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Queen Elizabeth National Park is under threat from an influx of cattle belonging to Basongora pastoralists who were send back home from the DR Congo recently.
The former State Minister for Lands, Baguma Isoke, a member of the ministerial team that went to assess the situation, said the animals had overgrazed the pelican peninsula near Lake Edward. Mondo Kagonyera, the former Minister in charge of General duties in the Prime Minister’s office, headed the team.

He said there was dread that the wild animals were exposed to catching infectious diseases from the cattle. In Lake Mburo National Park, the lions were driven into extermination because of the importunate conflict between the herdsmen and wildlife authorities over lions in the last decade.

Arthur Kule Musinguzi, the district environment officer, Kasese district, said the “returnees” had camped outside the park on public land pending a solution to their plight. But they grazed inside the park. Moses Mapesa, the head of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), said an inter-ministerial committee had ruled that the Basongora should be relocated to Ibuga refuge settlement camp.

He said settlement in the park was a provisional measure awaiting relocation.

Mapesa said the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Industry, Daudi Migereko, would advise the inter-ministerial committee after his visit to the area. Kule said the Basongola are linked to cattle-keeping tribes in Uganda and that they took advantage of the weak laws in DR Congo to settle in Virunga National park. Kule said the government of Congo is securing its protected areas. It started throwing out encroachers recently Queen Elizabeth is the oldest park in the country and is famous for its diversity and density of large animals.

Uganda safari news

Labours to discover oil in Uganda have gained impetus following the detection of a carbondioxide-free oil well at Mputa II, Kaiso-Tonya on Lake Albert by Hardman Oil and Gas Company, a Ministry of Energy official has said.

The pertinent tests on the oil were conducted last Saturday. The oil is now at appraisal level to assess its environmental impact, establish its flow in the reservoir and pipeline construction and storage.

Ernest Rubondo, the assistant commissioner in charge of petroleum in the Ministry of Energy, exposed that the oil contains hydro-carbons that certify its purity as the standard commercial fuel.

Rubondo was addressing an energy stakeholders’ forum at Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala on Thursday.

He commented that the local petroleum sector is promising despite the international crisis. All indicators show that there is a chance to get commercial wells in plenty and this is encouraging.

He added that many oil wells were discovered in the Lake Albert region but they contained carbon-dioxide, which is a negative element in petroleum exploration.

He did not specify the exact time-frame when drilling starts, saying, “it is a transitory process but on fast track.”

He named Waraga I, Turaco I, Turaco II, Turaco III, Mputa I and Mputa II as the current oil exploration sites. Rubondo also said Neptune, Heritage, Energy Africa and Hardman were the firms licensed to drill and explore the oil. He explained that another well, Turaco III, was at appraisal level and the Government had injected $200,000 in surveying and mapping potential oil fields.

He said drilling firms would require between US$3m and $8m to install oil facilities and begin production. He said Uganda spent $250m on petroleum products last year and the consumption rate was increasing at 6% per day. A barrel of oil is currently about $72m.

Uganda tourism packages have been at a higher rate than her other competitors in East Africa because of the fact transportation to the destinations is high due to the high costs attached to fuel. Many tourists have been foregoing Uganda as a tourists’ destination because of the high costs attached to its tourism packages which is as a result of high fuels costs. Once Uganda gets an Oil firm, it will be able to market its tourism destinations at a competitive rate.

By Namisi

Uganda Safari News

Bigode also called Magombe wetland in Kamwenge District is one of the hottest spots for bird watching with over 130 bird species.

The 8km long and about 500 metres wide wetland used to be a corridor for animals from the southern to the northern parts of Kibaale Forest National Park (KNP). After crossing the gorgeous KNP, you will have reached this historical wetland.

A hippo trail created in the 1960s that runs through the wetland makes it unique from other wetlands in Kamwenge. It is also home to primates and important tree species among others. The rich biodiversity also includes butterflies, insects, fish species and amphibians.

Other species of wildlife are the sitatunga, bush pigs, bushbucks and the mongoose. This rich wetland attracted six men who resolved to use it as a tourist attraction centre to bring benefits to the communities around it and encourage conservation.

Part of Bigodi wetland is now a haven for tourists. To achieve this dream of conserving the environment and improving the quality of life of Ugandans, John Tinka together with Asaba Silver, William Kasenene, Japan Yofesi, Benon Tumwesige and the late Tom Namanya started Kibaale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) as a Community Based Organisation.

By NAMISI

Uganda Safari News

Bigode also called Magombe wetland in Kamwenge District is one of the hottest spots for bird watching with over 130 bird species.

The 8km long and about 500 metres wide wetland used to be a corridor for animals from the southern to the northern parts of Kibaale Forest National Park (KNP). After crossing the gorgeous KNP, you will have reached this historical wetland.

A hippo trail created in the 1960s that runs through the wetland makes it unique from other wetlands in Kamwenge. It is also home to primates and important tree species among others. The rich biodiversity also includes butterflies, insects, fish species and amphibians.

Other species of wildlife are the sitatunga, bush pigs, bushbucks and the mongoose. This rich wetland attracted six men who resolved to use it as a tourist attraction centre to bring benefits to the communities around it and encourage conservation.

Part of Bigodi wetland is now a haven for tourists. To achieve this dream of conserving the environment and improving the quality of life of Ugandans, John Tinka together with Asaba Silver, William Kasenene, Japan Yofesi, Benon Tumwesige and the late Tom Namanya started Kibaale Association for Rural and Environmental Development (KAFRED) as a Community Based Organisation.

