President Museveni is expected to conduct his re-election campaign in the Kigezi Sub-region from November 24 to 26.
However, just like in other regions, a section of leaders that the Monitor talked to want the President to, among others, address unfulfilled government pledges in the area.
Kisoro LC5 Abel Bizimana, said: ‘We expect the President to address government commitments on boosting tourism infrastructure that include the pledged expansion of Kisoro Airstrip to accommodate bigger passenger aeroplanes, tarmacking the tourism roads in Bwindi National Park, and completing the Nteko-Buhoma road that connects Bwindi National Park to Queen Elizabeth National Park.’
Mr Bizimana said since Bwindi park recently earned a global tourism recognition for Uganda at the TOURISE Global Tourism Awards held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, roads to the back should be improved.
‘The planned establishment of the Kisoro Industrial Park is pending. Kisoro District local government handed over its 620-acre titled land to the government for its establishment,’ Mr Bizimana said.
‘We also expect to hear about the new developments on the establishment of the John Kale Institute of Science and Technology in honour of the late father of the former Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura. Kisoro District Local Government offered its titled land for the establishment of this institution,’ he added.
The chairman of the Kigezi Tourism Cluster, Canon Ivan Mbabazi, reminded the President of the unfulfilled pledge for the establishment of the Batuma Memorial Airstrip in Rubanda District. The pledge has affected the tourism industry, yet the Batuma holdings offered land on which the airstrip was to be constructed, besides a commitment to meet about 30 percent of the total cost required for its establishment.
‘If this presidential pledge can be fulfilled, it can attract high-end tourists who prefer air transport because of its convenience in reaching the planned destination faster compared to the roads. The establishment of Batuma Memorial Airstrip will be instrumental for tourists seeking to see mountain gorillas in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park,’ Mr Mbabazi said.
The chairman of the Tea Farmers Association in Southwestern Uganda, Mr Frank Byaruhanga, castigated the government over its failure to implement the presidential directive on paying nursery bed operators that supplied it with seedlings. He said this may cost the NRM party support in Kigezi and Ankole region.
Mr Byaruhanga said the tea enterprise in the Kigezi region employs about 160,000 people who are involved in different tea value chain activities. In August this year, President Museveni directed the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, to work with the Ministry of Finance to raise Shs310b, of which Shs152b will be used for establishing tea factories, Shs46b as a subsidy for fertilisers for tea growers, and Shs112b for tea seedling suppliers to rescue the tea sector in Uganda.
‘Government’s failure to pay about Shs76b to the Kigezi Regional Tea Nursery Bed Operators for the tea seedlings they supplied to it is one of the issues that may affect the NRM party leaders in this region during this electoral process. The presidential directive to the prime minister and the ministry of Finance on rescuing the tea sector in Uganda should be implemented as soon as possible,’ Mr Byaruhanga said.
Other unfulfilled presidential pledges in the Kigezi region include the establishment of an Iron Ore processing factory in Muko-Rubanda District, tarmacking of the Muhanga-Kisiizi road, and Muhanga-Kamwezi border road in Rukiga District.