Mweya golf course boosts tourism, harms no wildlife
In 1995, under the government’s privatization programme, the Madhvani Group was selected through a competitive bidding process for acquiring a 30-year lease of Mweya Safari Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) for an up-front lease rental payment of sh1.8 billion (US $1.8m - at the t
By Sam Rutega
In 1995, under the government’s privatization programme, the Madhvani Group was selected through a competitive bidding process for acquiring a 30-year lease of Mweya Safari Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) for an up-front lease rental payment of sh1.8 billion (US $1.8m - at the then prevailing exchange rate).
The lodge was originally established by the Uganda Development Corporation Ltd (UDC) and operated by one of its subsidiary companies, Uganda Hotels Ltd, parastatals which have since become defunct. When the Madhvani Group took possession, the Lodge had been substantially run down and was in a very poor condition; the occupancy levels were only around 30%.
The Madhvani Group embarked on a total rehabilitation of the Lodge using all natural materials and taking into account all relevant environmental factors to ensure that the renovated Lodge blended in with the natural beauty of QENP. The cost of renovation was $8.5 million over and above the acquisition cost of $1.8 million, making a total investment by the Group of $10.3 million. This is the largest single investment made by any organisation in any national park or reserve in Uganda, and the renovated Mweya Lodge is now considered one of the premier developments of its kind in East Africa.
Ever since the Lodge was rehabilitated, the Madhvani Group has struggled to achieve higher occupancy, particularly in view of the insecurity prevailing in Western Uganda at that time and the lack of visitors to the National Parks. The occupancy level at Mweya has steadily increased over the years, but has never exceeded to-date an average for the year of 58%, unlike occupancies achieved by hotels in urban areas such as Kampala over the past years of an average of 80% for the year. Unlike urban hotels, the number of visitors to National Parks drops dramatically during weekdays, and is particularly sensitive to security concerns. Because of the low occupancy, the Madhvani Group has not made a profit in any single year since it acquired the Lodge in 1995, let alone earn a return on its substantial investment.
Many visitors, including Ugandans, have requested that the Madhvani Group consider improving the facilities available at Mweya Safari Lodge to make it more attractive as a destination resort where visitors can relax, enjoy viewing the animals and birds as well as other recreational facilities. This would result in visitors spending more time in QENP and at the Lodge. It was with this in mind that the Madhvani Group discussed with the Uganda Wildlife Authority [UWA] the need to set up some additional health and leisure attractions for our guests, such as a swimming pool, tennis courts, health spa, etc.
Several visitors have expressed the view that the Lodge should have a golf course, similar to those that exist in South Africa and Zimbabwe. For example, Skukuza Golf Course was built in 1972 inside the world-renowned Kruger National Park in South Africa (home to the Big Five, a huge variety of birds and countless animals) to provide visitors with a harmonious close-to-nature golfing experience. Other golf courses in South African nature reserves include Pilanesberg National Park and Sabi River Sun Golf Course. The Wawona Golf Course in Yosemite National Park California opened as early as 1918, and is an organic golf course as well as a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. At the Yanchep National Park Golf Course near Perth in Australia, the visitor can view kangaroo, koala, bandicoots, etc whilst playing golf. Thailand, which has a well-established tourist industry, is developing golf courses adjacent to its wildlife and marine reserves.
The Madhvani Group has always ensured that an environmental impact assessment study is carried out before any development is considered in the National Parks. The renovated Mweya Lodge is fully compliant with all requirements of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). A preliminary environmental assessment for the golf course at Mweya has been carried out by a leading independent environmentalist with a very positive conclusion.
The proposed location of the Mweya peninsula (which is only 30 sq km or 1.5% of the total QENP) is connected to the rest of the Park solely by a narrow motorable causeway, and is hence relatively isolated. There is no population of large or dangerous wild animals on the peninsula. The wildlife found there are usually wart hog, mongoose and other small game. A hippo or two occasionally climb onto the peninsula from the Kazinga Channel or the Lake to graze at night, but that is not the time when visitors play golf.
The proposed golf course (which would take up at most 0.3 sq kilometers) at this segregated location would really have no impact on the wildlife in the National Park which has a total area of 1,978 sq. kilometers.
Whilst Uganda has spectacularly beautiful natural locations, the population of wildlife is substantially lower than that found in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania. As a tourism promotion strategy, therefore, it is imperative that Uganda develops some unique attractions to develop a niche market. Gorilla viewing is one such unique feature of Uganda. Developing a golf course in QENP could be another.
This is why Marasa Holdings requested UWA to allow it to progress further on this development of constructing a golf course in the National Park. Besides three Madhvani family members, the Directors on the Marasa Board include Dr William Kalema, Mr Elly Karuhanga, Dr Jack Luyombya and myself. When I was Chairman of Uganda Development Corporation in the early 1970s, we had received proposals to establish a golf course at Mweya, which we had kept in abeyance due to financial constraints and the prevailing security concerns.
If our proposal is implemented, Uganda will have a unique destination with a premier lodge and a golf course situated majestically in the midst of some 507,000 acres. Not only would the number of visitors increase, but also the duration of their stay within the QENP would increase – with a consequent growth in revenue to UWA in terms of park fees.
Finally, the Madhvani Group has not used any “political influence†for the establishment of a golf course at Mweya as has been alleged. We have suggested to the authorities that an appropriate impact assessment study be carried out by an independent unbiased professional to determine whether a golf course within the National Park will have a minimal effect on our wildlife and will ultimately attract more visitors. Our common objective is the development and growth of the tourist sector and consequently the economy of Uganda.
