Bomet Governor Dr Hillary Barchok has said due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation all over the World, the tourism sector which had started to flourish in the region had dimmed again.
He said that the international visitors found it difficult to fly into the country to enjoy the country’s beautiful sceneries and the diverse traditional cultural practices due to divergent health and travel protocols issued by the different governments globally.
Governor Barchok made the remarks in his parlour during the visit by the Ministry of Tourism Cabinet Administrative Secretary (CAS) Mr Joseph Boinet who was touring the region.
“We had initially gained recognition as a tourist destination in the region due to the importance of the Mara basin which were advocating for its sustainable management as Bomet is the source of the rivers which empty their waters to the Mara river,” he said.
Adding that,” as the custodians of the Mara basin ecosystem, we had to rise to the occasion and stand with this very critical resource that has captured global attention in terms of its ecological importance and as a tourist attraction for visitors not only in Kenya but also in Tanzania”.
He said before the striking of Covid19 disease, the County government of Bomet was in the process of working with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and other donors to conserve the source of the Mara basin whose great beneficiaries are downstream, especially, the Serengeti national game reserve in Tanzania and Maasai Mara game reserve in Kenya.
“It is out of our actions that the Mara Ecosystem faces a myriad of challenges and threats, we are cutting down trees, cultivating up to the river banks, overgrazing, increasing human habitation and many other activities that destroy the ecosystem hence sustainable action should be taken now,” the governor stated.
Dr Barchok appealed to the Ministries of Tourism and that of Environment to set aside funds for the conservation of the Mara ecosystem for sustainability of the wildebeest movement from Serengeti in Tanzania to Maasai Mara in Kenya and vice versa.
He pointed out that in last two years, the county government of Bomet had planted over two (2) million trees seedlings against a target of five (5) million trees in various parts of the county and this continuous exercise was aimed at increasing the forest cover from 12% to 17% by the year 2022.
On his part the CAS Boinet said that the national government recognized the roles played by county governments in the promotion of tourism in the country which was one of the largest foreign exchange earner to the economy.
“As a national government we ensure that your actions are well coordinated as well-managed environment will make the government achieve the Big Four agenda that is Food Security (Agriculture), Manufacturing, Housing and Health Care since they are cross cutting in all ministries,” he said.
By Joseph Obwocha
