Musingo takes mantle as Chief Warden for zoos in Uganda
Musingo takes over from Dr James Musinguzi who has been elevated as a director for community conservation for all the protected areas in Uganda.
From left; Sam Mwandha the UWA executive director, David Musingo, the new chief warden for Zoos, James Musinguzi, the former UWEC boss and minister Martin Mugarra. (Photos by Julius Luwemba)
NewVision Reporter
@NewVision
David Musingo, the former manager in charge of conservation education at Entebbe zoo, has been appointed the chief warden for Entebbe zoo, Entebbe Botanical Gardens and all the regional zoos in Uganda.
This development comes with the new establishment where Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) was merged with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
Under the current establishment, Entebbe zoo plus other regional zoos in: Mbale, Mbarara, Gulu and Kyenjojo have been gazetted as one conservation area.
This brings to a total of eight (8) conservation areas currently managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. A conservation area is a protected habitat that encompasses one or more gazetted national parks, wildlife reserves and sanctuaries among others.
Musingo takes over from Dr James Musinguzi who has been elevated as a director for community conservation for all the protected areas in Uganda.
The merger of UWEC and UWA officially took effect on Wednesday, October 16, after Musinguzi and Musingo were accorded instruments of power in respective new capacities during a function held at Sheraton hotel in Kampala.
At the same event, the UWEC Board of Trustees was dissolved, and handed over responsibilities to the UWA Board of Trustees.
Attended by both UWA and UWEC staff, the event was presided over by Martin Mugarra, the minister of state for tourism, wildlife and antiquities, Sam Mwandha, the UWA executive director, Lilly Ajarova, the chief executive officer for Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, the former minister of tourism among others.
Musingo and Musinguzi joined Entebbe Zoo in 2006. Both have since risen through the ranks to top positions with accumulated experience in management, wildlife care, and conservation education.
Katumba Sebina (centre) the outgoing UWEC board chairperson handing over a performance report to the UWA board chairperson James Kalema (2nd left) as Sam Mwandha (left), the UWA executive director, and James Musinguzi (2nd right) minister Martin Mugarra look on.
Musinguzi gave highlights of their 18-year journey since joining Entebbe Zoo on March 16, 2006. Under their leadership, UWEC has been ranked the best zoo in East, West, and Central Africa by the Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria.
The centre has seen a tremendous increase in visitations from 337,357 visitors in 2017 to 660,452 in 2024, realising the growth of non-tax revenue from sh3.2b in the financial year 2017/2018 to sh5.2b in the financial year 2023/2024 and projected to grow to sh10.4b in the current financial year 2024/2025.
"We are ready to transition to UWA despite the strain and anxiety this may cause," Musinguzi expressed.
On his part, Musingo the chief warden for the new conservation area expressed gratitude for the new posting, pledging an astronomical transformation of the Entebbe Botanical Gardens and maintaining the growing standard of Entebbe zoo plus the regional zoos provided, the resources are made available.
The merger
Bashir Hangi, the UWA public relations manager explained that the merger between UWA and UWEC was implemented under the government's rationalisation of agencies and public expenditure program, aimed at enhancing efficiency and reducing duplication of public service.
"By combining UWA's expertise in managing national parks, and wildlife reserves among other protected areas, with UWEC's strength in wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and public education, the merger is designed to create a more streamlined and effective approach to wildlife conservation," Hangi expressed.
Sam Mwandha, the UWA executive director expressed optimism saying, the unified entity will ensure better coordination in conserving biodiversity, promoting sustainable tourism and raising public awareness of Uganda's wildlife heritage.
He noted that as the Ministry of Public Service continues with the validation process, the agency remains with enough vacancies to accommodate all the existing staff.
According to Mwandha, UWA will continue to run on the subsisting budget of the current financial year until June next year.
Whereas UWEC has been remitting its gate collections to the consolidated fund, UWA draws its funds from the wildlife fund (spending at source). Under the new establishment, gate collections at Entebbe zoo and the botanical gardens will be handled as per the UWA procedure.
Doreen Katusiime, the permanent secretary for the ministry of tourism said, the combined resources of UWA and UWEC will help in addressing challenges of human-wildlife conflicts by strengthening community outreach and education.
"The merger presents us with an opportunity to strengthen our conservation frameworks, improve tourism revenue and ensure the sustainable use of our natural resources," Katusiime remarked.
Mugarra, the tourism state minister urged UWA to receive UWEC staff warmly and work together as a unified team.
He further tasked the management to maintain the growing non-tax revenue from UWEC and ensure the increase of lion numbers in the protected areas.
He lauded the UWEC board of trustees for the supervisory role that saw the centre excelling to its current heights.
Members of the dissolved UWEC board were awarded with plaques and certificates in recognition of their efforts towards conservation education in Uganda.