Staff Restructuring at Uganda Wildlife Authority as Investigations Into Gorilla Permit Fraud Continue

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has initiated a significant staff reshuffle, particularly affecting the accounts department, where 37 staff, including senior wardens, have been transferred to different national parks. The move follows a directive from a recent management meeting, emphasizing the need to facilitate the transferred staff to their respective new stations.

Notable among the transfers is Edison Nuwamanya, the chief warden of Kibaale conservation area, who has been reassigned as the manager of human-wildlife conflicts at headquarters. Mr. John Justice Tibesigwa, previously the warden-in-charge at Rwenzori Mountain National Park, has taken over as the chief warden at Kibaale Conservation Area.

In a high-profile reshuffle related to the gorilla permit fraud, Ruth Namawanda, the senior accountant of Bwindi Conservation Area, has been replaced by Ms. Janet Busingye from Queen Elizabeth II National Park. Investigations into the gorilla permit scandal implicated several staff members, with ongoing disciplinary proceedings.

Despite the transfers, UWA’s Public Relations Manager, Mr. Bashir Hangi, emphasized that the reshuffles are routine administrative actions conducted annually to enhance efficiency and performance. He stated that staff are transferable, and the recent transfers are unrelated to the gorilla permit investigations.

However, there are concerns about stalled investigations, both at the police Criminal Investigations Directorate and the forensic audit by the Auditor General. Allegations of missing files at the police CID headquarters were refuted, but sources suggest that investigations have not progressed as expected. The Auditor General’s forensic audit, ordered by the Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, is also facing delays.

The gorilla permit corruption scandal, involving the siphoning of billions of shillings through fraud, led to suspensions and arrests within UWA. The internal audit recommended the blacklisting of tour operators involved in collusion with staff to defraud the authority. The ongoing investigations and delays in the audit process have left some UWA staff frustrated, planning to petition the President.