Although Gorilla safaris seems to be the focus in Rwanda just as in Uganda and Congo, there has been a lot of diversification of products in Rwanda, which have played a role in having a large number of tourists staying in the country longer. Nyungwe was declared a national park bringing the number of protected areas to three. The areas of the new park include the Cyamudongo forest in the southern part of Cyangugu province. The rising number of tourist’s in the park has shown steady growth of 40% since 2001. Nyungwe Park extending for 1,000 square kilometers across the majestic hills of southeast Rwanda is the largest block of montane forest in East or central Africa, and one of the most ancient, dating back before the last ice age. A unique rich center of floral diversity, the forest has more than more 200 different types of tree, and a myriad of flowering plants including the other worldly giant lobella and a host of colorful orchids. Nyungwe is most alluring for its primates; Nyungwe National Park has 13 species including chimpanzees as well as the monkeys and hundred strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angola colobus. Nyungwe has made Rwanda tours and gorilla safaris in general a memorable experience to those who tour the country.
Minister in charge of gender and women affairs and other women leaders will from June 11-14th get together in Kampala to attend the 18th triennial meeting of the commonwealth affairs ministers meeting (8WAMM). The gathering, which will engage women leaders from the 53 commonwealth countries is one of the activities that determination come first the commonwealth heads of government meeting (CHOGM) that Uganda is advantaged to host in November. Beneath the subject, financing gender equality for the development and democracy, the conference will take place at the Speke resort Munyonyo. Commonwealth ministers in charge for gender and women affairs are responsible for influencing decisions and policies disturbing women and men at national levels of their individual countries. According to the press statement, from the commonwealth secretariat in London, the meeting will center on strengthening institutional capacities to enhance gender mainstreaming and achieve the millennium Development Goals (MDG)
MDG number three aims at promoting gender and equality and empowering women by the year 2015. CHOGM seeks to close persistent gaps and engages with new and emerging challenges. Tourism industry stands higher chances of benefiting from this summit. The ministers and the first ladies that are meant to meet ahead of CHOGM is scheduled to visit Bulago island one of the luxurious islands in the country
Uganda will host the Commonwealth Heads of Meeting in November 2007. Efforts have been going on to raise enough hotel rooms for the different numbers of visitors during that period. Equally all the hotels put up will need skilled professionals to handle these guests by international standards. Refresher courses have organized to train different staff for all the hotels that will be hosting the delegates.
Over 65 hotels have been identified to handle to provide accommodation facilities for expected 5000 Chogm delegates including 57 heads of state from the member countries. The assistant Commissioner for Registration and Inspection of Tourism Facilities in the ministry, Mr. Curthbert Baguma said the refresher training would equip hotel staff with modern skills on how to handle delegates.
He commented that through this refresher course and training is intended to equip the hotel staff with enough skills to be able to handle all challenging busy schedules during the meeting.
Tourism has played a role in image building in Rwanda. Rwanda has been participating in International Fairs Like WTM in London and ITB in Berlin and New York Adventurers. Rwanda took the fourth position at Berlin fair among 57 African stands in 2005. Although gorilla tourism seems to be the focus, there is a lot to be done as per Rwanda tours. With the structure of Rwanda office of tourism and National parks, a department of community conservation was created to sensitize the communities around the park about importance of national parks both in terms of conservation and tourism.
The Akagera National Park today is one of the popular attractions visited by tourists. The culture and tradition like the traditional wear is more outstanding than even what lies in National parks. Rwandan culture is unique and constitutes a valuable tourists attraction on its own. Its development is definitely an added advantage to Rwanda tours especially the explorers who have been identified as one target segment of the visitors. There is a lot of potential that still exists outside the existing areas ready for tours in Rwanda, that need further improvements like lake activities on lake Kivu, kibuye and Cyangugu. Exploiting the full potential in every province especially the non-traditional sites could complement Akagera National, Park, Parc de Nationale and Nyungwe National Park. This would also stretch to beautiful scenic views like Nasho area, Rusumo waterfalls and many other tourism sites to boost more Rwandan safaris than depending mainly the primate’s safaris in national park.
The disagreement over Mabira Forest has deepened with some local political leaders dismissing claims that they approved the degazettement of part of the Mabira forest reserve to Metha Family for sugarcane growing. The LC3 chairperson, Apollo Massa, said the sub-county, which borders the forest, had never approved any decree charitable concerning the forest reserve. He further lamented “I affirm my earlier position that Mabira should not be touched,’’ he asserted, adding that Mehta had only held an awareness meeting with them, without any concrete resolutions. Little has been said by the President of Uganda though, the environment minister, Maria Mutagamba, told the press at the Media Center in Kampala last week that four sub-counties on the eastern side of the forest to be affected by the degazettment and had approved the forest give-away. The local communities are still astonished with the violence that erupted due to the forest give away last. One wonders whether the minister is speaking on behalf of the government or not, if so then the forest is gone unless or otherwise. Mabira forest is the only central reserve contributing to Uganda tours in the country. The forest reserve has 315 species of Bird causal to the Birds of Uganda and Uganda tours at large. Other rear unique features in the forest reserve include 218 butterfly species, 97 moth species and a new primate species of monkey family only found in this forest.