The writer is the Chairman of Marasa Holdings Limited
In 1995, under the government’s privatization programme, the Madhvani Group was selected through a competitive bidding process for acquiring a 30-year lease of Mweya Safari Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) for an up-front lease rental payment of sh1.8 billion (US $1.8m - at the then prevailing exchange rate).
The lodge was originally established by the Uganda Development Corporation Ltd (UDC) and operated by one of its subsidiary companies, Uganda Hotels Ltd, parastatals which have since become defunct. When the Madhvani Group took possession, the Lodge had been substantially run down and was in a very poor condition; the occupancy levels were only around 30%.
The Madhvani Group embarked on a total rehabilitation of the Lodge using all natural materials and taking into account all relevant environmental factors to ensure that the renovated Lodge blended in with the natural beauty of QENP. The cost of renovation was $8.5 million over and above the acquisition cost of $1.8 million, making a total investment by the Group of $10.3 million. This is the largest single investment made by any organisation in any national park or reserve in Uganda, and the renovated Mweya Lodge is now considered one of the premier developments of its kind in East Africa.
Ever since the Lodge was rehabilitated, the Madhvani Group has struggled to achieve higher occupancy, particularly in view of the insecurity prevailing in Western Uganda at that time and the lack of visitors to the National Parks. The occupancy level at Mweya has steadily increased over the years, but has never exceeded to-date an average for the year of 58%, unlike occupancies achieved by hotels in urban areas such as Kampala over the past years of an average of 80% for the year. Unlike urban hotels, the number of visitors to National Parks drops dramatically during weekdays, and is particularly sensitive to security concerns. Because of the low occupancy, the Madhvani Group has not made a profit in any single year since it acquired the Lodge in 1995, let alone earn a return on its substantial investment.
Many visitors, including Ugandans, have requested that the Madhvani Group consider improving the facilities available at Mweya Safari Lodge to make it more attractive as a destination resort where visitors can relax, enjoy viewing the animals and birds as well as other recreational facilities. This would result in visitors spending more time in QENP and at the Lodge. It was with this in mind that the Madhvani Group discussed with the Uganda Wildlife Authority [UWA] the need to set up some additional health and leisure attractions for our guests, such as a swimming pool, tennis courts, health spa, etc.
Several visitors have expressed the view that the Lodge should have a golf course, similar to those that exist in South Africa and Zimbabwe. For example, Skukuza Golf Course was built in 1972 inside the world-renowned Kruger National Park in South Africa (home to the Big Five, a huge variety of birds and countless animals) to provide visitors with a harmonious close-to-nature golfing experience. Other golf courses in South African nature reserves include Pilanesberg National Park and Sabi River Sun Golf Course. The Wawona Golf Course in Yosemite National Park California opened as early as 1918, and is an organic golf course as well as a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. At the Yanchep National Park Golf Course near Perth in Australia, the visitor can view kangaroo, koala, bandicoots, etc whilst playing golf. Thailand, which has a well-established tourist industry, is developing golf courses adjacent to its wildlife and marine reserves.
The Madhvani Group has always ensured that an environmental impact assessment study is carried out before any development is considered in the National Parks. The renovated Mweya Lodge is fully compliant with all requirements of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). A preliminary environmental assessment for the golf course at Mweya has been carried out by a leading independent environmentalist with a very positive conclusion.
The proposed location of the Mweya peninsula (which is only 30 sq km or 1.5% of the total QENP) is connected to the rest of the Park solely by a narrow motorable causeway, and is hence relatively isolated. There is no population of large or dangerous wild animals on the peninsula. The wildlife found there are usually wart hog, mongoose and other small game. A hippo or two occasionally climb onto the peninsula from the Kazinga Channel or the Lake to graze at night, but that is not the time when visitors play golf.
The proposed golf course (which would take up at most 0.3 sq kilometers) at this segregated location would really have no impact on the wildlife in the National Park which has a total area of 1,978 sq. kilometers.
Whilst Uganda has spectacularly beautiful natural locations, the population of wildlife is substantially lower than that found in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania. As a tourism promotion strategy, therefore, it is imperative that Uganda develops some unique attractions to develop a niche market. Gorilla viewing is one such unique feature of Uganda. Developing a golf course in QENP could be another.
This is why Marasa Holdings requested UWA to allow it to progress further on this development of constructing a golf course in the National Park. Besides three Madhvani family members, the Directors on the Marasa Board include Dr William Kalema, Mr Elly Karuhanga, Dr Jack Luyombya and myself. When I was Chairman of Uganda Development Corporation in the early 1970s, we had received proposals to establish a golf course at Mweya, which we had kept in abeyance due to financial constraints and the prevailing security concerns.
If our proposal is implemented, Uganda will have a unique destination with a premier lodge and a golf course situated majestically in the midst of some 507,000 acres. Not only would the number of visitors increase, but also the duration of their stay within the QENP would increase – with a consequent growth in revenue to UWA in terms of park fees.
Finally, the Madhvani Group has not used any “political influence†for the establishment of a golf course at Mweya as has been alleged. We have suggested to the authorities that an appropriate impact assessment study be carried out by an independent unbiased professional to determine whether a golf course within the National Park will have a minimal effect on our wildlife and will ultimately attract more visitors. Our common objective is the development and growth of the tourist sector and consequently the economy of Uganda.
The writer is the Chairman of Marasa Holdings Limited