Coast leaders accuse Gachagua of undermining region’s economy over tourism remarks

Coast leaders accuse Gachagua of undermining region’s economy over tourism remarks

Listen to article

6 min listen
Audio reading is not supported on this browser.
Ready

Thanks for listening. Continue with a related story, or tap the speaker icon on the next page to listen.

Government warns Gachagua comments could damage Kenya’s economy and tourism image

Abdirahman Khalif

 · 

3 hours agoRead nextOpens a fresh page.

Coast leaders have criticised former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s call for tourists and investors to stay away from Kenya, warning that the remarks could hurt jobs, tourism and economic growth in the region.

Coast political leaders have accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of attempting to undermine the region’s economy after he urged tourists and investors to stay away from Kenya, saying the remarks threaten livelihoods that depend on tourism, foreign investment and maritime trade.
Speaking in Mombasa on Monday, Cabinet Secretary for Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Hassan Joho accused Gachagua of targeting economic activities outside his home region, saying his latest remarks were aimed at the tourism sector, which he described as the backbone of the Coast economy.
Joho alleged that Gachagua had consistently criticised development projects in other parts of the country while remaining silent on projects in his own region.

More To Read

• Government warns Gachagua comments could damage Kenya’s economy and tourism image
• Kenya Tourism Federation rejects claims country is unsafe for tourists, investors
• IG Kanja orders probe into identity of plain-clothed officers recorded traversing Ol Kalou during polls
• Gachagua: DCP to field candidates in all 47 counties in 2027 election
• Gachagua alleges police shooting left one dead, 20 injured in Ol Kalou
• DCP’s Kamau Ngotho wins Ol Kalou by-election with 35,440 votes

“It has become their norm to sabotage our economic activities so that we do not prosper. They have been doing it for years, so we know who they are,” Joho said.
“He keeps criticising every project that is outside his area. Now he is targeting the tourism industry, yet the economy of our region is driven by the service industry. He never criticises, or even attempts to speak about, projects taking place in his own area.”
The Cabinet Secretary said the hospitality sector employs thousands of people across the Coast and relies heavily on both domestic and international visitors.

Latest Stories

• Team Kenya fired up for Commonwealth Games as athletes receive rallying call
• Talk therapy keeps depression at bay for up to eight years, major study finds
• Judiciary rejects LSK boycott call, insists courts will remain open as it defends reforms and independence
• Police killings under spotlight as ex-LSK boss Faith Odhiambo demands investigation updates

“Hotels along the Coast employ many people and depend on tourism,” he said.
Joho also defended the proposed multi-trillion-shilling oil refinery project in Lamu, describing it as the largest foreign investment currently earmarked for Kenya.
“The biggest foreign investment is earmarked for Lamu. All of a sudden, you present yourself as a concerned leader and say investment should not come to Kenya simply because, for the first time, Lamu has been identified for a mega project,” he said.
He said attracting one major investment would help create confidence and encourage more investors to establish businesses in the region.
“If you open the door for just one investment, others will follow because it will become a logistics hub,” he added.
Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro also condemned Gachagua’s remarks, saying the Coast’s six counties depend heavily on tourism and would suffer the biggest economic impact if visitors stayed away.
“We condemn the remarks by DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua telling tourists not to come to Kenya and discouraging investors from coming to the country. As leaders from the Coast, we find those statements very disappointing because when you tell tourists not to come to Kenya, you directly affect the Coast. All six coastal counties depend on tourism,” Mung’aro said.
He said the timing of the remarks was worrying, especially as Lamu prepares to host a major oil investment project.
“There is already a major oil project planned for Lamu. If you tell us you do not want investors to come to the Coast, and tourists should not come either, that is pure selfishness,” he said.
Mung’aro questioned why similar calls had not been made regarding agricultural exports from Gachagua’s region.
“I have never heard him say that Kenyan tea or coffee should stop being exported because those products come from his region. Instead, he says tourism should stop because it benefits the Coast.”
The governor said tourism, foreign investment and maritime trade remain key pillars of the regional economy.
“We depend on tourism. We depend on investors for economic growth. Kenya’s ports are here at the Coast, in Mombasa and Lamu. If you say we should not receive investors and tourists should no longer come to Kenya, then what kind of economy are you proposing for our people and our children?” he asked.
Mung’aro said Coast leaders had agreed to collectively defend the tourism and investment sectors from political interference.
“As Coast leaders, we have agreed with one voice that tourism and investment should not be interfered with.”
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir echoed the concerns, saying tourism remains one of the country’s biggest sources of revenue and warning that discouraging visitors from travelling to Kenya would have serious economic consequences.
“We have said this for the longest time. You are asking for one of the major sources of income for this region, and for the country in general, to be denied. Tourism is one of those major sources of income, and it is very saddening,” Nassir said.
He said regional grievances should not be used to justify statements that could harm another part of the country’s economy.
“I agree with my brother’s remarks that leaders should speak about issues affecting their own regions. However, when statements are made that are driven by hatred and are aimed at destroying the economy of another region, people will inevitably feel even more destabilised,” Nassir said.
The leaders spoke amid growing criticism of Gachagua’s recent call urging foreign tourists and investors to avoid Kenya, with opponents arguing that the remarks could damage investor confidence and hurt the country’s tourism industry.

