Bujagali Falls to close in January 2011

Apr 10, 2010

BUJAGALI falls, a popular tourist destination in Jinja district, will cease to exist in January next year, when construction of a hydro-electric power station nears completion.

By David Mugabe

BUJAGALI falls, a popular tourist destination in Jinja district, will cease to exist in January next year, when construction of a hydro-electric power station nears completion.

The site, famous for white water rafting, sight-seeing, photography, bird watching and educational trips, is still open to visitors while dam construction goes on.

“Rafting will cease in the area upstream of Bujagali dam at the beginning of 2011,” said Glen Gaydar, the project director of Bujagali Energy, a consortium building the dam.

Gaydar added that the company was willing to develop alternative sites downstream from Bujagali at either Itanda or Kalagala falls.

He said the roads to the two falls need development. Busowoko and Kirindi are the other nearby rapids.

“The consortium,” Gaydar added, “is working with rafting companies to shift their launching sites below the new dam so that they can continue their current tours.”

Upon completion, the project will inject 250 megawatts onto the national grid, and is expected to boost the uncompetitive manufacturing sector that faces acute power shortages. It is also expected to reduce load shedding.

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