The Batwa people, who lived in Mgahinga and Bwindi forest in Kisoro District more than 20 years ago, are reaping from tourism by working as tour guides in their ancestral areas that were turned into national parks.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) employs Batwa as guides in mountain gorilla tracking in Mgahinga National Park and they also earn by entertaining tourists with their cultural dance and selling hand crafts.
Last year, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) injected $31,000 (about Shs77.5m) in the rehabilitation of the Batwa trail; the scenic features deep in the national park that was identified by Batwa.
The money was used for training Batwa as tour guides, improve lighting of the 300-metre Garama Batwa cave, walk ways and the shelters along the trail.
The area UWA conservation manger, Mr. Pontius Ezuma, said at the commissioning of the 5.6-kilometre trail on Wednesday that 34 Batwa have been trained and employed as guides. He said Shs36 million has been generated from the trail since its establishment in June last year.
“The money generated has been shared equally with Batwa communities and UWA. A Tour guide earns Shs8, 000 each while those involved in dance and drama are paid Shs6, 000 every day they conduct tourists on their trail,” Mr. Ezuma said.
Government Impressed
The Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Prof. Kamuntu, presided over the trail commissioning at UWA offices in Kisoro.
Prof. Kamuntu asked residents around the national parks to partner with UWA to protect wild animals and their habitat so that they can continue to benefit from the enormous advantages associated with tourism.
“The main problem my ministry is facing is the conflict between human lives encroaching on the protected areas which in turn threatens the existence of wild lives. I thank the Batwa for having admitted to vacate the Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks for the sake of promoting tourism from where they have started to benefit,” Prof. Kamuntu said. He promised government commitment to tarmack all the roads in Kigezi Sub-region. The area hosts about 50 per cent of the world gorilla population.
