• Latest
OPINION: URA Should be Commended for its Vigilance in Stopping Wildlife Trafficking

OPINION: URA Should be Commended for its Vigilance in Stopping Wildlife Trafficking

February 7, 2019
INTERVIEW: How Sandra Nakayenze is Challenging Status quo with Zesui Dream Coffee

INTERVIEW: How Sandra Nakayenze is Challenging Status quo with Zesui Dream Coffee

May 27, 2022
Abeeka Band to Perform Live at ‘Vumbula Jinja’ Festival

Abeeka Band to Perform Live at ‘Vumbula Jinja’ Festival

May 27, 2022
COSASE Summons Minister Kasaija over Shs10.6bn Payment to Landowners

COSASE Summons Minister Kasaija over Shs10.6bn Payment to Landowners

May 27, 2022
Epic Historical Drama Series, Shaka Ilembe, Set for Release in 2023

Epic Historical Drama Series, Shaka Ilembe, Set for Release in 2023

May 27, 2022
More Drama in Bbnaija ‘Shine Ya Eye’ Reunion on DStv and GOtv this June

More Drama in Bbnaija ‘Shine Ya Eye’ Reunion on DStv and GOtv this June

May 27, 2022
Gen Sejusa Files Documents to Leave Army in July

Gen Sejusa Files Documents to Leave Army in July

May 27, 2022
Joint Security Forces Recover 40 Guns in Karamoja Operations

Joint Security Forces Recover 40 Guns in Karamoja Operations

May 27, 2022
FIFA World Cup Trophy in Kenya for 4th Time

FIFA World Cup Trophy in Kenya for 4th Time

May 27, 2022
NRM’s Andrew Oulanyah Takes Omoro County in Landslide Victory

NRM’s Andrew Oulanyah Takes Omoro County in Landslide Victory

May 26, 2022
Parliament passes Income Tax Amendment Bill 2021

Oil and Gas Sector Will Propel Economic Growth- Minister Musasizi

May 26, 2022
BOU Concerned About Delays in Financial Sector Amendments

BoU Approves Afriland First Bank Request for Voluntary Liquidation

May 26, 2022
MP Okin Ojara, FDC Agents Arrested in Omoro

MP Okin Ojara, FDC Agents Arrested in Omoro

May 26, 2022
SoftPower News
Friday, May 27, 2022
  • News
  • Tourism & Travel
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
  • Regional
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • Burundi
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
  • Defence & Security
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Africa
    • Columnists
    • Education
    • Health
      • COVID-19
    • International News
    • News in Pictures
    • OpEd
    • Pearl Of Africa
    • People
    • Politics
    • Special Reports
    • Women
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Tourism & Travel
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
  • Regional
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • Burundi
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
  • Defence & Security
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Africa
    • Columnists
    • Education
    • Health
      • COVID-19
    • International News
    • News in Pictures
    • OpEd
    • Pearl Of Africa
    • People
    • Politics
    • Special Reports
    • Women
No Result
View All Result
SoftPower News
No Result
View All Result

OPINION: URA Should be Commended for its Vigilance in Stopping Wildlife Trafficking

by SoftPower
February 7, 2019
OPINION: URA Should be Commended for its Vigilance in Stopping Wildlife Trafficking

Besi Ndereya

  • Facebook
  • Tweet
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Email

By Besi Ndereya

On March 04th 2014, local media reported “Yoweri Museveni has given Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) permission to shoot poachers who have cautiously refused to stop killing animals in National parks”. Uganda’s wildlife had been steadily increasing across the country’s 10 National Parks and in all wildlife sanctuaries.

At last year’s conference on illegal Wildlife trade in London, President Museveni also stated thus; “This conference comes at a time when the World and especially the African continent is faced with unprecedented illegal killing of elephants for ivory, rhinos for the rhino horns, pangolins for their scales and several other species for their various commercial values.”

On Friday 01st February 2018, Ugandans woke up to news that Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) had successfully intercepted three 20ft Containers carrying over 720 pieces of Ivory and hundreds of pangolin scales. According to Wikipedia, it is believed that pangolins after humans are the most trafficked mammals in the world which accounts for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade.

The containers had been first scanned at Uganda’s border with South Sudan. The scan revealed that the carefully parked containers were carrying more than timber. According to Dickson Kateshumbwa of URA, a sting operation was launched. The containers were trailed to Kampala where they were impounded and two Vietnamese nationals apprehended. Vietnamese along with Chinese are the leading poachers of Elephants and pangolins in Africa.

