Park rebranding to boost tourism in western Kenya

By KEPHER OTIENO

The Government will rebrand Ruma National Park, formerly Lambwe valley National Reserve in a drive aimed at opening up western Kenya’s tourism circuit.

This follows the news that tsetse flies, which initially rendered the park inaccessible, have been successfully contained, thanks to Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis eradication campaign (Pattec).

For close to 15 years, tourists could not access the park due to massive invasion by tsetse flies, despite being home to Roan antelope.

On Sunday, Pattec officials led by national co-ordinator Pamela Olet, said they have partnered with Kenya wildlife service (KWS) officials to embark on rebranding the park as a tourist destination to boost revenue collection and bolster growth in the sub-sector.

Olet said the circuit remained unexploited yet it has unique and enormous potential capable of improving tourism revenue in Nyanza.

"With the completion of Kisumu International Airport and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the circuit, we expect to have tourists coming to the region. This is why we want to embark on a serious rebranding campaign," said Dr Olet.

More than 145 different bird species have been recorded in Ruma National park, including the fish eagle and the white egret.

The globally threatened Blue Swallow is seen in the park regularly as it arrives from its breeding ground in Tanzania.

Olet was optimistic that revenue from the park, which had dipped for decades, would go up due to the park’s lined up facelifts.

The planned re-branding of the national park comes at a time when the country is on the path to economic resilience.

The exercise will see the construction of new animal enclosures, gates and translocation of a variety of new species to the park to boost its tourism stake.

"We intend to translocate white rhinos cheetahs, buffalos and bush backs to the upcountry refurbished parks through KWS," said Olet.

Tourist attractions

Besides the beautiful scenery and bird’s sanctuary, it boasts of Kanyamaa Escarpment, suited for rock climbing coupled with Wildlife found within the park, which includes oribi, Jacksons Hartebeest, Rothschild giraffe, cheetah and leopard.

Pattec official Stephen Orot, Corporate Affairs Manager Joseph Otieno and Pattec Regional Coordinator John Kanyanya among others accompanied her.

Kanyanya disclosed that they had carried out mass treatment of animals in Lambwe valley and surrounding areas and was sure the insect’s population had significantly reduced.

"Today, in every 100 traps laid in the field for a whole day, only one fly will be trapped," he explained.

"This had also resulted in the reduction of trypanosome common infection in cattle and humans when one is bitten," said Kanyanya.

The officer revealed that 55,925 herd of cattle, 12,781 sheep, 7,852 goats and 1,454 donkeys had been treated against Trypanosomiasis.

This was in Suba, Rachuonyo and Homabay Districts prone to tsetsefly menace.