It must be that when things are going badly, in terms of one's wallet, one also clings to crumbs.
And perhaps that is when you realise that crumbs are not so crumbs.
Kenya and its rulers, in the darkest period of their economy (negative record on the dollar, skyrocketing inflation) return to talk about tourism as an 'important resource' and a 'national asset to be preserved'.

This newfound interest on the part of the 'halls of the button' can only be welcomed by the sector, and consequently by the Italian business community, both the coastal seaside and the safari industry.
We will have to see if these are just the stanzas of the famous song interpreted by Mina and Alberto Lupo, or will there be a bit of 'nyama choma', of flab, underneath.
Politicians, it is known, more often produce smoked air than roast beef.

After the torrential rains these days, for example, the condition of the roads is there for all to see. Not only the chasms on Lamu Road in Malindi, but also the disruption of the road to Mombasa, the only artery connecting the only operational international airport on the coast to all the major international tourist destinations. If the upgrading of the infrastructure remains the country's main problem, next comes the not always adequate treatment of holidaymakers by the authorities.

To be fair, however, there have been some signs in recent days that words can be translated into action:
after the invectives of the Minister of Tourism and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alfred Mutua, against the customs entities, guilty in his opinion (and not only 'in his' opinion) of annoying arriving passengers with overdue checks and misplaced requests, attentions in this regard have increased and there have already been reports and cases of suspension of officers at the Nairobi International Airport. Just as a meeting is scheduled to take place today between Mutua and the top management of the Kenya Revenue Authority to discuss the interpretation of the famous 'tax' on personal property exceeding 500 dollars or 75 thousand shillings in value.

It is still not clear what is meant! Single piece (like, I wear a rolex on my wrist and you tax it? Whatever, apart from the fact that I would leave the rolex in the safe deposit box in the country of origin) or do you add up all personal assets? Or does it only cover goods that have to be declared, but items that are clearly for everyday use and consumption, such as a smartphone or tablet, Ray Ban glasses, etc., are exempt?
It needs to be clarified because those who are familiar with Kenya and certain circles know that it is in uncertainty that those who want to wallow, do so best.

In addition to Mutua's operations, the statement by the brilliant Vice-President Rigathi Gachagua, inviting coastal residents, for the Christmas festivities, to return to their native village and rent their homes by the sea, because they are expected to sell out.
A bit like the people of Romagna used to do in the 1960s, when they left their homes to the Milanese, Romans and Germans and went to sleep in their garages.
Actually, we believe that Kenyans who have a small house worthy of renting to tourists, with the minimum of necessary services, can easily do without leaving it to go back to their grandparents' hut, while most citizens living on the coast, if they already have a roof, are happy and at most welcome foreign travellers with a smile as they have always done, but certainly not at home, amidst steaming pots and smells of paraffin, tin roofs and mattresses on the floor.

But perhaps Gachagua wanted to launch eco-sustainable tourism as well as 'eco-lifting', a somewhat radical chic return to basics. While it is true that operators' figures support optimism in the run-up to the holidays, it should not be forgotten that the government itself, last month, put those who rent on platforms such as Air BnB and do not pay taxes in their sights. Will it be enough to prove that renting to foreign tourists means moving to the forest, among coconuts bananas and tobacco, to solve the situation?

Talking crickets, in short, point to the moon and polish their nails. Dreaming is not forbidden and the dream dimension is still one of the few areas where corruption is like 5G in Amboseli, it has very little scope.
And, as the song says, 'the moon and crickets normally keep me awake, but I want to sleep and dream'....