Other Topics To Read

Top Stories Today

• Coast leaders fire back at Gachagua over tourist boycott call
• Team Kenya vows to fight for gold at 2026 Commonwealth Games
• Study finds talk therapy offers years of protection against depression
• Judiciary rejects LSK boycott, confirms all courts will sit on July 22
• One year later, LSK ex-boss pushes police to explain Njoki’s killing
• Why road crashes remain leading killer of young people worldwide

`;
}

return “;
}

function commentActionsMarkup(comment, canComment) {
const likeLabel = comment.liked_by_me ? ‘Liked’ : ‘Like’;
const likeCount = Number(comment.like_count || 0) > 0
? “
: ”;

const likeButton = canComment && comment.status === ‘approved’
? “
: “;

const replyButton = canComment && comment.status === ‘approved’
? “
: ”;

return `

`;
}

function commentMarkup(comment, canComment, isReply = false) {
const pendingBadge = comment.status && comment.status !== ‘approved’
? “
: ”;

const edited = comment.is_edited
? “
: ”;

const repliesHtml = Array.isArray(comment.replies) && comment.replies.length
? `

`
: “;

return `

`;
}

function replyFormMarkup(commentId) {
return `

`;
}

function setNotice(widget, message, type = ‘info’) {
const notice = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”notice”]’);
if (!notice) return;

if (!message) {
notice.hidden = true;
notice.textContent = ”;
notice.classList.remove(‘is-error’);
return;
}

notice.hidden = false;
notice.textContent = message;
notice.classList.toggle(‘is-error’, type === ‘error’);
}

function setCount(widget, total) {
const count = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”count”]’);
if (!count) return;

const num = Number(total || 0);
count.textContent = num === 1 ? ‘1 comment’ : `${num} comments`;
}

function openReplyBox(widget, commentId) {
widget.querySelectorAll(‘[data-role=”reply-box”]’).forEach(box => {
box.hidden = true;
box.innerHTML = ”;
});

const targetItem = widget.querySelector(`.ev-comments__item[data-comment-id=”${commentId}”]`);
if (!targetItem) return;

const replyBox = targetItem.querySelector(‘[data-role=”reply-box”]’);
if (!replyBox) return;

replyBox.hidden = false;
replyBox.innerHTML = replyFormMarkup(commentId);

const textarea = replyBox.querySelector(‘textarea’);
if (textarea) textarea.focus();
}

function closeReplyBox(container) {
if (!container) return;
container.hidden = true;
container.innerHTML = ”;
}

async function initCommentsWidget(widget) {
const state = {
articleId: Number(widget.dataset.articleId),
loadUrl: widget.dataset.loadUrl,
storeUrl: widget.dataset.storeUrl,
commentsBaseUrl: widget.dataset.commentsBaseUrl,
canComment: widget.dataset.canComment === ‘1’,
page: 1,
perPage: 10,
sort: ‘newest‘,
total: 0,
hasMore: false,
busy: false
};

