Kirinyaga County Govt urges residents to embrace domestic tourism

Kirinyaga County Government is urging the local residents to explore the many tourism opportunities found within the county in order to boost domestic tourism.

Governor Anne Waiguru said the county has many unexploited tourism attractions and beautiful sceneries that the locals and people from outside the county can visit.

She noted that the Kirinyaga is also endowed with many good hotels that visitors can be accommodated in, which will go a long way in boosting the local economy.

The governor made the comments after Tembea Tujenge Kenya toured Kirinyaga County over the weekend. Tembea Tujenge Kenya is an initiative that identifies and promotes existing destinations for Kenyans with an aim of encouraging domestic tourism in Kenya and reducing dependency on foreign tourism markets.

The Tembea Tujenge Kenya team that was led by its brand ambassador, Maina Kageni, a renowned radio presenter and social media influencer, was received and guided around by the County Chief Officer in charge of Tourism, Sheila Mukunya. The team visited various hotels and camping sites along Sagana River which hosts diverse water sporting activities such as boat riding, canoeing and kayaking.

“If we have people from the county visiting our tourist attraction sites, we will keep our economy growing and shield our establishments from collapsing as a result of Covid-19 that has affected the tourism sector,” said the Tourism Chief Officer, noting that tourism and hotel industry in the county has a great potential in turning around the economy of the county through job creation and trickledown effect in the economic ecosystem.

The Chief Officer added that the infrastructural development that the county government has undertaken is an enabler to the tourism industry. Such include rehabilitation of access roads, construction of modern markets, improvement of the county’s towns and ensuring that that there is adequate clean water for domestic and commercial consumption among others.

She pointed out some of the tourism attraction sites in the county including the vast Mwea Rice Irrigation Scheme, Nyamindi, Thiba and Sagana Rivers, Ndaraca Ya Ngai (God’s Bridge), scenic Mt. Kenya view, various waterfalls and Sagana ornamental fish farm among others.

The team also visited Wang’uru stadium in Mwea, Thiba Dam in Gichugu and Kerugoya Medical Complex in Kirinyaga Central.

Speaking at Wang’uru stadium, Maina Kageni said that Kirinyaga County is well endowed with resources that can attract domestic tourism.

He said that the massive infrastructural development being implemented by both the National and the county Government will go a long way in enabling the tourism sector in the county. He promised that when Wang’uru Stadium is completed, he will use Jaza Stadi Initiative to bring a national football tournament in Kirinyaga.

“The tournament will attract thousands of visitors who will need to be accommodated in hotels within the county, which will contribute towards the local economy,” said Maina, who is in the management of Jaza Stadi.

Jaza stadi is an initiative that aims at improving stadium attendance by mobilizing fans to attend in large numbers.

Rehabilitation of Wang’uru stadium that will cost the government Ksh.300 million was granted after an appeal by Governor Anne Waiguru to President Uhuru Kenyatta when he visited Mwea early last year. Once completed, the stadium will have the capacity to host local, national and regional sports activities.