Game Exports Stopped

By Gerald Tenywa UGANDA Wildlife Authority (UWA) has suspended wildlife exports following international and local pressure that has been mounting on the authority to totally ban the exports.The Executive Director of UWA, Dr. Arthur Mugisha, on July 12 wrote to the wildlife exporting companies ordering them to stop the exports. He also wrote to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade Tourism and Industry seeking for clarification on the presidential directive on the wildlife exports.President Yoweri Museveni while launching a conservation endowment fund on June 18 at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre called for the immediate ban on the wildlife exports. He said that wild animals cannot be exported to the USA because it contravenes the objectives of the Africa Opportunities Growth Act (AGOA).Museveni did not comment on animal exports to other countries. However, in his speech he urged the ministry of tourism to protect wildlife because the country could benefit more from it through tourism. “We have suspended the trade in wildlife. This is in relation to the statement of the President. We have written to the minister seeking for clarification on how to proceed,’’ Mugisha told The New Vision over the weekend. “We are seeking interpretation on how to deal with people who have licences. We don’t want to do things that are contradictory,’’ he added.The suspension of the trade comes in the wake of persistent attacks by animal rights activists who have been calling for a total ban to be imposed on the trade ever since The New Vision exposed irregularities in the trade in March this year. At a recent public debate organised by Uganda Wildlife Society (UWS), it was noted that UWA has no capacity to successfuly monitor the trade. Ends