A crisis is looming between Kilifi County Government and hotel and club owners after the county government threatened to shut down hotels and clubs that will not bend to the noise regulations.
Hotel and club owners on Thursday protested the implementation of the 35-45 decibels volume rule of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) by the county government.
Speaking in Malindi after a consultative meeting between Kilifi county environment officers and the hotel and club investors, that turned into a heated debate, the angry investors threatened to go to court if the county government will not consider that "35-45 decibels are too low to sustain customers who mostly are international tourists."
Led by Jamal Shek, the investors urged the county government to go slow while implementing the new regulations, instead of harassing investors with big fines that will end up killing tourism industry in the county.
“Kilifi county government went as far as banning beach parties despite Tourism CS Najib Balala approving we have beach parties in Kilifi. How will the national and county government get revenues? How will locals and investors survive since all depend on tourism? We are losing it,” said Shek.
The investors protested that laws are not applicable at every corner of the country and that Kilifi county government should amend the noise regulations to meet the environment of the area, for 35-45 decibels is a whispering volume, especially to beach clubs.
Shek added, “it is impractical for a beach club to play music within the 35-45 decibels for the noise from the sea waves is beyond that limit. Will the customers be entertained by the sea waves or the music? In fact, tourists have started canceling their bookings, they tell us we no longer offer them fan.”
Officers from the department of environment, on their part, held that Kilifi county government will not relent in implementing the noise regulations and that anyone breaching the regulations will not be spared.
Led by Mariam Mohammed Jeneby, the officers told the investors in the meeting that the penalties that accompany breaching the noise regulation are Sh600,000 for individuals and Sh2 million for corporates.
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