I am Wangari Maathai – deCOALonize takes part in the celebration of the life and work of the late Professor Wangari Maathai at Uhuru Park: In pictures

Author: deCOALonize Published on: November 11, 2019 Published in: BLOG

On Sunday 3^rd November, individuals and organizations congregated at Uhuru Park to celebrate the life and work of Kenya’s most iconic environmentalist and the 2004 Nobel Laureate the late Prof. Wangari Maathai.

This celebration was also a way of reminding the public and the present government the efforts Prof. Wangari Maathai and the Greenbelt movement put to protect Uhuru park – especially now that there are plans to construct an expressway from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Westlands that would hive off part of Uhuru Park.

Kids presenting a poem on protecting trees. They also warned adults about corruption

As the Standard Newspaper reported, “By the time China Roads and Bridge Company (CRBC) finally hands over this expressway to Kenya in 2049, it will have minted a total of Sh102 billion in a deal where they are insulated from competition, taxes and losses.”

Wanjira Mathai, Chair, Wangari Maathai Foundation

The Green Belt Movement has also expressed concerns that the proposed expressway is not in tandem with best practice in urban mobility and the ongoing efforts to combat air pollution as it will require the use of private cars to generate toll revenue.

Kenyans hold hands singing to Juliani’s Utawala

Javan The Poet performing his piece on Coal Si Cool (Coal is not cool!)

As deCOALonize campaign, we really believe that protecting the environment is protecting future generations. And as Prof. Wangari Maathai once articulated, it’s the future generations that pay for the mistakes and destruction caused by the present generation. We, therefore, stand with the Green Belt Movement on this as it is a message that we believe in. Together, we stand up for the future!

The Award-winning singer and songwriter, Eric Wainaina performing *Daima Mkenya*

Celebrated Musician Julius Owino aka Juliani electrifying the crowd

Activist Boniface Mwangi has been very vocal about the expressway. He told the gathering that the late Prof. Wangari Maathai was not polite when dealing with the “oppressors” and that the poor must unite.

CEO WildlifeDirect, Paula Kahumbu and Director Friends of Lake Turkana, Ikal Angelei also joined the celebrations of the life and work of the late Prof. Wangari Maathai. Each one of them reminding us what Professor stood for and why as Kenyans we must stop spectating while increasingly, environmental laws and regulations are violated in the name of development.

Concerned members of the public continue holding vigil meetings at Uhuru Park every Thursday and have asked anyone interested to join them. They vow that not even a centimeter of Uhuru Park will be hived off for the much-touted expressway.

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