By ANTONY GITONGA
Kenya Wildlife Service ( KWS) has erected emergency exits along the gorge in Hells Gate National Park following the death of seven youths two months ago.
The new safety measures were announced two days after the gorge was opened to the public.
According to the warden in charge of the park, Ms Nelly Palmeris, the exit points are at strategic points while temporary ladders were fixed on some sections of the gorge mainly near the water fall.
“We have put emergency measures to avoid any deaths. Other safety measures are signs inside the gorge and fliers with more information,” she said.“
We have trained afresh all the guides in the park and we are committed to safety of the visitors,” she added.Seven youths from a Nairobi church drowned while visiting the gorge.
The seven were remembered over the weekend during the Hells Gate wheelbarrow race with KWS Director Julius Kipng’etich assuring the visitors that all was safe.
The director ruled out changing the name of the park as advocated by some leaders after the tragedy. Some leaders then said the name Hells Gate depicted evil more so thatthe youth who perished were from a church from Nairobi.
During the colourful event, Dr Kipng’etich said funds collected from the event would go towards the construction of an educational centre.”
Unique race
This is the only race of its kind in the world and we shall continue to support it so that we conserve the environment,” he said.
Italian Ambassador to Kenya Ms Paola Imperiale praised the initiative saying that 120,000 Italians visited Kenya last year.
“I am impressed by today’s function, which is very rare and more Italians will continue to visit Kenya,” she said. Kenya relies heavily on European counties for tourists with Italy among the leading sources.
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