Butime Tasks UWA Officers on Community Engagement, Discipline

What the report says

Uganda’s Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Minister Col. (Rtd) Tom Butime has called on senior Uganda Wildlife Authority officers to improve how they work with communities around protected areas, saying conservation efforts depend on public trust as well as enforcement. The remarks were reported by Nile Post and were delivered at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi, where 47 senior UWA officers completed a three-week leadership and development course.

Butime said officers should respond carefully to complaints from residents living near parks and reserves, especially where wildlife causes crop losses, property damage or danger to people. At the same time, he warned that staff should not weaken their legal responsibilities in order to win favor, and should follow established rules while maintaining constructive ties with local communities.

He also raised concerns about thin ranger deployment in remote areas, saying some conservation zones are covered by too few officers and that this can create security risks. The minister urged UWA management to improve staffing arrangements, continue recruitment and training, and ensure officers are better protected in the field. He linked strong wildlife management to Uganda’s tourism goals and the government’s wider economic growth agenda.

UWA officials at the event also pressed the graduates to carry the training into daily work, with a focus on discipline, punctuality, integrity and mentoring junior staff. The program, according to the report, combined classroom learning on leadership and national priorities with physical endurance and paramilitary exercises intended to strengthen teamwork and resilience.