28 March 2008
opinion
Uganda's star attraction is the endangered mountain gorilla which is believed to share 98.4% of its genes with humans. Out of the estimated 720 mountain gorillas left in the world, 340 are in Bwindi Forest National Park which is also believed to have more than 32 groups/families of gorillas.
A family of gorillas comprises between 10 and 30 members that include one or two Silverbacks and several juveniles/black backs.
Of the 32 groups, only four have so far been habituated for tourism purposes though two other groups are likely to be open for tourism by December. The selling of gorilla permits has since the early 1990s been the sole responsibility of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) as mandated by an Act of parliament.
However, recently UWA decided to "privatise" one of the habituated groups' the Nkuringo family of gorillas. With effect from August 8, the buying of Nkuringo permits will be done through the Uganda Safari Company.
To me, this is the biggest injustice UWA has done to both tour operators and the residents/locals of Kisoro. This kind of concession is unfair.
We all know that despite gorilla permits being the backbone of our tourism industry, they are also scarce and competitive. Thus giving the monopoly of their sale to an individual (tour operator) is a vice we should challenge as early as now.
I can now see a new "scramble" for our natural resources. If we do not fight such "tendencies" then soon the whole national park may be "privatised".
I want to say that owning a lodge should not be a reason for six of the eight permits to be sold by a single individual or tour operator. These gorillas are a national resource and should therefore not be tagged to one person because he/she has put up a lodge somewhere.
Very many Ugandans have invested in the park and its outskirts. Take for instance Kitandara Tented Camp, Buhoma Community Banda's & African Pearl Safaris which own lodges in Bwindi (currently running as Buhoma Lodge though under the management of G & C). These investors have never requested to "own" a family of gorillas. I am not against some investors putting up competitive lodges. It is in fact a positive thing.
But they should not dictate over the industry by giving terms such as monopolising the sale of permits and denying other potential investors from constructing lodges within particular areas.
The tourism industry stands to lose as a result of this move. This industry receives both high end and budget travellers. I do not see how the budget travellers will stay at one lodge with high prices.
I think clients should be given an opportunity to choose between the high end and budget tour. This move 'is and has' already forced tour operators to opt for Rwanda gorilla permits.
What is so puzzling is that the planners at UWA and Ministry of Tourism do not foresee that such a move will kill gorilla tourism in the country as tour operators will opt to cross the border hence promoting Rwanda tourism over ours.
The writer is a manager, African Pearl Safaris
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