Parliamentary Committee wants Utalii College granted authority to certify hospitality practitioners

Chefs from various hotels in Mombasa and Malindi follow proceedings during the annual Kenya Utalii College refresher course graduation ceremony at the PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort, on March 25, 2018. [File, Standard]

The National Assembly Committee on Tourism and Wildlife is now pushing for the Kenya Utalii College to be granted the authority to certify all professionals in the hospitality industry.

Led by Chairperson Maara Member of Parliament Kareke Mbiuki, the committee on Tuesday voiced concerns over the lack of regulation in the sector's training standards.

The committee emphasized the need for standardised training during a meeting with officials from the Tourism Professionals Association (TPA) led by Chairperson Prof Ray Mutinda.

"If we make it mandatory that all practitioners in the tourism and hospitality sector must have a certification from Utalii College before practising, there will be standardisation," said Mbiuki.

His sentiments were echoed by his Ijaara counterpart Abdi Ali who said the committee's agenda is to have the premier college elevated and be the institution that certifies all the professionals in the sector.

Prof Mutinda in his remarks said the Tourism Professionals Association supports the idea of having Utalii College as the certifying institution.

"We are proposing that training should continue at the lower levels, and we should be allowed to work with other stakeholders to establish a minimum curriculum for the learners, " said Prof Mutinda.

In an afternoon meeting with Tourism Promotion Fund Chief Executive Officer Stephen Kinyanjui, the committee chaired by Likuyani MP Innocent Mugabe was updated on the projects funded by the TPF in the last and current fiscal years.

The Committee is expected to meet the CEOs of the Kenya Tourism Board, Tourism Regulatory Authority, and Tourism Research Institute today to discuss their strategic plans.