

6 October 2024, 11:53 am
By Ronald Ssemagonja
On the 17th, September 2024, it was announced that on 23rd, September, 2024, Karuma bridge was to be closed for a given period of time to allow its rehabilitation process and therefore the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) provided alternative routes for vehicles as stated1. Motorists from Kampala heading to Gulu/West Nile are advised to use Luwero-Kafu-Masndi-Paraa (Murchison Falls National Park) to connect to Pakwach or Gulu via Olwiyo and vice versa from motorists from Gulu/West Nile. 2. Motorists to Lira can use the Rwenkunye-Apac route via Masindi Port ferry 3. Motorists to Lira can also use Iganga – Nakalama-Tirinyi-Pallisa-Kumi-Soroti-Lira and vice versa.
It is against this background that Government Chief Whip Hon. Hamson Obua raised this issue during the National Resistance Movement parliamentary caucus meeting with the president days ago, at State House in Entebbe. “On the side of Murchison Park sir, we are requesting you that if it pleases you, consider waiving the fee for any car that should have primarily used Karuma, but if Obua with his family is heading to Murchison Falls as a tourist, then he must pay so that your excellency, we don’t lose any revenue. He added that what they are requesting is that cars which have primarily used Karuma to transit through Murchison Falls park free of charge.”
In his response the president gave his views about it. “On the use of the park by the people who are traveling to and from Northern Uganda for the time of closure of the Karuma bridge, I totally forbid the charging of money from travelers who are not tourists, its nonsensical, it’s not correct” he said. According to the president, it is not about the money Uganda earns, but the impact those animals in the park are not used to very many vehicles especially the big ones. “I can suspect that there may be common sense in it since from when the park was created, big vehicles never passed there. It is only the small ones. Now that when these animals see these big vehicles they may fear and run away.”
Additionally, the president directed Vice President Jesca Alupo to convene a meeting next week between the Ministry of Tourism and Conservationists and some members of parliament to access the impact of big cars transiting through Murchison Falls national park. “If these animals run away and the tourists don’t see them when they go there, the whole country will lose.