitude, and exemplary leadership” as the basis for her selection to spearhead the signature environmental commitment.

Ms. Muthoni is known for her environmental activism, currently holding the world record for the longest tree-hugging marathon at 48 hours. She recently completed a 72-hour attempt, the ratification of which is still pending with Guinness World Records.

“I want to inspire people to fall in love with nature and treat it with care. Conservation begins with love. Nowadays, there are many tree-planting initiatives, but people often replace indigenous forests with saplings, believing that is mitigation, yet it is not. We must first protect what we already have,” she said.

The government has committed support for her continued environmental work. The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry will facilitate a trip for Ms. Muthoni to visit Brazil, broadening her exposure to global conservation initiatives after she missed the recent COP30 conference in Belém. Furthermore, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Tourism Board will jointly sponsor a holiday experience for Ms. Muthoni and her team.

The new Ambassador has previously emphasised that conservation requires protecting existing ecosystems first. Speaking on development pressures, she noted that many current initiatives involve replacing indigenous forests with new saplings, arguing that this practice is frequently mistaken for adequate mitigation against habitat loss.

Her role is expected to influence the direction of the national campaign, placing emphasis on protecting established forest cover.