Though there is claim that giving the forest reserve has many advantages such as employment that Mehta has given to the local people but the natural forests have priceless roles like rain making and protection of soil as well as rivers among other advantages. Above all sugar in Uganda is the most expensive luxury in the country compared to other east African countries and Africa as a whole. Sugar prices increase every day and night and giving away the forest reserve will not even stop the country from importing sugar which is a necessity only enjoyed by roughly 20% of the population in urban areas. The Mabira Forest saga began a few weeks ago when The New Vision reported that 7,100 hectares of the forest were to be given to the Sugar Corporation of Uganda Ltd, owned by Mehta, for sugarcane planting. Since then, there has been a strong public outcry, with several civil society groups threatening legal action if the forest is given away. That later sparked the peaceful demonstration which ended up violent claiming lives of many Ugandans with others locked behind bars.
The security state of affairs in Karamoja region has enhanced in the first three months of this year, with fewer ambushes and large-scale raids reported. Though the security has not been friendly to karamonjong’s in this region, Tourism as well as Uganda tours and safaris has been booming in Kidepo Valley for long without any interferences. That was one of the conclusions of a high-level security meeting in Kotido on March 19, organized by the Minister of Defense and the UPDF top officers. Only four road ambushes had been noted across the region between January and March, according to a report from the meeting, three of them on the Abim-Kotido road and one on the Kotido-Moroto road in which a driver was shot dead. Although large-scale raids had reduced significantly, there have been numerous cattle thefts that led to 18 civilian deaths and 14 injuries, most notably the massacre of 13 women of Achegeretolim village in Nabilatuk sub-county on January 17 by the people of Ltome the report reads. The meeting, which brought together area MPs, district leaders and army officers, also noted that inter-clan raids were being fuelled by cross-border alliances. The Ugandan Dodoth have reportedly allied with the Sudanese Toposa to raid the Jie, while the Jie have formed an alliance with the Kenya Turkana to raid the Dodoth. This does not affect visitors from exploring Uganda national park tours in karamonja region.
They praised the armed forces for rapidly responding to cattle raids. Thousands of stolen animals have been recovered by the UPDF since the beginning of this year and handed over to the owners. To improve communication, mobilization and sensitization on disarmament, the meeting resolved that the Government sets up an FM radio station in Kotido to cover the whole of Karamoja. The radio equipment has already been bought and delivered to the Kotido district headquarters. It was also decided that the Government, together with the army, sets up a plan for communal grazing grounds to bring together rival clans and enhance reconciliation.
The Karimojong leaders pledged full support for the disarmament exercise and pointed out some warriors’ hideouts that were not yet occupied by the UPDF.
The meeting also resolved to increase the Police presence in the region. “The Uganda Police force ensures immediate presence of officers in various towns and trading center in Karamonja as well as recruit special police constables for rural areas,” the report adds.
Karamoja is one of the regions where National parks are found the boost Uganda safaris in the country that is Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo is one of the Uganda’s spectacular parks that harbors scenery unsurpassed in any other in East Africa. Common comments on scenery by clients who tour this part of Uganda and who often promise and do come back is ‘it could be any better’
The government stands to lose millions of shillings in high premium it is paying to insure the newly commissioned MV kalangala, source familiar with deal commented last year. The government of Uganda is spending millions every month as contribution towards the contractor insurance cover under which MV kalangala is covered. The Director of transport in the works and transport ministry, Grace Itazi said that the 50m the government pays the contractor every month is a lump sum payment covering other costs not only necessarily insurance cover. The director refused to divulge information about what other costs are. This is done so as tourists can tour these areas since its one of the areas of birding activities in Uganda. When asked why the government had not contacted a local firm to provide an insurance cover to the new Vessel, Itazi said there were in the process. Sources said the government stands to lose a lot of money under the current arrangement with the contractor in case of any accident because the contractors insurance does not cover passengers on board, yet the vessel was specially designed to carry passengers. The modern vessel, which was constructed by Danmen shipyards of Holland, operates between Nakiwogo near Entebbe and Lutoboka.
