WAR BREWS AT UGANDA TOURISM BOARD OVER SH1.7BN FOR BIRDS EXPO

Apparently there is war brewing at Uganda Tourism Board (UTB). The war, The Uganda Drone has learnt, was sparked off by the sh1.7bn that World Bank is giving to fund the birds expo scheduled for November 6 to November 20, 2016.

The contenders who include most beneficiaries in the tourism industry especially Tour and Travel owners and managers, are shedding tears that the whole budget and organization of the birds expo, was given one person. Sources say Herbert Byaruhanga of Bird Uganda Safaris Ltd, connived with officials at Uganda Tourism Board, to chew the sh1.7bn from the World Bank.

The Uganda Drone ventured into it and Herbert Byaruhanga had this to say, Those who are complaining are ignorant. The money is not yet released; people are just greedy, they are day-dreaming. If I could get just 1% of that sh1.7bn I would be the happiest person.

Byaruhanga explained that the proposal was developed in 2014 but it stayed up to this year (2016) when UTB sent it to the World Bank. And this was done for planning purposes. He says that people rushed to pour their hearts because of what they saw in the budget.

Byaruhanga says that if anything, the complainants have many avenues of benefits; if they get many visitors they will be overwhelmed by the revenue. The birds expo will have three main activities, which include farm trips; Birding week and the expo, where various products will be displayed.

It is sponsored by the World Bank under CEDP project and through Uganda Tourism Board. Byaruhanga said that the private sector is involved in giving technical advice, but the rest is done by the UTB and World Bank. When The Uganda Drone went to UTB offices at Acacia, Kololo, officials therein could not comment, they only referred it to head of marketing who was reportedly out of office.