UWA GIVES 3.4 BN TO BWINDI AND MGAHINGA COMMUNITIES.
Communities surrounding Bwindi mgahinga conservation areas are overwhelmed by Uganda Wildlife Authority for giving them 3.4 billion to improve their standards of living.
The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Col. Tom Butime hands over a dummy cheque to community leaders of Kisoro, Kanungu and Rubanda districts.
The top leaders of the three districts, the Board of Trustees members led by the Chairman Dr. Panta Kasoma and Ag. John Makombo the Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority senior staff attended the function.
Why local communities are given 3.4bn?
- Local communities guard the primates in Bwindi and mgahinga national park
- The locals suffer the cost of the conservation. Amongst the communities that suffer the cost of conservation, makombo advised the district leaders to ensure that the funds are appropriately used to have an impact on the ground.
Tom concluded by saying that it was for the reason that Government gives back a portion of the revenues from the Park to appreciate the role of the community in protecting wildlife resources.
How the funds should be used?
- The leaders should have revenue guidelines that will help them to plan and account for the money to be used.
- The local communities should be sensitized on how the money should be beneficial to the communities of Bwindi impenetrable national park and mgahinga national park.
Kasoma confidently said the funds you are about to receive today will not only be put to good use but will also demonstrate the economic values of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
Since 2005, UWA’s Makombo observed the authority had been disbursing revenue to Bwindi impenetrable and mgahinga national park conservation area.
Makombo continuously said with this disbursement of shs 3.388 billion, UWA will have shared Shs. 11.052 billion with the district local governments and this makes one-quarter of revenues released to all communities around UWA managed protected areas.
While on the function, community leaders Kasyaba Stephen and Rubanda LCV chairperson appreciated UWA for not only collaborating well with communities but also for the great partnership with the surrounding areas of Bwindi Impenetrable and mgahinga conservation area.
UWA not only gives out money to the local people but also gives back 20% of the entry fee to the community which has improved their standards of living as well as improving their infrastructure.
Apart from UWA giving to local communities of Bwindi and mgahinga national park, where else did they fund the dummy cheque?
Due to the fact that queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest park from Murchison falls national park, it is surrounded by 13 districts which Uganda wildlife Authority gives dummy cheque that has improved the standards of living. These districts include Ibanda, Kitagwenda, Kamwengye, Bundibujo, Kabatore, Kasese, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Mitooma and Rubirizi. Local communities were funded because they not only guard the animals in the park but also suffer the cost of the conservation area.
Local communities surrounding Queen Elizabeth national park receives 3.1billion from Uganda Wildlife Authority.
“The beneficiaries that the money is to be spent on household and community projects that contribute to human-wildlife conflict and improve the livelihoods of households living around the protected area,” Mwandha said.
