Tour Operators Worry About Losses Amid Gorilla Permit Scandal

Uganda’s tour operators are gripped with anxiety as they face potential business losses due to a scandal involving the illicit sale of gorilla tracking permits. This recently exposed scandal has inflicted substantial financial damage on the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), surpassing 11.2 billion Shillings (equivalent to USD 3 million).

The scandal has led to the suspension of 16 UWA staff members and has raised suspicions regarding the involvement of certain tour operators in this illicit activity. Tour operators vehemently deny any wrongdoing, underscoring that they are customers of UWA’s services and do not possess access to the authority’s internal systems.

Herbert Byaruhanga, who serves as the President of the Uganda Tourism Association (UTA) and is also the General Secretary of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO), expresses deep concerns about how this scandal might impact Uganda’s global tourism industry. He anticipates that those implicated may face temporary setbacks in their businesses. Byaruhanga places the primary responsibility for this situation on UWA and calls for comprehensive investigations into the sale of gorilla and chimpanzee permits, as well as entrance tickets. He highlights that prior reports of fraudulent activities were submitted to the Ministry of Tourism and UWA, but no corrective measures were taken.

Byaruhanga emphasizes the urgency of restoring Uganda’s reputation on the international stage before addressing internal issues within UWA. He notes that the negative publicity is causing apprehensions among potential tourists, potentially affecting the industry for the next couple of years, as travelers usually plan their activities well in advance.

Sivvy Tumusiime, the Chairperson of AUTO, echoes the association’s commitment to a clean industry. She underscores the challenges tour operators already face in recovering from the impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns, ADF attacks, the Anti-Homosexuality Act, and the emergence of counterfeit permits.

Wilberforce Begumisa, representing Africa Adventure Safaris, one of the companies allegedly linked to the scandal, calls for responsible actions from UWA. He questions why allegations were made before completing thorough investigations, emphasizing the tough circumstances his company is currently navigating.

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