KNUT Chairman Patrick Karinga Munuhe Leads a Transformative Climate Change Dialogue at the Kitale Show, North Rift

By John Kariuki

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) National Chairman, Mr Patrick Karinga Munuhe, delivered a compelling address during a high-level climate change discourse held at the Kitale Show in the North Rift region, where he passionately articulated the indispensable role of educators in combating the escalating environmental crisis.

Mr Karinga underscored that the climate challenge has evolved from being a distant environmental concern into an existential threat that demands immediate, coordinated, and knowledge-driven responses. He emphasized that education remains the most powerful tool to cultivate environmental consciousness and inspire practical solutions among the youth.

“Teachers are the architects of the nation’s moral and intellectual foundation. If we empower them with the requisite environmental literacy, they will in turn nurture a generation that not only understands the dynamics of climate change but also acts decisively to mitigate its effects,” Mr Karinga asserted.

In attendance was Mr Kenyatta, the KNUT Branch Chair from Migori, representing the Nyanza region, who hailed the forum as a monumental step in mainstreaming climate action into the educational framework. He noted that inter-regional dialogues of this nature enrich the collective pursuit of sustainable development and foster synergy between educators and policymakers.

Mr Karinga further appealed to the government and development partners to channel substantial investments into climate-smart education and green infrastructure in schools. He observed that well-equipped institutions, coupled with teacher empowerment initiatives, would metamorphose learning centres into hubs of innovation, sustainability, and ecological stewardship.

The Kitale Show, renowned for its display of agricultural innovations and renewable energy technologies, offered an ideal platform for such a transformative conversation. The participation of KNUT’s top leadership signified a strategic shift within the union — extending its influence beyond labour advocacy to encompass pivotal national development agendas, including environmental resilience and sustainability.

Mr Karinga concluded his remarks with a resounding call to unity and action, asserting that climate change transcends environmental boundaries and strikes at the very core of economic and social stability. “This is not merely a conservation matter. It is a moral, developmental, and generational obligation. We must marshal collective intelligence and courage to build a greener and more resilient Kenya,” he declared.

The climate discourse in Kitale thus reaffirmed the centrality of teachers as catalysts of change and illuminated KNUT’s emerging leadership in steering national conversations toward sustainable and inclusive progress.