Rédaction Africa Links 24 with The Observer
Published on 2024-03-21 10:16:10
Legislators on the sectoral committee of tourism, trade, and industry were taken aback when they discovered that the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) had procured private consultancy services for its perimeter wall fence at a staggering cost of Shs 1.163 billion. UWEC, which is situated on a 72-acre piece of land in Entebbe, has a mandate to manage conservation education, showcase the country’s unique wildlife and ecosystems, manage wildlife biodata bank, promote wildlife breeding, and conduct rescue, rehabilitation, and release of wildlife species, among other responsibilities.
During a session defending their ministerial policy statement and budget estimates for the financial year 2024/25, David Musingo, UWEC’s acting executive director, informed the committee that they had engaged C4D International Limited, a building and engineering firm, for the construction of the wall fence due to the complexity of the land on which the entity is located. The consultancy for the perimeter wall fence was one of the three capital development projects funded under the FY 2023/24 budget at a cost of Shs 1.163 billion. The consultancy firm, C4D International Limited, is yet to finalize the bill of quantities (BoQs) before a contractor is sourced.
Apart from the wall fence project, other capital development projects funded from the running budget include the construction of Mbale Regional Satellite Zoo and the construction of a pier on Lake Victoria. However, there was scrutiny from the committee chairperson, Mwine Mpaka Rwamirama, who questioned why UWEC had hired a consultant for a simple wall fence without consulting the Ministry of Works and Transport. This action was seen as a violation of the public service standing order and the Procurement Policy Book, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development.
The officials from UWEC’s mother ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, including Kakula Khwirome, the acting permanent secretary, and state minister Martin Bahinduka, pleaded for leniency when pressed for clarity on the matter. UWEC officials highlighted a funding gap of Shs 6 billion that has adversely affected various projects such as animal food and healthcare, safety and handling services, conservation education programs, staff salaries, and more. The entity’s approved annual budget for FY 2023/24 was Shs 21.7 billion, but only Shs 10.849 billion was released by the government at the half-year mark, covering wages, operations, and capital expenditure.
UWEC is lobbying parliament for an additional capital funding of Shs 46.4 billion in FY 2024/25 to complete various projects, including the 1st Model Satellite Centre in Mbale, revamping botanical gardens, and completing the floating restaurant on the lake, among others.
One of the key points of discussion was the request for Shs 10 billion to boost the lion population in protected areas. The proposal faced scrutiny from MPs, with Richard Gafabusa demanding a breakdown of how the funds would be utilized and how many lions would be acquired through breeding. Acting UWEC executive director David Musingo explained the plan to distribute eight female lions and two male lions to two areas in the hope of breeding them, with a high probability of success due to a current “family planning” program.
Despite the plans to boost the lion population, wildlife scientists and conservationists have raised concerns about the sustainability of the proposal, citing the potential for these lions to become human-eaters and have a low survival rate in the wild. The discussion highlighted the importance of considering the long-term impact of such initiatives on wildlife conservation efforts.
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