A senior police officer in Kericho County was on Monday rescued from a tree and later hospitalised after taking part in a viral tree-hugging challenge inside a police station compound.
According to a police report filed at Sosiot Police Station on Tuesday, the Officer Commanding Station (OCS), Chief Inspector Kennedy Wanjala, was found hugging a tree within the station grounds while dressed in full police uniform.
The report states that the Belgut Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) and the Sub-County Criminal Investigations Officer (SCCIO) were alerted during routine duties after members of the public gathered at the station, drawn by the unusual incident.
Officers who responded to the scene confirmed finding the OCS clinging to the tree. He was later disengaged and spoken to by fellow officers.
Police said the senior officer appeared distressed and depressed and was subsequently taken to hospital for medical evaluation and observation.
The incident comes amid a growing wave of Kenyans attempting prolonged tree-hugging challenges following climate activist Truphena Muthoni’s recent world record of hugging a tree continuously for 72 hours.
Inspired by her feat, Murang’a-based pastor James Irungu went on to surpass the record by reaching 79 hours before collapsing just an hour short of his 80-hour target. He was forced to stop the challenge after succumbing to exhaustion.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has raised alarm over the emerging trend, warning that prolonged endurance challenges pose serious health risks.
Speaking to residents in Ngiriambu, Gichugu Constituency, Kirinyaga County, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni cautioned members of the public against engaging in physically demanding activities without prior medical assessment.
She urged individuals to undergo proper health check-ups to rule out underlying conditions that could endanger their lives during such challenges.
