40 years of saving Uganda's wildlife

 

 

In the early 1970s Uganda was fast losing her wildlife potential through uncontrolled poaching due to the lawlessness that characterised the era. Many people, including the then president, Idi Amin, were poachers.

 

There was a dire need for sensitisation about the value of wildlife. Tourism, which had been the leading foreign exchange earner, had started quickly declining. 

 

Consequently, in 1973, two years after his first degree, the then chief research officer of Nuffield Unit of Tropical Animal Ecology (NUTAE), Prof. Eric Edroma, together with Hon. John Ken Lukyamuzi, and the late Ponsiano Semwezi founded the Wildlife Clubs of Uganda (WCU).

 

The club was created and implemented in schools to counter the disappearance of wildlife species across Uganda, to revive the tourism industry and put the country back on the map as a tourist destination. 

 

 WCU was declared official in 1975 and Edroma was appointed chairman board of trustees. He was, at the time, completing his PhD in ecology of wild animals.

 

“We had a meeting in Lukyamuzi’s house in the wetland to discuss about the WCU project and how we could implement it. The funding came from our own pockets and from well-wishers. One white missionary donated his car to us when he was leaving,” Edroma says.

 

After his second degree in ecology from the University of Wales, Edroma was appointed chief research officer of NUTAE in 1971. The institute was funded by Cambridge University and was the first of its kind in Africa.

 

Edroma had a keen desire to ensure that Ugandan youth were taught the values of protecting wildlife, so that later they could make decisions that benefit nature and people alike. WCU was started to provide Ugandan youth with conservation education and opportunities to participate in conservation activities.

 

Edroma assumed complete leadership and was made chairman board of directors of the clubs, a position he holds to this day. Lukyamuzi, who had been the national coordinator later shifted his interest to politics and Semwezi had passed on. 

 

The wildlife clubs were transformed from a department within the Uganda National Parks into a non-governmental organisation in 1993. The Uganda National Parks office was also moved from Entebbe Road to Industrial area and Edroma was its director.

 

After the departure of the European founder directors of NUTAE and the withdrawal of Cambridge University funding, the unit was changed to Uganda Institute of Ecology (UIE) and transferred to Makerere University with Edroma as its only full-time chief research officer.

 

In 1978, Edroma was made the director of the Uganda National Parks by Amin, alongside his role as the board of directors of WCU.

 

The wildlife clubs currently have over 1,500-member clubs countrywide. In some areas, the clubs have organised themselves into district wildlife associations. The members of WCU work voluntarily with over 3,000 self-help development groups and have a membership of over 60,000 rural men and women. 

 

 

WCU’s mission is to educate the population to ensure the sustainable use of Uganda’s natural resources and to conserve the country’s wildlife heritage for the present and future generations.

 

In 1990, acting on the advice of Edroma, a forest department was established and approved by President Yoweri Museveni. National parks were also increased from three to 10.

 

When Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) was established in 1996 after the merger between Uganda National Parks (UNP) and the Game Department, Edroma was appointed as its first executive director.

 

The authority was established after the enactment of the Uganda Wildlife Statute, which became an Act in 2000. It aims to conserve and 

 

manage Uganda’s wildlife for the people of Uganda and the whole world.

UWA is now mandated to ensure sustainable management of wildlife resources and supervise wildlife activities in Uganda, both within and outside the protected areas.

 

With 10 national parks and 12 wildlife reserves under its jurisdiction, UWA’s role in managing the country’s tourism industry and attracting investors to the sector has been a significant one. It also manages five community wildlife management areas and 13 wildlife sanctuaries.

 

However, there are myriad challenges still facing the management and conservation of wildlife and biodiversity in Uganda. They include poaching, competition in the regional tourism market and human-wildlife conflict.

 

Born to Tito Oti and Ojia Oti of Arua, the 72-year-old Edroma is currently the vice-vhancellor of International University of East Africa. 

 

He has 12 children, most of whom are directors or employees in the field of wildlife and tourism and the others are still in school. He lives in Gayaza with most of his family members.

 

Edroma went to Jiako Primary School, Arua Junior SS for his junior and King’s College Buddo for both his O’ and A’level. He attentended London University and graduated with a bachelor of science degree, specialising in science.

 

Edroma notes that throughout his education, his parents only paid Sh 64 because he was an intelligent student and always won scholarships.

 

Born to Tito Oti and Ojia Oti of Arua, the 72-year-old Edroma is currently the vice-vhancellor of International University of East Africa. 

 

He has 12 children, most of whom are directors or employees in the field of wildlife and tourism and the others are still in school. He lives in Gayaza with most of his family members. 

 

Edroma went to Jiako Primary School, Arua Junior SS for his junior and King’s College Budo for both O’ and A’level. 

 

He attentended London University and graduated with a bachelor of science degree, specialising in science. 

 

Edroma notes that throughout his education, his parents only paid sh64 because he was an intelligent student and always won scholarships. 

 

He left UWA in 1997 after reaching the retirement age of 60 and joined Makerere University as a part-time lecturer.

In 1982, Edroma won an emblem of recognition from UNESCO, which he wears up to now. 

 

In 2002, when UWA was celebrating its 50th anniversary, Edroma was awarded a presidential honour from President Yoweri Museveni at Para in Murchison falls. 

 

In 1998, Edroma was appointed fulltime senior lecturer at Nkumba University. He introduced the hotel management and tourism school at the university, created more new courses and guided the first PhD graduate in the course.  

 

In 2003, he received the American Biographical Institute medal.

 

In 2006, he received another presidential award through the National Council for Science and Technology, where he had been vice-chairman for eight years. 

 

This year (2003), Edroma won a European Business Assembly Award in London. He was recognised for his contribution to research in natural and cultural sectors and promotion of higher education.