To double the Authority’s revenue collections to Shillings 200 billion, the government has tasked the new Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) board of trustees. This board not only plays a pivotal role in advancing the development of the Authority but also oversees and supervises its activities, comprising ten dedicated individuals.
The board is entrusted with devising strategies
- To maximize revenue collection.
- Providing essential direction to the management team.
- Offering invaluable policy guidance to shape the authority’s actions and decisions.
Tom Butime, the Minister for Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, highlighted the remarkable achievement of UWA’s revenue collections surpassing pre-COVID-19 levels as the economy emerged from lock down during the inauguration of the new board, which will preside over the authority for the next three years.
He emphasized the paramount goal of this new board: achieving revenue collection exceeding 200 billion Shillings. Minister Butime underscored that realizing this ambitious target is feasible through a variety of strategies, including diversifying UWA’s products, enhancing service delivery, and plugging revenue leakage points.
“The urgency of infrastructural development, particularly in terms of ranger accommodation. UWA recently recruited 855 rangers, exacerbating the existing shortage of staff accommodation. “Our protected areas necessitate additional infrastructure development, encompassing roads, gates, student centers, offices, tourist accommodations, and related facilities. These should constitute your annual priorities to effect substantial change,” Minister Butime stated.
The newly appointed board chairperson James Kalema in his acceptance speech conveyed his deep understanding of the emerging challenges in wildlife conservation within the country’s protected areas. He emphasized the board’s commitment to distributing various tourism products across different protected areas to ensure equitable access.
Pantaleoni Kasoma outgoing board chairperson advised the new board to prepare for substantial challenges, particularly regarding inadequate funding for managing protected areas. He encouraged them to leverage emerging conservation funding sources.
Kasoma pointed out that numerous unfunded priorities had hindered the authority’s performance despite the UWA budget ceiling increasing from Shillings 106 billion to Shillings 124 billion. Calling for a multispectral approach to address this conservation challenge is one of the highlighted the threat posed by invasive species in many protected areas
The government’s aspiration to double UWA’s revenue collection to Shillings 200 billion signifies both economic progress and a commitment to wildlife conservation. This represents a promising path toward safeguarding wildlife and fostering economic prosperity.
