Tourists don’t come to Africa to play golf

May 08, 2006

SIR — Mr. Sam Rutega, the chairman of Marasa Holdings, on April 26 wrote an article entitled “Mweya golf course boosts tourism, harms no wildlife”.

SIR — Mr. Sam Rutega, the chairman of Marasa Holdings, on April 26 wrote an article entitled “Mweya golf course boosts tourism, harms no wildlife”.

I hope Rutega knows that the place in question is a national park and home to wildlife — both plants and animals. It is not only small animals that roam in the area but even big ones depending on the movement patterns.

Rutega says several clients have requested for a golf course and gives an example of Kruger in South Africa and others in Australia. these parks are very old and had golf courses from the beginning which is not the case with Queen Elizabeth, gazetted in 1952.

These countries mentioned are more developed than Uganda. We don’t have to do things because others have done them. We have to first consider whether they are compatible with our circumstances.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority motto is “We conserve for generations”. This means we must think of the future.

Comparing the Ugandan wildlife with that of Kenya and Tanzania is to miss the point. Rutega should know that low animal population in uganda is a result of our history.

Wars have contributed to the low population and a golf course cannot boost it. Nature should be left undisturbed so the flora and fauna increase instead of clearing it for the greens and sandbankers.

we appreciate Rutega’s ideas but tourists don’t come to Africa to play golf. they come for sight-seeing and wildlife.

This is done in places like Queen Elizabeth national park which is a Ramsar site.

Emmanuel Emoit
kampala

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