KAMPALA – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has issued a directive to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to waive fees for travelers passing through Murchison Falls National Park to reach Northern Uganda. This decision comes as a relief to travelers who have been using the park’s road as an alternative route due to the closure of Karuma Bridge, which is currently under rehabilitation.
During a meeting with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus at State House, Entebbe, President Museveni emphasized that charging fees to travelers who are not tourists is “nonsensical” and “not correct.” Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua had requested the President to waive fees for travelers who would have otherwise used Karuma Bridge.
“I totally forbid the charging of money from travelers who are not tourists,” President Museveni stated, highlighting the need to differentiate between tourists and travelers. Hon. Obua’s request sought to exempt travelers from paying fees while allowing tourists to continue paying.
However, President Museveni also expressed concern about the impact of vehicles on the park’s animals. Conservationists have warned that the animals are frightened by big vehicles, which could affect tourism. To address this, the President instructed Vice President Jessica Alupo to convene a meeting between the Ministry of Tourism, conservationists, and MPs to assess the impact of big cars on tourism.
“This has an impact on tourism. Should we only allow a certain type of vehicles instead of the big ones? What should we do after you have done the impact assessment with the conservationists?” President Museveni inquired. He also requested the meeting to explore differences between the Ishaka-Kasese Road, where Queen Elizabeth National Park is situated, and other roads.
In addition to addressing the UWA fees, President Museveni agreed to meet with Kisozi residents to discuss wealth creation initiatives. He urged MPs to supervise wealth creation initiatives and promote environmental conservation among Ugandans.
The President emphasized the importance of environmental conservation, citing his Limoto Pilot project, which aims to shift people from rice growing in swamps to fish farming at the edges of swamps. “Talk to our people to adopt this project,” he encouraged.
Museveni also cautioned the caucus members against corruption, stating, “Corruption has become a big problem. We are arresting quite a good number of people, even among my staff. You better watch out, and we will crush this evil.”
Furthermore, he called for stricter public service standing orders to ensure effective service delivery to Ugandans. “New public service standing orders must be put in place,” he stated.
The meeting was attended by notable figures, including First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni, Vice President Jessica Alupo, Ministers, and members of the NRM Central Executive Committee.
Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua informed MPs that President Museveni’s zonal tours would resume in October, focusing on monitoring wealth creation initiatives and socio-economic transformation. The tours aim to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives like the four-acre model, PDM, Emyooga, and seven enterprises.