This archive report was first published on 2 December 2019.
On December 2, 2019, Uganda's state minister for tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda, announced that the government had changed its position on a proposed hydropower dam at Murchison Falls.
The site, located on the River Nile, is a major tourist draw, attracting visitors to see the spectacular waterfalls and wild game in the surrounding 3,900-square-kilometre national park.
Initially, the government had banned the project, citing concerns that it would ruin the falls and harm tourism activity. However, after a cabinet decision, the government will now allow a study to be conducted to assess the feasibility of the project.
According to Kiwanda, the study will provide a way forward for the project, which aims to develop a 360-megawatt plant at the site of Murchison Falls. The government hopes that the project will help boost private sector investment in the energy sector and reduce reliance on wood fuel.
While the study will consider the potential impact on the environment and tourism activity, Kiwanda stated that if the study finds a way to develop the project with minimal adverse effects, it will be allowed to proceed.
