President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, has called on the Ministry of Tourism Antiquities and Wildlife, along with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), to improve their promotion of Uganda’s tourism potential.
Museveni made the call on September 28 at Paraa Ranger Training School in Purongo Sub County, Nwoya District in northern Uganda, where he passed out 487 recruits as game rangers.
The President said: “The promotion of Uganda’s potential in wildlife has been poor. Countries that have nothing to show are getting more tourists than Uganda. The Ministry of Tourism and UWA should bring out the uniqueness of Uganda in their promotion of the tourism sector,” reports Uganda Media Centre.
In order to improve the promotion of the tourism sector, Museveni said there was a need for better packaging of the uniqueness of Uganda’s tourism sector, as well as improved planning. “We need to systematically work on the roads of the national parks for the tourists to easily access the parks in comfort,” he said.
The President further proposed that, once the national carrier was restored, tourists coming to visit various game reserves should land in Gulu and Soroti rather than Entebbe.
He did, however, commend the work done by the UWA in building manpower to protect the reserves and game parks, noting that lawlessness in the parks had decreased over the past 30 years.
During the ceremony, the recruits demonstrated marksmanship to the President by using target, crossfire and tactical shooting. The rangers also showcased equipment captured from poachers in the national parks, including spears, wire snares, metal traps and foot traps.
State Minister of Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda, said UWA was unstoppable. However, he noted the roads to the national parks, such as Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks, and promotion of wildlife, as some of the challenges affecting the sector. Kiwanda said with improved infrastructure, the number of tourists would increase from two million annually to about four million.
Speaking at the function, UWA Executive Director, Samuel John Mwanda, said the Rangers’ Course was important for the tourism sector to continue earning revenue for the country. According to the Uganda Tourism Board, tourism contributed US$1.4 billion, 10% of GDP.
“We are going to procure helicopters in the next financial year to assist in the transfer of animals and to patrol game reserves to prevent poachers from killing the animals,” Mwanda said.
Museveni handed over cheques from UWA to the leaders of the six districts neighbouring Murchison Falls National Parks for UGX1.9 billion ($498 000). He also contributed UGX million ($26 177) to the UWA.
