- Murang’a Governor James Irungu has praised the initiative: “We recognize and appreciate James Irungu’s dedication to cancer awareness. His commitment to this important cause is truly commendable.” Governor Kang’ata has promised medical support and future collaboration to integrate Irungu’s ideas into county health strategies.
In Murang’a Town’s CBD, a young pastor wrapped his arms around a tree and refused to let go. For 79 hours, Pastor James Irungu clung to the bark not for clout, not for politics, but to force a conversation that Kenya has too often avoided: cancer.
Pastor James Irungu began his 80‑hour tree‑hugging challenge on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. in Murang’a Town’s CBD. He aimed to conclude the record attempt on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at around 5:00 a.m.
Though he collapsed just one hour and 36 minutes short of his 80‑hour target, Irungu’s endurance stunt has already broken a different kind of record. For the first time this year, Kenyans across counties, tribes, and faiths are talking openly about cancer, its devastating toll, and the urgent need for action.
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“Give him his 79‑hour record. Justice for the boy child,” one Kenyan declared, capturing the sentiment of many who saw Irungu’s collapse not as failure but as sacrifice.
Messages of support flooded platforms. “Quick recovery to my brother Pastor @IrunguJames_1,” tweeted Truphena Muthoni, Guinness World Record holder for 48 hours of tree hugging. Another user added: “Not for clout. Not for politics. Just to force a conversation on cancer. And honestly, it worked.”
Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang'ata has praised the initiative: “We recognize and appreciate James Irungu’s dedication to cancer awareness. His commitment to this important cause is truly commendable.” Governor Kang’ata has promised medical support and future collaboration to integrate Irungu’s ideas into county health strategies.
Cancer in Kenya is not just a disease it is a silent destroyer of households. The Nairobi Chief officer for Citizen Engagement and Customer Service Geoffrey Mosiria, reflecting on Irungu’s effort, wrote:
“Cancer does not just attack the body. It breaks families, drains resources, and steals dignity. I have personally seen cancer reduce families to nothing. Homes destroyed. Dreams buried. Hope exhausted.”
His words echo the lived reality of thousands of Kenyan families who face late diagnoses, unaffordable treatment, and inadequate facilities. Silence, as one supporter noted, is deadly.
Irungu’s tree‑hugging trial has become more than a spectacle; it is a metaphor for the grip cancer has on Kenyan society and the endurance required to fight it. The stunt has sparked calls for:
County‑level cancer centers: leveraging devolved health functions to bring diagnosis and treatment closer to communities.
Free cancer treatment: through executive action, ensuring that no patient is denied care due to cost.
Youth advocacy: positioning symbolic activism as a way to amplify the voices of the boy child and young leaders in health campaigns.
Pastor James Irungu may not have reached his 80‑hour target, but he achieved something remarkable. His 79‑hour embrace of a tree broke the Guinness World Record, surpassing the 72‑hour mark set by Truphena a feat that is still under review by Guinness. More than a personal milestone, his endurance broke the silence around cancer, turning a solitary act into a national embrace of awareness.
As one Kenyan put it: “Your pain has become a voice for those who can no longer speak.”
The ball, now, is in the leaders’ court. Will they turn symbolic endurance into systemic change?
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