UWA graft probe-team named
The Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry Mr. Kahinda Otafiire has appointed Col. Stephen Kwiringira to head the committee to investigate allegations of corruption against two suspended top Uganda Wildlife Authority officials.
Other members on the committee include Mr Amos Wekesa, the chairman Uganda Tourism Association, Dr John Bosco Nizeye from Makerere University and Mr Denis Bireije. Col. Kwiringira is a former director of operations at the Internal Security Organisation.
The Uganda Wild life Authority, (UWA) executive director Moses Wafula Mapesa and Sam Mwandha, the director of conservation, are currently on forced leave.
Mr Joseph Tibeijuka, the director for finance, has been appointed acting executive director.
The team, according to a source, will investigate alleged mismanagement of money from gorilla permits and Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola District.
Gen. Otafiire said yesterday that the officials will have an opportunity to clear themselves on the allegations contained in the IGG’s report.
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Uganda Tourism Vibrant Despite Bomb Blasts
The Uganda Tourists and tour operators earlier have been weary of the situation and its impact on the tourism sector. However, players in the field say apart from inquiries, there are no tourists canceling their booking and safaris that characterize the season will go as planned.
Hundreds of tourists book vocations in Uganda during this period to visit parks and especially to trek gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Concerns whether they would cancel their trips or change their itinerary have been quelled by further bookings, according the Mr Moses Mapesa, the executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority, a body that is charged with keeping the national parks, among other tourism attractions
Assuring Tourists, Mr Mapesa said he has not received any cancellation, something that reassures the sector that the bombs scare will not seriously affect the business. On Wednesday morning, tour operators held a meeting at the Uganda Tourism Board offices in Kampala at the meeting, they resolved on safety measures of tourists in the country and those about to arrive.
Though the primary aim of the meeting the upcoming World Travel Market (WTM) fair in London due in November, tour operators addressed matters regarding the bombs scare because they could be damaging to their business.
Miss Najjuka, the manager of Katona tours and travel said that though some tourists who booked with her company are concerned and have been inquiring whether it is safe to visit the country, she is glad that none of them has cancelled and have sent 6 groups of Tourists to National parks this week. Three Tourists are hiking Rwenzori, One couple is on 21 days Vacation to celebrate their marriage , a group of 5 has gone for a grand safari and the rest of the groups are tracking gorillas.
Mr Baluku, a secretary general of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) said,, "No park has been far closed, so as long as visitors observe safety precautions, the situation is very normal."
Uganda Tourism Board's Edwin Muzahura added, "I have met the private sector in tourism and we have agreed on updating our clients on the situation back home." He said providing factual updates on the website, twitter and face book helps tourists understand the situation as it is, and not to scare them away.
"These scares happen anywhere and tourists cannot stop to come because two bombs are detonated in some parts of Kampala. For example, South Africa was on high alert before and during the World Cup, but millions of football fans watched the games peacefully. The situation in Kampala is very controllable and every other places tourists visit, are more security conscious than possibly they have been."
Mr Mapesa adds, "People out there understand that there are security concerns in America, Europe, Asia and everywhere." He said there are reasonable security measures in place to protect the tourists from harm, adding, UWA has enough security on its own in all national parks.
"The safaris are done in the total guidance of our staff. We tell our visitors to travel during the day and to be inside by 7p.m.," he says, adding, "And even when a tourist asked for a self guided tour, we advise them on routes and give them a map."
Mr Muzahura told Saturday Monitor, the situation is under control and that is why the government has not issued any travel advisories. Mr Baluku adds, the coming months are high season for safaris and if the government serves advisory notices, it would heavily impact on the tourism industry.
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Tourists at Lubiri get excited by a Lioness
Ugandans have been urged to conserve the environment and protect wild life because they are a source of income through tourism.
In his speech, Dr.Seguya Andrew, the executive director of Uganda Wildlife Education Centre said Uganda has a comparative advantage over the rest of the world. Uganda has more animals and plants species compared to Europe and Asia.
