Govt to use eclipse to market Uganda globally

By Moses Mulondo

Cabinet has approved a proposal pushed by the state minister for finance, Fred Omach for the government to use the eclipse event to market Uganda globally.

Sources revealed that an inter-ministerial committee has been set up to spearhead undertakings for preparing Uganda to use the event to showcase the country's beauty to the rest of the world.

The committee is headed by the minister for tourism Maria Mutagamba and it will closely work with national and international tourism companies.

It has representatives from the water and environment ministry, works and transport ministry, ministry of tourism and the finance ministry.

Cabinet ministers last Wednesday spent most of their time in the cabinet meeting discussing ways through which the rare world event would mirror Uganda to the rest of the world.

This idea has been mostly pushed by Fred Omach who is also the Member of Parliament Jonam County in Pakwach which will be the epicenter for viewing the eclipse.

Come November 3, Uganda will be the world’s focus center as it experiences a total eclipse. Uganda lies on the path of a Hhybrid Solar Eclipse.

Pakwach in Nebbi district in West Nile has been identified as the best place to spot the eclipse alongside other towns like Arua, Soroti, Gulu and Masindi.

The eclipse is caused when the moon passes in front of the sun and casts a shadow on the surface of the Earth. The sky takes on an eerie twilight as the Sun’s bright face is replaced by the black disk of the Moon. Surrounding the Moon is a beautiful gossamer halo.

Cabinet tasked the ministry of works and transport to repair all the roads leading to the central place in Pakwach.

Speaking to The New Vision on Tuesday, the water and environment minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu confirmed that government has set up the committee to globally market Uganda using the event.

“The eclipse is a rare occurrence historically and globally. More than any other place in the world, it is going to be sharply observed in Pakwach. The whole world will be focusing on Uganda,” Kamuntu explained.

He said they anticipate a stream of international and local tourists to flood Pakwach to watch the eclipse unfolding.

International tour companies have already started mobilizing tourists to come to Uganda to witness the event.

One of these companies, Premier Safaris, said, “It is considered to be one of the most awe inspiring spectacles in all of nature which is worth traveling to go see.  Uganda is well prepared for this and has a great location close to Murchison’s National park, which provides an excellent basecamp at Paraa or Chobe lodge.”