{UAH} What the election period meant to the country’s image

Now that one of the final batches of elections are out, congratulations to the winners, you worked for it. Congratulations to the ones that lost, you took your shot. Congratulations to the voters that cast their votes and had their decisions make a statement of triumph.

Congratulations to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for winning back the presidency. Congratulations everyone that exercised their civic duty, it is really important.

While the storm is yet to abate, as we write, —some losing camps are yet to accept results that emerged—it has been quite a pacified election period, according to the Uganda Human Rights Commission and a host of other observers.

Election periods, anywhere, hardly come muted; always tensed up and emotionally charged periods, super power countries like US have recently showed as such.

But with all that has happened during campaigns and all, where has it left a beautiful country like Uganda's image?

Or, to rephrase it; what did it mean for Uganda's tourism?

It meant a lot. First things first, these elections have come at one of the worst times for Uganda's tourism circles following the advent of COVID-19 pandemic.

A Ugandan tour guide in the jungles with a giraffe in the background.

The devastating pandemic disrupted travel world everywhere and greatly decapitated Uganda's tourism sector which had increasingly been recognized as an important sector of Uganda's economy.

The sector currently is Uganda's leading foreign exchange earner with US$1.6 billion in 2018.

So, when the pandemic struck last year and prevented visitor arrivals, conference business and investments in the tourist accommodation facilities, Uganda lost more million dollars.

And it might get worse going by a 2020 study from the United Nations(UN) revealed recently by Sheila Ngatia, the Deputy UNDP resident representative of Uganda. She said, "According to a 2020 study by the United Nations(UN) in Uganda on the social economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Uganda's tourism sector is projected to register a loss of millions of dollars within the next 5-year period."

The last thing the sector wanted, after the hard-hitting virus, were more disruptions like a messed up electoral process. No tourist anywhere prefers visiting a place deemed unsafe as Amos Wekesa, a Great Lakes Safari Chief Executive Officer said in a recent media interview.

He said, "Tourists don't want to go to places perceived to be unsafe. COVID-19 greatly hit the tourism sector and reduced earnings in the sector by about 90%. But even the remaining 10% was destroyed because of the political chaos and killing of people on November 18 to 19, last year. It forced tourists to cancel their bookings to visit Uganda."

Following the easing of the lockdown around July last year, the tourism sector had embarked on plans to stimulate the transformation of the industry with economic recovery packages and investments in the green economy.

As one of the countries that received the World Travel and Tourism Council's Safe Travels Global Safety and Hygiene Stamp for complying with globally standardized health and hygiene protocol, it meant the country was safe to visit and open to visitors, especially after the reopening of Entebbe International Airport in October, last year.

Among the recovery plans we have seen lately have been the aggressive boost and promotion of domestic tourism, diversifying tourism product range and strengthening cultural heritage.

We saw Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), a statutory organisation mandated to promote and market Uganda domestically and internationally, embarking on projects like "Take On The Pearl Of Africa" where a host of local celebrities and Ugandans were taken around the country to influence more Ugandans visit their own country.

World record holder runner Joshua Cheptegei (holding the Ugandan flag) embarking on "Take On The Pearl Of Africa" campaign alongside UTB CEO Lilly Ajarova in cream pants (second left) and Tourism minister Godfrey Kiwanda (second right).

And recently, led by UTB Chief Executive Officer, Lilly Ajarova, they renewed their interest of mountain tourism by conquering Mt. Rwenzori's highest peak, Margherita (stands at 5,109 metres), alongside celebrities and bloggers like motor-mouthed kickboxer Moses Golola.

Ajarova said, "When 2020 started, we all had plans, but then the unexpected happened and for most those plans were no more.

She continued, "To increase the value and volume of tourism to Uganda, UTB has set upon developing new products while revamping existing ones. Adventure tourism is one of the key forms of tourism that is growing both domestically and internationally. As UTB we focused on promoting adventure tourism this year; mountaineering, cycling, zip lining, and water rafting among others. The great mountaineering resource in Uganda with mountains Rwenzori, Elgon and Virunga are unique, rich and diverse and requires more development and promotional attention."

Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA), a semi-autonomous government agency that conserves and manages Uganda's wildlife, also embarked on similar projects, first by reopening the savannah parks in June, 2020 and then reducing of Mountain gorillas and chimpanzee tracking fees from until March 31. These, among other incentives from different stakeholders in the tourism circles, showed the sector's efforts in resurrecting Uganda's tourism post-COVID-19.

Uganda is a beautiful country; it's tourism largely rides on her natural endowments which give an edge over many of the popular tourist destinations in Africa.

Uganda's Cultures exposed during campaigns

 During election period, the country's diverse cultures were put to the fore through pet-naming and dance moves. Some of them included Presidential candidates like Museveni, Robert Kyagulanyi, Norbert Mao and Joseph Kabuleta getting baptised with cultural pet-names (Empaako) in different regions on their campaign trails.

Empaako is a naming system found among the people of Bunyoro- Kitara and Tooro in mid-western Uganda. They are doled out as a sign of greeting and most times respect, among other reasons. The country has a rich cultural diversity and boasts of over 64 tribes and dialects.

So, it was fun finding out reasons why different tribes baptised their favourite candidates with certain names. Mulambuzi.com can also say that Kigisu music (popularly known in other regions as Kadodi) from eastern Uganda on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, was perhaps the most performed during the campaigns in central Uganda. Why? Well, their beat is quite interactive and danceable.

But beyond that deep beat lies a huge rich cultural story behind it about the Bagisu culture.

In sum, since Presidential candidate Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who has retained the presidency, in his manifesto promised to expand and develop development of tourism sector, we hope it goes that way. And after him,  that must be the story to all other eventual winners with a heart for Uganda's tourism.

On tourism development, Museveni's manifesto read, "NRM government is going to continue with the commitment to expand the benefits from tourism to trickle down to household level so as to consolidate the success in providing employment, and diversified livelihood opportunities.

It continued, "NRM will continue to prioritise the development of the tourism sector, aiming at increasing annual foreign exchange receipts to US$2.5 billion in 2024/25, creating additional 500,000 jobs along the value chain and continuously increasing the competitiveness of Uganda's tourism."

Mulambuzi.com wishes him and other winners good luck especially in promoting the country's tourism.

--

"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ugandans at Heart (UAH) Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ugandans-at-heart/CAFxDTfpWcp8oUN8rp2djYwYg0ijFVXjEpwi%3DHHw7o6f%2BPpsoXQ%40mail.gmail.com.