In the rolling hills of Ankole, where cattle graze and coffee trees sway in the breeze, a new chapter of Uganda’s story is being written. The transformation of Nyakisharara Airfield into a modern international airport is not just an infrastructural project—it is a gift of wings, a runway of hope, and a bridge to the world. For this, we lift our voices in gratitude: thank you, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for granting Mbarara and the Ankole sub-region a facility that will forever change our destiny.
Nyakisharara has long been a modest airstrip, used occasionally for small aircraft and training flights. Its facilities were basic, its reach limited. Yet today, under the President’s directive, it is poised to become a gateway of steel and sky, capable of welcoming international jets and connecting Uganda directly to Asia and South America. The leap is monumental, akin to the modernization of Entebbe in the 1970s, but this time it is Western Uganda that rises to global prominence.
The significance of this project is profound. Uganda produces over 2.5 billion liters of milk annually, much of it from Ankole’s famed long-horned cattle. Yet export bottlenecks have often limited farmers’ earnings. With Nyakisharara International Airport, cargo planes will carry milk powder, beef, and coffee straight to São Paulo, Beijing, and Shanghai. Imagine the pride of a farmer in Kiruhura whose milk, once sold locally, now finds its way to supermarket shelves in Brazil. Imagine coffee from Ibanda brewed in cafés in Beijing, or beef from Ankole gracing dinner tables in Shanghai. This is not a dream; it is the tangible promise of connectivity.
President Museveni has always emphasized infrastructure as the backbone of socio-economic transformation. “We must open Uganda to the world, and the world to Uganda,” he has said, and Nyakisharara embodies that vision. By fast-tracking its construction, he is decentralizing aviation, reducing reliance on Entebbe, and ensuring balanced regional development. The artistic impressions already presented to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja show a facility of grandeur—modern terminals, customs halls, cargo centers, and runways stretching into the horizon. It is a vision of progress, dignity, and opportunity.
Tourism will be among the greatest beneficiaries. Western Uganda is blessed with treasures: Lake Mburo National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the cultural heritage of Ankole. With direct flights from Asia and South America, tourists will no longer face long, indirect journeys. Uganda’s tourism industry, which already earns over $1.6 billion annually, could see exponential growth. Hotels will rise, tour operators will flourish, and artisans will find new markets for their crafts. The ripple effect will create jobs, stimulate incomes, and uplift communities.
Connectivity is power, and Nyakisharara International Airport will give Uganda unprecedented leverage. China, Uganda’s largest trading partner, already accounts for over $1 billion in imports and growing exports. Direct flights will strengthen this bond, cutting costs and time. Similarly, links to Brazil and South America will diversify Uganda’s trade portfolio, reducing dependency on traditional markets in Europe and North America. This diversification is strategic, positioning Uganda as a serious player in global commerce. It is about milk turning into gold, coffee into currency, and beef into bridges of friendship.
The diaspora will rejoice as well. Ugandans living in Asia and South America often face long, indirect routes when returning home. Nyakisharara will ease their journeys, reconnecting them with their roots and enabling them to invest more easily in their homeland. Remittances, already over $1.4 billion annually, could grow as travel becomes simpler. For the diaspora, this airport is more than infrastructure—it is a bridge of love, commerce, and identity.
Of course, such a project requires immense investment. But the involvement of private investors, who have already shown interest and presented designs, signals confidence in Uganda’s future. Public-private partnerships will ensure sustainability, with government providing land, policy support, and security guarantees, while investors bring capital and expertise. Together, they will deliver a facility that meets world-class standards.
Some may ask whether Uganda needs another international airport when Kabalega International Airport in Hoima is nearing completion. The answer lies in strategy. Kabalega is designed primarily to serve the oil sector in the Albertine region, while Nyakisharara will serve agriculture, tourism, and diaspora connectivity in the south-west. Together, they form a network that decentralizes aviation, reduces congestion at Entebbe, and positions Uganda as a multi-hub nation. This is how modern economies thrive—by building multiple gateways to the world.
The numbers are compelling. Uganda’s exports to China have grown by over 30% in the past five years, while trade with Brazil, though modest, is expanding. With direct flights, these figures could double within a decade. Tourism arrivals from Asia are already increasing, with China ranking among the top ten sources of visitors. By cutting travel time and costs, Nyakisharara will accelerate these trends. The multiplier effect on jobs, incomes, and regional development will be immense.
Local voices capture the spirit best. “This airport is not just concrete and steel; it is hope, it is opportunity, it is dignity for our people,” said one community leader in Mbarara. A farmer in Kiruhura smiled as he imagined his milk reaching Shanghai: “This airport will turn our milk into gold.” These are not mere words; they are the heartbeat of a region ready to embrace the world.
So today, we lift our voices in gratitude. Thank you, President Museveni, for granting Nyakisharara International Airport to Mbarara and the Ankole sub-region. Thank you for envisioning a Uganda that is not landlocked but air-linked, not isolated but integrated, not dependent but empowered. This airport will stand as a monument to your vision of socio-economic transformation, a beacon of Uganda’s rise, and a bridge between our people and the world.
As the runways stretch and the terminals rise, let us remember that this is more than an airport. It is a promise fulfilled, a future unveiled, and a gift that will echo through generations. And for that, Mr. President, Uganda says: thank you.
The writer is a member of the Equal Opportunity Commission of Uganda
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