Uganda Tours, Uganda Safaris, Gorilla Safari News , Uganda Travel & safari

A collection of publications promoting Uganda’s tourism and culture has been launched by Tour guide Publications, an imprint of Fountain Publishers.

Speaking at the launch at Kampala Serena Hotel on Tuesday, the Chief Executive Officer of Fountain Group, Mr James Tumusiime, said the books are preordained to make Uganda a visitor-friendly country and to educate Ugandans about the exquisiteness of their country.

Tumusiime said that with the growing impetus of the tourism industry, we need to make Uganda a truly hospitable and visitor-friendly country.

He said the books would be great souvenirs, always reminding visitors about Uganda after they have returned home.

His Lordship the Mayor of Kampala, Alhajji Nasser Ntege Sebaggala, in a pre-launch speech said the books would fill the gap that has for long been vacant.

He said they would make the city, which already has repute for being a safe city, visitor-friendly. Among the books are: The hills of Kampala, Celebrity and Fashion, Tips on Ugandan Culture, Welcome to Kampala and Beyond, a who-is-who guide on Uganda’s celebrity list, a quarterly guide to Uganda’s tourism, a book about cross-cultural differences with tips for visitors who want to understand the Ugandan way of life, and Kampala A-Z, a directory and atlas of Kampala among others.

The mayor said Kampala A-Z is one of the achievements of his promises to transform the city.

He called on hotels to stock the books ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting due November 2007.

The books are obtainable in all bookshops countrywide and at Fountain House in Kampala.

BY TANAH HADIJAH

Uganda SAFARI NEWS

Guns fell silent and UPDF soldiers inaudibly departed back to the barracks in northern Uganda as a landmark truce that could spell an end to the 20-year rebel mutiny in the north came into effect yesterday morning.

The State Minister for Defence, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, said at an impulsive press briefing at the Media Centre yesterday morning, that President Museveni officially announced an end to the hostilities at 6:00 am on Tuesday, and dispatched two high ranking military officers to form Kampala’s membership on the Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring Team [CHMT].

The Commander-in-chief of the UPDF and the President Elect of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Museveni, overtly structured his army not to shoot at the LRA and directed the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima to create a safe corridor for the rebels to travel to the designated points in South Sudan, as stated formally by the truce signed on Saturday.

Ms Nankabirwa said that the Chief of Defence Forces is now communicating the commander in chief’s declaration to everybody in the operation. Lt. Col. Charles Okori, formerly a commander of the UPDF’s Fourth Division and Col. Tumusiime Nyakaitana, now based in Sudan, a former commander of the Second Division, will represent the UPDF on the CHMT.

It was expected yesterday, that the LRA top brass, would formally proclaim a beginning of the truce agreement with preliminary reports indicating that Vincent Otti, the LRA second in command, was slated to make the declaration announcements of Seize war on BBC radio.

Otti called a local radio in Gulu on Sunday and read out to his men details of the truce agreement. He also ordered all the rebels to end all fighting and prepare to march to the designated assembly points.

Under the pact signed between the government and the LRA at the peace talks in Juba, the LRA have three weeks to assemble at two remote villages in South Sudan at Ri-Kwangba and Owiny-ki-Bul, while negotiations continue to chart out a final deal to end the two-decade insurgency. Nankabirwa said the UPDF had received explicit orders to withdraw from the battlefield into designated military barracks and army bases at IDP camps “so that a safe corridor is created.”

“We are now under a period of silence,” she said, “I pray that none of the sides infringes the cessation of hostilities agreement.” Otti, who said the rebels should not fear to move-out, requested residents in the war-torn areas, where some rebels are holed up, to allow the LRA fighters access food as they move to the assembly points.

However, Nankabirwa warned that the UPDF would retaliate if the LRA attacked communities in search of food. “UPDF will respect Otti’s requests for food for his forces as they move. But if they loot; especially outside the designated safe corridors, then that will be a violation of the agreement,” she said.

Nankabirwa said the government would take punitive measures against any UPDF officers who violates the pact by attacking the LRA. “Our government has never reached this far. I call upon all Ugandans to pray and believe that these talks will succeed,” she said.

At the press conference, the Army spokesman, Maj. Felix Kulayigye, said military intelligence reports indicated that there are “at least 100 or slightly more” LRA fighters holed up in the districts of Kitgum, Pader and Gulu, whom the government expects to march to the designated points through the safe corridors.

But the Acting Fourth Division Commander, Col. Charles Otema, said yesterday he had directed LRA remnants scattered in the region, not to begin moving into the designated areas, until the UPDF announces the agreed safe passage routes to follow.

Daily Monitor reliably learnt that the UPDF chiefs of the Fourth and Fifth divisions were locked up in a day-long meeting in Gulu at the Fourth division headquarters, drawing safe routes which the LRA would follow. By press time, the army had not finished drafting routes for the rebel’s safe passage.

“Withdrawing escorts doesn’t mean we expose them to danger. We have put mechanisms to ensure that road users are safe. We have communicated our position to the humanitarian agencies,” he said. Magezi said the army would maintain road security through their foot patrol troops.

