Press Room

I welcome the news that Tanzania's Government has put off plans to construct a commercial highway through Serengeti National Reserve.  I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the bold decision by the Government of Tanzania to halt the construct of the highway. The bold move is indeed a celebration for conservation in the Mara-Serengeti eco-system.

The earlier proposal that would have cut directly through a narrow section of the northern Serengeti would have interfered with the biggest animal migration of approximately 2 million wildebeests, zebra and gazelles making it the largest mammal migration on our planet Earth.  The spectacle is not only the main attraction for tourists coming to the East African region but is the iconic selling point for tourism in the region.

I would therefore like to wholeheartedly express the gratitude of the Government of Kenya and entire Kenyan tourism fraternity to the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania under the wise leadership to His Excellency President Jakaya Kikwete and to my colleague Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Honourable Ezekiel Maige.  May I also take the opportunity to congratulate Hon. Mwai Kibaki for taking up the issue with his counterpart and giving it the attention it deserved.

Indeed, there is need to develop and have the highway reach Musoma and other remote parts in the North to benefit the people. This has to be done for the common good. Our request has been for an alternative route and Kenya is happy that this request has been granted.

I wish to call upon World Bank and other development partners to come on board and support the by-pass project. This move has just saved the East Africa's main economic natural asset bequeathed to us by our forefathers. It is in deed a clear statement, that even as we seek to bring socio-economic benefits to our citizens we will always do it in the most sustainable way.

28^th June, 2011