Kenyan President William Ruto used the 20th African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in Nairobi to press for climate considerations in all development programmes and cautioned African nations against borrowing heavily for green projects. The meeting, attended by regional environment ministers and international agencies, is shaping the continent’s common position ahead of UNEA-7 and COP30. After the plenary, Ruto toured the Nairobi River Regeneration Programme, announcing that the Climate WorX initiative will hire 20,000 additional young people in the capital next week, doubling the city’s head-count to 40,000 and bringing total national employment in climate works to about 200,000. The river clean-up, which includes new sewer lines, non-motorised walkways and 10,000 social housing units, is scheduled for completion by 1 January 2027. Ruto also intervened in a long-running land row in Ruaraka, ordering the immediate withdrawal of police officers from the Baba Dogo playground and declaring the disputed field a community asset. The site had been claimed by Kenafric Industries, which holds a 2023 court ruling allowing eviction of residents. Earlier in Embakasi, the president opened the rehabilitated 3.1-kilometre Bridge Savannah–Stage 17–Masimba Road, part of a plan to add at least 70 kilometres of new roads in Nairobi aimed at easing congestion and supporting trade.