The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has temporarily blocked members of the public from accessing the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola as Government finds an amicable solution to the ongoing persistent land clashes between Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranches (ZRWR) the owners of the land where the Rhinos are being bred and Rhino Fund Uganda an NGO that has been managing Rhinos at the Sanctuary.
According to a statement released on Tuesday April 20th , Uganda Wildlife Authority stepped in to protect Wild Rhinos through provision of tight security amidst deepening land rows which is in line with UWA’s mandate of protecting Wildlife resources in Uganda as per the Uganda Wildlife Act 2019,and that with effect this implies no tourism activities will be ongoing during this window period.
Located 180 Kilometres at Nakitoma in Nakasongola District, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is home to the only Wild Rhinos in Uganda as these total to 33 Rhinos with the latest addition that came in on 5th February 2021.
According UWA Communications Manager, Bashir Hangi, ‘’We decided to come in and also ensure that we close the Sancturay completely from the general public so that we are able to effectively secure the Rhinos’’.
He adds that, ‘’The closure has been due to persistent misunderstandings between Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Wildlife Ranches the owners of the land where the Rhinos are being bred and Rhino Fund Uganda, an NGO that has been offering support and managing the sanctuary.
Hangi notes that, ‘’These people have been having issues and various offices of Government have intervened but all in vain to see that the two come to an amicable solution to solve their differences including His Excellency Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – the President of Uganda at one time met the two parties but clearly didn’t solve the problem’’
He adds that, ’’UWA understood that the conflict would compromise the safety of the Rhinos thus intervening by way of securing the Rhinos, taking over Security’’
Ms Angie Genad, Executive Director Rhino Fund Uganda, counteracts the closure behind the Rhino Sanctuary and demands explanations as she says, ‘’Closing the sanctuary is not securing the Rhinos, Tourists are not a threat to the Rhinos, closure is preventing us from paying our staff, the authority saying that they are closing the sanctuary because of the safety of the Rhinos makes no sense at all.
The Rhinos stood proud among the big Five, the Leopard, Lion, Elephant and African Buffalo which are dangerous at prone to poaching. However given Uganda’s insurgency in the 1970s and 80s, these animals reduced due to rampant poaching which brought about their near extinction. Formed in 1997, Uganda Rhino Fund spearheaded the re-introduction in Uganda and in 2005 Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was formed.
Police in Nakasongola, on 15th April 2021, arrested 28 people in connection to property vandalization at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. It is alleged unknown people traveling with harmers and machetes in a coaster bus descended on the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Offices and vandalized Office Equipment including computers and documents.
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