The Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Entebbe James Musinguzi has announced an increment in the number of visitors to the facility from 400,000 in the financial year 2022/2023 to 600,000 in the just concluded financial year 2023/2024.
Musinguzi has also told legislators sitting on the Parliamentary committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises that the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre has been ranked as the best in the East and Central Africa by the Pan-African Zoo Association.
The officials from the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Entebbe led by their boss James Musinguzi on Tuesday appeared before COSASE to respond to queries raised in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2022/2023.
"The number of visitors at the centre has increased from 400,076 visitors in the financial year 2022/2023 to over 600,000 visitors in the just concluded financial year of 2023/2024," he said.
“Some of the work that we have done that has made us achieve some accomplishment are being the best Zoo in the region as ranked by the Pan-African Zoo Association. We have also started regionalizing the centre by establishing Wildlife Centers in Mbale, Gulu, Kyenjonjo and Mbarara so as to promote domestic tourism."
However, the issue of the two Rhinos at the centre that have failed to multiply generated a serious debate in the Committee.
“I have been coming to the education center in Entebbe but I don’t see the Rhinos increasing in numbers and I’m concerned," COSASE chairperson, Medard Ssegoona said.
In response, Musinguzi said, “The challenge is that once they are in captivity, they see each other as brother and sister but we are working on a project where we want to introduce competition amongst them."
“We are working with Ziwa sanctuary to bring in a male or female such that we bring in competition."
He said UWEC is also working towards the multiplication of the lions that will later be distributed to other national parks across the country.
