Serena Hotels To Start Construction
New lodge for Ndere Island in Kenya
Following the report of last week that Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) was preparing to spend big bucks in revamping some of the parks and reserves in western Kenya, which included the Ndere Island, news has emerged that Serena Hotels is set to commence construction of a lodge on the island, further widening their reach as one of the leading hotel, resort, and safari lodge companies in Eastern Africa.
Across the lake, Serena has taken on the management of a lakeside resort between Kampala and Entebbe, and the new development is increasing focus on the many opportunities Lake Victoria offers for tourism purposes that have not hardly been sensibly exploited.
KWS meanwhile has given indication that they intend to relocate game onto the island to increase its attraction for visitors who, when coming to East Africa, can now see new parks and reserves that are little known to anyone else except experts on the ground.
Comments
Keep off Ndere Island, Serena Hotels Told!
It is my opinion that Ndere Island should be left alone in its Natural state and the likes of Serena Chain of hotels should keep off the island to maintain the ecosystem.
In Luo Nyanza, it is only the Ndere Island which has the area for Wildlife tours. A 4.2Km2 island is too small for a lodge.
Where will the human waste be dumped without the eradication of the ecosystem?
The KWS should introduce the Rhone Antelopes which is an endangered species and also the Sitatunga on the Island instead of allowing the profit focused hotel industry to step on the tiny Island.
Let us plant trees which are able to make Ndere Island a touristic wildlife Island in the Winam Gulf.
Uganda has the Ssesse Islands and the rest inside Lake Lake Victoria but we in Kenya have none.
The Luo community donated the land to the Kenya Government for wildlife development and not for Hotel development. Let us add the trees and Wildlife into Ndere island and let no one step on it at all. Tour Operators have to use Boats to view wildlife from the lake and there should be no human beings stepping on the Island, even for Walking tours. It should be left to the animals and the birds plus the butterflies to roam on.
Imagine watching the rare Roan Antelope using the Binoculars from the Ferry going round the Ndere Island which takes an hours trip.
The Community should be paid the conservancy allowance from the Park entry fees as it is done in the Maasai Mara.
Let us preserve the Ndere Island, it is the only treasure that the Luo Nyanza can offer the Tourism Industry in Nyanza and Western Kenya.
Serena Hotels and any others can build their structures on the mainland, there is ample land along the Winam Gulf.
Keep off the Ndere Island.
James Asudi
www.victoriasafaris.com
Post new comment