The Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda, Robinah Nabbanja has pledged to deliver six resolutions from the country’s tourism private sector directly to President Yoweri Museveni following the conclusion of the 6th Bi-Annual Private Sector CEO Retreat in Fort Portal.
The retreat brought together government leaders, private investors and key stakeholders to evaluate tourism’s contribution to Uganda’s economy while pressing for urgent government intervention in infrastructure, air connectivity, taxation and Uganda’s global image.
In her address, Nabbanja explained that rehabilitation of the Mubende–Kyenjojo road had been delayed when the contractor used initial funds to clear debts.
However, she assured participants that an additional Shs 50 billion had been released to fast-track the works and that in-house engineering services had been tasked with ensuring the road remains motorable.
On air transport, Nabbanja acknowledged Kisoro’s limitations due to geography but announced feasibility studies on Kabale–Nyamitanga with support from the African Development Bank.
She revealed that a partner had committed to transforming Mbarara into an international airport while a Chinese investor was preparing to upgrade Kasese to international status.
“I will personally hand over the resolutions from this retreat to the President after Cabinet on Monday, one by one,” she affirmed.
Tourism Minister, Tom Butime commended the retreat as an important platform for reflection and pledged to work closely with the Prime Minister to ensure the resolutions reach the President.
He noted that cabinet discussions have consistently prioritized the Fort Portal road, a critical tourism artery.Butime hailed Uganda’s tourism recovery, citing a 7.7% rise in arrivals in 2024, the creation of over 810,000 jobs and record domestic visitation.
The Minister attributed this progress to government investment in infrastructure, peace, and security, along with private sector resilience and community involvement.
He highlighted cultural promotion, eco-tourism, adventure, and MICE events as key drivers, while reaffirming plans under NDP IV to expand infrastructure, digital systems, skills training, and product diversification.
With a target of USD 50 billion in earnings by 2040, Butime stressed that tourism is not only leisure but also a pillar for diplomacy, trade, and investment.
Private sector players presented candid proposals.
Tour operator Byamukama Boniface suggested that President Museveni personally tour Uganda’s national parks as a marketing tool, harmonize the 26 taxes burdening the industry and expedite the upgrading of Kisoro and Kasese into international airports to attract high-end travelers.
He also called for stronger conservation efforts, warning that lions are on the brink of extinction and proposed a tourism school in Fort Portal to serve four surrounding protected areas.
The Karatunga mogul stressed the need for a regional branch of the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute to train more guides, urged accountability for Uganda Tourism Board funds and asked government to open up forest reserves in Karamoja for investment.
Filmmaker Mathew Nabwiiso pushed for a creative economy policy, regional creative hubs, a national fund for content creation and stronger support for events, arguing that the creative industry should fully fall under the Ministry of Tourism.
The CEOs, led by Forum chairperson Emmanuel Katongole, unanimously tabled six resolutions; that included improving tourism infrastructure such as the Fort Portal road, rehabilitating key roads and constructing safe stopovers for travelers; expanding air connectivity in Kisoro and Kasese; ensuring Uganda Airlines focuses on international routes while leaving domestic flights to private operators; developing the Lake Victoria circuit with reliable water and electricity utilities; harmonizing the current 26 taxes into a streamlined system that encourages investment; and implementing a clear media strategy to manage the impact of negative security perceptions, especially since Uganda ranks poorly on international travel advisories.
Additional calls were made for stronger laws to manage misinformation on social media, regulate noise pollution, and expand freedoms that encourage digital promotion of tourism.
The retreat closed with optimism that Nabbanja’s commitment to personally hand over the resolutions to President Museveni could trigger quicker action.
Stakeholders agreed that for Uganda to achieve its Vision 2040 target of USD 50 billion in tourism earnings, government must urgently address infrastructure gaps, air connectivity, taxation barriers, and global perception challenges.
As the country positions itself as the true Pearl of Africa, private sector players insisted that swift, coordinated action between government and industry is no longer optional but a necessity
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