Banditry, natural disasters to blame for the dwindling tourism sector

Kabarnet, Thursday May 25, 2023

KNA by Joshua Kibet

Runaway banditry, unprecedented rising lake water levels and massive flooding has dealt a major blow to the hitherto booming tourism sector in Baringo County.

Governor Benjamin Cheboi said that the natural calamities coupled with effects of Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 has seen revenue collection plummet from Sh200 million to a paltry Sh10 million per year in the past three years.

Speaking in his Kabarnet office when he received officials from Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) who paid him a courtesy call, the governor pointed out that the rising water levels in Lakes Baringo and Bogoria which is famous for its geysers, hot springs and thousands of lesser flamingos has impacted negatively on the high potential tourism sub sector.

He observed that several tourist hotels, lodges and campsites situated along the lake shores have been submerged and roads leading to such attractions destroyed completely resulting in huge revenue losses.

Cheboi noted that local and foreign tourists no longer tour the once vibrant tourism sites in the area due to fear occasioned by incidences of insecurity caused by armed criminals.

The CRA team led by the commission CEO/Secretary James Katule are on a three-day visit of the county to interact with wananchi and grass root leaders in 96 sub locations identified as marginalized and set to benefit from Shs.800 million equalization fund (EF).

The officials, the CEO stated, were also to visit villages in the selected administrative units to feel and appreciate the level of marginalization to adequately inform them when it comes to approving the prioritized projects in the key areas of water, healthcare, electricity, roads and education.

Katule added that they were in the region to collect data for use in the finalization of the Third Policy that will consider marginalized areas that were not captured in the Second Policy and areas retained and those that dropped from the third policy.

“The marginalization of disadvantaged counties would not be complete without mentioning the name of governor Cheboi who put up a spirited campaign during the First Policy of 2013 for Baringo to include in the list of those benefiting from equalization fund kitty,” Katule noted.

The CEO lauded the governor for his tireless efforts that has seen the arid and vast county being captured in the Second Policy of 2017 and his bouncing back to see the realization and fruits of the fight.

Cheboi flanked by some of his county executive committee (CEC) members in charge of the affected sectors asked the commission to synchronize their plans in tandem with the spirit and letter of devolved units so that projects falling under counties are devolved together with respective funds to ensure ownership and sustainability.

Courtesy ; K. N. A