By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, December 11 2025 - Kenyan environmentalist Truphena Muthoni had hoped to stand beneath the towering canopy of the Amazon rainforest this November, embracing a sacred Samuma tree alongside Brazil’s indigenous Quilombolas community.
Her dream was to perform a grueling 72-hour tree-hugging marathon during the COP30 Climate Conference, drawing global attention to climate action and the struggles of indigenous peoples – from Kenya’s Yaaku community to Brazil’s forest guardians.
But the 22-year-old from Ihwagi, Mathira Constituency, Nyeri County, never made it to Brazil. Her plan, she says, became ensnared in layers of bureaucracy at Kenya’s Ministry of Environment.
“This record was supposed to happen in Brazil during COP30. It was a chance to stand in solidarity with the Quilombolas and represent indigenous people from Kenya. But the bureaucracy and unfair treatment denied me that opportunity,” Muthoni said.
Unable to secure the necessary approvals, Muthoni chose to turn her disappointment into purpose – bringing her global message home. On Monday, at exactly 12:25pm, she pitched tent outside Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga’s office, where she began the 72-hour marathon.
By Thursday afternoon, she had not only completed the challenge but rewritten global history. The young activist, already a Guinness World Record holder for hugging a tree for 48 hours pushed human endurance to the edge: no food, no water, no sleep, just unwavering commitment as rain, heat and night cold battered her.
“I am telling people that we must come back to nature. Conservation begins with love. We must nurture a million people who care before we plant a million trees,” said Muthoni.
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Governor Kahiga said he did not hesitate when Muthoni approached him for support. “She explained the frustration she faced at the Ministry,” he recalled. “I immediately agreed to host the challenge here. Nyeri is her home, and I directed my staff, Red Cross teams and police officers to support her fully.”
By the time she completed the record-breaking feat, no official government congratulatory message had been issued. Still, national leaders flocked to celebrate her determination.
Gender Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe described witnessing the finish as “deeply moving,” saying Muthoni had “embraced a cause that reminded the world that activism doesn’t always have to be loud.”
Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi, Cate Waruguru, Rahab Mukami, and Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris also hailed her as a national inspiration, praising her courage and global environmental message.
For 72 hours, Muthoni turned an ordinary tree into a symbol of hope – achieving from Nyeri the global impact she had sought to make in the Amazon.
