BY WILLIS SANDE
The Nairobi National Park is the only natural park in a city anywhere in the world, and we are very proud and blessed to have such a God-given endowment.
The park is very important to the city because it plays an important role in purifying the air and bio-filtration of rivers that run through it.
Essentially, the park is part of the city’s natural lungs and kidneys, protecting us from the poisons of pollution.
To the North West of the park is Ongata Rongai, where several rivers pass through before flowing through the park.
There are many houses there that spew raw sewage onto the roads that then runs into several rivers that flow through the park.
We appeal to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to do their job and stop these irresponsible and dangerous activities and play their mandate of protecting our environment.
The Nairobi National park is also an important educational resource where many students and researchers learn from.
It is also an important entry point to tourism with the Animal Orphanage, Safari Walk, and Park providing many with an opportunity to see wild animals for the first time.
Like many of our other parks, it is a refreshing and therapeutic beauty.
Safari guides are key custodians of Mother Nature and they need to protect her.
They are also raising awareness and teaching the public on how to protect her for posterity.
It is their duty.
They cannot sit back and let invasive weed species and litter choke the park since animals will have no food.
They might migrate out of the park and we will have higher Human-Wildlife Conflict.
If we make noise only on social media, we will not be making any difference other than being a distraction to the people who are genuinely trying to protect our environment.
That is why today Monday 21st September 2020, we roll up our sleeves and partner with the KWS to have a positive impact.
We are cleaning the Nairobi National Park.
We also appeal to park visitors to observe park rules.
If we all littered and drove off-road, we will be destroying our environment thereby reducing the much-needed grazing land for the herbivorous wildlife.
Noise disturbs animals in their environment.
Please take a trained tour guide to make your visit more knowledgeable and enjoyable.
According to many of the guests that we interact with, Kenyan Parks are some of the most outstanding in the world.
For many decades, our guides have provided our visitors with some of the best experiences in the world, placing Kenya as a top tourist destination.
Essentially, Kenyan guides are the lifeblood of Kenya’s tourism.
With the arrival of Covid-19, Guides were the first lot to lose their jobs, and will probably be the last to recover.
We ask the Government to utilize our rich flora and fauna knowledge and expertise in the conservation and protection of our parks and reserves, especially during these hard times.
As the President bails out tourism entities, we appeal to him to remember the approximately 5,500 guides who have been hardest hit since February 2020 to date.
Finally, we sincerely thank the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for giving us this opportunity to partner with you.
We hope that we can lend our willing hands at any time as we continue to work together to protect our environment.
WILLIS SANDE IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SAFARI GUIDES PROFESSIONAL ASSOCATION OF KENYA (SGPAK). TOGETHER WITH KENYA TOUR DRIVERS GUIDES ASSOCIATION (KTDGA), EAST AFRICA TOUR GUIDES AND DRIVERS ASSOCIATION (EATGDA) AND (SOUTH COAST TOUR DRIVER GUIDES ASSOCIATION (SCTDGA), THEY HAVE CARRIED OUT SEVERAL CLEAN UP EXCERCISES IN NATIONAL PARKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
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