Kisanja No Sleep: UWA, DPP Tighten Noose On Wildlife Criminals

By Frank Kamuntu

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have intensified efforts to combat wildlife crime through a two-day retreat at the Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area, aimed at strengthening prosecution of wildlife offences and enhancing conservation justice.

The retreat brings together Director of Public Prosecutions Lino Anguzu and the ODPP’s top management team with UWA officials to deepen institutional collaboration in protecting Uganda’s wildlife and natural heritage.

The engagement is intended to give prosecutors a better understanding of conservation work undertaken by UWA while strengthening coordination in the prosecution of wildlife-related offences and supervision of cases handled by UWA prosecutors.

On behalf of UWA Executive Director Dr James Musinguzi, the Commissioner for Legal and Corporate Affairs, Chemonges Sabila, welcomed the delegation and underscored the importance of sustained collaboration between the two institutions.

He said close cooperation between UWA and the ODPP is critical to improving wildlife law enforcement and ensuring effective prosecution of offenders threatening Uganda’s biodiversity.

During the retreat, the ODPP delegation received a briefing on conservation and law enforcement operations within the Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area from Chief Warden Fred Elia Kisame.

The briefing highlighted significant progress in prosecuting wildlife crimes, with 40 cases involving 64 accused persons successfully concluded. Another 28 cases involving 49 convicted persons have resulted in convictions, while 12 cases involving 15 accused persons remain before the courts at various stages, including prosecution, defence hearing, judgment and sentencing.

Officials also reported an improvement in conviction rates, attributing the trend to stronger collaboration between investigators and prosecutors, as well as enhanced enforcement efforts against wildlife crime.

Under the current arrangement, the Director of Public Prosecutions licenses UWA prosecutors to handle wildlife crime cases, enabling the authority to prosecute offences committed within protected areas more effectively.

Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area remains one of Uganda’s major wildlife crime hotspots, making it a key focus for enforcement and prosecution efforts.

The retreat is expected to give the ODPP leadership greater insight into conservation operations, field law enforcement and the challenges facing wildlife protection, while reinforcing the shared commitment of both institutions to safeguarding Uganda’s biodiversity through stronger prosecution and inter-agency cooperation.