Tourism Cabinet Secretary (CS), Najib Balala, on Thursday, reportedly announced that the government would set aside Ksh300 million to build artificial waterfalls in a bid to boost tourism.
Speaking during a forum held in Naivasha to address the rapid decline of Lake Nakuru National Park, the CS reportedly tasked the Kenya Wildlife Service researchers present to come up with viable solutions to aid the park which he described as dead.
“To me, Lake Nakuru National Park is as good as dead and it is extremely sad. A number of trees have also withered,” he remarked.
He further disclosed to the Daily Nation that his ministry would collaborate with the ministry of environment to address the rampant pollution witnessed in Lake Nakuru as well as Lake Naivasha.
“We shall hold talks with my counterpart in the Ministry of Environment over the issue of pollution in Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha and I promise stern action,” Balala asserted.
The CS revealed that he was shocked to travel for several kilometres with Lake Nakuru National Park without spotting any of the famous big five animals that had made it famous.
In a bid to try and curb the sharp decline of national heritage sites, he revealed that the national government would set aside Ksh300 million to finance the artificial waterfalls.
However, CS Balala did not reveal the intended location of the man-made features.
Nakuru Deputy Governor, Eric Korir, speaking at the same function, affirmed that the county was coming up with ways to diversify tourism products with plans already underway to make historical sites such as the Subukia Catholic Shrine attractive tourist destinations.
The forum had been convened in order to come up with a plan on how to rehabilitate the dwindling parks as well as explore and exploit alternative tourism opportunities in Nakuru county.
