Mayiga inaugurates new Buganda tourism board

PIC: Katikiro Mayiga shows new Buganda tourism board member Amos Wakesa a tourists' book  at the inauguration of the board at Bulange Mengo in Kampala on Tuesday. (Credit: Ronnie Kijjambu)

TOURISM

KAMPALA - The Katitikiro, Peter Charles Mayiga, has inaugurated a new Buganda Heritage and Tourism Board (BHTB) to promote tourism  potential in the kingdom.

The new board is chaired by Jane Nankabirwa Kabugo, with Daniel Yiga as the vice chairperson.

Other members include Musitwa Namaganda (human resource), Remegio Kigongo (conservation committee), John Kitenda (treasurer), Emmanuel Nsubuga (head of promotion and marketing), Amos Wekesa (product development), Prof. Edward Kirumira (resource mobilization), Rosemary Senabulya (restoration committee) and Bashir Kizito (land matters, research and gazetting cultural sites).

Mayiga said Buganda can earn a lot from tourism given its rich heritage if well marketed.

"What we need is to do good public relations for people to know what we have both locally and internationally and I believe with your expertise and experience we shall achieve our goal," he said.

Here, Mayiga chats with members of the new tourism board. (Credit: Ronnie Kijjambu)

The kingdom premier said Uganda lacks good public relations for "what we have", a reason we still get fewer visitors than our potential.

"Buganda, with a history of about 700 years in existence, is worth visiting to see its installations and sites. Uganda as a country has different people with different unique customs; Toro and Kigezi areas also have the best sceneries and landscapes you can't find anywhere. But how come more tourists visit Seychelles and Dubai? This is because of poor public relations," emphasized Mayiga.

The board is tasked to revive the glory of the tourism sector in Buganda as proposed.

Among the key tasks include the management of Kasubi tombs, Fort Lugard, Bulange and Kabaka's lake.

The kingdom minister of state for tourism, Namyalo Kisitu said the board must identify, document, develop and market all the tourism attractions in the kingdom. She said this would attract more tourists, create jobs and bring in more revenue into the kingdom and the country.

On her part, the new board chairperson Nankabirwa thanked the Kabaka for having given them the opportunity to serve, saying the kingdom has a rich cultural tourism that needs to be promoted. ​