West told to lift advisories ahead of wildebeest migration

Narok, Kenya: Narok Governor Samuel Tunai has appealed to the US and European nations to lift the travel advisories ahead of the wildebeest migration in the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Mr Tunai said the country has incurred huge losses as a result of the advisories yet terrorism is not a creation of the Kenyan government.

Speaking during the Madaraka Day celebrations, Tunai said several hotels and lodges have been closed down due to lack of visitors.

“Hotels have reported booking cancellations with several laying off their staff. We want to ask the countries that issued the travel advisories to lift them because the high season in the Masai Mara begins early July,” Tunai said.

He also challenged the West to help the country fight terrorism instead of penalising it through the bans.

He assured those planning to visit the world famous Masai Mara of their security because more security personnel have been deployed to the reserve.

He lauded the Government’s efforts to initiate talks with the envoys from the countries that issued travel bans. 

The call comes at a time when hotels in the Mara are recording few bookings just days before the onset of the Wildebeest migration.

The Tour Guides and Drivers Association National Chairman Andrew Mungatana echoing Tunai’s sentiments said the association travelled abroad to market the country as a safe tourist destination. 

“We visited different countries and we managed to convince many that despite the bans Kenya is still a safe destination. We managed to get some bookings and hopefully these tourists will help us market the country,” said Mr Mungatana.

At the same time, Tunai has banned all hotels and lodges from selling bead work to tourists.

He said beading should be left to local women who live around the reserve so that they can also benefit from the income coming from the Mara.

“Our county assembly will come up with a law that prohibits lodges from selling the beads so that the women can get an avenue of earning a livelihood,”  Tunai said.