Ten lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park have been killed
The report by wildlife expert says the lion population was estimated at 100. The lions died following the invasion of the park by the Basongora herdsmen. In the areas occupied by the Basongora, the most common animals encountered are Buffaloes, Bushbuck, Waterbuck and Lions during recent months. The report said one of the lions was sick around October while the where about of the either nine could not be established. The lions comprised of the group of nine that followed the cattle very closely and they have eaten calves that normally graze without a herdsman. The local community has stated that people with cows in the park have boasted about the killing of lions
Elephants have been pushed at the edges of the park and to the community land across River Nyamugasani, where they have been heavily involved in crop raiding the report said. The Uganda kobs also keep moving away from the location of the cattle. The lions are under particular threat because of their likelihood of attacking cattle. The report said further that always carcasses are poisoned when the cows are killed and this in turn poisons the lions that return to feed on the carcasses as well as hyenas, vultures and any that grazes near by. The report said in June 2006, four hyenas died and nine others went missing and poaching had escalated as game meat. However the orders passed by His Excellency President Y.K Museveni around October that all encroachers on national reserves and wildlife conservation areas vacate the areas will allow wildlife multiply and boast further development if taken serious.
Uganda Wildlife Authority would like to inform the general public that the problem of the ferry that broke down in Murchison falls national park (MFNP) in paraa on the 13th October 2006 has been rectified and effective now. They further remind other stakeholders especially the park visitors that they are now free to use the ferry to cross to and from the northern bank with their vehicles. Visitors are also free to use the northern gates of Chobe and Wangkwar. UWA apologizes for the inconveniences caused, and extend their sincere thanks to all their stakeholders for understanding.
The Queen of England will stay at Serena Hotel in Kampala during the commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), due in November next year. This was announced in a report circulated in parliament by Foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa.
After months of assumption, with some hinting that the Queen would put up at the new state house building in Entebbe, the choice has now landed on the recently opened splendid five star Serena Hotel. Tight security measures will be put in place to protect Her Majesty and other 53 Heads of states in Serena hotel during the five days conference; a new radar system will be installed at Entebbe Airport and an additional security tower, an aircraft parking and VIP terminal building will be built. Other security plans include upgrading Kasese aerodrome and new landing sites at Lake Victoria. The government is also acquiring new equipments for investigation, computing, communication, counter terrorism operations, as well as setting up training programmes for security personnel.
The commonwealth secretariat undertook to facilitate the training of the Uganda police in human rights issues and has emphasized the need for security to work with a human face during CHOGM meeting. The security concern are personal protection of her majesty, the Queen and other heads of delegations, the venue of the conference, dinners and other side events, the airport, high ways and junctions where guests will be passing as well as their residents and visit areas like the source of the Nile and Lake Victorian islands. The Minister further stressed that government has undertaken consultation with a number of Commonwealth countries including the UK, and South Africa, on how possible collaboration and assistance relating to equipment, sharing experiences and training to strengthen the security during the conference. Uganda as country commonly know as ‘The pearl of Africa’ stands to benefit from CHOGM, improvement of basic infrastructure, such as roads and communication services, hotel expansion and tourism promotion, business opportunities, service delivery, beautification and hygiene, as well as employment and publicity for the country will be much improved.
Kayunga District is well known as a pineapple land because pineapple seems to be a must grow crop in Kangulumira sub-county, kayunga district. Almost every household has grown the succulent fruit, said Ronald Kizito one of the growers. He tells a different story of frustration and disillusionment that the trend has changed since 2004 that he earned 0.5million from pineapple. The ambitious farmer has embarked on another project of large-scale pawpaw growing. Kizito lamented that if he has to survive the stiff competition, he must diversify. ´I have gone into pawpaw growing because very few people have planted it’, that the crop is on high demand yet with low supply. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting for example is around the corner, there will be high demand of pawpaw and I will reap big, he said. Kizito expects the first harvest from his 40 trees in February 2007, and also plans to plant more. The earning from pineapple has dwindled because there are very many pineapple growers, and of course the higher the supply, the lower the prices, he explained. The earning from pineapple is no longer regular. In some seasons, he earns only 0.2m and with five labourers the earnings are sliced. To beef up his earnings Kizito now intercrops pineapple with bananas, cassava and pawpaws. Drawing his inspiration from CHOGM, tourism industry also stands to benefit from this.
Residents in the villages of mabira forest have figured out how to have their cake and eat out of the forest. About a decade ago an initiative was hatched to enable three neighboring villages to enjoy the best from it. The residents benefit from raw material for making baskets and medicine and in return protect the forest from illegal loggers. The manger of mabira forest Leo Twinomuhangi said, the local communities are being helped to benefit from the forest and this is contributing to poverty alleviation. The communities have been trained and they are wisely using the forest without destroying it. Currently, there is a long-term global study by Forest Restoration Aim (FORE AIM). FORE AIM is mentoring Mabira’s restoration and its multi functionality. The national Forest Authority spokesman Gaster Kiyingi said, the zones were imposed to cater for different interests and to ensure continued use without causing destruction. Mabira forest has over 300 species of birds, some of them endangered like the Nahans francolin and the Papyrus gonolek. Mabira forest also have plants with medicinal value, some of them used by local communities to treat ailments likes impotence and heart diseases. Mabira forest is one of the reservation areas that contribute to the country’s tour circuit.
By Achen
Trade ministers toured hotels to ascertain their status in preparation for the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting(CHOGM) Janat Mukwaya and Serapio Rukondi visited golf course hotel, Sheraton hotel kampala and munyonyo resort. The managers were hailed for the good work and asked to meet the international standards. Tourism industry as well as hotels in uganda stands to benefit from such aspects as quality accommodation will be achieved for the forthcoming commonwealth summit.
Idi Amin died in Saudi Arabia just three years ago; Amin fled Uganda in 1979 after murdering upwards of 300,000 souls of both Ugandans and foreigners. Larger than life physically and metaphorically, he was a former heavy weight-boxing champion with a brilliant sense of leadership as a performance, and his dictatorship ruling, the methods were brutally prehistoric. His public relations slyness was accomplishedly 20th century. Smiling into cameras, Idi Amin dropped provocations like bombs. ‘ I don’t like human flesh, its too salty for me’, he one lamented.
The queasily enjoyable new fiction film, ‘the last King of Scotland’, based on the novel written by Giles Foden and directed by Kevin Macdonald, creates a portrait of this famous Ugandan dictator from onside the palace walls. Furiously paced with excellent performances by forest, Whitaker as Amin and James McAvoy as the foolish Scotsman who became the leaders personal physician, the film has texture of intelligence to almost persuade you that it actually has something not to say. The last king of Scotland makes the case that Amin was rational enough to understand Uganda’s tangled relationship with the British imperialism. Amin was a merchant of death compared with the historic British monarchy. He once wrote: ‘ Dear Liz, if you want to know a really man, come to Kampala’. Clearly the last king of Scotland film means this journey to be as inwardly directed as externally bound. Though the message in this film is one that that might make you blanch after nod, the misery of other people makes unsettling entertainment, no matter how pretty the pictures and valuable the players.
Amin’s brutal regime left Uganda in total mess; expelling the Asians was a nightmare that shut down the country’s economy and economic activities. Besides during the period of 1960s –1970s, Uganda was one of the preferred tourism destinations in East Africa. In late 1970s and early1980s the number dropped miserably due Idi Amins dictatorial policy in Uganda. Today Uganda has risen once again and the economy is booming and growing at a high rate. Tourism in Uganda can’t be left out; Uganda being one of the gorilla regions has attracted many visitors to view these amazing Apes.