HILLARY KIBIWOTT APPOINTED AMBASSADOR AFTER RECORD-BREAKING TREE-PLANTING MARATHON

Environmental champion Hillary Kibiwott has been named Ambassador for the15 Billion Trees Campaign, a multi-billion shilling national reforestation initiative spearheaded by President William Ruto.

Principal Secretary for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi hailed the appointment as a watershed moment for Kenya’s environmental recovery efforts, praising Kibiwott as an embodiment of grassroots climate leadership.

“Appointing Hillary Kibiwott as Ambassador for the 15 Billion Trees Campaign marks a turning point for Kenya’s restoration journey. I watched him complete the final stretch of planting 23,326 trees in 24 hours, pending confirmation by Guinness World Records,” Mugambi stated.

The PS went on to describe Kibiwott as a determined, focused, and selfless young individual dedicated to rehabilitating forests in Kaptagat and surrounding areas.

“That same determination was clear when I welcomed him at the State Department for Forestry in Nairobi. He told me, ‘The momentum is unstoppable,’” Mugambi recalled.

The recognition comes on the heels of Kibiwott’s extraordinary tree-planting marathon, during which he successfully planted 23,326 trees within a single day a feat currently under review for official recognition by Guinness World Records.

The non-stop challenge unfolded between 11 a.m. on April 22, 2026, and 11 a.m. on April 23, 2026, at the Kessup Block of Kaptagat Forest in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

“The pace at which he planted trees delivers a clear message: time is not a luxury we possess. We must act with urgency to restore our forests. His appointment as Ambassador for the 15 Billion Trees Campaign is just the first of many honours he will receive for prioritising nature,” Mugambi said.

He also pledged the government’s full backing for Kibiwott in his new capacity. “Hillary, you have our complete support as you rally young people across all 47 counties to accelerate rapid forest restoration,” the PS added.