Nairobi (TAN): Large numbers of livestock have invaded wildlife reserves in Isiolo and Samburu counties in northern Kenya adversely affecting tourism in the popular Buffalo Springs, Shaba and Samburu national reserves.
Consequently, the large presence of armed herders and livestock is scaring tourists away. Five unique wildlife species: gerenuk, gravy zebra, Somali ostrich and reticulated giraffe are found in the region.
Reports from tourism county executives indicate that about 10,000 livestock from Isiolo, Samburu, Baringo and Marsabit counties have invaded the game reserves in search of water and pasture.
Rising to the occasion, the administration of the Isiolo and Samburu counties have decided to consolidate tourism marketing strategies by promoting their tourist sites both locally and internationally. With livestock threatening the tourism sector, two counties have decided to work with security agents to flush out thousands of livestock that illegally graze in the wildlife protected areas.
One of the key contributors to Kenya’s economy is the tourism industry.
Before devolution, both counties Isiolo and Samburu together used to collect more than 300 million Kenyan shillings(USD3 million) from the tourism industry.
Kenya has been undergoing decentralization of the government and working with the World Bank with funding from Europe and the United States through the Kenya Accountable Devolution Program (KADP). KADP works with government at both county and national levels to make devolution respond to citizens’ needs through strengthened institutions, improved service delivery and citizen engagement, according to the World Bank website.
