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President Museveni has instructed the Uganda Wildlife Authority to stop charging fees to non-tourist travelers using Murchison Falls National Park due to the closure of the Karuma Bridge. He emphasized that it is unreasonable to charge these vehicles and raised concerns about the impact of large vehicles on wildlife visibility, which could affect tourism.

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to halt the collection of fees from non-tourist travelers using Murchison Falls National Park as a transit route. This decision comes as an alternative route is needed following the closure of the Karuma Bridge to all traffic for rehabilitation.

“I totally forbid the charging of money from travelers who are not tourists. It’s nonsensical, it’s not correct,” Museveni said during a meeting with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus at State House, Entebbe.

The directive followed an appeal by Government Chief Whip, Denis Hamson Obua, who requested a waiver for vehicles transiting through the park to avoid disrupting revenue from tourist visits. “If a car is passing through Murchison as a tourist, it must pay, but those using the road due to Karuma Bridge closure should be exempted,” Obua argued.

While President Museveni acknowledged the need for revenue, he expressed concern about the potential impact of large vehicles on wildlife within the park. “Conservationists say the animals are not used to many big vehicles, and when they see them, they fear and run away,” Museveni noted, adding that this could affect tourism if animals become less visible to visitors.

To address this concern, Museveni instructed Vice President Jessica Alupo to convene a meeting with the Ministry of Tourism, conservationists, and Parliament members to assess the impact of heavy vehicle traffic through the park.

In addition to these directives, Museveni cautioned MPs against corruption and emphasized their role in wealth creation oversight, urging them to ensure Ugandans benefit from government services. He also advocated for environmental conservation, encouraging a shift from rice growing in swamps to fish farming, as seen in the Limoto Pilot project.

The meeting, attended by key government officials, including First Lady Janet Museveni and Vice President Jessica Alupo, also discussed Museveni’s upcoming zonal tours aimed at evaluating wealth creation initiatives across the country.