Tour operators grill Mapesa
safarisgorilla on 11 Apr 2008
The executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Mr Mapesa has been grilled for exclusively giving gorilla tracking permits in Nkuringo, lacated in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, to one tour company. In a stormy meeting at the Ministry of Tourism, tour operators complained the the UWA favoured The Uganda Safari Company by giving it six gorilla permits and leaving only two for the rest of the companies. In effect eight gorilla permits are issued daily for tracking gorillas within this area. One tour operator, Mr Bakeine proposed that such a deal with UWA should be cancelled immidiately. However Mr Mapesa refuted this allegation and mainted that UWA has no arrangement with any tour operator to have monopoly over the gorilla permits. He surrendered all permits to Nkuringo Conservation Development Foundation in the spirit of Compensating them for loss they face when wild animals attack their gardens. He explained that the Foundation entered a partnership with the said company to manage the eco-lodge and gorilla tracking. The executive director of Uganda Safari Company, Mr Jonathan Wright Mike said that they obtained rights over these gorilla permits through competitive bidding in response to an advert by the foundation.