Meru county’s Bongo and Rhino conservation project has been chosen for presentation before the president of United Nations (UN) General Assembly Volkan Bozkir.
Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu chaired the first meeting of the Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Trust which deliberate on the progress of the establishment of the Meru Bongo and Rhino Sanctuary.
“The President will be visiting the country later this month and the Meru Bongo and Rhino Conservation Project has been picked to be presented as a way of showcasing community involvement in wildlife heritage conservation. This is a great honour to Meru County and we are eagerly waiting for this event that will put the county on an international map,” said Mr Ntuchiu.
Mr Ntuchiu noted that Governor Kiraitu Murungi intended to transform Meru into a leading tourist destination and making the tourism sector a key contributor to the dream of making Meru great when he brought together partners including Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, and the Meru County communities bordering the forest.
“The Governor wanted these teams to come together and create a formidable force in developing the tourism sector in this County,” said Mr Ntuchiu.
He said the success achieved so far, where the project is drawing accolades and recognition from the UN is also attributed to the county government’s determination to transform livelihoods of Meru people through tourism.
He added: “This project will be repatriating the Bongo from Florida in the United States, which was indigenous to Mt Kenya but has since become extinct.”
By Brendah Gakii and Jacinta Mbuvi
