pressug.com News 24 7
Related Articles
For decades, Karamoja was known more for insecuri- ty and isolation than for investment.
Roads were sparse, tourism potential remained largely untapped, and many investors looked elsewhere. Now, the government is betting that a new international airport could help rewrite that story.
On Monday, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officially launched construction works for the Kidepo International Airport in Karenga District, a project that officials say could transform access to one of Uganda’s most remote but tourism and mineral-rich regions.
The airport is expected to strengthen links to Kidepo Valley National Park, attract investors and create jobs in an area increasingly being positioned as a new frontier for economic growth.
Funded by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the United Arab Emirates, the project is estimated to cost more than USD 72 million. Plans include a 3.6-kilometre runway, a 7,408-square-metre passenger terminal and a 74,200-square-metre cargo terminal, alongside other aviation infrastructure.
At the launch ceremony, Museveni framed the project as both an economic and symbolic milestone, linking it directly to the region’s tourism potential and natural resources.
“Now, Kidepo, which you wanted to destroy with goats, sheep and donkeys, is now bringing you this investment here, an airport like Entebbe Airport,” he said.
In a separate post on X, the President reflected on how far Karamoja has come since the years when cattle rustling and insecurity dominated life in the region. He argued that the restoration of peace has created conditions for large-scale investment and development.
“The airport will improve access to Kidepo Valley National Park, boost tourism, attract investors, create jobs for our young people and expand markets for local products. Already, more than 1,600 Ugandans are employed on the project,” Museveni posted.
For local residents, the significance of the project extends beyond tourism. Improved air connectivity could make Karamoja more accessible for business, trade and industrial activity, sectors that government officials increasingly view as central to the region’s future.
Museveni urged communities across Karamoja to embrace commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services and information technology as pathways into the money economy.
He also highlighted tourism as one of Uganda’s most valuable service industries, stressing that protecting conservation areas will be essential if the country is to realise long- term economic gains from the sector.
The project has also drawn strong backing from its international financiers. Abdallah Mohamad Sultan Alowais, Chairman of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the investment reflects growing confidence in Uganda’s economic prospects.
He confirmed that construction will be implemented in phases while maintaining employment opportunities for Ugandans throughout the process. Local leaders see the airport as part of a broader transformation taking place across Karamoja.
Improved security following the disarmament of cattle rustlers has opened the door to new investments, including mining operations, cement and marble factories, and infrastructure projects that were once difficult to imagine in the region.
Dr John Baptist Lokii, the Minister for Karamoja Affairs-designate, described the sub-region as an increasingly attractive destination for investors, while Uganda Civil Aviation Authority Deputy Director General Olive Birungi Lumonya said regulatory assessments had already been completed to ensure the project complies with aviation standards.
When completed, Kidepo International Airport is expected to become more than a transport hub. For a region long defined by distance and underdevelopment, it represents a bold attempt to connect Karamoja to global tourism markets and place it firmly on Uganda’s investment map.
Related
, https://observer.ug/news/kidepo-airport-project-signals-new-chapter-for-karamojas-economy/