By NAMISI

Uganda safari News

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) will not take consideration for an application to set up a golf course at Queen Elizabeth National Park until a broad environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is submitted by the promoters.

UWA executive director Moses Mapesa yesterday said the Madhvani-owned Marasa holdings was advised in 2003 to carry out an independent and comprehensive EIA that takes into account all interests in the park, but has to date not submitted any report.

The EIA will be used as a tool for decision making, but not to rationalize an application, a wish or any prior decision. No decision has therefore been made and no permission can be granted to Marasa to construct the golf course in the park. Mapesa said that if they are interested; let them first do the EIA. That will be the basis on which a decision will be made,”

This is not the first time that Masara Holdings is bidding to develop recreational facilities in the park. In 1997, a proposal to develop not just a golf course, but also a swimming pool, tennis courts, and other leisure facilities was submitted.

Mapesa said a committee set up at the time rejected the idea, citing the need to minimise commotion to the local ecological systems, other visitors to the park and the bad publicity which would inevitably come if accidents on what he called “these high risk” activities occurred.

The 22-member committee consisted of experts from relevant fields such as tourism, ecology and conservation, representation of the Government and the business world.

Mapesa added that Golfers are rich people and given an airfield in Kasese, they can charter planes and go play there.

By NAMISI

Uganda Safari News

The Uganda Wild Life Authority has criticized the high rate of encroachment on Mt. Elgon National Park, saying 3,928 hectares of the park have been infringed on following President Yoweri Museveni’s directive on evictions in forest reserves.

In a yesterday press statement, the UWA Executive Director, Mr Moses Mapesa, said the affected part represents 3.5% of the Mt Elgon fragile national park ecosystem.

At some stage in the February 23 election campaigns, Museveni prearranged the Ministry of Lands, Water and Environment to stop the progress of forest reserve and wetlands evections. But the statement said: “The President’s directive to stop evictions from forest reserves was misapprehended as allowing fresh encroachment in Mt Elgon under the alleged reason that these people had earlier been evicted.”

The statement said Mt Elgon is a national park managed by UWA and not a forest reserve. Forest reserves are managed by the National Forest Authority.

When the President was in Mbale, he advised against harassment as people agitated for land (to encroach) and indeed UWA did heed the advice,” Mapesa said.

“But the result was massive encroachment in the areas of Bumasifwa and Busuluni in Sironko, Wanale and Bufumbo in Mbale district.”
He recognized other areas as Bududa, Busano, Bushika, Bulucheke, Bubita, Bubwala, Bumbo in Manafwa district. Mapesa urged residents in eastern Uganda to stop encroaching on the park, saying it is a water catchment area. He said the park plays a big role in soil stability and climate regulation.

BY NAMISI

Uganda Safari News

The National Forestry Authority has confiscated a dozen tones of timber from businessmen operating in Nebbi district.

The district NFA sector manager, Mr Fred Edema, said that there was a high rate of illegal trading in timber. Edema accredited illegal trade to the non-functionality of law enforcement officers. He said some timber is impounded from Congolese.

He said three Fuso lorries loaded with timber had been impounded.
A businesswoman, whose timber was impounded, Ms Peter Manuela said the district forest authority in Zeu had approved her documents.

She said trading in timber had become expensive as the price was hiked to Shs3, 500 for a piece, coupled with the ruthless way of impounding by the NFA.

By NAMISI

UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

Dexter Fletcher, a re-known British actor, who traveled to Uganda at the beginning of April 2006, was pleased by the stunning beautiful Uganda.
Dexter’s visited Uganda’s most popular tourism sites and carried out activities like gorilla and chimpanzee tracking in Bwindi and Kibale, game viewing at Queen Elizabeth National Park, and white water rafting at Jinja before returning for some relaxation and sight seeing in Kampala.

In a comment, Dexter said that Uganda was a truly awesome experience for any traveller, with its unspoilt beauty, friendly people and amazing variety of landscapes and activities.

“My wife and I instantly fell in love with the country and will be telling all our friends about our experiences”, said Dexter.
He added that he will be writing about his experiences within a feature for ‘The Daily Mail’ one of the UK’s most popular daily national newspapers.

Uganda’s tourism attractions are so unique with the beautiful culture that comprises of dressing, dances, and norms, among others. Added to this is the beautiful nature that comprises of various game that is; lion, elephants, giraffes, hyena, name it, not to leave out the beautiful climate, savanna ever green forests, to mention but a few. With all this, Dexter didn’t have a choice of being ungrateful because he said that his tour and encounters were unforgettable.

UGANDA TOURISM NEWS

The Mt. Elgon National Park management has awarded UGsh 4m to Chesower sub-county community environmental conservation project.This was done under a revenue-sharing scheme to communities bordering the park. Chief park warden Johnson Masereka on Monday said the donation would enable local communities initiate environment-friendly projects and income-generating activities that will reduce demand for scarce resources in the forests.

When the park is united with its neighbouring communities, it will reduce the levels of distructions like poaching,deafforestation among others.This is in the way that these communities get to know the importances of the park attached to their communities.

Uganda tourism news

The Uganda wildlife Authority (UWA) has distributed cheques worth sh114m to 23 parishes surrounding parks in the districts of Kabale, Kisoro and Kanungu.
The funds were raised from entry fees of tourists who visit Bwindi impenetrable National park.
Kabale parishes got sh29m, Kisoro sh14m and Kanungu was given sh69m.
The community conservation warden, Sam Amanya, handed over the cheques to sub-county chiefs in various districts last week.
He said the funds should be used in community projects intended at fostering development.
“We are giving these funds to support Local projects as a direct benefit from conserving the park,” he said.

Uganda Safari News