Mandera County has surpassed first-world cities Liverpool and Melbourne by having its afforestation program recognized as sustainable, positioning itself as a future green city. The Mandera municipality’s greening initiative was featured in the “Living Green for Climate Change” category at the Future Green City World Congress held in Utrecht, Netherlands, on September 25, which attracted over 3,000 global experts.
The initiative, originally launched by former Governor Ali Roba and continued by the current administration of Governor Mohamed Khalif, has resulted in the planting of nearly 300,000 trees in Mandera.
This effort aims to mitigate the severe drought that has devastated the region, leading to livestock deaths and threatening livelihoods. Khalif has set an ambitious goal of planting one billion trees by the end of his five-year term, engaging around 1,300 families to care for the newly planted trees within the municipality.
To maximize resources, families are using leftover water from their daily activities, such as ablutions for prayers, to irrigate the trees, helping them withstand the harsh sun. Each participating family adopts a tree, nurturing it while receiving a monthly stipend of Sh10,000, which provides them with a source of income.
In the competition, Liverpool presented its URBAN GreenUP project, while Melbourne showcased its Green Factor Tool project. The evaluation criteria focused on the viability of initiatives that offer nature-based solutions, including street trees, green roofs and walls, and parks and gardens, all aimed at moderating climate change impacts.
Governor Khalif expressed pride in the project, stating, “I’m proud of this municipality greening project because it has not just transformed the face of Mandera, but also given it life and made our county a significant place of the future.”
The competition featured seven categories, with winners chosen by the 2024 Jury from a pool of 21 finalists. The organizers of the event stated, “With this announcement, AIPH and partners proudly showcase the bold and inspiring urban greening initiatives by winning cities from around the world, all of whom are leading the way in shaping a greener urban future.”
Tim Briercliffe, the Secretary General of AIPH, expressed pride in the awards’ growth, saying, “We are extremely proud of how the AIPH World Green City Awards has grown from strength to strength since the inaugural 2022 edition. As we launch the 2026 edition, we look forward to seeing this trajectory continue with the prospect of showcasing even more action from even more cities around the world. Watch this space.”
Upon Mandera’s win, Governor Khalif joyfully declared, “We did it.” The Council of Governors also congratulated the county, praising it for receiving the endorsement of its initiative. “Congratulations to Mandera Municipality, Mandera County, for winning the prestigious AIPH Global World Green City Awards 2024 at the Royal Jaabeurs in Utrecht, Netherlands.”
Before the greening project commenced, Mandera faced challenges from strong winds that created dust plumes and intense sunlight without adequate shade. However, as the trees have matured and provided coverage, the county has seen an increase in rainy seasons compared to the past, facilitating better water harvesting and crop irrigation.
