Nestled in the heart of Machakos County lies the Muumandu Forest block, a once-thriving expanse of 139.2 hectares—roughly 344 acres. More than a mere woodland, Muumandu stands as a vital water tower, a life source that once cradled biodiversity in its leafy embrace.
Before 1980, the forest was a vibrant sanctuary. A dense canopy of indigenous trees arched toward the skies, sheltering wildlife and sustaining the rhythms of nature. But that harmony was shattered.
After 1980, Muumandu fell silent. Unscrupulous loggers, driven by greed, stripped the land bare—cutting down every indigenous tree. For four decades, this environmental crime unfolded in plain sight, while authorities, allegedly, turned a blind eye.
“It was greed that stole our heritage,” lamented Julius Mulinge, Chairman of the Muumandu Kalimanzalu Community Forest Association. “They claimed the trees were infested with pests. That was nothing but a lie.”
Mulinge remembers a time when rain was a faithful visitor, and the community prospered through agriculture. Unlike other arid parts of Machakos, Muumandu’s bounty was sustained by its rich forest. But once the trees fell, the rains stopped. The wildlife disappeared. The hill stood exposed and lifeless.
Yet from the dust of destruction rose a movement. Mulinge and other environmentally conscious community members rallied together. They formed Community-Based Organizations and began engaging with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), determined to reclaim what was lost.
“After years of sacrifice, something shifted,” said Mulinge. “Isuzu East Africa stepped in—and transformed our story.”
Dr. Michael Musyoka, Manager in charge of Corporate Research, Sustainability, Monitoring and Evaluation at Isuzu East Africa, explained that the company’s decision to support Muumandu was a strategic one—a commitment to protect an iconic hill and its people.
Their journey began in 2014 with the planting of 1,100 trees on 2.4 acres. After a year of careful monitoring, they recorded a 70% survival rate. “It was promising,” said Dr. Musyoka, “but not enough.”
The greatest hurdle, he noted, was water scarcity—caused by the very deforestation they were fighting to undo.
In 2019, a turning point came. In partnership with the county government and other stakeholders like Davis & Shirtliff, Isuzu East Africa sunk a borehole. The government provided the drilling rig; Davis & Shirtliff installed a solar-powered system.
Isuzu then laid a four-kilometer pipeline and installed water tanks, ensuring a steady flow to nurture nurseries and saplings. “Once the water came,” said Dr. Musyoka, “the forest began to breathe again.”
Since then, they have replanted 36 hectares. Thanks to the borehole irrigation system, the survival rate now soars above 95%.
The Kenya Forest Service and the community work hand in hand to monitor the seedlings—replacing any that fail. Already, 82 hectares have been transformed into a flourishing cypress plantation.
But the project goes beyond reforestation. “We give 30% of the seedlings to the community—fruit trees that nourish both the land and livelihoods,” Dr. Musyoka shared. “We’ve also distributed 35 beehives, supporting income-generating activities for CFA members.”
Their vision is not just to grow trees—but to cultivate sustainability, restore rainfall, and revive hope in a region once left behind.
The Muumandu initiative is a blueprint for Kenya’s environmental future—one the Ministry of Environment would do well to replicate as it pursues the national goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
While the Ministry reports that over 825 million seedlings have been planted nationwide in the past two years, one crucial question remains unanswered: how many have survived?
Muumandu answers that question—not in words, but in the whisper of leaves, the hum of bees, and the laughter of a community reclaiming its green legacy.
