Day: April 3, 2024

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has launched activities that could revive the tourism industry to contribute immensely to the national economy.

Dr Mutua is spearheading a countrywide campaign dubbed ‘Utalii Fresh,’ a strategic roadmap that seeks to uncover Kenya’s hidden tourism treasures and move the sector to the next level.

Speaking in Kwale County, the CS says his ministry is collaborating with the 47 devolved governments in the development of their rich tourism destinations and potentials.

Dr Mutua says his ministry is determined to revitalise the country’s tourism industry by investing in critical infrastructure like access roads, installing solar lighting along the beaches and strategic marketing to attract high spending tourists.

He says the campaign seeks to turn the tourism potentials in the counties into reality and promote tourism as a major foreign exchange earner and create jobs.

The CS was in Kwale County for his #UtaliiFresh county tours and announced that his visits w
ill explore potential collaborations and partnerships to ensure that counties benefit from tourism opportunities.

He noted that Kenya has a strong comparative advantage in the hospitality and tourism sector because of its diverse cultural heritage.

CS Mutua termed the #UtaliiFresh campaign as a recipe for reviving sustainable and responsible tourism and repositioning it as a key sector in the national economy.

He says his vision is to unlock the untapped tourism potential of every corner of the country and take development to the grassroots.

‘All around the world tourism plays an important role in the preservation and promotion of culture and heritage,’ he said, adding that efforts would be made to ensure heritage sites and monuments throughout the country are preserved.

The CS accompanied by Governor Fatuma Achani visited a number of sites that the county intends to develop into attractive tourists’ sites in Diani.

Diani beach is the preferred holiday destination for both domestic and foreign tourists
and each year it receives a record number of holidaymakers arriving to savour its beautiful scenery.

The resort town of Diani with its clear blue water and white sandy beaches have seen the South Coast town voted the best destination beach in Africa for six years in a row by the World Travel Awards.

The minister also held talks with tourism stakeholders and investors who presented their views on the challenges and opportunities in the tour, travel and hospitality sector.

Dr Mutua is asking the county governments to develop cultural experiences that would not only attract tourists but also benefit local economies and empower communities.

The Tourism CS says he has agreed with the Kwale County leadership on several initiatives aimed at enhancing the coastal county’s tourism sector.

‘Key commitments include supporting the rehabilitation of the Diani tourist market and the construction of the Kwale Heritage and Convention Centre,’ he said.

He also announced the establishment of a modern recreation facility
along the historic Kongo beach blending preservation of the area’s history with contemporary amenities.

Dr Mutua says Kongo Beach is renowned for its potential in Halal (Shariah compliant) Tourism development and noted that the government sees a potential market of foreign Muslim travelers, especially from the Middle East.

He says the national government has set its eyes on the Arabian travel markets as an important growth area for the coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu tourism sector.

Mutua said the government will take steps to get a slice of the growing Muslim tourism market by participating in the Arabian Travel Markets.

He said Muslim customers from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Iran and Turkey specifically look for tour packages that can guarantee them to perform prayer five times a day during travel.

Mutua also noted that in terms of food, they demand products that only use halal materials and are processed in compliance with Islamic rules.

Governo
r Achani says the devolved unit will set up a state-of-the-art conference facility in Diani and has already allocated Sh 40 million for the development of the necessary public services and utilities.

‘Our discussions focused on strategies on possible partnership areas between the Kwale County government and the ministry of tourism to grow and bolster the tourism numbers in our county,’ she said.

She says the national government needs to partner with devolved governments and other stakeholders if the tourism industry is to be properly harnessed.

The coastal county boss says Kwale will reposition itself as a top Halal friendly destination as the hospitality industry already has outstanding halal tourism infrastructure to cater for the Muslim travelers.

‘As a Muslim it’s important to ensure that your travel arrangements including food and accommodation are Halal especially if you intend on travelling during the Muslim holiday seasons,’ she said.

She urged stakeholders to offer tour packages with extended se
rvices such as allocating times for praying in the itinerary of Muslim tourists and offering halal food.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Property of unknown value was destroyed after a fire burnt down a 230 capacity dormitory last night in Masii Boy’s High School in Mwala, Machakos County.

According to police reports the fire whose cause remain unknown broke at around 7pm when students were in the dining hall taking their supper.

Sub County Police Commander Nancy Jerobon said no injuries were reported during the incident. However, nothing was salvaged.

