Who Is Wangari Maathai In Kenya

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What would you do if you are informed that local people, especially women's complaints about needing to go to further distance than it used to be to gather firewood, the increasing rate of food insecurity, and the dying of streams and rivers which are basic needs in their daily life? A woman called Wangari Maathai from Kenya, Africa responded to a similar question in an effective way which beneficial for local people especially women and their surroundings by planting trees. Kenya was a colony of British until Kenya gained independence in 1963. 50 percent of African's forests have been cleared by the early 19th century. Kenya covered 2.9 percent of what it once existed. Two decades later, Kenya was required to escalate their exports in order …show more content…

The situation of Kenya's forests became worse when Daniel arap Moi took the power in 1978; Because, he corrupted in gaining support by giving lands to individuals, cronies investors, and foreign companies. This caused land grabbings, destruction of forests and public areas such as parks, food shortage and loses of livelihood for local people whose lands are forced taken. Moi's government also arrested and oppressed opposition groups and individuals who went against him. A woman who was born in a rich environment where people wanted for nothing in 1940 devoted her life to tackle these problems. She was the 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate, born in a small village in Nyeri, Kenya of Africa and her name was Wangari Maathai. She was the …show more content…

In demonstrations, she was beaten and hit by police, held in jail, and cursed. Forcing the government to withdraw its plan to build a skyscraper in the national Uhkru Park have made the government to ban her movement of the GBM in 1989. Her life was also threatened. She was informed that her name was listed in the list of assassination targeted by the government in 1992. Three days later, she was charged with treason and threw into prison. However, she was released after a mass campaign calling for her freedom. Despite threats, she continued to strive condemning and opposing the tyrannic Moi's ruling government. Moi had to step down from his position in 2002, resulting in holding the first free and fair election after 24 years of Moi's governance. In the same year, she was elected as a member of Parliament in 2002 and also worked as Assistant Minister in the Ministry for Environmental and Natural Resources. She by then exercised her power and given opportunity to input the beliefs of the GBM for the betterment of the environment and lands of

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