const list = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”list”]’);
const loading = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”loading”]’);
const empty = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”empty”]’);
const loadMoreBtn = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”load-more”]’);
const sortSelect = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”sort”]’);
const composerForm = widget.querySelector(‘[data-role=”composer-form”]’);

async function loadComments(reset = true) {
if (state.busy) return;

state.busy = true;
setNotice(widget, ”);
loading.hidden = false;

if (reset) {
state.page = 1;
list.innerHTML = ”;
empty.hidden = true;
}

try {
const url = new URL(state.loadUrl, window.location.origin);
url.searchParams.set(‘page’, state.page);
url.searchParams.set(‘per_page’, state.perPage);
url.searchParams.set(‘sort’, state.sort);

const response = await requestJson(url.toString(), {
method: ‘GET’,
headers: {
‘Accept’: ‘application/json’,
‘X-Requested-With’: ‘XMLHttpRequest’
}
});

const items = Array.isArray(response.data) ? response.data : [];
const meta = response.meta || {};

state.total = Number(meta.total || 0);
state.hasMore = !!meta.has_more;

setCount(widget, state.total);

if (reset) {
list.innerHTML = ”;
}

if (!items.length && reset) {
empty.hidden = false;
} else {
empty.hidden = true;
list.insertAdjacentHTML(
‘beforeend’,
items.map(item => commentMarkup(item, state.canComment, false)).join(”)
);
}

loadMoreBtn.hidden = !state.hasMore;
} catch (error) {
if (!list.children.length) {
empty.hidden = false;
empty.textContent = ‘Unable to load comments right now.’;
}
setNotice(widget, error.message || ‘Unable to load comments.’, ‘error’);
} finally {
loading.hidden = true;
state.busy = false;
}
}

async function submitTopLevelComment(form) {
const textarea = form.querySelector(‘textarea[name=”content”]’);
const button = form.querySelector(‘[data-role=”submit-comment”]’);

if (!textarea) return;

const content = textarea.value.trim();
if (!content) return;

const originalText = button ? button.textContent : ”;

try {
if (button) {
button.disabled = true;
button.textContent = ‘Posting…’;
}

const response = await requestJson(state.storeUrl, {
method: ‘POST’,
headers: buildJsonHeaders(),
body: JSON.stringify({
article_id: state.articleId,
content: content,
source_url: window.location.href
})
});

textarea.value = ”;

if (response?.data) {
list.insertAdjacentHTML(
‘afterbegin’,
commentMarkup(response.data, state.canComment, false)
);
empty.hidden = true;

if ((response.data.status || ”) === ‘approved’) {
state.total += 1;
setCount(widget, state.total);
}
}

setNotice(widget, response.message || ‘Comment posted successfully.’);
} catch (error) {
setNotice(widget, error.message || ‘Unable to post comment.’, ‘error’);
} finally {
if (button) {
button.disabled = false;
button.textContent = originalText || ‘Post comment’;
}
}
}

async function submitReply(form) {
const commentId = Number(form.dataset.commentId || 0);
const textarea = form.querySelector(‘textarea[name=”content”]’);
const button = form.querySelector(‘.ev-comments__reply-submit’);

if (!commentId || !textarea) return;

const content = textarea.value.trim();
if (!content) return;

const originalText = button ? button.textContent : ”;

try {
if (button) {
button.disabled = true;
button.textContent = ‘Posting…’;
}

const response = await requestJson(`${state.commentsBaseUrl}/${commentId}/reply`, {
method: ‘POST’,
headers: buildJsonHeaders(),
body: JSON.stringify({
article_id: state.articleId,
content: content,
source_url: window.location.href
})
});

if (response?.data) {
const parentItem = widget.querySelector(`.ev-comments__item[data-comment-id=”${commentId}”]`);
if (parentItem) {
const repliesWrap = parentItem.querySelector(‘.ev-comments__replies’);
if (repliesWrap) {
repliesWrap.insertAdjacentHTML(
‘beforeend’,
commentMarkup(response.data, state.canComment, true)
);
}
}
}