Jerobon said members of the public helped put out the fire before a fire brigade from the County Government arrived.

‘It was reported by the Chief Principal Joseph Nzoka that a joint dormitory with a capacity of 230 students caught fire while students were taking supper,’ read the police report.

She disclosed that the school had closed but some students who performed poorly in their end term examinations had been left behind for tuition.

The Sub County Police Commander said police have launched investigations into the incident.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya Port Authority (KPA) Managing Director Captain William Ruto led the ceremonial flag handover to the KPA volleyball squad as they prepare to travel to Egypt for the upcoming Men’s African Clubs Volleyball Championship.

Capt. Ruto’s presence at the Makande Sports Complex was aimed to uplift team spirits, expressing his unwavering belief in their capabilities and commitment to supporting them.

‘Our squad is exceptionally talented. I will continue to support them, and I have full confidence that they can surpass last year’s performance, where they finished sixth,’ Capt. Ruto stated.

Capt. Ruto expressed his delight that the team would not only represent Mombasa but also Kenya in the championship, hoping that the squad would bring pride to the nation.

‘Our goal is to represent Kenya and bring pride to our nation. Reflecting on the success of our women’s basketball team, which secured silver in Egypt last year, we are eager to achieve similar success and bring home a trophy this time,’ he said.

The team’
s Head Coach, James Ontere, is confident that the club will secure a podium finish this year due to their extensive preparation.

‘This year, we commenced our preparations much earlier compared to last year, and I can confidently say that the team is fully prepared. In just a week, we will be in Nairobi to participate in the KPC@50 Tournament, where we will use the competition as a measure to know our progress,’ stated Ontere.

Ontere expressed gratitude to the KPA management for providing enough time and support for their preparation and also extended appreciation to Ruto for his visit.

‘Our morale received a significant boost from his visit. It demonstrates that the management is with us, and we genuinely appreciate their support. We aim to surpass last year’s performance and bring home a trophy, which will serve as a token of gratitude to the management for their unwavering support,’ said Ontere.

The team’s journey has shown remarkable progress when two years ago, they secured a ninth-place finish, and l
ast year, they substantially improved to clinch fifth place in the championship held in Tunisia.

KPA and Equity will be the only sole representatives of Kenya at the prestigious annual continental club championship.

Source: Kenya News Agency

County Government plans to tarmac a three-kilometer road from Cooperative Bank Roundabout to St. Kevin’s Secondary School in Lodwar Municipality for the current financial year.

The County Executive for Roads, Transport, and Public Works, Patrick Lokaimoe said when he handed over the site to the contractor. The project, costing Sh.195 million, is anticipated to improve the overall perception of Lodwar Municipality and facilitate further development in the area.

CECM Lokaimoe has requested the contractor to commence work immediately and ensure the project is completed within six months. ‘The contractor is obligated to start and finish work by October this year, as detailed in the project documents,’ the County Executive for Roads said.

He added that Engineers from the Department will be available on the site to ensure the contractor adheres to the required standards. The speaker was accompanied by Peter Akono, the CECM for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Areas Management, and the House Committee of the Tu
rkana County Assembly on Roads, Transport and Public Works.

Hence, to prevent potential harm during the construction period, the Roads Executive advised adherence to the project implementation plan on the provision of safety gear and protection of the construction area.

At the same time, Peter Akono, the County Executive for Lands, stated that the project aligns with the county’s commitment to improve urban areas in Turkana for better service quality. ‘Once complete, this road will open up the area to new investors who will take advantage of its existence. It is through this that I urge the contractor to do a commendable job,’ he said.

The said road is expected to raise the number of tarmacked roads in the Lodwar Municipality to eight. Lastly, previous tarmacked roads included; Lands Roundabout to County Assembly, Mkeka grounds to Moi Gardens, KWFT to St. Teresa’s Nadrikonyen, KWFT to Soweto and California areas, Kwa Robert Roundabout to Kanamkemer Catholic Parish, Nawoitorong and Kerio roads.

Source: Ke
nya News Agency

State Department for Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has affirmed the government’s commitment in ensuring that the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) is implemented smoothly.

Dr Kipsang said the Ministry of Education will ensure that learners are equipped with practical skills and competencies aligned with the Industry.

‘This will ensure that our learners transition seamlessly to the higher education level or the world of work,’ he stated.

The PS was speaking during a stakeholder’s engagement on Senior School and Teacher Education at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi that was attended by stakeholders from varied backgrounds.

