Fort Portal City leaders push for the regional zoo, museum

Leaders in the Fort Portal tourism city, Western Uganda have asked the government through to establish a regional zoo and museum in their area as a way of boosting tourism in the Rwenzori region. 
The leaders made the call on Saturday during an engagement between officials from the Ministry of Tourism led by the state minister, Mr Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, and stakeholders in Fort Portal City. 
The meeting was part of a five-day Explore West campaign organised by the ministry aimed at promoting domestic tourism.
Ms Margaret Kabajwara, the youth councilor, who represented the City Mayor, said they are still waiting on government’s 2019 pledge to establish a zoo and cultural museum. 
"In 2019, the Ministry of Tourism promised to construct a zoo and cultural center in Fort Portal City and as the Tourism City council, we allocated the land in the northern division. Our leaders have been following up and we are still waiting," said Ms Kabajwara
Mr Chris Tushabe Karobwa, the proprietor of Karobwa Summit View the establishment would be supported by Queen Elizabeth National Park and neighboring wildlife protected areas. 
"Our kingdom is hosting Queen Elizabeth national park. Why can't we as an innovation bring a zoo here? It is possible!" he noted
The Fort Portal City MP, Mr Alex Ruhunda, said there should be no excuse from government since authorities in the city had already provided the land. 
"What we need is to see the budget because we are now going into the budgeting process. We want to see the money for the zoo and the money for the museum. We shall do our work in parliament and make sure that money is available," he said.
Mr Mugarra in response said plans are already in place with part of the support expected from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
"There is a plan that has been ongoing with support from UNDP to have those projects actualized, I can get a proper status and update. We have earmarked several areas and Tooro is one of them. We are starting with Mbale and hopefully if we get money, we shall work on these projects," the minister said. 
Background 
In 2020, the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) announced it was carrying out feasibility studies to establish five regional zoos Mbale, Mbarara and Fort Portal to promote animal conservation.