Top Story: Mpigi district set to develop Equator point to enhance local economic development through sustainable tourism, leaders sensitized

Mpigi district set to develop Equator point to enhance local economic development through sustainable tourism, leaders sensitized. WhisperEyeNews.

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The European Union through Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) in partnership with Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) will fund the development of Equator point at Kayabwe, Mpigi to support local economic development.

This project will include the construction of a magnificent Equator monument at Kayabwe equator point, and solid waste management around the monument.

“We conducted a local economic development assessment, and it highlighted that Mpigi has more potential in tourism. And we have focused now on the development of cultural sites, we have started with the Equator. Starting with the development of the equator monument,” says Mr. Kazibwe.

Kayabwe equator point is one of the major tourism sites in Mpigi, it attracted 114,000 tourists in 2019.

However, the site has been underdeveloped with stagnant water around the monument, which hinders tourists to take photos during rainy seasons.

In the same vein, plastic pollution has also discouraged a number of tourists to stay long at the site, thus reducing tourists’ expenditure while visiting the site.

Mpigi district commercial officer Mr. Kazibwe Ronald, told Whisper Eye News that the project included sold waste management at the site.

Mpigi District Women Handicraft Cooperative Society Limited will be given a tricycle and a briquette making machine, to make briquettes from the waste collected from the equator point.

“Under this project, we’re going to put much emphasis on waste management, Mpigi District Women Handicraft Cooperative Society Limited is responsible for collecting waste from established garbage bins and making briquettes from decomposable waste,” Mr. Kazibwe said.

Mpigi District Commercial Officer Mr. Kazibwe Ronald organized a sensitization training of town council technical staff, and all leaders in Kayabwe Town Council including district Councillors, ward Councillors, and LC. III chairperson among others.

The speaker of Kayabwe Mr. Mateega Tonny appreciated the project and promised that the town council leadership is ready to work with the Mpigi district to develop the equator.

The Local Economic Development Assessment report described the Mpigi district as “A sleeping genius that needs to be reawakened”, and also unbuilt urban area”.

Mpigi district equator point at Kayabwe is of the most popular equator points in the world, and Uganda is naturally gifted to share the equator with only 12 other countries in the world.