The engagement was aimed at deliberating on the senior school curriculum and the kind of teacher education for those who will steer the senior school system under the auspices of the ongoing education reforms.

Dr Kipsang said the education sector has undergone reforms through the introduction of the Competency Based Curriculum, which were drive
n by the ever evolving national and global socio-political, economic, industrial, and technological landscape.

CBC has been under implementation since 2019 and is currently at Grade Eight in Junior School. Equally, the Competency Based Diploma in Teacher Education programmes for Early Childhood Development, Primary and Secondary levels are being offered in our public and private teacher training colleges.

The PS said the government is committed to provide quality free and compulsory basic education as per the Constitution, and prioritises curriculum reforms as a way to empower young Kenyans to thrive in a competitive, industrialising and closely networked world.

‘The Kenyan curriculum had to align with the Sustainable Development Goals, Kenya Vision 2030, the Constitution of Kenya 2010, and the demands of 21st-century skills and approaches,’ he added.

The PS said the review at the Primary Education and Junior School has come with implications for Senior School and Teacher Education with Senior school bein
g the transition to tertiary education and the world of work

He thanked the stakeholders for giving their input on how to improve the quality of education, how it is implemented, as well as on the progress and future plans concerning Senior School and teacher education

President William Ruto formed the Presidential Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) in 2022 to address salient issues in the education sector.

The recommendations by the PWPER have had far reaching implications for Basic Education as well as Teacher Education. The CBC has been reviewed at various levels as per the PWPER recommendations.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Counties of Turkana and West Pokot have partnered with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the National Government to constitute a participatory rangeland management committee forum to discuss the harmonization of rangeland units grazing plan.

The meeting, held at Alale in Pokot North Sub-County, aims to develop by-laws to guide offenses and penalties that would uniformly apply to all offenders in case of a breach.

Additionally, the forum provided a way forward on contested areas and, approaches to mapping out grazing areas during wet and dry seasons based on grazing patterns.

Turkana county Director for Livestock Production, Bobby Ekadon, expressed optimism that the discussions would provide a more holistic response to the need for a more effective grazing plan for the neighboring communities and allow for rangeland regeneration.

‘A participatory approach in the development of the grazing plans based on the community needs and interests will strengthen unity and enhance pasture
and livestock productivity,’ he said.

He also said there was a need for the larger community to validate the developed by-laws and focus on the registration of the rangeland units going forward.

Loima Deputy County Commissioner, Peter Mutiso, urged the rangeland committee members to embrace the spirit of peace and development through managing and sharing scarce resources.

His Pokot North Counterpart, James Ajwang, appreciated GIZ and the two County Governments for organizing the workshop which he said has enabled residents to understand the concept of rangeland management.

He also reiterated the National Government’s support of the initiative as he called on the committee to use the good relations to implement rangeland management.

For the sustainability of peace between the regions, Turkana Director for Peace Building and Conflict Management, Titus Lokorikeju also called for the closure of the illegal livestock market in the Lopuke border area.

This, he said, is a hub for criminal activity involving li
vestock theft hence the need for one common market livestock trade.

GIZ Technical Advisor, Francis Ekaru, pointed out that the participatory discussion will help bring to an end the perennial issue of conflict over grazing land among the communities.

The grazing planning workshop ended with the joint rangeland units committees developing a grazing plan and harmonized by-laws charting a course for instituting the plan.

The committee was also urged to continue providing educational meetings to the larger portions of the community to create awareness of the efforts to restore land productivity through holistic grazing practices.

The harmonized by-laws will regulate and improve the management and usage of rangelands in the three Sub-Counties.

Going forward, the communities will now have a framework where they can manage their rangelands and protect grazing areas to enhance the productivity of pasture and their livelihood.

The seven units drawn from Pokot North, Loima, and Lokiriama Sub-Counties consist of L
okiriama Urum, Lobei Lorengkippi, Lokitonyala, Kalapata Soity, Ulukuse Kotaruk, Akoret Tomkwo Kalya and Chemorongit rangeland units.

The meeting was also attended by sub-county administrators and chiefs (Loima, Lokiriama Lorengippi, Pokot North), the Director for Livestock Production (West Pokot County), the Ag. Deputy Director for Veterinary Services (Turkana County), Ward Administrators (Lokiriama, Lobei/Kotaruk and Alale), Assistant County Commissioners (Loima and Alale) and Livestock Production Officers.

Source: Kenya News Agency