Shs 1.1bn consultancy bill for UWEC wall shocks MPs

UWEC officials appearing before MPs

Legislators on the sectoral committee of tourism, trade, and industry were shocked to learn that Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) procured private consultancy services for its perimeter wall fence at Shs 1.163 billion.

UWEC sits on a 72-acre piece of land in Entebbe with a mandate to manage conservation education, showcase the country’s unique wildlife and ecosystems, manage wildlife biodata bank, promote wildlife breeding, and conduct rescue, rehabilitation, and release of wildlife species, among others.

While defending their ministerial policy statement, and budget estimates for the financial year 2024/25 on Tuesday, David Musingo, UWEC’s acting executive director told the committee that they procured the services of C4D International Limited, a building and engineering firm for the wall fence construction given the complexity of land the entity sits on.

Musingo revealed that the consultancy for the perimeter wall fence was one of the three capital development projects funded under the FY 2023/24 budget at Shs 1.163 billion. The consultancy firm, C4D International Limited, is yet to finalize the bill of quantities (BoQs) before a contractor is sourced. 

Musingo explained to the MPs that other capital development projects funded from the running budget include the construction of Mbale Regional Satellite Zoo, and the construction of a pier on Lake Victoria which sparked off scrutiny from the committee chairperson, Mwine Mpaka Rwamirama. 

Mpaka, also the Mbarara City South Constituency MP questioned why UWEC hired a consultant for a mere wall fence without consulting the ministry of Works and Transport, an utter violation of the public service standing order, and Procurement Policy Book, 2020 issued by the ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development.

Accordingly, the standing order requires that a public officer involved in the procurement, utilization, and disposal of goods and services in the public service consult the ministry responsible before engaging in any works or related activities. The Procurement Policy Book, 2020 listed the ministry of Works as a competent authority in executing civil works and setting engineering standards across the country.

Bwamba County MP, Richard Muhumuza Gafabusa, observed that the whole process of procuring the services of the consultant was fraudulent, arguing the consultancy should have been at the initial stage of the project before funds were appropriated.

When asked to clarify the matter, high-ranking officials from UWEC’s mother ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities who included Kakula Khwirome, the acting permanent secretary, and state minister, Martin Bahinduka instead pleaded for leniency.

UWEC officials decried a funding gap of Shs 6 billion which they said has affected several of the entity’s projects such as animal food and health care; safety, and handling services, countrywide conservation education and outreach programs, staff salaries and payment to volunteers, staff uniforms, and staff medical insurance among others.

UWEC’s approved annual budget for FY 2023/24 was Shs 21.7 billion. However, at the half year, the government through the ministry of Finance released Shs 10.849 billion only to cater for wages, operations, and capital expenditure.

Overall, the entity is lobbying parliament to appropriate its Shs 46.4 billion as additional capital funding in FY 2024/25. The funds will cater for the completion of the 1st Model Satellite Centre in Mbale, the revamping of botanical gardens, and the completion of the floating restaurant on the Lake among others.

SHS 10BN FOR LION BREEDING

During their interaction, UWEC officials were also asked to defend the Shs 10 billion request to boost lion population in protected areas. Bwamba County MP Richard Gafabusa demanded a breakdown of how the money will be utilised and how many lions will be got through this breeding. 

In response, acting UWEC executing director, David Musingo said for the starting stock, they will get two areas where they will distribute eight female (lionesses) and two male lions in the hope that they will mate and the lionesses become pregnant.

He assured the MPs that there is a very high probability that the lionesses will become pregnant since they are currently on a "family planning" programme.

Earlier, UWEC informed MPs that they were breeding 15 lions and that the lion population in the country has tremendously gone down from 460 to 310 lions in 2022 because of human-wildlife conflict. The bred lions are set to boost populations in Queen Elizabeth, Kidepo and Murchison Falls National Parks.

The lion population boosting proposal has however faced condemnation from wildlife scientists and conservationists on grounds that it hasn’t been proven sustainable, with some describing the move as disastrous as such lions turn out to be human-eaters and with a low survival rate in the wild