STAY AWAY FROM WTM STAKEHOLDERS DEMAND OF MWAZO
Kenya’s hapless tourism minister Danson Mwazo will be facing thinly concealed hostility from his own tourism private sector, should he opt to travel to London for the forthcoming World Travel Market, besides the ITB in Berlin the most important tourism trade show in the world.
His most recent ‘in your face’ action included the attempted sacking of KTB’s CEO Muriithi Ndegwa, when he decided to slap down the board’s recommendation to renew Ndegwa’s contract for a further three years, reportedly out of a bruised ego, that KTB should have dared to ‘oppose him’ when publishing arrival statistics belying the false confidence the minister was trying to peddle.
‘True, if he decides to come we can do nothing but he is not welcome there. We may put up smiles but they are fake when it comes to him. He is an enemy of our industry, not our lead figure. Few have done as much damage as he has. His ego bruises as easily as the one of his party leader Odinga who sacked the most successful tourism minister Kenya ever had, Najib Balala. Personally, it shows they both are not fit to lead. But back to Mwazo, he should stay away from us for a while to cool off emotions because his presence in London will disturb more than accomplish anything. Someone has to say it and I know you will publish it’ said a regular source from Nairobi when asked how the launch of the Lamu Cultural Festival activities yesterday and the InterContinental Hotel in Nairobi went. ‘Mbithi was there [Chairman of the KTB Board of Director, Kitili
Mbithi] and brought Muriithi back with him. The applause was overwhelming and it was a vote of confident in KTB and a vote of no confidence in the minister at the same time. There are critics of KTB but we all know that giving them less money this year is the worst way to fight our way back into the main markets in Europe. Now we must spend double really and not less, we need money to open India, Russia and China some more but with the funding we have received for marketing, this is an illusion. At least the team of KTB remained intact now at the top. Muriithi has the respect of the directors and of the sector. Let him continue to work in peace for the common good. A year ago Lamu was dead because of Al Shabab, today it is returning to be in the good news again. We must promote good, not stamp on it like our minister seems to think. You in the media should ask him what he is up to and what he stands for and why he does not pack and go’ did the same source then rant on, justifiably so of course considering the lack of speaking up at crucial issues for the sector.
Watch this space as this saga is sure to have some more fallout in coming weeks.
2 Responses
It would be good if your report had a credible source, because staff within KTB who work under Muriithi don’t want him. They seem to side with the minister on this one and sadly so does the law.
Enough credible sources, at KTB and in the industry … and I did say that not all are his ‘friends’ … it is tough at the top and there are always envious haters …
thanks for reading my blog.
W.