Kenya: Deforestation affects tourism

  1. Posted on Tuesday 8 December 2009 - 18:03
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    Neville Omondi, VoicesofAfrica alumnus, Nairobi, Kenya
    The Thompson's Falls, one of Kenya's places that once attracted many tourists from all over the world has in recent years experienced a decrease in tourism and other related activities. Environmentalists, especially those from Tree is Life, have blamed this on the deforestation that has gone beyond the proportions in the Nyahururu area.
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    The once a bee-hive of activities market that’s just adjacent to the market is now a lonely center with a few traders. Curio shops was of the most of the most profitable business ventures at the Thompson’s falls site but now one of the sellers told me that the last time he made an order for new curios was 8 months ago. Some have considered to moving to the other tourist locations like the coastal city of Mombasa. Most of the local tourist wont prefer buying curios or would want to buy them at low prices. Most of the refreshment joint had long closed down.

    The 234 foot fall is becoming less appealing to the tourists as most of its nature is interfered with by human activities by the surrounding communities. The hippos are fewer as their habitat is being threatened, they are regularly seen roaming the town of Nyahururu. The waters of the falls itself are lesser compared to the previous years.

    As the water catchments areas are interfered by human activities like logging of the indigenous trees, diversion of river waters to the farms and clearing of forests we continue to loose our treasured resources. Thompson’s falls is just another sad reminder that more should be done on protecting our natural resources.

    Thompson’s is a waterfall located in Nyahururu Town in the central province and draws its water River Ewaso Nyiro discovered by the famous Joseph Thompson. Thompson was the first European to trek from Mombasa to Lake Victoria.

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