With increasing Incomes in South Asia, the scale of poaching in Africa’s wild, especially in Southern and Eastern Africa, has increased. This haul is the second just this year alone. Every year, Uganda intercepts 100’s of ivory pieces as well as pangolin scales. Earlier this year too, Tanzania discovered a catchment of 1200 ivory pieces. They too were enroute to Vietnam. The political uncertainties in Democratic Republic of Congo – DRC as well as South Sudan has led to a revival of sophisticated poaching syndicates. These are financed by South East Asia mafia like criminal gangs.

The government of Cyril Ramaphosa in South Africa made a proposal concerning the sale of ivory and elephant hides stockpiled by their national parks through natural mortality and problem animal control. The money from these sales would be put back into their parks and would help fund activities such as elephant management programs, control of illegal hunting of elephants, and creating more and larger protected areas for the elephants to be re-established in.

This proposal, however, is being rejected by Conservationists – and I would like to believe as Africans we are conservationists – on the basis that legal trade in ivory would only escalate the problem. They argue that legal ivory trade would serve to further expand the markets already being served by poachers. A situation a kin to legitimsing prostitution in slum areas!

Uganda has a population of about 5000 elephants. A cow (female elephant) conceives once every 8.6 years with a gestation period of 22 months. URA’s operation netted 720 pieces of ivory, an equivalent of 365 elephants. In addition, elephants play an important role in the modification of ecosystems and creation of conditions suitable for the survival of some plants and animals. They maintain grasslands by reducing tree cover and create water ponds/wallows for other wildlife as they dig for water using their trunks and tusks.” – a sentiment echoed by president Museveni in London last year “Key wildlife species demanded in the illegal wildlife trade, particularly the African elephant and rhino, represent the symbol and heritage of Africa, play a significant ecological role in the ecosystems.”

In my view, in addition to acquiring even more Mobile Non-Intrusive Scanners, a 3 pronged solution MUST be put in place to deal with poaching. First, game warders must be reinforced by National Armies. They should be given authority to shoot dead any poacher caught laying illegal animal traps. In the case of Uganda, corruption in the Police MUST be decisively dealt with.

Second, sensitization campaigns targeting especially school children as well as the young adults must be ratcheted up. An awareness of one’s heritage and unique bio diversity systems often leads to a reduction in costs associated with taming poaching and environment degradation.

Third, and most importantly, Dhan Yan Chiew and Nguyen son Dong, the two Vietnamese arrested by URA – must face the full wrath of the law.

In a nutshell, I congratulate Uganda Revenue Authority for being Vigilant and going out of its comfort zone of collecting taxes to protecting our wildlife. In this, we see fruits of capacity building brought about by the NRM government which has empowered URA in very many aspects giving it individual and mechanized ability to detect and stop such sophisticated crime with ease and bring the perpetrators to book.

The writer is a Communications Assistant at Government Citizens Interaction Centre (GCIC), Ministry of ICT & National Guidance.

Post Views: 526
  • Facebook
  • Tweet
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Email
Tags: AsiaBesides NdereyaelephantsIvorypangolin scalespoachingSoft Power NewsTourismtraffickingUgandaURAwildlife
Leave Comment

Recent Stories

INTERVIEW: How Sandra Nakayenze is Challenging Status quo with Zesui Dream Coffee

Abeeka Band to Perform Live at ‘Vumbula Jinja’ Festival

COSASE Summons Minister Kasaija over Shs10.6bn Payment to Landowners

Epic Historical Drama Series, Shaka Ilembe, Set for Release in 2023

More Drama in Bbnaija ‘Shine Ya Eye’ Reunion on DStv and GOtv this June

Gen Sejusa Files Documents to Leave Army in July

SoftPower News

SoftPower News is a subsidiary of SoftPower Communications LLC, a Ugandan digital media group. Keep posted of the latest from Uganda and East Africa.
Plot 4B Malcolm X, Kololo
P.O Box 1497, Kampala - Uganda
Tel: +256-392-001-701
Email: info@softpower.ug

This news site is licenced by Uganda Communications Commission (UCC)

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Tourism & Travel
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Regional
  • Defence & Security
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • More

© SoftPower News

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Tourism & Travel
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
  • Regional
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • Tanzania
    • Burundi
    • South Sudan
    • DR Congo
  • Defence & Security
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Africa
    • Columnists
    • Education
    • Health
      • COVID-19
    • International News
    • News in Pictures
    • OpEd
    • Pearl Of Africa
    • People
    • Politics
    • Special Reports
    • Women

© SoftPower News

error: Content is protected

Send this to a friend