Tourists Are Asking For Good Roads-Tayebwa To Government

August 9, 2024

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa has asked the Government of Uganda to allocate more funding to the construction of modern infrastructure around and inside the national parks which are a key tourism attraction for Destination Uganda.

Tayebwa, who had spent time with Portuguese tourists in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in south-western Uganda on Wednesday, told Parliament on Thursday of the questionable state of roads in the area considered one of the top tourist destinations in the country. He said the tourists with whom they visited Bwindi to watch gorillas were not happy with the time wasted on the poor roads leading to the area on top of the close to 500km drive from Entebbe International Airport.

“There are issues. I had time with the tourists and the issues which they all talked about especially on telecom network because these people want the moment they take a picture, they share instantly. So, do we have network in the National Parks before the excitement goes away? Then the roads. A road of 23km from Rubanda to Ruhija, it took me 2 hours. Then the one which goes to the side of Honorable (Eddie) Kwizera (in Kisoro District), Rubuguli, you will take around 4 hours. It is really very bad,” said Tayebwa.

He added that; “I can see the community is trying to protect these parks but when you look at the money we are getting because we charge these people $800 for a permit to come and watch gorillas for 1 hour, and then the road is poor. So, many of them (tourists) are saying, ‘see I take a long journey from Entebbe [and] then I add on a very bad road’. But I know Rt. Hon. Prime Minister as a Cabinet you have focused on tourism roads and we shall support you seriously,”

The Deputy Speaker was responding to a comment made by State Minister for Tourism, Martin Mugara who commended him for marketing Uganda by visiting the national park with tourists. Minister Mugara also asked the opposition leaders to be tourism ambassadors whenever they travel abroad.

“I appreciate you (Deputy Speaker) as a leader for being exemplary in marketing destination Uganda. We saw you in Bwindi with a team of Portuguese showcasing the beauty of this country. I want to thank you and how I pray that other leaders in this House can pick a leaf from you. I will be happy to see my brother Ssenyonyi, Leader of Opposition and maybe the entire NUP (National Unity Platform, Party) team for once, going out there and putting a message of the good things in Uganda, not only the bad,” said Mugara.

Tayebwa’s experience

The Deputy Speaker who said he wants to explore the beauty of Uganda by leading the crusade for promoting local tourism, elucidated the experience inside Bwindi, revealing his close encounter with gorillas.

Tayebwa who has visited Bishop Hanningtone shrine in Mayuge District and wants to visit other sites like Kigulu Rock in Buyende District and Kidepo national park in Karamoja, told legislators that his recent visit to Bwindi brought him face to face with gorillas.

“And by the way it is an awesome experience. Yesterday the gorillas came to me because we are supposed to keep a distance of around 10 meters but they kept coming. Maybe they thought I was going to hold a parliamentary session and they wanted to catch my eye. But it was a good experience and whoever comes and visits, they really feel the experience,” he added.

Supporting the plea by the Minister, Tayebwa added that much as there are disagreements on political ideologies between the ruling party and the opposition, Uganda remains home for all and it is paramount to showcase its beauty whenever given an opportunity.

The Government has always pointed a finger at the top opposition figures for going out to the international community and portraying Uganda as a bad place, something that may curtail investors and tourists plans for the country.

“It is always important to showcase our country. I have seen many of you go to tour abroad but the places you tour don’t have a quarter of what Uganda has. Uganda is gifted by nature, our climate and all that. I would like to argue you Honorable colleagues to visit our national parks, to visit our national heritage sites. You can love your country without agreeing with the Government. The issue of agreeing with your Government can be different from loving the country,” he added.

Government plans

Tourism is one of the leading sectors contributing highly on foreign exchange and the numbers of tourists arriving in Uganda has started increasing as recovery from the Covid-19 global pandemic takes shape.

In the Budget Speech delivered by Matia Kasaija, Minister of Finance on June 13, the Government revealed that in 2023, international tourist arrivals increased by 56 percent to 1.274 million tourists compared to 814,085 arrivals in 2022 and the peak of 1.52 million in 2019. With this increase in tourists’ arrivals, the Minister revealed that the country earned $1.03 billion in 2023.

“Tourism has a high return on investment. In FY 2024/25, I have provided Shs289.6 billion to the tourism development programmes to undertake; support international and domestic tourism marketing and promotion activities; modernise our tourism products to make them more competitive; . continue with the grading, supervision and classification of tourism facilities to enhance the quality of services and ensure adherence to the required global standards; complete the upgrade of the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute infrastructure in an effort to make it an International Centre of Excellence for training and skills development in tourism and hospitality; and, enhance the conservation of Uganda’s 22 Wildlife Protected Areas with a focus on the mitigation of human wildlife conflicts,” Kasaija stated.

Among the infrastructures the Government wants to modernise this financial year include; completion of the pier and related infrastructure at the Source of the Nile; upgrading the Uganda Museum; and construction of 8,000 metres of climbing ladders and boardwalks on the Rwenzori Mountains to make hiking safer.

To increase relations with communities neighbouring the national parks, the Government is also going to construct an additional 150 kms of electric fence and maintain the existing 106-km fence hence reducing human-animal conflicts.

Parliament has also appropriated Shs 1.629 trillion to the tourism sector to finance critical including support to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), construction of tourism roads, road rehabilitation and upgrade under Kampala Capital City Authority, support to AFCON 2027 and completion of key stadia, strengthening security, law and order in the tourism destinations, and extension of the internet to tourism destinations.