Busoga’s tourism potential will continue to lag behind unless intrigue, according to a senior official from the Uganda Tourism Board.
John Ssempebwa, the Deputy Chief Executive Director Uganda Tourism Board notes with concern that with the vast tourism potential of Busoga, the region would now be flourishing but there has never been cohesion and unity among the leaders and other concerned parties.
Ssempebwa noted that the sub-region is potentially endowed and strategically positioned with all the possible and most attractive tourism sites but they have not fully been exploited and exposed.
He was speaking at the Busoga Conference, on the topic Taking Busoga Forward Through Tourism, ICT and Sports Investment. The event, that brings together well-wishers of Busoga to debate development challenges facing the sub-region is organised during by the group Busoga Yaife and was this year held at Crested Crane Hotel-Jinja.
Ssempebwa’s regrets however come against a recently launched campaign by the group Busoga Tourism Initiative championed by highly respected Busoga leaders such as Speaker Rebecca Kadaga aimed at promoting tourism in the sub-region.
In 2014, the group organised a trip to climb Kagulu hill in Busoga.
In a session chaired by a one, David Masajjage, Ssempebwa revealed that government has earmarked 12 billion shillings to boost tourism and Busoga tourism initiative will equally benefit.
He challenged all people in Busoga to engage in any activity that would earn money from tourists.
Meanwhile, some Basoga from the Diaspora expressed concern over hygiene and sanitation as lacking in Busoga yet they are key to development.
Elizabeth Kaleebi, a Musoga from Gadumire but currently living in Sweden says that there is no need for volunteers to come and lecture Basoga about hygiene adding sanitation is closer to Godliness.
According to Julius Bugonzi Ngobi, the in-charge health activities in Busoga yaife, hundreds have so far benefited from the on-going health camp at the convention.
The convention that started on 19th and ending on 22nd December is focusing on four major development factors of Health, education, agriculture and tourism (HEAT) under the theme, “Taking Busoga
forward: New solutions and Strategies”