closeReplyBox(form.closest(‘[data-role=”reply-box”]’));
setNotice(widget, response.message || ‘Reply posted successfully.’);
} catch (error) {
setNotice(widget, error.message || ‘Unable to post reply.’, ‘error’);
} finally {
if (button) {
button.disabled = false;
button.textContent = originalText || ‘Post reply’;
}
}
}

async function toggleLike(button) {
const commentId = Number(button.dataset.commentId || 0);
if (!commentId) return;

const originalHtml = button.innerHTML;

try {
button.disabled = true;
button.innerHTML = ‘Working…’;

const response = await requestJson(`${state.commentsBaseUrl}/${commentId}/like`, {
method: ‘POST’,
headers: buildJsonHeaders(),
body: JSON.stringify({})
});

const liked = !!response?.data?.liked;
const likeCount = Number(response?.data?.like_count || 0);

button.classList.toggle(‘is-liked’, liked);
button.innerHTML = `${liked ? ‘Liked’ : ‘Like’} ${likeCount > 0 ? “ : ”}`;
} catch (error) {
button.innerHTML = originalHtml;
setNotice(widget, error.message || ‘Unable to update like.’, ‘error’);
} finally {
button.disabled = false;
}
}

if (composerForm) {
composerForm.addEventListener(‘submit’, function (e) {
e.preventDefault();
submitTopLevelComment(composerForm);
});
}

if (sortSelect) {
sortSelect.addEventListener(‘change’, function () {
state.sort = this.value || ‘newest’;
loadComments(true);
});
}

if (loadMoreBtn) {
loadMoreBtn.addEventListener(‘click’, function () {
if (state.busy || !state.hasMore) return;
state.page += 1;
loadComments(false);
});
}

widget.addEventListener(‘click’, function (e) {
const likeBtn = e.target.closest(‘[data-action=”toggle-like”]’);
if (likeBtn) {
e.preventDefault();
toggleLike(likeBtn);
return;
}

const replyBtn = e.target.closest(‘[data-action=”toggle-reply”]’);
if (replyBtn) {
e.preventDefault();
openReplyBox(widget, Number(replyBtn.dataset.commentId || 0));
return;
}

const cancelReplyBtn = e.target.closest(‘[data-action=”cancel-reply”]’);
if (cancelReplyBtn) {
e.preventDefault();
closeReplyBox(cancelReplyBtn.closest(‘[data-role=”reply-box”]’));
}
});

widget.addEventListener(‘submit’, function (e) {
const replyForm = e.target.closest(‘.ev-comments__reply-form’);
if (replyForm) {
e.preventDefault();
submitReply(replyForm);
}
});

loadComments(true);
}

document.addEventListener(‘DOMContentLoaded’, function () {
document.querySelectorAll(‘.ev-comments’).forEach(initCommentsWidget);
});
})();

Trending

South Sudan dismisses reports of new visa rules, says immigration policy unchangedSouth Sudan
|Mwangi Maina
|3 hours ago
IG Kanja, DCI boss Amin appear in court as family recounts search for missing son in habeas corpus caseNews
|Carolyne Kubwa
|6 hours ago
Ol Kalou aftermath: How by-election has bolstered Gachagua’s strength but dimmed Uhuru’s Jubilee PartyNews
|Barack Oduor
|7 hours ago
Government pledges justice as Ol Kalou by-election crime allegations come under scrutinyNews
|Farhiya Hussein
|2 hours ago
FIFA World Cup champions through the yearsInfographics
|Charity Pancras
|7 hours ago

Police killings under spotlight as ex-LSK boss Faith Odhiambo demands investigation updatesNews
|Lucy Mumbi
|1 hour ago

Kenyans withdraw billions from Boma Yangu despite growth in housing savingsNews
|Lucy Mumbi
|1 day ago
Teachers’ salaries rise as TSC introduces revised pay structureEducation
|Lucy Mumbi
|10 hours ago
Sh32 billion Covid relief fraud suspect flown to US as Somalia deepens law enforcement cooperationSomalia
|Abdirahman Khalif
|1 day ago
Inside the record Sh112 billion 2026 FIFA World Cup prize potInfographics
|Charity Pancras
|4 hours ago