With a headlamp strapped to his forehead and heavier clothing pulled tight against the cold, Hillary Kiplagat Kibiwott presses on into the night in Kaptagat Forest, where temperatures drop sharply at altitudes between 2,400 and 2,800 metres above sea level.
The 29-year-old, a father of one and husband, is attempting to plant 24,000 trees in 24 hours in a bid to set a new Guinness World Records title. He began at 11:00am on Wednesday, April 22 and is expected to finish at the same time on Thursday, April 23 an unbroken stretch of physical endurance and environmental commitment.
Born in 1997 and widely known as Buzeki, Mr Kibiwott is undertaking what many see as a test not just of stamina, but of belief. Working through the fading light into darkness, he continues planting seedling after seedling across Kessup Forest Station in Elgeyo-Marakwet County. By 19:06 on Wednesday evening, six hours into the challenge, he had already planted 5,628 trees, an early pace that underscores both the scale of the task and the effort required to sustain it through the night.
The current record stands at 23,060 trees planted in 24 hours, set in Canada in 2021 by Canadian tree planter Antoine Moses. To surpass it, Mr Kibiwott must sustain his pace through the coldest hours of the night, when fatigue and falling temperatures are likely to test his limits.
Principal Secretary, State Department of Forestry, Gitonga Mugambi, said the effort reflects the kind of action needed to confront climate change.
“I congratulate Hillary Kiplagat Kibiwot, Co-Founder of the Green Earth Ambassadors Foundation, as he takes on the extraordinary challenge of planting more than 24,000 trees within 24 hours in pursuit of a Guinness World Records title. It is an example of what bold, community-driven action can look like. A moment to draw climate action inspiration from.”
Dr Chris Kiptoo, Principal Secretary – The National Treasury and Patron of the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme (KICP), said the challenge carries a deeper message.
“His name, Kibiwott, in the Kalenjin language, means ‘one born in the rainy season’. In many Kenyan communities, that season symbolises decisive action, the planting season. In many ways, he is living up to that meaning. Through this record-breaking attempt, he is planting more than trees; he is planting in us the courage and resolve to push beyond our limits in forest restoration, challenging us to rethink what is possible in climate action.”
Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko described the attempt as a reflection of national ambition.
“Even as fatigue sets in and the body is pushed to its limits, he presses on, showing that what many would consider impossible, planting 24,000 trees in 24 hours, is within human possibility.I have seen, in Hillary Kiplagat, popularly known as Buzeki, resilience, a rare strength of spirit, courage, and an unyielding determination that speaks to Kenya’s 15 billion trees ambition.”
“This is more than a Guinness World Records attempt. It is a powerful signal of what we can achieve as a nation and our collective ability to restore our disappearing forests,” he added.
As the night deepens over Kaptagat, the outcome remains uncertain. But under the beam of his headlamp, each tree planted is already contributing to a broader story, one of resilience, climate action, and the possibility of restoring Kenya’s forests.
