KARUMA: UWA agrees to waive transit fees through Murchison

Karuma, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Travelers to West Nile and Northern Uganda will be exempted from entry fees to the Murchison Falls National Park while Karuma Bridge remains closed for repairs.

Uganda Wildlife Authority on Thursday issued a statement saying there will be no fees for vehicles transiting through Tangi-Bugungu gates via Bulisa Town Council for a period of three months up to December 31, 2024.

The Authority has however reserved the Kichnumbabanyobo gate for tourists visiting the National Park. It says whoever uses the Kichumbanyobo gate will have to pay the fees.

Motorists are also advised to use the Masindi Port ferry and other ferries through Luwero-Nakasonga and Rwekunye.   It says operating hours will be between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM. The statement says transit visitors will only be allowed in the park no later than 6:00 pm to enable them to exit by 7:00 pm.

Drivers are advised to keep a speed limit of 40 km per hour. Any speed above that attracts a fine of one hundred thousand shillings. While accidental animal kill attracts a fine of five hundred dollars. Littering any form of rubbish in the park attracts a one hundred thousand shilling penalty per incident while hooting in the park attracts the same amount of money.

The Works and Transport Minister General, Katumba Wamala early this week said aid there will be no traffic of any kind allowed over Karuma bridge as construction embarked on a three-month repair exercise.

Traffic through Karuma was diverted to Gulu/West Nile using the Luweero—Kafu—Masindi—Paraa (Murchison Falls National Park) to connect to Pakwach or Gulu via Olwiyo and vice versa. Motorists heading to Lira were advised to use the Rwenkunye—Apac route via Masindi Port Ferry, while those travelling to Lira can also use Iganga—Nakalama —Tirinyi—Pallisa—Kumi—Soroti—Lira road.

However, some motorists have been calling on the government to lift the transit fees to allow them to travel through the newly constructed road from Masindi to Packwach.  Each car was required to pay twenty thousand shillings to transit through the park.

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