Uganda visit of Kanye, Kim Kardashian ‘to boost tourism’

US rapper Kanye West (YE) and his wife, reality TV star Kim Kardashian West, have arrived in Uganda on a private visit, in what is seen as a coup for the country’s tourism promoters. 

The East African nation’s tourism sector was recently criticised by the country President Yoweri Museveni, who said that Uganda was not doing enough to promote the nation’s vast natural attractions. 

“The celebrity couple touched down in the country last evening in a private jet,” local news outlet Watchdog Uganda reported on Saturday.

“The rapper and team have already set up a temporary music studio in the wild for next week where he is planning to record a new album,” the website added.

Kim Kardashian West and the rapper, who recently said he had changed his name to YE, are reportedly vacationing in a luxury safari lodge with a view of the River Nile in the northern part of the country.

Ugandan record label Swangz Avenue confirmed they are working with West on his new album “Yandhi”.

In September, President Museveni called upon the tourism ministry and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to improve their promotion of Uganda’s tourism potential.

“The promotion of Uganda’s potential in wildlife has been poor. Countries that have nothing to show are getting more tourists than Uganda. The Ministry of Tourism and UWA should bring out the uniqueness of Uganda in their promotion of the tourism sector,” the Kampala Post cited the president as saying.

Museveni said the country was in need of better packaging of the uniqueness of Uganda.

“We need to systematically work on the roads of the national parks for the tourists to easily access the parks in comfort,” he said.