Twenty-eight-year-old Eric Munene, a resident of Ciambugu village in Mbeere North Constituency in Embu County has completed a 90-hour tree-hugging challenge to draw attention to the difficulties faced by marginalised communities in far-flung regions of Kenya.

Munene concluded the gruelling mission on Monday January 12 at 11am, having started on Thursday at 5pm in the presence of hundreds of cheering villagers and local leaders who had gathered to celebrate his feat.

Munene’s feat was accomplished barely less than a month after a 24-year old woman Truphena Muthoni set a Guinness Book of record for a hugging a tree for 72 hours to underline the devastating environmental challenges Kenya faces.

Through the protest, Munene advocated for right to essential services such as access health, tarmacked roads, reliable water supply for domestic use and irrigation, as well as electricity connectivity in the arid region.

Munene’s resilience and courage have earned him accolades from both leaders and residents who hope his sacrifice will translate into tangible provision of the services h was campaigning for.

During the challenge, Munene endured harsh weather conditions ranging from the scorching sun during the day and extremely cold nights, hunger and extreme physical exhaustion. Upon completion, he appeared frail and was taken in an ambulance to Embu Level Five Hospital for medical evaluation.

His wife, Bancy Karimi, described her husband as a determined and persistent individual who never gives up once he commits to a goal, although she initially doubted whether he could complete the challenge.

“I asked him if he would really manage all those hours up there, and he confidently told me, ‘I will do it,’” she said.

Munene’s mother, Consolata Macharia, linked her son’s protest to a family experience, noting that she had to travel many kilometres to Embu Level Five Hospital when her daughter-in-law gave birth due to the absence of a health facility in Ciambugu and the wider Nthawa area.

“The long distance and poor roads make it difficult for expectant women and the sick to access medical care on time. When someone falls ill here, they have to be rushed far away and sometimes it becomes a matter of life and death,” Consolata said.

Area residents praised Munene for standing up for their needs and urged both county and national governments to turn his sacrifice into real change and sustainable development in the region.

Munene’s tree hugging protest has drawn attention to the urgent need for basic social services in Ciambugu, which mirrors similar problems in remote and underserved areas in Kenya.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Samuel Waititu