The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has requested Shs10 billion to procure a helicopter intended to enhance surveillance of national parks, facilitate wildlife rescues and enable rapid deployment of veterinary doctors to treat injured animals in the wild.
However, Members of Parliament (MPs) questioned whether the proposed cost includes maintenance, raising concerns during scrutiny of the Tourism sector’s 2026/27 National Budget Framework Paper (NBFP).
Appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Tourism on January 27, 2026, UWA Business Development Manager Dorcus Rukundo Twesigomwe clarified that the Shs10 billion allocation covers only the purchase of the aircraft.
“Members were asking whether this helicopter at UGX10 billion includes maintenance. This UGX10 billion does not include maintenance. We are hoping to procure a brand-new helicopter, and therefore maintenance will come slightly later,” Rukundo told the Committee.
She explained that the helicopter would play a critical role in aerial patrols, wildlife rescue operations and ecological monitoring across Uganda’s vast protected areas.
“Sometimes animals are attacked or trapped by poachers and we need to rescue them. We use the helicopter to transport veterinary doctors to administer treatment,” she said.
Rukundo added that the aircraft would also support ecological monitoring, identification of invasive species and annual wildlife censuses, activities that are often difficult to conduct by land due to the size and terrain of national parks.
Her remarks followed queries by Sylvia Nayebare (Gomba Woman MP) and David Kalwanga (Busujju County), who sought clarity on both the cost breakdown and the necessity of the helicopter.
The discussion took place as UWA presented details of how its Shs240 billion budget allocation for the 2026/27 financial year will be spent. According to the Authority, Shs92 billion will go towards salaries, social security, medical and burial expenses, while Shs42 billion has been earmarked for rent, utilities, insurance, fuel and ICT.
UWA also proposed allocating Shs30 billion to construct electric fences at Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks, alongside Shs10 billion for compensation of victims of human-wildlife conflict. These figures sparked heated debate, with MPs describing the compensation allocation as inadequate given the rising number of incidents.
Charles Okello (Nwoya East) commended UWA for constructing a 10-kilometre electric fence around parts of Murchison Falls National Park, noting that it had significantly reduced wildlife incursions in his constituency. However, he urged the Authority to extend the fencing across the entire park.
“The 10 kilometres of electric fence in my constituency has made communities rest. However, about 31 kilometres remain in very hot spots, making them more vulnerable. Since last year, we have lost eight people to marauding elephants,” Okello said.
He argued that expanding the fencing would ultimately reduce compensation costs.
“Since we don’t even have enough money for compensation, it is mathematical. If you divert UGX3 billion from compensation to electric fencing, you achieve nearly the same objective,” he added.
In response, Rukundo assured the Committee that fencing of protected areas would continue, noting that reducing conflict hotspots would lower compensation claims.
“Most of the hot spots will be fenced, and when the claims reduce, this budget will be sufficient to take us through the next financial year,” she said.
Meanwhile, proceedings were briefly disrupted when the Chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, Sylvia Nayebare, asked officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to step out and correct discrepancies in the budget documents.
The directive followed concerns raised by Boniface Okot (Youth MP, Northern Region), who identified 11 inconsistencies in the figures submitted by the Ministry.
