Review travel advisories, they are hurting Kenya consider a review

For the better part of 2014, the Al-Shabaab militia group operating from neighbouring Somalia subjected Kenya to terrorist attacks that left many bewildered and put the police and other security agencies in bad stead from their apparent inability to contain them.

From the attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Westlands to attacks in Eastleigh, Garissa, Mandera and Mpeketoni in Lamu County, the despondency created among the citizenry was such that they lost confidence in the ability of the Government to provide adequate security. The resultant bewilderment even saw the Government attempt to shift blame to the opposition.

Somehow, the Government came out of its lethargy and managed to stem the wave of attacks.

Except for the occasional attacks, there is relative calm which calls for a review of the travel bans that Britain and its allies imposed on the country as a way of protecting their citizens from potential harm.

The Western hemisphere countries had the right to do so, for the work of a responsible government is to protect its citizens.

The travel advisories served their purpose and are no longer necessary now. For this reason, we call on the Western countries to officially lift the travel bans on Kenya.

The advisories have had adverse effects on the economy of the country which to a larger extent relied on tourism for its foreign exchange earnings.

The coastal towns of Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu that have for years depended on tourism for economic survival are shells of their former selves.

A shortage of tourists has led to the closure of hotels and, by extension, loss of thousands of jobs for people who worked in the tourism industry.

Tour van operators have turned their vans into hearses for want of something to do.

The country is fairly secure as our security forces do all that is in their power to beat back Al-Shabaab. The ministries of Foreign Affairs and Tourism must go out there and aggressively market Kenya. Assuring tourists of their safety might convince them to come back and revive our dying tourism industry.