William Getumbe, the Eldoret-based ‘diaper wearing’ musician has now joined calls by environmentalists and President William Ruto for Kenyans to plant trees.
Getumbe who recently came out to confess that he bed wets says it is only through planting trees that some of the diseases like diabetes, and high blood pressure among others can be eradicated.
In an interview with Uasin Gishu News on January 6, 2023, the gospel musician says environment and health issues are co-related.
“We cannot live without the environment, and the environment also affects our way of living,” said the musician.
Getumbe has been moving around urban areas within the North Rift and Western Kenya, sensitizing Kenyans on the need to view adults that bed wet as other human beings.
He has however decided to take his campaign a notch higher by incorporating the environmental aspect.
“Some of the diseases that we get today are because of environmental degradation. Our immune system depends on the environment,” says the musician-cum activist.
Forest cover
President William Ruto recently hinted at the government’s plan to plant over 15 billion tree seedlings across the country within the next few years.
The move seeks to increase the country’s forest cover which, according to the Kenya Forest Service (KWS) currently stands at 10 per cent. This is after 1.8 million trees were planted between 2019 and 2022.
But even with a call from the President, Getumbe says it is time Kenyans took a personal initiative by planting trees and conserving the environment.
“The President has said we plant trees but it is the call for everyone to plant trees. Not because the President has said but because we need a good environment to live in,” says the musician.
“We can change the earth, it’s only that people have turned chaotic. If we can change our attitude, we can change our environment,” he adds.
As part of his sensitization campaign on bed-wetting adults and tree planting, Getumbe earlier this week caused a stir in Eldoret town as he joined environmentalist Faith Chepchumba in whistling along the busy Uganda road, carrying banners and shouting key messages of their campaigns.
“I come from Elgeyo Marakwet but Uasin Gishu is one of the counties with a low forest cover hence our move to campaign in Eldoret so that residents here can plant trees,” said Chepchumba, a medical college student.
With long rains expected in the region as of March 2023, there has been an increased call for locals to take advantage of the rains to plant trees.
