Saboti Member of Parliament Caleb Amisi has criticised the growing trend of Kenyans resorting to dramatic tree-hugging challenges, terming it a “con game” that reflects deeper failures in the country’s economic situation.
Amisi said while some early cases of tree-hugging were driven by genuine causes—such as environmental activism—the trend has since been hijacked by desperation fuelled by poor governance and systemic collapse.
His remarks follow a recent case where a parent hugged a tree in Kitale town after failing to raise school fees to secure admission for his daughter at St. Joseph’s Girls.
Despite offers of financial assistance, the man reportedly refused to abandon the tree-hugging challenge, insisting on staying in the tree for 120 hours in solidarity with parents facing school fees challenges.
“The first time we saw this kind of protest, it was a young girl on a genuine environmental mission. Today, most of these cases have no serious agenda. It has become a con game born out of frustration,” Amisi said.
The legislator linked the rise in such incidents to the harsh economic climate, which he blamed on poor governance under President William Ruto’s administration, saying parents are being pushed to the edge by rising costs and shrinking opportunities.
Amisi also launched a scathing attack on the Ministry of Education, accusing it of abandoning Kenyan parents by failing to properly manage Grade 10 admissions.
“The Ministry is only interested in announcing results. After that, parents are left stranded. There are Grade 10 students who have not been admitted, and no clear communication has been given. This is a total failure,” he said.
He added: “The government must stop this game and fix the problem. Parents should not be forced into humiliation and theatrics to secure education for their children,” Amisi said.
On school fees challenges, Amisi revealed that financing from the national government is still below par, saying for instance that Saboti receives over 26,000 applications for the KSh 70 million allocated.
He urged transparency, accountability, and better planning within the education sector to restore public confidence and protect learners from the consequences of institutional neglect.
