Planting trees for Gaza at Uhuru Park-a call for global justice

From Gaza’s broken cities to Nairobi’s muddy grounds, a message is resonating louder and louder: the cry for justice for Palestinians.

This was evident when scores of people gathered at Uhuru Park on Sunday, November 2, for a tree planting programme to raise awareness about the suffering of Palestinians who have gone through a devastating two years of genocide and an oppressive Israeli colonial occupation.

In the tree planting exercise organized by the Voice For Palestine under the theme “Plant a Tree, Save a Life,” Kenyans expressed their solidarity with the people of Gaza, using the event to call for justice, remembering their pain, and honoring their struggle against occupation.

Amidst the chilly Sunday weather, people turned up at Uhuru Park and the adjacent Central Park, in the heart of Nairobi, to plant trees, dedicating their efforts to the fallen martyrs of Gaza, who lost their lives in relentless bombings, the likes of which have never been witnessed in modern times.

The event was also part of environmental conservation efforts to restore Nairobi’s green spaces while raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Planting trees for Palestine at Uhuru Park

Speaking during the event, Sheikh Badru Jaffar, a member of Majlis Ulamaa (Council of Islamic Scholars) of Nairobi’s Jamia Mosque, said the tree planting activity served as community environmental conservation efforts and a moral statement against the continued oppression of Palestinians. “This is more than just planting trees; this is a global call for justice. It is about planting justice, planting hope, and standing for human dignity,” he said.

He drew chilling comparisons to Kenya’s colonial history, saying that it was symbolic that the event was organized at the Uhuru Park, a venue that has stood as a symbol of the end of the brutal colonial occupation of Kenya by the British. “Palestine is also undergoing an occupation by the Zionist colonialist, just like Kenya went through a horrific period of colonization by the British,” he said.

“Palestine will one day be free—just as Kenya gained her independence and became free,” the Sheikh added.

It was at Uhuru Park when the British flag was lowered on December 12, 1963, signaling the end of the colonial hegemony ushering in an era of independence for Kenya.

Sheikh Badru said the brutal assault has had catastrophic effects on Palestinian Muslims as well as Christians and has seen mosques and churches reduced to rubble. “To those who came out to say that they stand with Israel, let them know that Christians in Palestine have also been mercilessly killed, traumatized, and displaced by the Israeli occupation,” he said.

In his remarks, the chairman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), Hassan Ole Naado said the event carried profound significance and serves as a lasting memorial for the victims of the genocide in Gaza.

He took a stab at the silence of the Western powers, whom he said cared less about human life while continuing to supply weapons that decimated lives of women and children. “The silence of the global community is deeply concerning, reinforcing arguments that the lives of certain human beings are deemed less important than others. Despite the relentless bombings and their devastating effects, business continues as usual for those who manufacture weapons and artillery. Gaza has tragically become a testing ground for the effectiveness of new weaponry by those with malicious intent,” he said.

SUPKEM Chairman Hassan Ole Naado (Right) with Jamia Mosque Executive Officer Said Abdallah at planting trees at the muddy grounds at Uhuru Park

Addressing the crowd, the chairman of the Voice For Palestine, Ahmed Sharrif, said the trees would grow as enduring symbols of peace and resilience of the Palestinian people, stressing that they will stand as a living memorial to generations of Palestinians killed and displaced by the Zionist occupation.

“We planted trees, and they will stand as living symbols of resilience, remembrance, and hope for an independent Palestine—stretching from the river to the sea. Each tree represents life, a bright future, and a stand against injustice. We planted not only roots in the ground but also hope in the hearts of Palestinians who are going through unimaginable suffering,” he said.

“While the Zionists have perfected the art of killing, for us, we are showing the world that Islam stands for life, for every tree planted—that life must be preserved,” he added.

As the event came to a close, the resonating message was clear: the efforts for a greener Kenya and a free Palestine parallel struggles in the pursuit of life, justice, and human dignity.

For the organizers, the campaign extends beyond tree planting into continuous advocacy, education, global solidarity efforts, and calls for boycott of Israeli-linked products.

The campaign is spearheaded by the Voice of Palestine, an initiative that includes organizations such as Jamia Mosque Committee, National Muslims Leaders Forum (NAMLEF), Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), and Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK), among other community organisations.

The advocacy group intends to work alongside the national and county governments, the private sector, and environmental agencies to promote large-scale tree planting aligned with President William Ruto’s goal of increasing national tree cover.

Already a similar exercise is being planned this week in Mombasa on November 8, where Voice for Palestine has partnered with the Mombasa County government to plant 10,000 trees in the coastal town. The event will be launched at the Mama Ngina Waterfront and will be preceded by a public march from the Mapembeni area.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 70,000 people in the besieged enclave of Gaza with majority of the casualties being women and children. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), at least 61,000 children have been killed or maimed in Gaza during this period — an average of one child affected every 17 minutes. Many have been left orphaned, displaced, and traumatized with psychological scars as a result of the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank.