President Yoweri Museveni has officially commissioned the Mbale Wildlife Conservation Education Centre, commonly known as Mbale Zoo, calling on Ugandans to actively engage in the tourism sector to improve household incomes.

Speaking on Sunday during the national World Tourism Day 2026 celebrations at Mbale Secondary School Grounds, held under the theme 'Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,' the President highlighted tourism as a lucrative service industry, particularly for households with limited land for commercial agriculture.

Conservation and regional impact. Established by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), the satellite facility is designed to enhance wildlife conservation education and diversify tourist attractions in the Elgon Sub-region. During his visit, President Museveni commended UWA for the initiative and also reopened the newly renovated Mount Elgon Hotel. He issued a strong warning against wetland encroachment, cautioning that environmental destruction poses a direct threat to the country's ecological and economic future.

Balanced assessment. Local leaders and private sector actors in Mbale welcomed the project, pointing out that the zoo will stimulate the hospitality business and generate local employment. However, some community members and regional analysts note that for ordinary citizens to meaningfully benefit from tourism, the government must also address underlying challenges such as poor access roads to tourism sites, inadequate marketing of local crafts, and limited access to capital for small hospitality enterprises.

Looking ahead. As the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities rolls out digital initiatives to modernize the sector, stakeholders stress that long-term funding and community-based conservation will be critical to sustaining facilities like the Mbale Zoo. King Musah Media will continue to monitor the implementation of tourism development projects across the country.