Stakeholders in Uganda’s tourism industry say partnerships between players like the government, the private sector, and local communities among others are very instrumental in pursuing green investments and reinforcing sustainable tourism in the oil-rich Bunyoro region.
Hoima City, the heart of Bunyoro, hosted this year’s World Tourism Day celebrations themed “Tourism and Green Investments” on September 27th, and a myriad of activities leading to the big event including the Explore Uganda Corporate Football Tournament, School quiz competitions, and a Mayors’ roundtable meeting among others.
The city was also the base for the fourth Explore Uganda -the Pearl of Africa campaign dubbed Explore Bunyoro, a five-day excursion in the region aimed at highlighting the various tourist attractions in Bunyoro, creating awareness on the less known, and spotlighting new attractions.
While these events painted Hoima green- well in the different ways and shades they did; from the Apple Green Uganda Wildlife Authority buses and overland trucks that shipped hundreds of elated tourists from Kampala, the neon green reflector jackets that became sort of a fashion statement for many, to the actual tree seedlings that different companies exhibited during the Explore Uganda Expo, a question lingered – how will the energy and tourism industries thrive in the same region without leaving a bold footprint?
Speaking during the World Tourism Day celebrations, the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities (MTWA) Rtd. Col. Tom Butime emphasized the importance of the international community, governments, and the private sector uniting and working around the same tourism strategy while investing, and prioritizing environmental protection.
Discussing Uganda’s Tourism and Green Energy Transition during the Tourism Thematic Conference held at Hotel Africana on September 21, Dr. Gerald Banaga-Bainji who represented the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development Irene Batebe, said a good percentage of Ugandans have not embraced energy efficiency and continue to use resources like firewood and charcoal which contribute highly to deforestation.
Dr. Banaga stated that partnerships between ministries, departments, agencies, and private sector players will streamline strategies towards a holistic green energy transition adding that greening tourism sites and areas where energy exploitation happens is key as Uganda eyes oil extraction in the Albertine graben.
“As we pursue and exploit energy for example the oil in the Albertine region, we must be mindful of tourism sites around and how to preserve them. In the past, the focus was on generating more energy, however, today, we are not just looking at the energy generated but rather how it can be turned into clean energy with less impact on the environment,” he said.
In his remarks during the City Mayors’ Roundtable discussion held on September 26 in Hoima, the City Mayor Brian Kaboyo emphasized the need for strategic marketing to attract investment in the cities as well as creating partnerships to encourage benchmarking and sharing of ideas as regards developing the regional cities in terms of tourism, and addressing the challenges of sustainable city development.
Mr. Kaboyo also tasked the Ministry of Tourism to come up with a deliberate call for data and research on tourism and tourism dynamics in the cities.
To this end, Hon. Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, the State Minister for Tourism tipped the mayors on liaising with their tourism officers to create initiatives that grow the tourism sector in their cities, noting that this will position them to tap into government funding.
“I want to work with someone who is ready to support a cause and is progressive. We were able to partner with the KCCA and Sheraton Hotel to establish the Tourism Information Center which has all the information a person needs about Uganda. I thank KCCA for being such good partners,” he said.
Without proper mobilization and leadership in the given cities, the Minister cautioned, the green investments agenda will not come to fruition.
Tourism – Energy Ministries partnership to tackle deforestation in Kibiro
In Bunyoro’s Kibiro Salt Gardens, as it has been for centuries, salt extraction is done through evaporation crystallization, a process that involves heating up the salt solution till water evaporates, leaving the salt crystals that are packaged for sale. People who are involved in salt mining in Kibiro still use firewood for this activity. For every bag of salt extracted from Kibiro, a tree was cut.
According to Abigaba Godfrey, the Chairperson LC1, salt is the major source of livelihood for the Kibiro community and it is a source of pride because of the heritage it carries. However, Abigaba notes, the women (who own hereditary rights to mine the salt) continue to face the issue of limited energy resources.
“We call upon the government to consider Kibiro and give us a sustainable heating system because our women are suffering. They have to move up the escarpment to buy firewood and move yet again to sell the salt in the market,” he said.
Speaking during the just concluded Explore Bunyoro tour of the Kibiro site, Ms Jackline Nyiracyiza the Ag. Commissioner Museums and Monuments said the Ministry of Tourism is yet to collaborate with but is hopeful that a partnership with the Ministry of Energy will devise and bring forth environmentally friendly energy sources to facilitate salt extraction in Kibiro.
She noted, however, that they are working with the local communities to ensure that the forests regenerate.