Parliament has approved Shs446 billion loan request from Standard Chartered Bank to finance the construction of Kitgum-Kidepo Road.
The approval followed Hamson Obua, government Chief Whip’s motion to suspend the rule requiring a report from the Committee on National Economy on the loan.
The loan approval comes at the time the Auditor General, John Muwanga, put Uganda’s total public debt as of June 30, 2023, at Shs96.16 trillion, comprising of domestic debt stock of Shs43.69 trillion and external debt stock stood at Shs52.472 trillion. Muwanga said in January 2024 that Uganda’s debt had grown by 107% within five years.
During the reading of this financial year’s budget, President Yoweri Museveni said the government is set to undertake the construction of 325 km of tarmac roads and airports in various areas to facilitate the tourism sector in Uganda.
The roads include Kitgum-Kidepo (116 km), Lake Bunyonyi-Kisoro-Mgahinga (74 km), Karenga-Kapedo-Kaabong (70 km), and Kisoro-Rubuguri-Muko (65 km). The airports will be established in Karamoja and others for the easy movement of tourists.
Currently, Uganda is deemed the best tourism destination, with various national parks such as Kidepo, Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Elgon, Rwenzori, Kibaale Forest, Bunyonyi, and many game reserves across the country. Uganda’s tourism sites rank highly among international media outlets and global tourism agencies.
In the next financial year, the government aims to strengthen wildlife conservation at Mgahinga National Park, Lake Mburo, Semliki, Kibaale, Murchison, Kidepo Valley, Katonga, Toro Semliki, and Queen Elizabeth.
The 2023 Tourism Uganda Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities performance report indicates a surge in the number of tourists coming into the country.
According to the report, Uganda registered 1,274,210 tourists in 2023, compared to 814,508 who visited the destination in 2022. Arrivals from Africa continue to dominate Uganda’s inbound tourism, with a share of 89.2%. Asia (4.4%), Europe (3.1%), and the Americas (1.9%) continue to be the biggest contributors to overseas tourist arrivals.
The growth was largely driven by an increase in arrivals from Mainland Africa and growth in the country’s traditional overseas source markets, such as the UK, USA, and India. At least 126,136 tourists arrived from overseas, while 1,136,216 came from various African countries.
