Conservationists vow to retake eco-tourism site

Conservationists under Nature Uganda have rekindled their plan to repossess an eco-tourism site, which Masaka City authorities gave to a private developer.

The site located at Kijabwemi on Masaka-Mbarara highway is adjacent to Nabajjuzi Ramsar site, which provides a spawning ground for mudfish and lungfish.

It is also home to unique animals such as sitatunga antelope, and birds such as the endangered shoebill and papyrus yellow warbler.

Last year, a private developer ordered Nature Uganda, the organisation which has over the years been managing the site, to remove its properties, including binoculars, telescopes and guidebooks and other items.

According to Mr Achilles Byaruhanga, the executive director of Nature Uganda, the disputed land was given to them by then Masaka Municipal Council and there is no official communication reversing this.

“It was Nature Uganda that identified Nabajjuzi wetland and promoted it to a tourism site. This was after we realised that the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara highway has traffic of tourists, but Masaka was not tapping from this opportunity,” he said during an interview on May 2.

Mr Byaruhanga said despite all their efforts to market the tourism site, they were surprised to find out that the new Masaka City leadership gave away the site and evicted their caretaker during the first Covid-19 induced lockdown.

“We are preparing a formal petition to the Masaka City Mayor Ms Florence Namayanja to express our disillusionment with the way our tourism site was sold to an investor. If we don’t get any assistance, we shall definitely seek    legal redress in courts of law,” he added.

He said although the caretaker was evicted, all properties of Nature Uganda are still at the site and are being used by the new occupant he doesn’t know.

Mr Byaruhanga said Masaka City should jealously protect Nabajjuzi wetland since it is an ecologically sensitive site.

When contacted, Ms Namayanja said   she was not aware that the eco-tourism site was given to a private investor.

“I am not aware of that contentious issue ,but I am eagerly waiting for Nature Uganda’s petition and brief about the matter,” she said.

But Ms Pauline Nabadda, the Masaka City environment officer, maintained that the disputed land is privately owned by a businessman, Mr Andy Kamugisha, who plans to set up a leisure park.

About new owner

“We are waiting for the plan from  the owner of the land as he had promised to revive the tourism site and make it more attractive,” she said.

 She said Nature Uganda had left the site to rot without making any repairs.

 “The wooden watch tower is currently dilapidated and covered by overgrown trees. For the last 10 years Nature Uganda has been in charge of that site, they have failed to refurbish it,” she said.

On his part Mr Kamugisha said he was in the advanced stages of redeveloping the tourism site.

 However, he declined to explain how he acquired the land, which measures about an acre.

“Just know that I own that plot of   land. All preparations are underway to start developing it into an attractive eco-tourism site,” he said in an interview on Tuesday

The site was established by Nature Uganda in 2004.

Background

Before the first lockdown was announced in March 2020, tourists used to flock the site almost daily, to watch birds, but the site currently houses tree nurseries.

Nabajjuzi wetland is currently facing increasing pollution from some adjacent factories, which may lead to biodiversity loss and also affect the general ecological functionality of the wetland. The wetland is also Masaka City’s main piped water source.

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