NAIROBI – Recently reshuffled Tourism and Wildlife Minister Dr Alfred Mutua has said he will strive to make the ministry Kenya’s top foreign exchange earner.
Speaking on Wednesday during the handover of the ministry from Peninah Malonza, who was moved to the EAC, ASALs and Regional Development docket, Mutua said he will revamp and beef up all forms of tourism, including medical and sports, in his push.
The Minister was moved from the prestigious Foreign and Diaspora Affairs ministry in President William Ruto’s October 4 cabinet reshuffle, which saw Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi taking over his roles.
Among the strategies Mutua enumerated to attain his objective is exploring and creating new tourist attractions and pathways for domestic and international tourists, reexamining and redesigning the entire tourism ecosystem to improve the flow of tourists and working with the county governments in identifying and implementing strategic plans.
“To be effective within a short time, we will need to think exponentially, and not in a linear fashion. We need new ideas that catapult us to a high level, very quickly. Our people are hungry. We do not have the luxury of time.
“We are going to push for domestic tourism and shopping, medical and relaxion tourism for Africans: our fellow Africans do not need to go to the Middle East, Europe or Asia for shopping. They can come to Kenya for the same services,” Mutua said.
Noting that Innovative ideas from all stakeholders are key to unlocking the great potential in the Tourism and Wildlife ministry, the CS said he will hold consultative meetings starting Monday next week.
“I will meet with all parastatal boards and all stakeholders. For stakeholders, please meet and prepare a memorandum for me on how to build this sector with ideas that are out of the box solutions. We will work as partners to inject new life to the sectors,” the CS said.
In the new docket, Mutua will work with Tourism PS John Ololtuaa and his Wildlife counterpart Silvia Museiya.
