Entebbe zoo reopens gates for tourists
Aug 09, 2020
Dr. James Musinguzi, the UWEC executive director, said not more than 300 people shall be allowed inside the animal centre on a given day.
TOURISM I COVID-19
The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) commonly known as Entebbe Zoo has re-opened its gates after five months of lock-down.
The re-opening which was announced on Saturday, came a day after tourism minister Tom Butime and Lilly Ajarova, the chief executive officer for Uganda Tourism Board, toured the centre to confirm its preparedness to resume operations.
Dr. James Musinguzi, the UWEC executive director, had earlier revealed that not more than 300 people shall be allowed inside the animal centre on a given day.
According to Dr. Musinguzi, limiting the number of visitors is among the many Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) developed by UWEC directors and board members as a way to control the spread of COVID-19 both to humans and animals.
All these SOPs, including screening, sanitising and social distancing among others are contained in a document we had issued to the health ministry and the national task-force for approval before the zoo was opened," said Musinguzi.
Butime lauded the management of Entebbe zoo for having worked hard to survive the ripple effects of COVID-19.
"I have appointed a task-force in the ministry to work out modalities with Uganda Tourism Association, Uganda Hoteliers Association and other stakeholders on how Ugandans can salvage the tourism industry by embracing domestic tourism," Butime said during his earlier tour of the centre.
"Now that we have learnt from this bitter experience of COVID-19, we shall learn to domesticate our tourism industry," added Butime.
Having remained closed for several months, the centre made tremendous losses since it could no longer get money from gate-collection. Having to feed animals with food worth sh3m every day, the zoo managers had to appeal for help from the Government and well-wishers.
In response, the Government remitted sh756m to UWEC while private individuals and companies donated cash and food items totaling to over sh65m.
How UWEC is prepared for operations
Only visitors aged 6 and above will be allowed to access the centre because they must wear masks. UWEC has maintained entrance fees at sh5,000 for children under 14 and sh10,000 for adults. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, over sh800m had been allocated by government towards infrastructure development at the animal centre.
Several structures have been put in place, including new animal holdings, floating restaurant, security cameras, greening the environment and revamping structures.
"We are delivering on our work-plan target and we are surely back with a bang," vowed Musinguzi.
According to Francis Okello who is overseeing the installation of cameras at UWEC, there will be easy dissemination of footage from the newly-installed cameras through the control room to any website or medium of communication.
"Authorised officials will also be able to remotely access these cameras and monitor whatever shall be taking place at the facility," explained Okello. Other constructed structures include Giraffe holding area, elephant exhibition centre, ramp rand for disabled persons and Zakayo monument.
Government takes full charge of UWEC
Unlike in the past where the money collected at the gate would be spent at the centre, now all monies collected at UWEC shall be remitted to the Consolidated Fund.
In return, government will be providing the centre with all the money for feeding animals among other costs.
"Our budget this financial year 2020/2021 is sh13.11b out of which, sh6.46b is for recurrent expenditure whereas Sh6.65b is for capital development," stated Musinguzi.