Dr Seguya who was speaking at the ongoing cultural exhibition at Lubiri in Mengo said Uganda has a big tourism potential. “This is why we should keep this sector jealously to stop people from killing wild animals and encroaching on wetlands and forests,” he added.
The major attraction of the center’s stall at Lubiri was a lioness. Other animals that were exhibited include pythons, an ostrich, the red-tailed monkey and the African fish eagle, among others.
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Uganda’s Tourism potential not well tapped
The Tourism sector of Uganda sparks debate on the approaches that the sector should take to finance its growth. Having shaken off most of the negative perceptions that derailed its growth until the late 1990s, the sector has recovered considerably. According to figures from the ministry of Trade and Tourism, revenue from tourism was $350 million in 2006, $450 million in 2007 and $600 million in 2008.
Moses Mapesa, the executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), notes that encroachment and illegal access have often posed challenges to the management of such protected areas.
Between 2007 and 2008, the government allowed oil companies to carry out exploration activities in both Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls National Parks, while Hima Cement was granted a licence to mine cement at Dura in Queen Elizabeth National Park.Although these companies are compelled to ensure that they do not extensively damage the parks, the intrusion of humans and machinery often destabilizes the animals’ habitats eternally.
Mapesa argues that such challenges facing conservation have compelled them to strike a balance between development and conservation –an activity that was often carried out with the help of donor funding. “The pressures exerted on conservation in Uganda generally call for a paradigm shift from conservation just for the sake of it and using conservation to promote development and poverty alleviation,” explains Mr Mapesa.
Recently, UWA got semi-autonomous status from the Tourism ministry, started the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Trust. It is expected to generate funds locally for conservation activities, especially as donor funding reduces. According to Imelda Bacudo, a conservation finance advisor at UWA, the Trust will have a rigorous business plan for each national park and wildlife reserve aimed at ensuring they operate at optimal performance. “Once you put the money in a Trust fund then it becomes independent and transparent and it is managed by very technical financial managers.
UWA Spokesperson, Lillian Nsubuga, says while tourism revenue has gone up, most of it is from one activity; gorilla tracking. “Most of our parks bring in more than we put in,” she said. “The gorillas are actually helping to save other wildlife like hippos, elephants, impalas, zebras, gazelles, jaguars, cheetahs, etc.
Income from gorillas support conservation of other species but we are moving towards a period of more equitable distribution.” While a semi-autonomous status has given UWA the room to try out new conservation and fund-generating ideas, other sub-sectors that are funded solely by the government seem bereft of creativity. According to the Commissioner for museums and monuments in the ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry, Ms Rose Nkaale Mwanje, more than 500 cultural and natural tourist sites are endangered.
Unfortunate sites like Wamala Tombs, Ntutsi Mounds and Nyero Rock Paintings are among those being destroyed due to lack of funds to maintain them, lack of appropriate laws, ignorance of locals neighboring the sites and land encroachment.
Yet the rhetoric from the government does not promise much for sub-sectors still funded largely from state coffers, with the minister for Tourism, Trade and Industry, Mr Kahinda Otafiire, saying, “Government is committed to giving financial support to the tourism industry but the bread bake is still
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Uganda safari news
Uganda Tourism Board launches Martyrs trail
The Uganda Tourism Board has launched a new tourism product following the burning of the Kasubi tombs.THE MATRYRS TRAIL.
Cuthbert Baguma the company boss, announced the launch of “the Martyrs Trail” at the Media Centre in Kampala yesterday.
The Martyrs Trail traces areas where the Uganda Martyrs were tortured and killed by King Mwanga (Buganda’s Kabaka) in the 1880s for their strong faith in Christ.
The areas include Munyonyo, Ndeba, Nakivubo, Old Kampala, Busega, Naalya and Namugongo. A brochure has been made to guide tourists on the trail.
Every June 3, the 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican martyrs, are honoured by both catholics and Anglican believers and cerebrations are made at Namugongo shrines.