In 2005, one of the Uganda’s few ships MV kalangala sunk in Lake Victoria after a few days it was discovered that the vessels insurance cover had expired and hence there was no compensation for the ship. The government had to meet all the costs. MV kalangala is one of means used to reach some of the birds of Uganda. Lake Victorian where this vessel operates with MV kalangala tourists will be able to explore Uganda tours and have the memorable experience of the Uganda’s safaris.
The government stands to lose millions of shillings in high premium it is paying to insure the newly commissioned MV kalangala, source familiar with deal commented last year. The government of Uganda is spending millions every month as contribution towards the contractor insurance cover under which MV kalangala is covered. The Director of transport in the works and transport ministry, Grace Itazi said that the 50m the government pays the contractor every month is a lump sum payment covering other costs not only necessarily insurance cover. The director refused to divulge information about what other costs are. This is done so as tourists can tour these areas since its one of the areas of birding activities in Uganda. When asked why the government had not contacted a local firm to provide an insurance cover to the new Vessel, Itazi said there were in the process. Sources said the government stands to lose a lot of money under the current arrangement with the contractor in case of any accident because the contractors insurance does not cover passengers on board, yet the vessel was specially designed to carry passengers. The modern vessel, which was constructed by Danmen shipyards of Holland, operates between Nakiwogo near Entebbe and Lutoboka.
In 2005, one of the Uganda’s few ships MV kalangala sunk in Lake Victoria after a few days it was discovered that the vessels insurance cover had expired and hence there was no compensation for the ship. The government had to meet all the costs. MV kalangala is one of means used to reach some of the birds of Uganda. Lake Victorian where this vessel operates with MV kalangala tourists will be able to explore Uganda tours and have the memorable experience of the Uganda’s safaris.
The Commonwealth inspection team, which toured the hotels in Kampala, recently, said they were satisfied with the progress. 4,000 hotel rooms required for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in November have been identified. This has not only doubled the number of rooms of international standards in Kampala, it has also changed the city’s skyline and improved on tourism facilities in Uganda.
Matthew Neuhaus the Commonwealth director for political affairs said, a lot of progress has been made since they first came, they have been moving quite fast. Among the new hotels inspected by the team is Kampala Serena Hotel, with 152 rooms including one presidential suite, expected to accommodate the Queen of England, and Imperial Royale, which is still under construction, with 212, two of which are presidential suites. The team also visited Hotel Africana, which built an additional block with 110 rooms, bringing its total number of rooms to 225, and the renovated Sheraton Hotel, which has 222 rooms including four presidential suites.
The team ended its tour at the Speke Resort Munyonyo, which has 143 rooms and is still constructing a presidential village. The palatial Munyonyo is made up of 60 spacious and luxurious rooms, with an eye-dazzling décor. The Government injected sh8b into the project, which is a joint venture with Sudhir’s Meera Investments. For the heads of state who will bring along their spouses, each suite has two spacious bedrooms joined into one, two state-of-the-art bathrooms, specially imported beds that are custom-designed, a fully-stocked bar and a posh central sitting room for the president’s aides. The interior architect, brought in from India to design the presidential suites, Christine Mortier, said the works would be completed by the end of July. November 2007 is the month and year of jubilation to Uganda as both the government and the local communities will benefit from CHOGM. Ranging from Universities, culture, religion, markets, nature and monument will be toured as one of the Uganda safaris by the delegates. This summit is one of its first kinds to be held in Uganda that has greatly benefited tourism industry through Hotel development. The summit will also increase on Uganda tours and hence revenue to the industry.
Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in southwestern Uganda have better medical attention after the establishment of a laboratory for monitoring their health. The executive Director Conservation through Public Health (CTPH), a Non-governmental Organization said a laboratory for undertaking tests on endangered mountain gorillas had been put in a place in buhoma village at the fringes of the park.. Apart from Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and Virunga in Democratic republic of Congo, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park if one of the parks where gorilla safaris is carried in the world. CTPH and its partners including Uganda Wildlife Authority had contributed to the building of the Laboratory early 2005. The United States and Bayer Pharmaceuticals also assisted in the setting up of the laboratory, which also referred to as the field clinic for mountain gorillas and other species of animals. The gorilla’s health has been monitored by analyzing samples regularly instead of reacting to emergencies when there is a disease break out. The dung of the gorillas has been collected once a week by the UWA, which researchers examine and then advices UWA on proper measures to prevent the diseases. The construction of the animal clinic was instructed by UWA to be put out side the park so that it would assist locals to treat other animals.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Harbors more than a half of the global population of the mountain gorillas, which is estimated at 750 and the remaining population roam the three that is Uganda (Mgahinga), Rwanda, and DRC. Gorilla tours are the hottest tourists activity as well as the attraction in Uganda. Gorilla safaris contribute much of UWA’s revenue from protected areas, part of which is used to run other parks that are not popular tourists destination in the country.