Cyclists planting 50,000 trees around Kilimanjaro, regenerating the Mountain ecology using pedals
Greening the Peak.
More than 50,000 indigenous trees will be planted on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in order to restore the natural ecology around Africa’s highest peak, courtesy of international cyclists.
The initiative is being hatched between one of the Telecom Companies, Vodacom Tanzania in association with the annual biking pilgrimage known as ‘Twende Butiama,’ which usually pays homage to the founding father of the nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere.
Head of the delegation, Gabriel Landa, said the mission is expected to touch the lives of more than 700,000 Tanzanians, by the time the cyclists land in Butiama on the 13th of July 2025.
The Twende Butiama Cycling Tour 2025 is for the first time taking the route around Mount Kilimanjaro as riders pedal their way for over 1500 kilometers towards Butiama, in Musoma District of Mara region. It will take them 11 days maximum.
More than 180 are taking part in the 2025 Twende Butiama Cycling Tour.
The riders are hailing from different countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, DR Congo, South Africa and Nigeria.
Vodacom, which is supporting the mission, pledges to plant 50,000 trees at the time when the entourage reaches Kilimanjaro in Moshi, being part of the 100,000 tree seedlings that the cellular phone service provider is intending to distribute to local schools nationwide.
Supported by Vodacom and Stanbic Bank Tanzania, the bicycling tour is usually held to honor Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, who championed environment conservation through the Arusha Manifest of 1961.
Vodacom recently staged a ‘live’ music concert in Arusha to raise money for purchasing tree seedlings.
According to the Head of Media Relations at Vodacom Tanzania, Annette Kanora, they realized the importance of planting trees around Kilimanjaro, after visiting the area and saw the need for greening the mountain precinct.
The development comes following a series of bush fires erupting on Mount Kilimanjaro and causing drastic environmental destruction on the slopes of the continent’s highest elevation.
Some of the performers who participated during the concert held at Eden Garden in Arusha were Zuchu, Dulla Makabila and Marioo, all from Dar-es-salaam as well as some local artists from the city.
In addition to greening Mount Kilimanjaro, the Twende Butiama organizers will also be distributing trees in school, donating 50 bicycles to students as well as providing 1500 desks for about 19 local schools along the way.