UWA Disburses 4 Billion to Communities around Bwindi & Mgahinga

Conservation in Uganda comes with a cost/price to pay and benefits to enjoy with the former involving human-wildlife conflicts while the latter being the revenue derived from tourism. Local communities living around Conservation Areas suffer the consequences of Conservation, thus also need to enjoy its benefits and this time Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has disbursed over Shs 4 billion to communities around the Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area under the Revenue-Sharing scheme.

The cheques, worth Shs 4,479,575,644 were on 25^th April handed over by Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities-Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu to three districts-Rubanda (received Shs 1,090,086,431), Kisoro (received Shs 949,900,324) and Kanungu (Shs 2,433,588,823) at Bwindi Conservation Area head Office in Buhoma. According to the Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area Warden-Justus Tibesigwa, these funds were collected from the two Gorilla Parks between July 2016 and June 2018. The funds were received by Kanungu District Chairperson Canon Josephine Kasya RDC and Deputy RDC Emmy Ngabirano on-behalf of Kanungu District, RDC Peter Mugisha on behalf of Kisoro District and Rubanda District Chairperson Kenneth Biryabarema on behalf of Rubanda district.

The disbursement will finance at least 76 projects, of which 35 are in Kanungu, 24 in Rubanda and 17 in Kisoro and unlike in the past, the funds will help in financing four community Campsites within Bujengwe, Mpungu, Ruhija Sub County and Karangara as well as One Community Resource Center within Mukono Parish, Kayonza sub-county. Once finalized, these Campsites will generate more revenue because there will be increasing tourism business to the locals, thus extra benefit from Bwindi National Park in addition to the obvious benefits that neighboring communities are already enjoying.

Additionally, the revenue share is expected to increase with an increasing number of tourists visiting the Parks and according to the Minister, the money is not a favor to the communities but rather what they deserve for the important role they play in the Conservation of the Wildlife in these Protected Areas. He also thanked the communities for rallying behind UWA IN conserving these two wonderful Gorilla Parks but also appealed to the leaders to continue supporting efforts of fighting illegal activities in the Areas.

It’s also during the event that the Minister commissioned the State of Art Bwindi National Park Visitors Information Center in Buhoma (to provide more information to tourists) and also gave assurance that the country is safe for tourists but gave a strong warning to wrong elements who try endangering tourists. He also cautioned the district leaders against misusing the funds supposed to benefit communities living around the National Parks and cautioned the leaders against diverting the money to other projects/programs. Also in attendance was UWA Executive Director-Sam Mwandha who described the event as historic and in accordance with the Authority’s mission which focuses attention to among other priorities, benefits to the community from Conservation. Just like Prof Kamuntu, Mwandha emphasized the proper use of the funds in accordance with the approved projects so as to benefit the intended people.

Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga National Parks, both in South-western Uganda and about 8-10 hours’ drive from Kampala are two of Uganda’s Gorilla trekking destinations boasting of about 21 Gorilla Groups (20 in Bwindi and 1 in Mgahinga). With these habituated gorilla families, over 168 permits are available per day in Uganda.