The government has pledged to support owners of three hotels in Watamu, Kilifi County, whose establishments were razed down by fire last Wednesday to rebuild their hotels as fast as possible.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Peninnah Malonza who conducted an extensive tour of the hotels that were gutted down by the fierce inferno, said the government would work with the hoteliers’ association and insurance companies to bring the businesses back on their feet.
The CS at the same time said her ministry would provide funding to beach operators whose businesses of selling curios and other items were affected by the fire incident with a view to re-establishing them.
She was addressing workers at the Baracuda Hotel, which was completely destroyed by the fire, where she noted that there was need for the establishments to be rebuilt so that hundreds of workers who depend on the hotel industry do not lose employment.
She said the government would talk with the hoteliers’ association to see how the three hotels can be rebuilt as fast as possible, and pledged to provide funding to owners of curio stalls to start rebuilding their premises that were also razed down.
The tourist establishments that were gutted down by the inferno suspected to have been caused by an electric fault were Baracuda, Mbuyu Lodge and Mapango. Three tourists were injured during the incident.
“Insurance companies are working towards compensating the hoteliers for the losses to ensure they resume business and as government, we shall cooperate with them. There are those women who were selling their wares outside the hotels whose stalls also got burnt. Those women are not in associations and I will start with them to ensure I leave something for them to start rebuilding their stalls immediately,” she said.
She noted that the fire incident had not only affected hotel owners and their employees, but also beach operators who depended on tourists from the hotels to buy their goods and services, adding that those too must be assisted.
She said she would work with the County Government of Kilifi to ensure at least one fire engine is stationed in Watamu to respond to fire incidents, noting that the response to the Wednesday incident was poor due to the lack of a fire engine within the locality.
CS at the same time disclosed that the government would next month launch the Hustler Fund for businesses whereby traders would be loaned up to Sh300,000 and urged traders in the tourism sector to take advantage of the fund and expand their businesses.
She said the government had an elaborate plan to revive the tourism industry in the country, and especially within the North Coast region, including the completion of the Ronald Ngala Utalii College which is expected to provide skilled human resource.
She said beach operators would be organized to ensure that they carry out their businesses ethically, noting that any unethical conduct on their part could deal a deadly blow to tourism.
Kilifi North Member of Parliament Mr. Owen Baya urged Watamu residents, especially those working in the beaches, to protect the tourism sector by ensuring high standards of discipline, saying failure to do so would scare away tourists from the area.
Baya, who is also the Deputy Majority Leader in the National Assembly, lamented that during the fire incidents, some of the rescuers looted from the tourists, something that he said had angered the main tour company taking tourists to Watamu.
“I have received a letter from the tour company complaining that its clients’ items were looted by would be rescuers. The company has threatened to pull out of this area and you know the implication of this because Watamu is entirely dependent on tourism,” he said.
The legislator pointed out that Watamu was the only area in the North Coast with tourists and it would be foolish to scare them away. He noted that some wayward safari sellers had started charging tourists 2US Dollars before allowing them to access the sea and asked them to desist from the vice.
Beach operators who depend on tourists from the three hotels that were burnt down said they had lost a lot of business and called for the quick rebuilding of the hotels for them to continue with their businesses.
The proprietor of Baracuda Hotel, Mr. Buonasera Guiseppe said he had initiated talks with his insurance company and that the hotel, which was completely brought down by the fire, would be rebuilt within the next 100 days.
He however said he would use less-flammable materials as opposed to the makuti (coconut palm fronds) thatching materials, which he described as dangerous.
By Emmanuel Masha
