This archive report was first published on 7 October 2021.
The Magical Kenya Tembo Naming Festival, scheduled for October 8, has received a significant boost with the Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala announcing that the ministry has raised Ksh16.5 million towards the event.
Speaking during a media briefing at the Magical Kenya Travel Expo 2021, Balala stated that the ministry aims to raise a total of Ksh100 million for the festival, which will be held in partnership with private sector firms contributing Ksh500,000 per name.
Several companies, including Kenya Commercial Bank, Kenya Breweries Limited, Mabati Rolling Mills, Mediheal Hospital, East Africa Safari Rally, Chandaria Foundation, Oltukai Lodges, and African Wildlife Foundation, have already contributed to the initiative.
The festival, to be held at the Amboseli National Park, will allow individuals and organizations to adopt and name selected elephants after donating funds towards the program, which aims to boost conservation efforts for the endangered species.
According to Balala, the initiative is meant to bring all stakeholders on board in embracing conservation and ensuring the preservation of Kenya's heritage.
"Our aim is to ensure that we encourage more people and organizations to engage in conservation efforts in the country. The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us many things, and one of them is that we must ensure that conservation efforts are sustainable and that wildlife protection should never be vulnerable to the shocks that affect tourism activities in the country," Balala added.
While noting that tourism activities are expected to improve with the increased vaccination drive, Balala decried the application of double standards in travel advisories by developed nations, which he said have negatively affected the economy.
"Most countries that are branded as travel risk are travel safe, yes we have challenges but it does not mean we are not a risk but a peaceful nation, the double standards that come in do not help travel, we want the quarantine issue to be relaxed," Balala said.
