A newborn mountain gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park has been given a Czech name—Tomáš—by the Speaker of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Tomio Okamura, during his visit to Uganda. Okamura proposed the name while trekking mountain gorillas in south-western Uganda, accompanied by Uganda’s Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa.
The choice of name carried a special connection between the two officials. Tomio is a Japanese name, while Tomáš is a Czech name that translates to Thomas in English—Tayebwa’s Christian name. When Tayebwa asked Okamura to suggest a name for the newborn gorilla, he replied: “Something like Tomáš.” Okamura said the name would remind him of his visit to Uganda for years to come and serve as a symbol of friendship between Uganda and the Czech Republic.
“It should be a start, or a sign, of our friendship and help build our relations,” he said. Tayebwa thanked Okamura for making the trip to Uganda, saying the visit provided an opportunity to showcase the country’s tourism potential to the Czech Republic and Europe more broadly. For Tayebwa, who has visited Bwindi several times, gorilla trekking remains a special experience.
“For me, it always feels like the first time whenever I come here,” he said. “Every time I come, the experience feels new because we are interacting with our cousins.” He said watching the gorillas, including the way they care for their young, reinforced the importance of protecting nature.
“We learn a lot from them. But every day, they give you a reason to protect nature,” Tayebwa said. The Deputy Speaker also urged Ugandans to explore their own country before travelling abroad, particularly to popular destinations such as Dubai. “I urge Ugandans to come here and tour our country,” he said. “I see very many going to Dubai. Going where? First, come and see the beauty of our country.”
Tayebwa noted that Ugandan citizens pay considerably less than foreign tourists for gorilla trekking permits, making the experience more accessible to locals. He said Uganda would also use upcoming international events to showcase its tourism attractions, including the planned hosting of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)-European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly next year.
The meeting is expected to bring together more than 500 delegates from Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Tayebwa is the OACPS president and co-president of the OACPS-EU Parliamentary Assembly. “We hope to host the EU-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Parliament next year in Uganda, where we will be having over 500 delegates from all over Europe and the rest of the world,” Tayebwa said.
Okamura said Uganda and the Czech Republic have strong tourism attractions that could provide a basis for deeper cooperation. “Prague is a top destination. A top tourist destination,” he said. “Gorilla trekking is also world-class. So this is two top things.” Tayebwa also thanked Uganda’s embassy in Germany, particularly Ambassador Steven Mubiru and his team, for facilitating Okamura’s visit-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
