Honouring African Veterans and Stressing the Importance of City Green Spaces, King Charles

King Charles of Britain paid tribute to Africans who fought with British forces in both of the world wars on the second day of his state visit to Kenya. He then went to an urban forest to emphasise the value of green spaces in urban areas.

At the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Kariokor on Wednesday, Charles and Queen Camilla paid tribute to veterans of World War Two. East Africa regional manager for the commission, Daniel Achini, described the cemetery as “very important to us.”

“The king is here, first and foremost to honour the sacrifices of the Africans who served with the British forces during World War I and II,” Achini stated, “and he’s here to support the noncommemorated project of the War Graves Commission where we are trying to look for records of Africans who served during WWI and commemorate them adequately.”

Achini told VOA that there were a few veterans present, including two who were reportedly 104 and 117 years old.

Those in attendance “served in WWII in various capacities” and all “lost their medals in one way or another, so the king will be replacing those medals today,” stated the monarch.

The next destination was Karura Forest, an urban forest located in the centre of Nairobi, which served to emphasise the value of green spaces in metropolitan areas. The well-known Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge joined Charles. They coordinated to launch a 15-kilometer “Run for Nature” event.

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Kipchoge stated shortly before Charles arrived, “It is very crucial that the king be present. You must run in a clean area and breathe clean air if you want to perform effectively. Our only house is here. We have no other house to protect. We have to tend to it. As athletes, we have no choice but to get involved in order to address it.”

Charles went on a stroll to a tree-planting location in remembrance of the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, who spearheaded an effort to preserve Karura Forest. Charles was accompanied by Maathai’s daughter Wanjira and neighbourhood kids who are interested in environmental issues.

There, alongside environmental activist Karen Kimani, 10, a fifth-grader, Charles planted an Elgon teak.

“I was a little anxious, but everything went smoothly,” Kimani remarked afterwards. “I am ecstatic; this is what I had wished for, and I still find it hard to believe.”

Kimani, who has already planted over 10,000 trees, claimed that after contacting Buckingham Palace with a letter, the monarch selected her to assist.

“My mum got an email that it had been accepted and that I was going to plant a tree with the king,” she explained.

The King was scheduled to depart Nairobi on Wednesday evening and travel to Mombasa, a coastal city, where he would spend Thursday and Friday.