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During a meeting with members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus at State House in Entebbe, President Museveni expressed disapproval over the UWA's fee collection from non-tourist vehicles diverted due to the Karuma Bridge closure.
“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,” the President said.
His directive aims to alleviate the burden on local travellers during this period of necessary infrastructure repairs.
Karuma Bridge Rehabilitation and Its Impact
The Karuma Bridge, a key connection point in Uganda, was closed for rehabilitation works that began recently. The bridge, which spans the River Nile, has been undergoing repairs to address structural issues and enhance safety. This closure has necessitated the diversion of traffic through alternative routes, with one of the primary detours being through the Murchison Falls National Park. Consequently, many non-tourist vehicles have had to use the park's roads to continue their journeys to and from the northern parts of the country.
UWA's Initial Stance on Park Fees
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) had previously maintained that all vehicles passing through Murchison Falls National Park must pay the park access fee, regardless of their purpose of travel. Bashir Hangi, the spokesperson for UWA, defended this policy by noting that it was impractical for the authority to distinguish between tourist vehicles and those diverted due to the Karuma Bridge's closure.
Moreover, Hangi highlighted the financial implications of waiving these fees, stating that stopping collections for the entire duration of the bridge repairs—estimated to last three months—would significantly affect UWA's revenue. These fees contribute to the conservation and maintenance efforts within the park, making them a crucial income source.
Calls for Policy Change and Local Pressure
The continued fee collection prompted criticism from local leaders, including members of parliament representing the affected regions. These leaders argued that charging fees to vehicles that had no choice but to use the park’s route placed an undue financial burden on the local population, many of whom are not tourists but travellers affected by the infrastructure rehabilitation. They pushed for UWA to halt the fees for non-tourist vehicles diverted through the park.
In response to this mounting pressure and the President's directive, UWA is expected to comply by waiving the fees for non-tourist travellers passing through Murchison Falls National Park until the Karuma Bridge is fully reopened.