By Eastern Newspaper Correspondent
A decision by Governor Muthomi Njuki to have a team from Google to draw a map of the region and which now includes a section of Mt Kenya has received acclaim by residents.
Residents had been worried that although a part of Africa’s second-highest mountain is in Tharaka Nithi, the region does not receive as much acclaim as other counties touched by the magnificent feature.
It took the intervention of Governor Njuki to have the Mt Kenya area in Tharaka Nithi marked by the Google Kenya team.
Residents like Kathure Muriuki are now a happy lot, saying the move will enhance the county’s tourism potential and its status in the Mt Kenya tourist circuit.
Concerned residents and other stakeholders had petitioned the administration to have the map amended to include the ‘missing’ part where part of the mountain is in Tharaka Nithi.
“Our boundaries and loyalty to our people can never be compromised as long as we have patriotic Kenyans and Tharaka Nithi people. Special thanks to the Google Kenya team and all concerned residents who raised the issue,” said Governor Njuki.
Tharaka-Nithi stretches from the tip of Mount Kenya to the Meru National Park, an expanse endowed with a wide variety of flora and fauna to grow its tourism potential.
The Chogoria route was for a long time preferred by local and international hikers to snow-capped Mt Kenya.
In the 2018-2022 County Integrated Development Plan, his administration lists mountain climbing, wildlife diversity and scenic beauty as some of the tourist attractions
Mt Kenya is the main tourist attraction in the county which comprises of Mt Kenya National Park and forest reserve which is partly in Tharaka Nithi, the report noted.
Wild animals are found in Mt Kenya and other smaller forests in the county.
Some of the major wildlife found in the county include elephants, hyraxes, mongoose, duiker, mole rat, bushbucks, waterbucks, elands, buffalos, leopard, bongo, hyenas, over 150 species of birds and over 50 species of reptiles.
