James Irungu’s bid to break the 72-hour world record attempt for marathon tree hugging—set by environmental activist Ms Truphena Muthoni—nearly ended in tears after he collapsed at the 79th hour, just one hour short of the 80 hours he had set for himself.
Medics say he is now under 24-hour hospital observation after his kidneys failed. They cautioned Kenyans embarking on similar challenges to undergo health checks first.
Mr Irungu, 30, embarked on the ambitious challenge to create awareness about cancer and promote environmental conservation.
He began the endurance feat in Murang’a town’s Central Business District on January 5, 2025, and was expected to conclude it on Thursday, January 8, 2025, at 5.27 am.
However, at around 4.30am, Mr Irungu collapsed—already seven hours past Ms Muthoni’s yet to be officially recognised record.
Panic ensued as onlookers gathered, prompting Murang’a County Health Chief Officer Eliud Maina to issue a statement assuring the public that Mr Irungu was receiving medical attention.
“Mr Irungu is here with us at Murang’a Level Five Hospital and is being attended to. Let us all hope for the best for our hero,” Mr Maina said.
In a later update, Mr Maina stated that Mr Irungu was being managed for dizziness, fatigue, irritability and general weakness but was stable and not in any life-threatening condition.
“Mr Irungu is up, has regained consciousness and is now in a photo session with partners and fans,” Mr Maina announced at 10.00am on Thursday.
It now remains to be seen whether Mr Irungu’s attempt meets the verification threshold required to dethrone Ms Muthoni’s Guinness World Record attempt for the longest tree hugging marathon .
Long process
The process of securing a Guinness World Record begins with an online submission of intent. Once reviewed and approved, the applicant proceeds with the attempt while adhering to strict guidelines.
After completion, evidence—including videos, photographs, and witness statements—is submitted for verification. Guinness World Records then reviews the materials before confirming or rejecting the claim.
Ms Muthoni, 23, is widely regarded as one of Kenya’s most resilient environmental activists. She first hugged a tree for 48 hours between January 31 and February 2, 2025, at Michuki Memorial Park in Nairobi.
That record was confirmed by Guinness World Records on December 12, 2025. She later broke her own record in Nyeri after clocking 72 hours on December 11, 2025.
Mr Irungu had openly declared his intention to surpass Ms Muthoni’s record, stating that “records are set to be broken.” He also said he wanted to represent the boy child on a prominent stage.
“My chief objective is to create awareness through my foundation against the nightmare of cancer, and later launch a tree-planting drive targeting one million seedlings,” he said.
Mr Irungu revealed that the loss of a close family member to cancer deeply affected him.
“It was like a blow below the belt. That pain pushed me to declare war against the disease,” he said.
A former preacher with Jesus Compassionate Ministry, Mr Irungu, caused a stir when he arrived in Murang’a town, announced his intention and embraced a tree as the clock began to tick.
Mocked online
Initially, many dismissed him as a publicity seeker with online trolls branding him a copycat attempting to ride on Ms Muthoni’s moment of glory.
But after he surpassed the 24-hour mark, attitudes shifted. Online ridicule turned into encouragement and Murang’a’s political and social elite began paying attention.
Ms Muthoni herself appeared at the scene to encourage him easing fears of rivalry.
“I am here to stand with my brother and wish him stamina, blessings and victory. We are not competitors—we are partners in humanity,” she said.
The Murang’a County Security Committee deployed two officers to secure the site while the county government stationed an ambulance and medical personnel. The Kenya Forest Service also sent an officer to safeguard the tree involved in the marathon.
The 79-hour ordeal left Murang’a with both gainers and losers but Mr Irungu emerged as the standout figure.
He received an outpouring of love, financial support and promises of opportunities from the county government and corporate entities, including real estate firms that pledged land and housing.
The county government used the moment to publicise what it termed a “transformative health agenda under the stewardship of Governor Irungu Kang’ata.”
Content creators from across the Mt Kenya region flocked to the scene, amplifying the event online, while politicians—both serving and aspiring—used the platform to campaign as they offered words of encouragement.
Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri said President William Ruto was closely following the initiative and promised to seek an audience with the presidency once he was fully briefed.
“At this rate, Mt Kenya’s resilience is evident. The tree-hugging marathon record is now being pursued in Nyeri and Murang’a. In Laikipia, we might hug an acacia tree for the record,” Mr Kiunjuri joked.
He pledged a personal donation to Mr Irungu, praising him for demonstrating that “dreaming big, ignoring prophets of doom and braving the cost is what takes us to Singapore—Mr Irungu’s life is already in Singapore.”
Several educational institutions also visited the scene to market themselves, while County Commissioner Hassan Bule commended security teams for ensuring the safety of Mr Irungu, the crowd and the venue.
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