Rt. Hon. Tomio Okamura, Speaker of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, has named a newborn mountain gorilla “Tomáš” during his visit to Uganda. He called the name a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Okamura proposed the name while trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south-western Uganda.
He was joined by Uganda’s Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa.
Okamura said the name reflected his Czech identity and the relationship he hopes to build between the two nations.
“Something like Tomáš,” Okamura said when Tayebwa asked him to propose a name for the newborn gorilla. Tomio is a Japanese name. Tomáš is Czech. In English, it becomes Thomas, which is also Tayebwa’s Christian name.
Okamura said the name will remind him of his visit for years to come and stand 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. He said the visit gives Uganda a chance to promote itself to the Czech Republic and to Europe more broadly.
He added that gorilla tracking never gets old for him, no matter how many times he does it.
“For me, it always feels like the first time whenever I come here,” Tayebwa said. This was one of many visits for him. “Every time I come, the experience feels new because we are interacting with our cousins.”
Watching the gorillas, he said, including how they care for a young baby, reminded him why conservation matters. “We learn a lot from them. But every day, they give you a reason to protect nature.”
Tayebwa also used the moment to push Ugandans to see their own country before travelling abroad.
“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.”
He pointed out that Ugandan citizens pay far less than foreign tourists for gorilla trekking permits, calling it a chance for more locals to experience one of the country’s biggest tourism draws.
Tayebwa said Uganda plans to use upcoming international events to sell its tourism potential to the world. He mentioned Uganda’s expected hosting of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS)–European Union Joint Parliamentary Assembly next year, which is set to bring over 500 delegates from Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Tayebwa is OACPS president and co-president of the OACPS–EU 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,” he said.
Strong tourism ties
Okamura said Uganda’s gorilla tourism and Prague, the Czech capital, give both countries something to build on together.
“Prague is a top destination. A top tourist destination,” he said. “Gorilla trekking is also world top. So this is two top things.”
Tayebwa thanked Uganda’s embassy in Germany, particularly Ambassador Steven Mubiru and his team, for organising Okamura’s trip.
