Stakeholders in the tourism sector and well-to-do Basoga have been urged to construct accommodation and restaurant facilities near tourist sites to boost the sector and create more opportunities in Busoga sub-region and Uganda at large. 

The call was made by Busoga Kingdom’s Minister of Tourism Hellen Olga Namutamba while touring Lillian Imperial Country Hotel and Richmond Royal Bar and Lodging located at Butabala village along the Jinja-Kamuli Road, in Kamuli Municipality, Kamuli district on Monday, August 21, 2023. 

Led by Chris Wandege, the facilities general manager, Namutamba was accompanied by famous comedian Hussein Muyonjo alias Swengere, radio personalities Atanansi Kalyowa and Hassan Muwanga, Busoga Tourism Ambassador Acidic Vokoz and artist Cilicon Avokoz.

The Managing Director of Imperial Group of Companies Chris Kalema (R) interacting with Busoga Kingdom's Tourism Minister Hellen Namutamba. (Photo by Donald Kiirya)

The Kagulu Rock climbing event 

She noted that tourism is a powerful vehicle for the economic growth for Busoga and the country at large. 

“The Kagulu Rock Climbing Challenge, for example, is organised annually and if the Basoga come back and invest in accommodation facilities around the Kagulu Rock, this will bring job opportunities closer to the residents who stay around the site,” Namutamba said. 

She further called upon residents who have already built houses around Kagulu Rock to clean them up, paint them and modify their grass-thatched shelters so that they are used by local and international tourists who will be visiting Kagulu for the climbing challenge slated for August 24-26, this year. 

Namutamba added that the Kagulu Rock Climbing annual event attracts more than 20,000 revellers, but accommodation facilities are still inadequate. This, she said, leaves many participants to sleep in their cars and tents erected at the site. 

Christopher Kalema, the managing director of Imperial Group of Companies and proprietor of Lillian Imperial Country Hotel, said the tourism sector can be sustained by Ugandans if the local population embraces it rather than reliance on foreign tourists. 

Wandege said their vision is to have a state-of-art hotel in Kamuli district that will serve clients from Jinja, Kayunga, Kamuli, Buyende, Kaliro and other parts of Busoga and Ugandans who come to visit various tourist sites, particularly the Kagulu Rock.