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