Kwale County Governor Salim Mvurya has said peace and security is paramount in the revival of the fragile tourism sector in the coastal county, especially at this time when Covid-19 has had a profound impact on the global tourism industry.
Mvurya said his regional administration will work closely with security agencies to make sure the county remains a peaceful tourist destination, even after it was voted the best beach destination in Africa seven years in a row.
Diani Beach in Kwale has been voted as one of the top beach destinations in Africa as it offers an expansive 20km of powder white sand, which meets the Indian Ocean on Kenya’s south coastline.
Mvurya noted that already the tourism industry is going through ‘difficult and unprecedented times’ as a result of the global covid-19 crisis.
“We assure all security agencies that my administration will cooperate and support any programs to make Kwale which heavily depends on the tourism sector a safe haven” said Mvurya.
He urged the local youth in the county to reject religious extremism in all its forms and embrace peace and unity for the sake of prosperity.
The governor was speaking Saturday while closing a three-day peace and security workshop at Kwale County Cultural Amphitheatre for the county inspectorate and enforcement officers conducted by Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) officers under the command of Col. Harun Rashid.
He said the training will bring peace and tranquility in the region, since KDF has efficient counter terrorism capabilities to stem the tide of violent extremism.
The three-day training of the county inspectorate officers was conducted under the aegis of Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).
“The critical knowledge acquired here by our inspectorate officers will positively impact on the performance of their roles and responsibilities for the betterment of our county and the country’s security in general,” said Mvurya.
The governor said his administration will remain at the forefront in cooperating with the national government security agencies in fighting extremism, terrorism and radicalization which he said a global threat.
by Hussein Abdullahi
