Namugongo ‘Cure Tree’ is Endangered

Countless pilgrims flocked Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrine on June 3, to celebrate the Uganda Martyrs Day. Believers from many countries on the continent, some of whom walked for days, weeks or months, convened to celebrate the commemoration of the 19th century men that were martyred because of their faith.
Guides explain to pilgrims, through the historical significance of the tree froMukajjanga’s command post.

Many Christians visit the Martyrs’ Shrine because they believe that the place is a sort of “God’s miraculous healing referral hospital” where all kinds of diseases can be healed.

This is why many believers and traditional healers carry “holy” water from Namugongo Martyrs’ Lake and tree barks to their homes to get blessings and heal diseases.

However, one of the things that attract people on this day is the Ndazabazadde tree, which intertwined with the original tree on which martyrs were tied and tortured to renounce their faith.
Ndazabazadde is a Luganda word literally meaning “wombs that give birth”.

The tree, standing fifty metres away from the main road and near to what is said to be the compound of Mukajanga, the martyrs chief executioner, has in the past years been visited by pilgrims from all walks of life.

However, the rate at which the tree is being ripped of its bark is worrying church authorities, tourists and environmentalists. They fear that it (new Ndazabazadde) will soon disappear just as the original tree.

The danger is that the tree is being raided and almost phasing out before the authorities plant a similar species to hold the stump that remains peeping. The old tree has been in existence for over 120 years.

“Ndazabazadde faces a lot of environmental degradation whenever we celebrate the Martyrs day on June 3,” Rev. Francis Kajura says.
“We have to employ personnel to keep guard of this place otherwise the tree could be no more as traditional healers disguising as pilgrims come and peel off the bark,” Rev Kajura says.

He says that the surrounding communities and pilgrims struggle to get the bark from the tree assuming it cures a number of illnesses.
According to people who claim to have used the bark to heal sickness, there is no single disease on earth that it cannot cure. Mr Sunday Kakooza says the tree cures demonic related attacks, all types of cancer and brings fortune once water from its bark is drunk or bathed with.

Christians who visited Namugongo Anglican Mukajjanga Shrine on June 3 cutting off the stem cover from the Ndazabazadde tree.

“A piece of the bark attracts good pay from traditional healers and a person in possession of it receives maiden local treatment,” Mr Kakooza says.

Though Rev. Kajura spent most of his time sensitising and denying pilgrims a chance to peel the tree bark during this year’s celebrations, all his efforts were falling on deaf ears.

“It’s your faith that can eliminate disease from your body not this tree bark that you are struggling for,” Rev Kajuura kept on telling the pilgrims.

George William Kyeyune, a student at Namugongo seminary attributes the raid on the species as ignorance for a host of reasons.
“Our people are still primitive to assume that healing power has been passed on to the new tree which has twinned the original stump of Ndazabazade,” he said.

Several attempts have been made by church officials to replant the tree seeds but they do not germinate. Although the Anglican Church raises income from the species, the tree does not have a potential environment security.

Damage caused on the tree stem in the recent past has left it with no healed scars and it may take almost two years for the species to be regained.

Rev. Kajura says the only thing that can save the tree is to fight primitive ideologies engulfing surrounding communities. He suggested that caging Ndazabazadde in the future could prevent people from accessing it.

Ugandan Parliament Approves New Tourism Law

The Ugandan Parliament approved a new tourism law, which is seen by the tourism industry observers as an important breakthrough following years of waiting for the to be passed.
The new law is hoped to overhaul the country’s tourism industry and promote the tourism sector’s security and standards among others. The Uganda Tourism Bill 2007 was passed by an undivided vote by Parliament on Tuesday February 19 after a short debate.

The state minister for tourism Mr. Sarapio Rukundo told the Parliament that when the law comes into power, it will help reform, consolidate and streamline the laws related to tourism and provide for licensing, regulating and control of the sector.

The new tourism act brought together three laws in a major reform aimed at boosting and developing the tourism industry in the country, says the minister. The previous laws amalgamated into the new Act include the hotels laws, the tourists’ agents licensing law, and the Uganda tourism board.These laws are geared towards improving Uganda’s hotel sector, tour operation businesses as well as the tourism industry itself which is gaining prominence from gorilla tourism.

According to the Parliament committee on tourism, trade and industry chairman, Mr. Pereza Ahabwe the major reforms in the new law includes the introduction of a tourism development tax and tourism development fund. He said the tax would be obligatory on both the visitors making trips to Uganda and operators while the development fund will be established by the ministry and other sources yet to be identified by the ministry of tourism to further develop the sector.
These two are going to boost the sector in form of promoting it, gazetting areas for tourism sites and undertake educational programmes. Ways of monitoring tourism standards, registration, licensing and classifying of tourist facilities and services in Uganda’s national parks as well as major tourism destinations, among others have all been streamlined in the new law.
The commissioner for tourism Ms. Grace Mbabazi Aulo said that the money got from the tourism development tax would be used for training, research and tourism promotion. She said that government is yet to make a master plan on how these funds would be well utilized in revamping the tourism industry.

