Mara region’s 58.9-ton gold output brings in 6.9trn/-

North Mara Gold Mine General Manager Apolinary Lyambiko, (centre), fellow workers and village leaders pose in a group picture after taking part in a tree-planting exercise to conserve Tigithe river banks as part of marking World Environment Day 2025 on June 5.

By Lake Zone Watch writer

On June 5, the giant North Mara Gold Mine led water users communities and nearby villages to plant trees along Tigithe River banks in Tarime district as part of marking World Environment Day

2025.

The one-hour event was held at Matongo village where the participants planted trees to prevent soil erosion along Tigithe River banks and to ensure it remains sustainable for future generations.

North Mara Gold Mine workers and Matongo village residents take part in tree-planting along Tigithe River bank as part of marking this year's World Environment Day on June 5.

Tigithe River is part of the ecological system whose waters enter the main Mara River flowing into Lake Victoria.

For nearby villages, the river is the heart of the lives of their residents and a natural bridge connecting present and future generations.

“Apart from planting natural trees along the river’s banks, we shall also plant trees for timber harvesting as an economic activity for the villagers,” North Mara Gold Mine general manager Apolinary Lyambiko said.

He said the mine has initiated a programme to plant 50,000 trees along Tigithe River banks in 13 villages by the end of this year.

The chairman of the Lower Tigithe Water Users Community, Mwita Seri, said the tree planting exercise would restore the natural vegetative cover of the area.

The chairman and village executive officer of Matongo village, Charles Ryoba and Faustine Chacha, respectively, said the tree-planting campaign along the river is a good lesson for the villagers in environmental conservation.

On his part, Francis Uhadi, the North Mara Gold Mine Community Relations Manager, said his organisation has friendly relations with the Water Users Community which has come up with the idea of tree-planting along Tigithe River.

The World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5 every year to lay emphasis on conservation issues. This year’s theme dwelt on “Beat plastic pollution” while Tanzania’s theme went into similar lines:“Our environment and the future of Tanzania: Let’s take action now; control plastic pollution”.