Photo credit/courtesy
By Caroline Katana
A sweeping government plan to restore the degraded Cherangany Hills has been unveiled, as authorities race to contain a cycle of deadly landslides that have repeatedly struck the region, killing residents and wiping out livelihoods.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the intervention in Nairobi, warning that continued environmental destruction has pushed the ecosystem to a breaking point.
The programme branded CHERISH (Cherangany Hills Ecosystem Restoration for Livelihood Improvement, Sustainability and Harmony).is designed as a 10-year recovery effort combining environmental restoration with economic support for affected communities.
Murkomen pointed to the October 31 Chesongoch landslide as a defining moment, saying it exposed the devastating cost of unchecked human activity on fragile land.
Entire slopes, he noted, have been stripped bare by settlement and deforestation, leaving them unable to withstand heavy rains.
“We are dealing with the consequences of years of environmental neglect. When the rains come, the land can no longer hold,” he said.
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Beyond the immediate destruction, the CS warned of a deeper crisis unfolding growing conflict over shrinking natural resources.
As rivers dry up and grazing land disappears, competition among communities is intensifying, raising the risk of instability in the region.
The Cherangany Forest spanning 414,928 hectares across Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia and West Pokot remains a critical water tower, but one now under severe pressure.
Through CHERISH, the government aims to restore over 62,000 hectares of degraded land, rehabilitate key water sources including 20 springs, and introduce alternative livelihoods to reduce dependence on the forest.
The plan is anchored on President William Ruto’s 15-billion-tree campaign and will be implemented through a broad coalition of government, private sector players, and development partners.
Murkomen, who will serve as patron of the initiative, issued a direct appeal to stakeholders to plug into the programme, stressing that government efforts alone will not be enough.
He also highlighted youth-focused interventions and peace-building activities, including community tournaments, as part of a wider strategy to stabilize the region.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Mlongo Barasa threw her weight behind the initiative, urging Kenyans to take a frontline role in conservation efforts.
She said a community-driven approach will be key to accelerating the country’s environmental restoration targets.
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The programme will be officially launched on May 22, 2026, in Elgeyo Marakwet County to mark the International Day of Biodiversity, with a conservation run scheduled a day earlier to rally public support.
With lives already lost and ecosystems deteriorating, the success of the plan could determine whether Cherangany recovers.or continues down a dangerous path of recurring disaster.
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