Ruto’s Tree-Planting Vision Faces Setback Amid Rift with North Rift Farmers
“When we entered into the agreement, we were assured of a five-year lease with an exit option. Now we’re being told the contract lasts 44 years, and we can’t use our land for anything else. That’s not what we agreed to.”
Earthtree Company Ltd. legal officer Janet Cherop (left) and Kenya Farmers Association Uasin Gishu County Chairperson Ruth Kemboi (center) address the media during a briefing at the Kenmosa Village office in Eldoret City .
President William Ruto’s ambitious plan to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 has encountered turbulence, following protests by communities in the North Rift region. Local farmers working with an environmental conservation organization have threatened to withdraw from the initiative, citing alleged contract breaches and lack of transparency.
Drama unfolded at the gates of Kenmosa Village in Eldoret City when a group of farmers was denied entry to the offices of Green Planet Initiative (GPI), the organization that had contracted them for a five-year pilot project aimed at promoting carbon harvesting. Security guards reportedly blocked access under orders from the management, leading to a heated standoff that disrupted traffic along the busy Eldoret-Eldama Ravine highway for over an hour.
The farmers, who claim their ancestral lands were leased under misleading terms, expressed deep frustration over a sudden change in project management. According to them, the project was transferred from GPI to a new entity, Earthtree Kenya, without their knowledge or consent.
“We were not informed about the new management and the transfer from GPI to Earthtree Kenya,” said Ms. Margaret Koech, one of the affected farmers. “When we entered into the agreement, we were assured of a five-year lease with an exit option. Now we’re being told the contract lasts 44 years, and we can’t use our land for anything else. That’s not what we agreed to.”
Mr. Wilfred Yego, another farmer, echoed her concerns. “These are strange terms. We fear our ancestral land is being taken over for over 40 years. That’s unacceptable. We want out.”
The farmers are accusing the new investor of coercing them into signing new lease agreements that contradict the original terms. They now seek to terminate their contracts less than two years after the initiative began.
In response, Earthtree Kenya has defended its position, dismissing the allegations as baseless. Janet Cherop, the company’s legal officer, maintained that their engagement with the farmers was above board.
“Our relationship with the farmers is cordial. Those making these accusations are former employees aggrieved by the termination of their contracts,” Ms. Cherop said. She declined to share the agreement details, citing confidentiality. “The contract between Earthtree and GPI, as well as with the farmers, was mutual and voluntary. It is not for public consumption.”
Backing Earthtree’s stance, Ruth Kemboi, Chairperson of the Kenya Farmers Association in Uasin Gishu County and a participating farmer, highlighted the project’s benefits.
“I farm near the Earthtree nursery and can attest to the positive impact. The initiative has created jobs and improved livelihoods. We want these opportunities to continue,” she said.
Despite such endorsements, the controversy underscores growing tensions between conservation goals and community rights. The outcome of this dispute may have significant implications for the success of the government’s reforestation agenda.
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