Rugunda to officiate at Garuga course opening

By Michael Nsubuga

Prime minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda will preside over the Paulo Ngorogoza memorial tournament due at the newly built Garuga Golf Club in Kihiihi, Kanungu on Saturday.

Over 100 golfers from within and outside the country are expected to compete in the two-day event at the par 71 course.

Ugandan top amateur golfers and professionals will have to contend with their counterparts from Rwanda and Burundi at the 3rd edition of the sh120m tournament.

The tournament was launched on Tuesday during a press conference attended by the proprietor James Musinguzi, Uganda Tourism Association president, Herbert Byaruhanga, Kabale Golf Club captain J.B Tumusiime and Asiimwe at the UTB offices in Kololo.

As a way of boosting tourism the Uganda Tourism Board has come on board to support the tournament with Uganda Tourism Board executive director Stephen Asiimwe saying the new course will go a long way in boosting tourism in the country.

“We have partnered with the Uganda Golf Union and are in regular talks to ensure that we have a golf course in every part of the country, so the Kihiihi course is an exciting investment that we intend to support,” Stephen Asiimwe said.

“If we can have a golf course near an airfield anywhere in the country we shall be unbeatable as a tourist destination in the region because Uganda is one of the countries where you can play golf throughout the year,” Asiimwe stated.

He said UTB would talk to the government to ensure the airfield that boarders the course is upgraded so that it can bring in more people and bigger aircraft.

“We intentionally constructed an airfield in the area to open up the tourism gates in the area because it has a lot of potential and is near the Queen Elizabeth national park which is famous for the climbing lions and Bwindi which is famous for the Gorillas,” Musinguzi said

“We are soon hitting 100 flights per month and have more than 15 lodges in the area following the construction of the airfield,”

There was sort of a missing link to the tourists that’s why we constructed a golf course as a way of giving back to the country, everyone should play a part in developing the country; this is a small contribution to our economy.

John Bosco Tumusiime the captain of Kabale Golf Club who represented the Uganda Golf Union said they were excited to welcome a third 18-hole course in the country

The tournament tees off on Friday with a 36-hole round for professionals from Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, who will be playing for a kitty of sh10m.

On Saturday Uganda amateurs will then battle with a delegation from Rwanda led by East African Golf Federation president Davis Kashaka in an 18-hole round which will be determined on gross scores.

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