MACHAKOS AS A TOURIST DESTINATION

By BOB ODALO
http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Machakos-park-opens-to-the-public/-/1056/2198600/-/5yvmy3z/-/index.html

The Machakos County government on Friday opened the 40-acre recreational park.

Governor Dr Alfred Mutua said the park with a capacity to host 10,000 visitors at one go and which has a field amphitheatre, is one of its kind in Africa.

The park has water fountains, children’s play area, miniature golf course, restaurants, a solar exhibition stand, conference facilities and boats, which the government hope will earn Sh100 million annually.

Dr Mutua said this money will be used to develop key areas of the county.

The governor said the park will be opened to the public on Valentines Day.

Visitors will be allowed free access to the park for three days and they will entertained by invited musicians and comedians.

During Friday’s event, Kidum and Solomon Mkubwa entertained the 1,000 invited guests who included primary and secondary school children from local schools.

“We have chosen to open the park over the Valentine’s weekend because we want to uphold Machakos as a city and county of friendship, harmony and yes, love’’, Dr Mutua said.

He said the park, whose construction works started four months ago, has been developed using local labour and engineering from the Machakos public works ministry.

“It is fully a Machakos and Kenyan creation,” he said.

Dr Mutua said he will pay little attention to negative criticism.

‘’In Kenya today there are two kinds of leaders those of us who are vibrant, selfless and who are focussed towards initiating speedy, timely and real development for our people in a transparent and efficient way and those of a different era who have run out of ideas, are greedy, intolerant, afraid of positive change and whose agenda is to ensure the poor remain poor so that they can continue to be masters as they enhance corruption, and the devil’s agenda,” he said.
 

My deepest respect for turning dry land into a tourist attraction MR. MUTUA.