KISORO– The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Executive Director, Dr. James Musinguzi, has called on the government to prioritize the tarmacking of key tourism access roads, citing poor infrastructure as a major hindrance to the country’s tourism potential.
Dr. Musinguzi made the appeal on the sidelines of the launch of the 2025 Gorilla and Chimpanzee Census held on Tuesday, May 6th, 2025, in Ruhiija sector of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Rubanda district.
Dr. Musinguzi mentioned specific tourism roads such as Katunguru – Ishasha, Kanyantorogo – Buhoma – Bwindi and Kisoro – Mgahinga, all which are currently in bad shape and need urgent attention from the Central Government.
Dr. Musinguzi stated that the tourism industry in Uganda has the capacity to develop the country’s economy tenfold if the infrastructure is worked on and made it categorically clear that Gorilla tourism alone contributes about 60% of the revenue collected in tourism annually.
Dr. Musinguzi however, hailed the government of Uganda under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for ensuring security and peace in the country, saying that the main remaining challenge is impassable and poorly maintained roads.
The Chairperson of the Uganda Safari Tour Guides Association, Kato Garasian, highlighted the challenges tour guides face due to poor road conditions especially during the rainy season.
International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) Director Wellard Makambo said that they are working to improve the livelihoods of communities surrounding national parks to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
A gorilla doctor, Dr. Benard Sekide, revealed that poaching and land encroachment cases have reduced drastically, but gorillas are now being infected by respiratory diseases from humans due to the relaxation of face-mask usage since COVID-19 was declared ended in Uganda.
Meanwhile the Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority Dr. James Musinguzi, has officially launched the 2025 Bwindi-Sarambwe Mountain Gorilla and inaugural Chimpanzee Census at the Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation in Ruhiija, in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
During the event, held in the Ruhija sector of Rubanda District Dr. Musinguzi also flagged off a team of 60 trained personnel who will carry out the Gorrila census and 70% of the officials are from Uganda Wildlife Authority.
According to Dr. Musinguzi, the team will employ nest count and genetic analysis methods across two census sweeps of which the first set to conclude in June and the second in September and expressed Uganda Wildlife Authority full commitment to supporting the field teams, ensuring the success of this critical exercise.
He emphasized that the census will help determine the current populations of Mountain Gorillas and chimpanzees in the region, identify threats to their survival, and inform conservation strategies to protect these endangered great apes.
