The Uganda Wildlife Authority has opened the country’s Savannah Parks for tourism activities to members of the public following the implementation of Standard Operating Procedures for the containment of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authority said all tourism activities with the protected areas of the park shall be undertaken in a manner that ensures all guidelines by the Ministry of Health and the directive by the country’s President is adhered to.
The Authority in a statement stated that primate parks however remain closed to the public until further notice adding that its head office in Kampala is also open to the public who require any of its services.
It said the procedures put in place to ensure the safe operation in the park include:
1, Mandatory temperature screening using non-contact infra-red thermometers at the key tourism gates of the different protected areas.
2, Mandatory hand washing/sanitizing at the entrances of all UWA premises and protected areas.
3, Government guidelines of carrying half capacity in order to observe social distance shall apply to the use of vehicles and boats in the parks. These include concessionaire delivery vehicles.
4, Saloon car vehicles shall not be permitted to carry out game drives activities in the protected areas.
5, Large groups exceeding 25 people shall not be permitted in the parks at the same time for the same activities.
6, Events such as destination weddings shall not be permitted in the interim.
7, Visitors going to the parks are encouraged to carry their own hand sanitizers and facemask.
The Authority further stated that its staff have been trained to provide tourists with appropriate wear to protect them and visitors from possible infection.
It stated that staff on duty shall sensitize visitors on the general government approved COVID-19 operational guidelines including the ones developed and approved by the UWA management.
The organisation said: “The safety of our staff and visitors is important to us and we shall continue to operate while exercising a high degree of caution to ensure the safety of persons is not compromised.
“As we welcome our visitors back into the protected areas, we continue to advise the adherence to the laid down government guidelines to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.”
