Determined to show that all is not lost due to the ravaging and deadly coronavirus, tourists have defied the pandemic and hugged the 16,762ft-high Mt Rwenzori and even having a boat cruise on one of its scenic lakes.

Declaring the Covid-19 lockdowns in March last year and this June, President Museveni allowed the movement of tourist vans provided they are registered.

According to the Rwenzori Mountains National Park (RMNP) warden-in-charge, James Ilokol Okware, 39 tourists, have hiked the mountain since the beginning of the current lockdown which aimed at disabling the spread of the deadly virus.

A Tourist Awed By The Scenic Mt Rwenzori Lake Mahoma

Speaking on phone from the park’s headquarters at Rwakingi village, Bugoye sub-county, Okware told New Vision on Sunday that the tourists included some resident German nationals and the South-Western regional manager for the Uganda Uganda Revenue Authority, Richard Nkunya Mugisha.

 “One group climbed via Mihunga gate, the main entrance into the Park while another flanked through the Kilembe valley sector,” Okware said.

He said the tourists, accompanied by about 50 local porters and guides, managed to reach Margherita, Stanley and Baker peaks.

As part of the fun, the German group of tourists also had a boat cruise on the awesome Lake Mahoma, using a plastic boat they had carried.

Locals tested

“But the guests didn’t not take chance; they brought their own COVID-19 test kits and tested all their support staff, who tested negative,” Okware explained.

Impressed

He quoted the tourists as having expressed pleasant surprise at finding functioning infrastructure, although it had been devastated by the May 2020 flash floods and landslides.

Repairs

After limping for more than a year due to the Covid-19 lockdown and the destructing of her infrastructure during floods, the Park is good to go again, Okware noted.

He said the Park’s damaged infrastructure has now been restored with funding from the UNESCO.

“We received sh276m from thee UNESCO, co-funded with sh300m from the Government, with which we managed to rehabilitate our damaged trails, bridges and the boardwalks,” Okware said.

The rehabilitated facilities include Buraro bridge on River Mubuku, Kyoho bridge on River Sebwe, replaced Mahoma as Bujuku Bridges on Mahoma and on Bujuku rivers.

He, however, said Kurt Schaffer Bridge, another critical facility, was 80% complete.

The funding has also been used to revamp the boardwalks Muthunda and Bigota in the Kilembe trail.

“We have re-designed and completed the entire trail,” he said.

“If Covid-19 was wiped out today, we are ready to host any tourist,” Okware promised.

Seeking Sh5 trillion support from UNESCO

But Okware said the Uganda Wildlife Authority was awaiting sh5 trillion from the UNESCO.

The German Tourists And Their Porters Stop Over On Mt Rwenzori

“We have developed and submitted a sh5 trillion Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Plan to the UNSCO to support conservation in Mt Rwenzori," he revealed.

He said the plan is aimed at building the disaster prevention, resilience and mitigation capacities of the various stakeholders around the mountain, which is also known as also known as the Mountain of the Moon due to its capacity to shine at night because of the snow.

 “It is hoped that when disasters like the floods occur, our communities are better placed to respond to them,” he said.

He added that the plan is to be implemented by various stakeholders including the neighbouring districts, cultural institutions, National water and Sewerage Corporation, Hima Cement, World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature, Ministry of Water and Environment and the Office of the Prime Minister, the National Forestry Authority and UWA.

Pearl of Africa

The 996 -sq km Mountain Park, was gazetted in 1991, recognised as a World Heritage site in 1994 and a Ramsar site in 2008 due to its unique flora and fauna.

Besides being one of the most adventurous mountains to climb in Africa, Mt Rwenzori hosts 70 different mammals, over 210 various bird species including the Albertine Rift endemics and some of the world’s rarest plant species.

Tourists Relaxing In Their inflatable Boat On Mt Rwenzori Lake Mahoma

Tourism needed

Determined to actualise her objective “To make Uganda the preferred tourist destination,” the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities earned Uganda $1.6b (about sh6.05 trillion) foreign exchange, since 2016, accounting for over 8% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

A Ministry progress report recently availed to New Vision says while implementing the NRM Manifesto and the Presidential Strategic Guidelines and Directives for the term 2016-2021, this monumental Forex earning came from 210,000 international tourist arrivals from the US, Europe and China.

It further says it attracted “in-bound tourism revenues of $1,036 per visitor.”