Mugumya, a former aide to former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye, has previously been at the center of politically charged cases. His latest case comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over reports of enforced disappearances and prolonged detention without trial.
Ambassador Ssentongo reaffirmed Ugandan government’s commitment to strengthening cross-border tourism cooperation, noting that tourism is central to the country’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, which aims to grow the economy from US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040. He called for practical, time-bound solutions to trade barriers affecting tourism and regional business competitiveness.
However, according to the Ministry of Tourism, the Ugandan government has earmarked tourism as a top priority for investment. For the 2026/2027 financial year, the government allocated UGX 571.5 billion directly to tourism development and marketing.
The increase of Uganda’s per capita income from $898 to 1146 in 2024 and the increase of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from $16 to $20 in 2023—all these, including many others—resulted in Uganda being recognized by the IMF as one of the fastest-growing economies.
With the budget strategy for Financial Year 2025/2026 looking at strengthening economic growth, tourism development is seen as one of the major sectors to be boasted in order to achieve accelerated growth.