The Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife Dr. Alfred Mutua has said he has the know-how and commitment to turn around the fortunes of the industry.
Having been transferred to the Ministry recently, the CS said his focus is to grow the sector in record time to an extent that it will create job opportunities for thousands of Kenyans.
“You are very lucky, mimi ni mtu wa chap chap. Nitasukuma hii Tourism and Wildlife sector in a chap chap manner. I can promise you that within the next one to two years, there will be more work that the people we have to work in this sector,”
said Dr. Mutua
According to the CS, “Nobody should get a Degree or Diploma or Certificate na akae tu nyumbani kwa sababu hii sector hakuna kazi, hiyo mimi niachie. Mbele iko sawa,”
The Tourism and Wildlife CS was speaking during the Wildlife Research and Training Institute’s graduation ceremony in Naivasha.
The Institute Director Dr. Patrick Omondi said the institution’s researchers are leading a consortium of scientists and conservationists from Kenya and Europe in undertaking cutting-edge research to save the Northern White Rhino from extinction.
Dr. Omondi said the collaboration of researchers will save the only remaining two female Northern White Rhino in the world from extinction through the Vitro Fertilization process.
“Kenya is a host to the only remaining Northern White Rhino species found in Olpajeta Conservancy and all efforts are geared towards saving the species from extinction”, said Dr. Omondi.
In addition, Dr. Omondi said has already secured seed funding from the government to establish a comprehensive wildlife database that will consolidate all wildlife data to inform data-driven interventions such as diseases, population, and degradation among others.
Dr. Omomdi while addressing 376 graduands said the institute targets to exploit the carbon credit market to grow its revenues inflows to sh. 200 million by the end of the year through its revamped strategies and interventions.
He said the institute has initiated the scholarship and work-study policies as well as reduced fee structure of up to 30 percent to benefit and enable needy students to complete their studies.
