Uganda Merges Wildlife Education Centre With Wildlife Authority

The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) has officially merged with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).

The integration forms part of the government’s Rationalization of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) programme. Officials say the move is designed to streamline operations across wildlife-related institutions and improve overall efficiency.

The merger was formalised at an event held at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. According to The Independent UG, the ceremony marked the completion of the legal and administrative steps required to combine the two bodies.

UWEC had operated as a distinct entity focused on wildlife education, conservation awareness and public engagement. Its activities included managing a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in Entebbe that houses various animal species and receives school and tourist visits.

UWA, by contrast, holds primary responsibility for managing Uganda’s network of national parks, game reserves and wildlife protection across the country. The authority oversees law enforcement against poaching, community conservation programmes and tourism development in protected areas.

The Rationalization of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure programme was launched to reduce duplication of roles between semi-autonomous bodies and central government departments. Several other agencies have been merged or restructured under the same initiative in recent years.

Supporters of the UWEC-UWA merger argue it will allow education and public outreach functions to be delivered more effectively within the larger operational framework of the Wildlife Authority. Critics within the conservation community had earlier expressed concern that the distinct educational mandate could be diluted once absorbed into a larger regulatory body.

The development reflects a wider policy trend in Uganda towards consolidating institutions that share overlapping mandates in the environment and natural resources sectors.

Based on reporting by The Independent UG.