The county government of Busia has embarked on promoting tourism in the county by marketing local tourist destinations within the county which might be a great source of revenue collection if well nurtured and marketed.
Kakapel National Monument in Teso North Busia County is one of Kenya’s premier rock artworks in Kenya that is little known even by the Busia residents in spite of it having unique ancient wall drawings and caves.
According to the Director, Department of Tourism in Busia County, Ms. Inviolata Ndubi, the department took the initiative to promote all tourist sites in the County to sensitize Busia residents.
“Little is known about the tourist sites in Busia including the famous Kakapel monument in Teso North which has unique ancient wall drawings and caves. Busia residents hardly know about the site apart from the researchers who visit the site for their academic purposes. The monument hosts Chelelemuk hills which are good for hiking and also gives a clear view of Mt Elgon, Tororo rocks in Uganda, and Siaya plains in Siaya County. The highest point of the hills is 270 meters above the ground,” she noted.
Addressing the press during the hiking tour organized by the Busia County Department of Tourism aimed at promoting all tourist sites in the County, Ms. Ndubi noted that the initiative is to let the whole world know the natural resources in Busia that are good for tourist attraction.
“This tourism circuit is purposely to promote and let the world know that besides Kakapel National Monument there are other tourist attraction sites in Busia,” she said.
She revealed that the next circuit will be to visit Mukhondo Conservancy at Mukhondo bay, a home of the endangered sitatunga antelopes.
“The next circuit will be to visit Mukhondo Conservancy, a home of the endangered Sitatunga antelopes based at Mukhondo bay besides enjoying beaches along the shores of Lake Victoria” she clarified.
She noted that as a department after documenting all the sites they will gazette them, then develop Busia County tourism prospectors to help market tourism in Busia.
Angurai South Member of County Assembly, Hon. Joseph Eseme said to promote tourism in Busia, the county assembly will allocate money to the department to enable it to perform its duties effectively.
“The tourism department in Busia for a long time lacked proper leadership structure and that is the reason why the assembly did not see the need to allocate the money in tourism. But with what is going on, we have got a reason to allocate enough resources to the department and see that the department takes tourism in the county to the higher levels,” he noted.
According to the Kakapel National Monument curator, Mr. Thomas Namuye, the site has artifacts that have attracted a lot of researchers and geologists to learn about the culture of people around the monument urging the County Government and other stakeholders to help the center come up with interpretation center to offer the exhibitions at the site.
He promised that the National Museum monument would work closely with the County Government of Busia to promote tourism not only at the Kakapel monument but across the county.
According to Ms. Selyne Olando, one of the hikers at Chelelemuk Hills famously known as Kakapel Museum, there is a need for the government to partner with other stakeholders to introduce other sports events at the site to make the place vibrant to attract both local and international tourists.
“A lot needs to be done here to make this place lively. Let the government add more facilities and other activities such as sporting events, without forgetting the introduction of wildlife that are not dangerous to the surrounding community and by doing so this place will attract many tourists,” she said.
Director of Social Services, Mr. Charles Wakhaya said there are a lot of opportunities at Kakapel Monument that are yet to be tapped adding that more needs to be done to open up the place and the county in general in terms of tourism.
By Absalom Namwalo
