Open up the North to tourism: Yatani says
What you need to know:
- He said he was happy that housing had registered a 50 per cent growth in Loiyangalani in the past three years and that businesses were booming.
The national government has been urged to help open up northern Kenya to tourism.
Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani, who spoke during the conclusion of the 2016 Marsabit Lake Turkana Cultural Festival and Marathon, said the government should improve the region's infrastructure.
“I am appealing to the government to consider improving the Laisamis-Loyangalani road to open up the northern tourism corridor,” Mr Yatani said.
The governor, whose devolved government received accolades following the hosting of the festival that brings together the former warring 14 communities in the county, also called for the rehabilitation of the Loiyangalani Airstrip.
“We are appealing to the Kenya Airports Authority and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to improve Loiyangalani Airstrip to ease congestion during such festivities. I’m also asking investors to consider building hotels along the shores of Lake Turkana.”
He said he was happy that housing had registered a 50 per cent growth in Loiyangalani in the past three years and that businesses were booming.
The added the county boasts of major attractions such as Koobi fora, national parks, Chalbi Desert and its salty patches, Lake Turkana, which is the largest desert lake in the world, and the Sh71 billion Lake Turkana Wind Power Project.
He was happy that local communities had maintained peace in past three years.
“The outdated cattle rustling and killings have reduced and will soon become a thing of the past,” he said. “We also now have intermarriages.”
He said his county was also working on exploiting the 500 kilometre-long border it shares with Ethiopia for trade.
