Lake Mburo host districts get sh634m

Aug 14, 2018

Over the years, lake Mburo national park has suffered poaching, wildfires and illegal grazing with in the park.


By Adolf Ayoreka

MBARARA - Three districts surrounding lake Mburo National Park have receieved sh634m in a revenue sharing scheme from collected revenue.

Mbarara, Isingiro, and Kiruhura districts were given a dummy cheque over the weekend by the minister for tourism, wildlife and antiquities, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu at Igongo country hotel, Mbarara.

Lake Mburo national park gives 20% of the entry fees collected every financial year to benefit the communities hosting the national park for proper planning.

Isingiro got a cheque of sh240.1m, Kiruhura received sh 366.7m and Mbarara got sh27.2m.

The deputy director, community conservation Uganda Wildlife Authority, George Owoyesigire  highlighted that there is continued poaching, wildfire and illegal grazing with in the park as well as enchroachment on the park's land which he said are major challenges.

On the funds disbursed to hosting districts, Owoyesigire noted with concern that there has been poor accountability of these funds by the districts. He said there has been delay in the disbursement due to lack of accountability.

"We still have more money; over sh506m but we have challenges with districts that have failed to account for these funds properly, that is why we delay to disburse money because the guidelines are very clear.

"Before we disburse these funds, there should be proper and effective accountability for the previous funds," Owoyesigire said.

Prof. Kamuntu, revealed that tourism contributes 10% to the GDP of the country and therefore they should be well protected as national asset since it helps in the transformation of societies.

He noted that for the societies to change, the mind set of people should first change towards conserving the natural resources which include wetlands, national parks, and lakes, among others.

"As stakeholders we have a duty towards economical and tourist attractions, Lake Mburo must be protected, it sits on 260 square kilometers of land and there cannot be any good protector except the hosting communities, so such retreats of stakeholders must consider in the agenda the host communities to enable co-existance because they are the ones whose crops are attacked by these animals" Kamuntu noted.

He adds, "They should be the first communities to benefit from this revenue sharing scheme so ladies and gentlemen, this park cannot survive without the support of these neighboring communities, because I know the history of Lake Mburo is at risk, if for instance we remove its protection for one minute it will be taken by the people who have always fought for its degazettement."

Concerned about the revenue sharing scheme, Kamuntu noted that since its inception in 2001, they have managed to disburse over sh17b and each year revenue increases.

He asked the distirct accounting officers to ensure these funds are put to  effective use as per the guidelines, benefit the host communities to ensure they become part of the protection on this national park.He supported that these funds should be sent directly to Parishes without passing the districts accounts as it was proposed by Jeremiah Kamurari the LCV chairman for Isingiro.

He asked UWA to always define the purpose of these funds in the guidelines and strengthen monitoring to avoid diversion of funds, he adds that he doesnot want to hear that the project was stopped because of lack of accountability.

 "I support the proposal by Kamurari, these funds should go to parish accounts, since they have a direct touch with the communites neighboring, if its my garden that these animals attack, you need to show a justification why that person should be protect and conserve the national park, UWA officials you should think on how to improve the lively hoods of these communities for them to have a happy stay near the national park."

He asked UWA officials to reduce conflicts and steer up co-existence within and outside the national park. "UWA I encourage you to devise means on how you can reduce on human life-wildlife conflict especially for grass, water and firewood in most cases.

Jeremiah Kamurari the LCV chairman faulted the procedure used by UWA in disbursing these funds to benefit host communities. He says a number of projects have been proposed by districts but substandard work has been implemented due to lack of monitoring team  from UWA.

"Sending these funds to the districts is wrong, I propose thefunds be sent direct and managed at the parish level since they have a direct touch with the communities near the national park, these funds coming at the district tend to be misused and diverted, I encourage UWA to institute and carry out a forensic audit of the projects in coloration to the funds disbursed for proper accountability to be realised."


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