Nakuru boda boda rider plants 2,000 trees to rewrite sector narrative
Meshack Maina, 57, sorts trees ahead of a planting exercise.
In the boda boda sector often plagued by a barrage of negative stories, from chaotic traffic violations to involvement in criminal activities, one man is seeking to rewrite the narrative.
Meshack Maina, 57, is a boda-boda rider from Nakuru City, and with over two decades of experience in the industry, he has seen first-hand the stigma attached to his kind.
But rather than succumb to the stigma, Maina is on a mission to transform his community, one tree at a time.
His journey towards environmental stewardship began in 2016 when the comforting shade of a tree he sought refuge under was mercilessly felled during the construction of Nakuru's Ronald Ngala Street road.
Determined to reclaim what was lost, Maina took it upon himself to plant two new trees in its place, envisioning a greener, more vibrant streetscape for all.
“When the tree was felled and was not replanted after the road construction was done, I took it upon myself to plant two trees with the hope they would one day provide some shade for me and others. Unfortunately, the trees did not grow as they were fed on by livestock grazing in town at night,” says Maina, who is the St Joseph Christ the King stage boda boda chairperson.
Despite initial setbacks, he remained undeterred and his resolve was further bolstered in 2017 when he participated in a tree-planting initiative spearheaded by the Nakuru Department of Environment.
Modest budget
Armed with little more than a modest budget scraped together from his day's earnings, Maina bought 15 tree seedlings and set out to breathe life back into his surroundings.
“I bought the Bishop and Jacaranda tree seedlings as they were the most popular type in town by then. Each seedling cost me Sh130 for the bishop and Sh50 for the Jacaranda,” he says.
But the trees suffered the same fate, not growing to knee-length before they were all destroyed by livestock roaming the city centre.
According to Maina, although he was discouraged from buying the seedlings because it was a dry season, he remained optimistic that with proper watering and care, the trees would grow.
Meshack Maina, 57, is a boda-boda rider from Nakuru City, and with over two decades of experience in the industry, he has seen first-hand the stigma attached to his kind.
Armed with nothing more than his rusty motorbike and a hoe, he tirelessly transported the seedlings, ensuring that each one found a home along the busy roads he traversed every day.
With his motorbike and a jembe, he transported the seedlings from the nursery and started planting them beside the road where he was stationed.
Several factors
“I had to put into perspective several factors before settling on where to plant the seedlings. From tracking the areas that initially had trees and they had either dried out or cut down, I would replace these, to put into consideration the distance from the drainage tunnels, electricity poles and that of building roofings, “he says, adding that the trees are planted close to avoid them from growing too big to an extent of causing any form of damages.
Although he is not a soil expert, Maina says he has been able to identify which trees can survive in which soil types and withstand climatic changes.
Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, including financial constraints and a lack of support from his peers, Maina's dedication never wavered.
Today, his efforts have bore fruit, quite literally, as the once barren streets of Nakuru now boast over 2,000 newly planted trees from Pine, Nandi flame, Jacaranda, Avocado, and bottle brush varieties in Nakuru City, thanks to his unwavering commitment to the cause.
“After working through the day, I would set out in the evenings to plant more trees and water the ones I had earlier planted. Watering the trees was costly as I had to buy each 20-litre jerrican at Sh20 and pay for a handcart to transport the water at different locations,” he notes.
He takes pride in his sacrifices which bore fruits after he recently met with officials from the environment directorate who linked him to nurseries in Nakuru Town East and Nakuru Town West where he can collect seedlings and plant.
Tender stages
“The greatest job is not planting a tree but nurturing it. Any slight damage to a tree at its tender stages can result in it drying up. My goal is to plant as many trees as possible and change the narrative around boda-boda operators while conserving the environment,” says Maina.
He hopes to change the perception surrounding the industry, one tree at a time.
Through his tireless efforts, Maina says he not only continues to challenge the negative stereotypes associated with the bodaboda industry but also leaves behind a lasting legacy of environmental stewardship for generations to come.
