The Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife, chaired by Hon. Kareke Mbiuki (Maara) on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 held a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife led by Cabinet Secretary (CS), Dr. Alfred Mutua to address human-wildlife conflict and growth in the tourism sector.

Dr. Mutua informed the Committee that the Ministry faces a number of challenges as a result of increased cases of human-wildlife conflicts, ranging from crop destruction to threats on human lives and property.

The Ministry unveiled a strategy designed to mitigate these challenges, which will include fencing and the strategic deployment of beehives.

CS Mutua also mentioned the plans for a research cithin Tsavo National Park to find out the effectiveness of using beehives as a natural deterrent for elephants.

"We are embarking on a research initiative in Tsavo National Park to assess the effectiveness of utilizing beehives to deter elephants. If successful, we will launch a campaign to deploy beehives strategically," said Dr. Mutua.

During the meeting, Hon. Ruweida Obo (Lamu East) raised concerns over the harassment of fishermen, calling for a humane approach to the matter.

On the matter of growth in the tourism sector, Hon. Mbiuki urged the Ministry to raise tourism standards, focus on enhancing hotel quality, hygiene protocols, and promote sustainable development practices.

In response, Dr. Mutua outlined the Ministry's intent to diversify tourism, embracing sectors such as medical tourism and Halal tourism. He added that plans are underway to establish Utalii College campuses throughout the country to increase access to education in tourism particularly among marginalized regions.