The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) has officially merged with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), marking a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to streamline agency operations.
The merger aims to eliminate duplication of services and reduce expenditure by over one trillion shillings.
State Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Martin Mugarra, congratulated the teams at UWA and UWEC, emphasizing the importance of maintaining UWEC’s progress in attracting visitors.
He urged UWA to build upon this momentum and directed that outgoing UWEC Board of Trustees members be appointed as honorary Wardens.
Doreen Katusiime, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Tourism, praised UWEC as a sector pride, highlighting its impressive achievements.
She encouraged UWA to fortify conservation frameworks, ensuring the responsible utilization of Uganda’s natural resources.
Professor James Kalema, UWA Board of Trustees Chairman, encouraged stakeholders to embrace the merger, saying, “Together, we can create a future where wildlife thrives alongside community development.”
Outgoing UWEC Executive Director, Dr. James Musinguzi, expressed gratitude to the ministers, technical staff, and UWEC Board of Trustees for their unwavering support.
Musinguzi, now UWA’s Director of Community Conservation, pledged to support incoming Chief Warden David Musingo in leading the UWEC Conservation Area.
Benon Katumba Sebina, the outgoing UWEC Board of Trustees Chairman, reflected on the center’s remarkable transformation under his leadership since 2017. UWEC has evolved from a small animal orphanage and rundown zoo into an internationally recognized institution.
Established in 1994 under the Trustees Incorporation Act, UWEC replaced the Entebbe Zoo and became a statutory body in 2015 through the UWEC Act.
Visitation to UWEC has soared from 337,357 visitors in 2017 to 660,452 in 2024, thanks to product diversification, improved services, and infrastructural advancements.
Under the leadership of the outgoing Board and management, UWEC’s budget grew from Shs4.469 billion in 2017/2018 to Shs21.698 billion in 2023/24.
Non-tax revenue also increased from Shs3.2 billion in 2017/2018 to Shs5.2 billion in 2023/2024, with projections to reach Shs10.4 billion in the 2024/2025 financial year.
