Czech Speaker Names Baby Gorilla ‘Tomáš’ During Tour With Tayebwa

The Speaker of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Rt. Hon. Tomio Okamura, has named a newborn mountain gorilla “Tomáš” during his visit to Uganda, describing the name as a symbol of friendship between Uganda and the Czech Republic.

Okamura proposed the Czech name while trekking mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in south-western Uganda, where he was accompanied by Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa.

When Tayebwa asked the Czech parliamentary speaker to suggest a name for the newborn gorilla, Okamura replied: “Something like Tomáš.”

Tomáš is the Czech form of Thomas, while Okamura explained that his own first name, Tomio, is Japanese.

Tayebwa thanked Okamura for visiting Uganda, saying the trip provides an opportunity to showcase Uganda’s tourism potential to the Czech Republic and Europe more broadly.

“For me, it always feels like the first time whenever I come here. Every time I come, the experience feels new because we are interacting with our cousins,” Tayebwa said while reflecting on his experience with the mountain gorillas.

He said the gorillas also offer an important reminder of the need to protect nature.

“We learn a lot from them. But every day, they give you a reason to protect nature,” Tayebwa said.

The Deputy Speaker also encouraged Ugandans to explore the country’s tourism attractions 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.”

The naming of the newborn gorilla adds a cultural and diplomatic dimension to Okamura’s Uganda visit, highlighting the potential for tourism and people-to-people ties to strengthen relations between Uganda and the Czech Republic.