It also emerged yesterday that the UPDF had withdrawn all military escorts to humanitarian agencies and NGOs operating in Gulu, Kitgum, Pader and Lango sub regions.

“Now, there is cessation of hostilities so there is no need for us to provide escorts as we expect the LRA to respect the agreement,” northern region spokesman Lt. Chris Magezi said.

Now that it is over, the Ugandan tourism destinations are very safe and Uganda tourism is now open and tourists are very free to inquire for all those destinations that had been closed due to insurgencies like Kidepo National park and the rest.

By Tanah Hadijah.

Uganda Safari News

The old tales that were being performed by our great grand ancestors are now being performed at Ndere centre. These were known as KOI KOI which were riddles performed around the fire place in the evenings.

In the ancient times of the Kiswahili, the riddles were asked. In Kinya-rwanda the answers came rushing. They were shammed in Luo and answered in Kiswahili. Not to be outwitted, they came in Luganda. They were answered in English!

Such was the ambiance at an interactive poetry and storytelling evening at Ndere Centre dubbed Koi Koi, The fireplace tales. Ok, the poetry bit didn’t really suffice but seated around a sizeable bonfire, the social gathering needed little inducing to hold others at intellectual ransom.

There was no particular formula or procedure to follow beyond the raising of hands and getting noticed by the emcee. But more young hands went up than the old ones, perhaps because they weren’t ashamed to try and fail.

So, if I have my wife who goes out dressed and returns naked, who is she? What about I have my house and I sleep in it alone? Or better still, I have my children who spend the night awake and sleep in the morning, who are they? Well there you are. And the latter isn’t night watchmen! The riddles were interspersed with music and dance, and around the bonfire waists were wiggled, butts shaken and the ground stumped with wanton abandon. And it didn’t really matter which song was on the dais.

But the smoke struggled with all might and took its place. Sam Okello, the emcee, couldn’t help it and bemusedly wondered out, “Eh, this smoke is too much today. Someone here must have done something beside the road.” True African thinking, and the crowd laughed.

The dramatized storytelling, a part of the menu, which capped the evening, can get better with a little more tightening, if the whats and whatevers are knocked out.

The recovery of such cultures by Ndere group and their performances is of great importance as it helps in recovering culture which is important to Uganda cultural tourism. It should be done in its formerly natural styles in order to avoid bastardization of culture.

BY TANAH HADIJAH.

UGANDA SAFARI NEWS

The reigning Miss Wildlife, Hilda Kabushenga has appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to spare Mabira Forest Reserve saying it is part of the unique heritage that Uganda has.

It is known that the Sugar Corporation of Uganda in Lugazi (SCOUL) wants part of the forest to be deforested to develop cultivation of sugarcane.

Speaking in an interview over the weekend, Kabushenga, a good will ambassador of the Wildlife Clubs of Uganda (WCU) said Mabira is an important habitat for wild animals and tourism.

She added that according to her research and consultation she has carried out, results come out to be that the forest should stay because it contributes to Uganda’s good climate which hence attracts more tourists. She added that without the forest, animals would disappear.

Kabushenga advised that the President of Uganda shouldn’t give out Mabira because the environment is the back borne of the economy and once destructed it would lead to more poverty.

Kabushenga said, “Those engaged in environmental advocacy should make it more appealing and relevant to the common people if they want them to understand. “Only this way will everybody play their role in keeping the environment.”

Miss Wildlife Kabushenga who is a former student at Kabojja Secondary School will soon move to Cape Town, South African to study law but before she will take up voluntary work with environmental conservation groups that will benefit children.

BY TANAH HADIJAH

UGANDA TOURISM

AS the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) gets nearer, Entebbe International Airport is to go through auxiliary expansion to help it get by with the rising air traffic.

The developments are anticipated to cost sh35b, Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) assistant spokesperson, Vianey Luggya, said.

He said the developments would involve expansion of the passenger terminal where the ground floor arrivals and first floor departures sections will be refurbished.

“It will also involve construction of the VIPs’ lounges and parade ground adjacent to the new general aviation/domestic passenger terminal and a 52,500 square metre asphalt temporary apron for aircrafts (hangar),” Luggya said.

He said there would be supply and installation of two apron drive passenger loading bridges at bays five and six, a 20,000 square metre domestic terminal building facility with associated access roads, parking lots and aircraft apron, and erection of security watch towers along the security perimeter fence.

Luggya said the seven key projects would be tendered to different contractors.

He said the CAA is also seeking to enroll a CHOGM projects manager to handle the developments.

A new runway and an apron at Kasese Airport will be built in order to upgrade the airport to international standards.

BY Tanah Hadijah

Uganda Travel

The tax waiver on hotel items has enabled hoteliers prepare additional room and construct new hotels, the proprietor of Hotel Africana, Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige (BMK), has said.

BMK said that Hoteliers wouldn’t have been able to develop and construct new hotels that are aimed at improving our tourism sector if the Government had not waived taxes on some of the items we use. This was at the commissioning of the $5.8m (about sh10b) main hallt at Hotel Africana hat accommodates 3,500 people.
The urged the Government and non-governmental organizations to importune for more international meetings so that the hotels reap more money to repay bank loans.