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IGG cancels gorilla permit contracts
Raphael Baku the Inspector General of Government, has directed the Uganda Wildlife Authority to cancel all the illegal and irregular contracts it made with the Nkuringo Conservation and Development Foundation and Uganda Safari Company in Kisoro district.
The contracts were monopolising Gorilla Tracking in Nkuringo on the Southern periphery of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The IGG saind that Monopoly of sale of Gorilla Tracking permits by Uganda Wildlife Authority to a private company, directed UWA to comply with all the laws and policies that govern it in executing its mandate without taking advantage of the ignorance of the communities it works with.
The IGG report stated that the illegal and irregular contracts, namely the agreement between Uganda Wildlife Authority and Nkuringo Conservation Development Foundation of 30/8/2004 and its addendums of 23/11/2006 and 29/11/2006 and the agreement between Nkuringo Conservation and Development Foundation and the Uganda Safari Company should be revoked..
Earier on Tourism stakeholders complained to the IGG of discrimination, irregularities and illegalities in the management and issuance of gorilla tracking permits by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to a few companies and this created unfair monopoly in the tourism business.
This raised concern to Uganda as a whole which had lost tourism business including all benefits accruing from the sector to only one Kisoro Hotel operator, Uganda Safari Company, who had been given exclusive rights to sell gorilla tracking permits and allegedly attract tourists to an eco-lodge.
The IGG in the report recommended that UWA should draw up a well- thought out framework for the development of tourism opportunities for the whole region where Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located not for particular isolated areas.
“The sub-counties of Nyabwishenya and Kirundo where Rubuguri and Nteko parishes respectively fall, should, in consultation with the district takeover the Nkuringo tourism project and improve development for the benefit of their communities after other modalities have been addressed.
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Queen Elizabeth National Park Loses 5 Lions to Poison
About 5 lions and 16 vultures in the Queen Elizabeth National Park have died of suspected poisoning.
The carcasses of three lionesses and two males, formerly part of a pride of about 10, along the Kasenyi track, were discovered about a kilometers from Hamukungu fish landing site on Wednesday and one of the lionesses was pregnant, said Nelson Guma the acting Warden.
Guma expressed the fear that more lions and wild animals like hyenas, which feed on dead animals, could also be dead.
Usually local people complain of the wild animals eating their domestic animals, but Guma said there had been no such case in the recent past.
“It is unfortunate that people with bad hearts poison the lions and end up killing more animals than intended,” he said.
Reports said two people were arrested near the area where the lions were killed. The animals reportedly killed and ate six head of cattle two months ago and Guma would investigate the claims.
Rangers yesterday retrieved the carcasses of the lions from the wilderness for examination. They also recovered two dead head of cattle and two cow skins. A swarm of dead green flies littered the area, indicating possible poisoning.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority’s Veterinary doctor, Dr. Margaret Drachiru, who took samples for testing, said the animals could have died on Sunday and the two heads of cattle were not killed by the lions, but were slaughtered and placed there to trap the cats.
According to Guma, lions are the biggest tourist attraction in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The dead lions were the ones which tourists were sure to see at the park, which is said to hold about 105 lions. The park covers Kyambura and Ishasha sectors.
Experts, using scientific methods, found 214 cats between 1999 and 2004 in Uganda. But crude estimates put the number to about 745 across the country. It is believed that the Queen Elizabeth park and the DR Congo hold up to 905 African lions.
Perceived as a threat to livestock and humans, lions are also hunted for their skins and purported medicinal values. They are poisoned, shot, or speared by locals.
While lion populations in protected areas remain relatively healthy, conservationists say without urgent measures, they may disappear as their habitat is lost to deforestation and encroachers.
For example, in 2006, about 10 lions were killed in the park in areas which were temporarily occupied by the Basongora pastoralists who had been chased from the Virunga National Park in eastern Congo.
Uganda has 10 national parks. Lions are also found in the Murchison Falls , Kidepo Park and Some are said to be in the Semliki area in Toro.
In Lake Mburo National Park, however, the lions have become extinct.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority has put in place various interventions, including sensitising communities around the parks in an attempt to save the big cats.
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