Environmental conservation stakeholders led by David Mungai, manager Equity bank Malindi branch, Malindi Municipal Environment Officer Elizabeth Kanana and Shella Environmental Youth Group coordinator Roselyn Ngala among other stakeholders take part in planting more than 5,000 mangrove seedlings at the Sabaki River Estuary in Malindi Sub County, Kilifi County on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Photo by Ben Okweingoti. 
By Ben Okweingoti
Environmental conservation stakeholders in Malindi, Kilifi County, have planted more than 5,000 mangrove seedlings at the Sabaki River Estuary in Moi Village as part of ongoing efforts to restore and protect the fragile Sabaki ecosystem.
The exercise brought together various organizations and institutions led by Malindi Municipality Environment Officer Elizabeth Kanana, who joined members of the Sabaki Mangrove and Hippo Conservation Organization (SAMHCO) in rehabilitating sections of the estuary where mangrove cover has been depleted.
Speaking during the exercise, Kanana said environmental conservation remains a key priority for the municipality, noting that healthy ecosystems are critical for sustaining tourism, one of the region’s leading economic sectors.
She emphasized that the restoration of mangrove forests not only enhances biodiversity but also strengthens the area's appeal as an eco-tourism destination.
The initiative received support from Equity Bank’s Malindi Branch, whose Manager, David Mungai, revealed that the bank had purchased more than 5,000 mangrove seedlings from SAMHCO. He said the move was intended to both support environmental restoration efforts and economically empower local conservation groups engaged in seedling production.
The tree-planting exercise also attracted participation from the Kenya Prisons Service, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Rotaract Club of Malindi, the Kenya Red Cross, the Shella Environmental Youth Group, and the One Million Trees for Kilifi initiative.
Roselyn Ngala, Coordinator of the Shella Environmental Youth Group, called on communities living around the Sabaki mangrove ecosystem to refrain from cutting down trees for charcoal burning. Instead, she encouraged residents to embrace environmentally sustainable income-generating activities, including the establishment of eco-tourism camps and other conservation-based enterprises.
Conservationists say the restoration of mangroves is crucial in protecting the Sabaki River Estuary from environmental degradation, improving biodiversity, mitigating the effects of climate change, and supporting livelihoods that depend on the ecosystem.
The exercise marks another significant step in efforts to preserve one of Kenya’s most important coastal ecosystems while promoting community participation in environmental conservation.