He added that since his hotel only employs about 600 workers the others in construction will help in eradicating poverty by creating employment.

At the same launch, the President of Uganda General Yoweri.K. Museveni said that such modern facilities would attract more conferences, businesses and tourists into the country.

He said he had come under a lot of pressure following his decision to allocate prime land in the city to investors including that of schools.

The president commented that he has been receiving a lot of complaints about unemployment and given hotels, tourism and technology, Unemployment will be reduced.

In a speech to the attendants, the president said, “A good number of people think poverty is in the soil not knowing that it’s with them. Those of you, who think that you can’t develop, look at Kibirige. He is African and he is doing wonders.”

By Tanah Hadijah

Uganda Tourism

Hundreds of Bamasaba gathered at the Mutoto Grounds in Mbale Municipality , to launch this year’s cultural male circumcision season.

The ceremony, also called as a cultural gathering for the Bamasaba, is used to initiate male youths into manhood.

In Friday 11th August 2006 ceremony, the Bamasaba assembled this year’s circumcision candidates through the Mbale streets, while dancing the Kadoodi dance.

The parade then headed for the Mutoto grounds, where they were smeared with flour and decorated with traditional beads, before they were taken to a grass hut.

They were then circumcised inside this hut, and then declared to be men, by the chief elder of the Bamasaba.

Imbalu is one of the cultural attributes that people leaving around Mt Elgon (BAMASABA) have. Yet cultural tourism is of great importance as far as Uganda’s tourism industry is concerned. Therefore preserving this culture by the Bamasaba is an important aspect to Uganda’s tourism industry.

By Tanah Hadijah

Uganda Tourism

Given the outcomes of the Aichi 2005 expo, the Japanese government has organized a trade fair to exhibit African products.

Japan, according to Mr Augustus Mutooro, an official in charge of trade fairs in the Uganda Exports Promotion Board (UEPB) says the fair will reinforce Japan’s interest in Africa after the six months of the Aichi exposition.

The fair, under the theme, ‘One Village, and One Product’’ will reveal products from various African countries.

Mr Mutooro said that products like coffee which won the top spot amongst the Japanese consumers during the previous Archi expo and vanilla which was very popular will be exhibited.

Besides, there will also be business meetings between the Japanese buyers and the African contestants to endorse further penetration of African products into the Japanese markets.

According to a report on the Aichi exposition (from the UEPB), the 2005 expo which received 22 million visitors exposed Uganda to the Japanese public, which knows little, or nothing about Africa and Uganda in particular. It also exposed Uganda to other countries, which participated in the expo, the African pavilion of which Uganda was part of, received two million visitors.

The report also adds that Ugandan coffee and tourism, especially the gorillas caught a lot of attention and that by the time the Ugandan team left Japan, the Ugandan embassy was receiving a lot of enquiries and applications for visas to the country.

By Tanah Hadijah

Uganda Travel News

State minister for tourism, Mr. Serapio Rukundo has given encroachers in the Mt. Elgon National Park a deadline up to September 28 to check out .
He said the time limit overstated encroachers who came into the park after April 2002, when Parliament re-gazetted its boundaries.

In a letter written to the LC5 Chairpersons of Mbale, sironko, Manafwa, kapchorwa and Bukwo, Rukundo told them to explain to the residents to harvest their crops and leave the premises as soon as possible.
The August 11 letter was copied to the Inspector General of Police, Members of Parliament from the Mt. Elgon region and all the LC3 chairpersons in the five districts. This is, therefore, to seek your support in implementing this directive that was agreed on through consensus in meetings I held with district leaders and other community representatives,” Rukundo wrote.

Rukundo said the directive followed an earlier one by his predecessor, Jovino Akaki Ayumu, who had told the encroachers to vacate by July 28.He said the earlier ultimatum was given to the people who invaded the park since 2002 and those who entered during the just concluded campaigns.

He said the level of encroachment in the 1,121sq km park had increased from 3.5% to 8% since 2002.

By Tanah Hadijah

Uganda travel News

Uganda’s East African Airlines is anticipated to be back in operation later this year after it won a reprieve from creditors.

The carrier which flies the Ugandan flag after it was chosen national airline, wishes to start on the Entebbe-Nairobi and Johannesburg routes when it carries on operations between November and December this year.It is also expected to have a go at the Entebbe-Dubai route.

EAA managing director Fredrick Ochieng-Obbo last week that the operation will try to be ready after October because they are now focusing on getting back into Nairobi –Johannesburg.

At the same time Victoria International Airlines, in which the Uganda government is a 25 per cent equity partner, has announced plans to initiate services on October 1.

But with both carriers aiming at the three already congested regional routes, the developments are a potential designation nightmare for the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, which must assign frequencies to the new entrants.

The Entebbe-Nairobi route on which Kenya Airways is currently the sole operator and Entebbe-Johannesburg, currently.

By Tanah Hadijah

Uganda Travel News