Kayaking Expedition to promote Uganda’s tourism

The Lake Victoria Kayak Expedition setting off from the Source of the Nile in Jinja on Tuesday By Pascal Kwesiga UGANDA has launched a canoe sporting event on Lake Victoria to promote the country’s tourism potential and raise funds for health projects. A team of Ugandan journalists, Kenyans and members of the Italian Canoe Federation on Tuesday flagged off the Lake Victoria Kayak Expedition from the Source of River Nile in Jinja to Kisumu in Kenya. The journey will take five days. Addressing journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala on Monday, tourism minister Serapio Rukundo said the sport would promote adventure and environmentally friendly tourism. “We shall use the sport to promote our tourism potential and make Uganda more known and accessible internationally,” Rukundo said. The expedition, he said, would also raise awareness about the safe drinking water and malaria prevention projects undertaken by the African medical and research foundation. Rukundo said the sport was a potential source of employment to the youth and urged them to embrace one of the Olympics sports. “The sport has the potential of bringing in more medals for Uganda,” Rukundo said. The deputy head of the Italian mission in Uganda, Andrea Della Nebbia, said the expedition was part of the Italian government’s efforts to promote Uganda. “The sport will not only promote tourism, but also help Uganda showcase other things.”