By Frank Kamuntu| Mr Swift
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is seeking to deepen its partnership with religious institutions to strengthen wildlife conservation, promote tourism and improve the livelihoods of communities living alongside protected areas.
The proposed partnership with the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) seeks to harness the influence and extensive community networks of churches, mosques, schools and other faith-based institutions to promote conservation awareness, encourage public participation and foster peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife.
The initiative was discussed on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, during a meeting between UWA’s top management and an IRCU delegation at Skyz Hotel in Naguru, Kampala, where the two institutions explored a framework for cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The discussions focused on joint conservation campaigns, community engagement, tourism promotion, environmental education and collaborative efforts to address human-wildlife conflict.
UWA Executive Director Dr. James Musinguzi emphasised that the proposed partnership must deliver practical results rather than remain a formal agreement without meaningful implementation.
“We don’t want an MoU which is signed and remains on paper. We are going to sign it, develop a work plan and work together,” Dr. Musinguzi said.
He called for a modest, costed programme that the two institutions could implement using available resources before expanding the initiative to other areas.
Dr. Musinguzi noted that the draft MoU had been approved in principle, with board approval and signing identified as the next steps in formalising the partnership.
To accelerate the process, he tasked UWA Commissioner for Legal and Corporate Affairs, Mr. Chemonges Sabila, who also serves as Secretary to the Board, with ensuring that the agreement is presented for consideration.
He also proposed identifying two or three pilot locations where the institutions could begin implementing joint conservation activities, allowing them to assess the impact before scaling up the programme.
As part of the proposed collaboration, Dr. Musinguzi pledged UWA’s participation in IRCU’s planned National Youth Colloquium in November 2026. The Authority is expected to contribute speakers, participate in exhibitions and provide other support within its available resources.
He also welcomed an invitation to IRCU’s 25th-anniversary celebrations, signalling the Authority’s willingness to strengthen engagement with faith-based institutions beyond the proposed conservation programme.
IRCU Board Chairman Msgr. Charles Kasibante highlighted the potential of religious institutions to advance environmental stewardship, conservation education and community mobilisation.
He observed that faith-based institutions have established structures through which conservation messages can reach large sections of the population, encouraging communities to appreciate the importance of wildlife, protect natural habitats and adopt environmentally responsible practices.
Through their existing networks, religious leaders could also help communities understand the economic and social benefits of conservation, particularly through tourism, while encouraging local participation in protecting Uganda’s natural heritage.
Presenting amendments to the draft MoU, Mr. Sabila outlined key areas of cooperation, including training religious leaders in conservation, conducting joint public awareness campaigns, facilitating community dialogue on human-wildlife conflict, mobilising resources and promoting tourism.
The agreement also proposes joint planning, information sharing, exploration of investment opportunities and the appointment of focal persons to coordinate activities.
These arrangements are intended to establish clear responsibilities and provide a structured framework for developing a costed work plan that translates the partnership into measurable action.
UWA Commissioner for Community Conservation and Ex-situ Services, Mr. David Musingo, underscored the importance of reconnecting people, particularly young people, with nature as a foundation for long-term conservation.
He introduced his approach as “CUA”, meaning Connect, Understand and Act, explaining that people must first develop a connection with nature, understand its value and subsequently take practical steps to protect it.
“My approach is to connect people to nature so that they appreciate it,” Mr. Musingo said.
He encouraged religious institutions to complement conservation education by establishing gardens featuring indigenous and medicinal plants, with technical guidance from conservation experts.
Such initiatives, he explained, could provide practical learning opportunities for young people and communities while promoting appreciation of native plant species and their contribution to healthy ecosystems.
Mr. Musingo also highlighted UWA’s revenue-sharing programme, through which 20 per cent of gate collection revenue is shared with communities neighbouring protected areas to support livelihood-improvement projects and efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict.
He cited approximately Shs9 billion earmarked for communities neighbouring Murchison Falls National Park, emphasising the importance of investing in environmentally friendly projects that enable residents to benefit from conservation.
The approach recognises that communities are important partners in protecting wildlife and that improving local livelihoods can strengthen support for conservation while reducing tensions arising from human-wildlife interactions.
The proposed UWA-IRCU partnership is expected to build on this community-centred approach by bringing conservation expertise closer to the people through trusted religious and community institutions.
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