Busoga promotes tourism sites

 

 

The President made the offer on Saturday while addressing residents at Kagulu hill in Kagulu sub-county, Buyende district, where it was unveiled by the Busoga Tourism Initiative (BTI).

 

Kagulu is a historical site, where Prince Mukama Namutukula, said to be the founding father of Busoga, settled on arrival from Bunyoro, across Lake Kyoga. The hill is approximately 3,500ft above sea level, with a five kilometre radius

The other sites are Bukaleeba peninsula and Kyando, both located in Bukatube sub-county, Mayuge district.

 

Bukaleeba, which BTI wants gazetted as a game reserve, has a forest reserve covering four villages, while Kyando is the spot where Bishop James Hannington was reportedly killed. 

 

Bishop Hannington came to Uganda under the Church Missionary Society before meeting his death on October 29, 1885.

Museveni also directed the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Maria Mutagamba to support Busoga in developing the areas from their current state into attractive tourism sites with a mechanism for protection of the visitors.

 

“The ministry should be able to plan for these sites so that they can attract the rich tourists. Despite its immense potential, today people visit Kagulu only for adventure. It should be turned into a source of income,” he noted

 

Responding to calls by area leaders for improvement of the infrastructure around the site, Museveni said the Government would complete the construction of the Jinja-Kamuli and Kamuli-Bukungu roads before working on the one to Kagulu later.

 

He added that the Government extended electricity to Bukungu landing site on the shores of Lake Kyoga from where it will be extended to Kagulu.

 

Museveni, who said Busoga was conducive for horticulture, food crops as well as milk production, advised residents to adopt agricultural diversification.

 

“This area is good for horticulture, especially the production oranges, mangoes and pineapples. These should be supplemented by food crop production and animal husbandry,” he said

 

Museveni, however, encouraged residents to try improved animal breeds as opposed to the local ones that give less milk. He also cited fishing as a profitable business, but cautioned against the illegal fishing practices.

Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, who is also Kamuli Woman Member of Parliament, said through BTI, they had entered partnership with MTN Uganda to promote community tourism in Busoga.

 

Kadaga is also the patron of BTI and chairperson of Busoga Parliamentary Group that is marketing Busoga as a tourism hub.

Tourism minister Maria Mutagamba stressed that tourism should be a concern of all citizens and that each should play their role in marketing Uganda’s tourism potential using the various avenues.

 

She said the country should use the opportunity of hosting major international conferences to market itself to the outside world. Mutagamba revealed plans by an individual working in conjunction with the ministry to develop a travel magazine, but asked Museveni to support the initiative.

 

Once finalised, Mutagamba explained that copies of the magazine will be distributed to travellers on planes entering and leaving the country as a marketing strategy.

 

She said last year, the tourism sector brought to the economy $820m as opposed to $400m from coffee.

 

Museveni later handed sh3m to Kagulu LC1 chairman Wilberforce Kategere to purchase iron sheets for roofing Miru Primary School located a few kilometres from Kagulu hill. Kategere had earlier told the President that the school is in a bad state.