The new law makes it an offense to operate an accommodation facility for tourists without a license. The major introduction in the law is because some unscrupulous agents were taking tourists to low standard indecent guest houses causing embarrassment to the country.

Uganda Tourism is opening its gates to Eastern Europe

A group of ten Russians comprising eight tour operators and two journalists were scheduled to arrive in Uganda last Saturday (April 14).

The Russian tour operators, who will be here for nine days are expected to sign contracts and Memoranda of Understanding with their Ugandan counterparts on promoting Uganda as a destination of choice.

This should ultimately open the visitor floodgates of Eastern Europe to Uganda.

The visit that is expected to be an eye opener for the Russians, who have for many decades been locked out of world activities because of the seclusive communism, will be the first of its kind by Russian tour operators.

The hospitality sector has offered various concessions to the visitors’s comfortable stay in Uganda.

Kampala Serena Hotel, Mweya Safari Lodge, Paraa lodge have offered single day full board accommodation facilities, while Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has waived 50% off its gorilla tracking permits.

Officials also say Uganda Waragi, a top Ugandan gin will serve as a perfect substitute for the reknown Russian vodka for the visitors.

In September 2006, a group of Uganda tour operators visited Russia and took part in the annual Russian Tourism Exhibition.  It is at this exhibition that the tour operators courted some Russian tour operators and floated the idea of them visiting.

“We are targeting the upmarket Russian travellers not backpackers for now,” said Sylvia Kalembe, Senior Information Officer, Tourism Uganda.

Information available indicates that some tour operators have already received a host of Russian tourists.

In East Africa, Tanzania has reportedly moved fastest in tapping Russian tourists.

The country went the extra mile of translating local literature into Russian to ease communication and marketing barriers with their clientele.

But officials at Tourism Uganda say because they are initially courting the upmarket tourists, language is not an initial challenge because the wealthy speak more international languages.

Tourism Uganda is hoping that Uganda gets marketed as part of the destination Africa and not Uganda exclusively because it is easier to start broadly and use Uganda as a stopping point, cashing in on her unique niche features.

Uganda boasts of unmatched natural scenery, an uncompared number and variety of bird species and more than half of the surviving mountain gorillas live in western Uganda’s Bwindi impenetrable forests.

President Launches Tourism Documentary on Uganda

A documentary film titled “Uganda: The Presidential Tour” which is out to market Uganda’s tourism potential was today officially launched by President Yoweri Museveni.

The documentary was filmed in Uganda in July this year by the US based Discovery Channel Communications. It features President Museveni as the chief tour guide to US renowned journalist Forrest Sawyer. The 50-minute documentary depicts Uganda’s wildlife, flora and fauna traditional culture among other activities of some of the countrys population.

President Museveni told the audience at Cineplex City Garden in Kampala that the film that the fundamental requirement for Uganda’s tourism industry is ensuring security throughout the country. He expressed happiness that the donor community had accepted to contribute funds to the countrys security sector needs. He said the move had now increased tourism earnings for Uganda.

Ndere Dance Troupe : The Ndere Troupe perform traditional dance in Mbale. Founded in 1986, its goal is to conserve and promote the musical traditions of the country’s many cultures.

Mr. Museveni appealed to the United Nations to speed up the pacification of the Uganda-Democratic Republic of Congo border area. He said the pacification exercise will go a long way to enable Uganda exploit fully its resources such as Queen Elizabeth and Rwenzori National Parks as well as the oil deposits in the Lake Albert corridor in order to enhance further national economic development through tourism.

He commended the US based Discovery Communications for showing Uganda’s unique climate, scenery, people and soils to the rest of the world and agreed with Churchill’s description of the journey from the Indian Ocean as a grisly road to Uganda, the tropical garden of Africa. He called upon the rest of the world to come to Uganda and see the greatness of the country.

Vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, Cabinet Ministers, former US Trade Representative Ms. Rosa Whitaker, MPs, diplomats, business and tourism stakeholders in attended the show.

World Tourism Month Dedicated to Promoting Uganda Tourism

World Tourism Day is celebrated each year on 27th of September globally. On this day focus is made on the socio-Economic importance and contribution of Tourism to the World. This year’s theme is ‘Poverty Alleviation, Job Creation and Social Harmony’.

Being charged with the promotion of tourism in the country, the Uganda Tourist Board has continued to spearhead events in the month of September notably a biking race in the luxuriant Mabira forest and a fundraising raft race on the Nile River organized in September of 2002 that was devoted to the reintroduction of rhinos in Uganda. Both were first ever events attracting the participation corporate bodies in he country.

This year’s main event on 27th September will be hosted free of charge to the public by Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe. The Centre represents Uganda’s diverse attractions teeming with rainforest, beaches, animal specie including two white Rhinos recently reintroduced in the country after being wiped out by poaching in the mid eighties, bird, plant insect and culture, not forgetting the Jane Goodal – Ngamba Island off Entebbe, which is sanctuary to, rescued chimpanzees.

