Museveni orders UWA to stop charging transit through Murchison
President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to stop charging fees from travellers (not tourists) who are transiting through the Murchison Falls National Park to connect to and from Northern Uganda.
Currently, travellers are using the road in the Murchison Falls National Park as an alternative route following the closure of Karuma Bridge, which is under rehabilitation.
“On the use of the park by the people who are travelling to and from Northern Uganda during the time of the closure of the Karuma Bridge, I totally forbid the charging of money from travellers who are not tourists, it's nonsensical, It's not correct,” he said.
The President made the remarks on October 4, 2024, while meeting the members of National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus at State House, Entebbe.
President Museveni’s assertion followed a request by Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua who appealed to the President to waive the fees being charged from the travellers using the road in the park.
“On the side of the 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 as a tourist, then he must pay so that Your Excellency, we don’t lose any revenue. What we are requesting is that cars which could have primarily used Karuma to transit through Murchison Falls Park free of charge,” Hon. Obua said.
According to the President, it's not about the money but the impact the vehicles have on the animals in the National Park.
“Apparently, according to conservationists, they are saying that 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 that park was created, big vehicles never passed there, it is only the small ones. Now that when these animals see these big vehicles they fear and run away,” he said.