Kids and Snake

A match past through Entebbe municipality and its environs shall precede the main event after which a World food festival luncheon is to be hosted by Imperial Botanical Beach hotel Entebbe. Also in store shall be guest artistes and traditional dancers in camaraderie with tourism stake holders including the Mayor of Entebbe, Uganda Wildlife Authority, hotels, resorts, Civil Aviation Authority, all management and operational organizations at the airport including Immigrations, Entebbe Cargo Handing Services, Bond and clearing agents, Air Traffic control, airport maintenance and cleaning staff, Oil companies, Beverage companies, Duty free, souvenir and restaurant outlets, Airlines and charters, legislators, technocrats, Uganda Tourist Association, Association of Uganda tour Operators, The Uganda Travel Agents Association, Hotel Owners Association, Hotel Catering Association, Uganda Association of Tourism Training Institutions Dons from the Ivory Tower, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, Uganda Tourist Board, and students from the Wildlife clubs in Uganda. Other highlights on the day are a mini exhibition organized by Entebbe Tourism Development Association at U.W.E.C and the launch of the ‘New Tourism Policy’ document and a cultural catwalk led by miss Tourism Uganda 2002 crowned by a jungle themed disco at Vogue discotheque-half price.

Cards for the food festival at imperial Botanical beach Hotel are on Sale at Uganda Tourist Board at Ushs 13,000.

PROGRAMME:

9:00AM. -Arrival of participants at Mayors Gardens Entebbe
9:30AM.- Flagging off of match past by chief walker
10:30AM.- Inauguration of medicinal plants at U.W.EC
11:00 AM. – Inspection of domestic tourism exhibits.
11:30AM.- Guests take seats at the beach
12:00 PM.- Welcome speech by U.W.E.C Director

Entertainment Interlude

1:00PM. – Mayor welcomes guests to Entebbe municipality.
1:15PM. – Minister invites the guest of honor to launch the Tourism Policy.
1:25PM.- Guest of honors address
1:35PM.-Vote of thanks from U.T.A president
1:45 PM.- Food Festival at Botanical Beach
4:00PM.-Boat race, Entertainment, Cultural catwalk by miss Tourism 2002 at
U.W.E.C beach front

Insecurity in Murchison Falls National Park and Kasese Area

STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIRMAN UGANDA TOURIST BOARD

In the past few days incidents of insecurity have been reported in NW and SE Uganda particularly the ambushing and killing of several students from the Jimmy Sekasi Hotel and Tourism Training Institute and its Director. This occurred in the Pakuba area of Murchison Falls Game Park, which is in the Northern tip of the park near the Albert Nile estuary.

Another attack took place in Kasese and quite recently on Hamurunga fishing village near Kasese. While the Uganda Tourist Board condemns these acts of insecurity in the strongest terms and warns Tourists to stay away from these areas and the enviros, it would like to bring to the attention of the public the following facts:-

The site of the Pakuba incident is in the northern tip of the park on the north bank of the river Nile. It has been a center of concentrated tourist activity. It is only recently that the park wardens had started taking tourists to this area. Most of the tourist traffic has been has been concentrated on the south bank.

The Kasese region is in SW Uganda which has been a center of rebel activity. No tourist traffic has been encouraged to go there. We are yet to clarify the security situation in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is several kilometers away from Kasese. But some areas of the park do stray into territory that is prone to ADF attacks.

The security forces have been deployed in these areas to push out the attackers and when they have done their work, tourism activities will resume in the areas in question. Therefore there is no cause for Alarm.

However, the Board wishes to assure you and especially the tourists that other than these areas which are in actual fact on the periphery of the country the rest of Uganda is safe and has still many tourist attractions to offer:

For example,

The Central area – this includes Kampala where you will find the Kasubi Tombs, Entebbe and Jinja where you will find Bujagali Falls and Source of the Nile, passing through Mabira Forest with many picnic sites on the way.

For those who have more time, the mountains of South-West Uganda extending from Bulema / Kanunga in the north to Rwanda Border in the South are a must because they include Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and the Volcanic peaks of the Muhavura, Mgahinga and Sabinyo and lakes Bunyonyi and Mutanda

After the Rwenzoris it is scenically the most beautiful part of Uganda displaying an enormous variety of landscape feature in its wooded and cultivated Hills and mountains, gorges, valleys and their intervening lakes and rivers.

• Lake Mburo National Park IN SE Uganda
• Mount Elgon in the East, its Forest Reserves and foothills. In here you find the renowned Sipi Falls. It is readily accessible from Kampala on a good paved road.
• Kidepo Valley National Park, the Zulia Forest reserve and the Lipan and North Karamoja controlled hunting areas. Here you can go on game viewing trips currently the best in Uganda. But it is also important for bird – watching and trekking in the Zulia Forest.
• Ssese Islands – in Lake Victoria; This is a beautiful grouping of islands which is a paradise for the elusive sitatunga antelope. These islands are ideal for bird-watching, fishing, eco-tours and touring by boat.

For more information and updates below is our contact.

Uganda Tourist Board
Plot 13/15 Kimathi Avenue, Impala House
P.O. Box 7211 Kampala
Uganda

Tel: 256 – 41 – 342196 / 7
Fax: 256 – 41 – 342188

Email: utb@starcom.co.ug