KANUNGU– The Executive Director of Uganda Wildlife Authority Samuel Mwandha has pledged support to Wild Run Uganda and promised that they will ensure that the Wild Run rotates in the 4 sectors of the Bwindi Mghahinga Conservation Areas every year in order to achieve its objective of creating conservation awareness.
This massage was on Saturday delivered by the Uganda Wildlife Authority Director of Operations Charles Tumwesigye who represented the Executive Director Mwandha at the 25th Annual Wild Run that took place in Buhoma Town Council in Kanungu District and ended inside the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as one way to create awareness.
In his own remarks Tumwesigye hailed the Chief Executive Officer of Wild Run Muhiire Andul for the consistency he has put in this initiative for the last 7 years despite the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the entire world and affected the tourism industry.
He however pledged support to Wild Run efforts in her efforts to work with the communities to Wildlife and Forests for the future generations and also reminded the community that the Wildlife was there for them and the government since tourism has become a leading revenue source for advancing economic development in Uganda especially the Gorillas tracking which can not be found elsewhere in the world apart from the Virunga Volcanoes of Uganda, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
While speaking at the same function, the Executive Director of National Forest Authority Tom Okello Obong hailed the initiators of Wild Run which he said is strategic to help the country tourism sector recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. He also hinted that Wild Run was a move to keep people healthy.
Obong who previously worked in Uganda Wildlife Authority before joining National Forest Authority said that he was happy that national civil organisation like Wild Run have come on board to support creating conservation awareness in Uganda.
The gathering was also addressed by the Jane Goodall Institute Country Director James Byamukama who appreciated the initiatives by Wild Run and other conservationists who are working hard to conserve the wildlife and forests and pledged continued support fo such activities.
Byamukama said that his over 20 years experience working for conservation awareness, has helped initiate many programs and projects in Bwindi and Mgahinga Conservation Areas which directly benefit the local residents, the government and the International community and therefore it’s important that such initiatives like the Wild Run are given the much needed support they needed.
He enumerated the turbulent trials Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Area has passed through many years which shows that there is need to maintain this conservation efforts for future generations.
Earlier, the Bwindi Mghahinga Conservation Area Chief Warden Nelson Guma, said that the Wild Run has become one of the major annual activities being held in Bwindi with a core objective of creating conservation awareness. Others include the Run for Native Tree, Bwindi Day, Gorilla Day, Rangers Day and World Wildlife Day all which are aimed at boosting conservation efforts.
He said that like any other sector that was affected by COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry was steadily emerging from the loss suffered during that period and the flow of tourists to Bwindi has increased in the last 2 years.
Buhoma Town Council LC 3 Chairman Moses Bashaija thanked Wild Run organisers for taking the conservation awareness to Bwindi which he said will go a long way in creating awareness that is needed because local residents must always be reminded about the dangers of climate change and possible ways to mitigate it.
Bashaija said that, although Bwindi Impenetrable is normally cold throughout the year, the climatic conditions have greatly changed and of recent the area experienced ‘heat wave’ which reminded the residents that environment restoration and protection is real.
Bashaija however, used the opportunity to remind the Uganda Wildlife Authority management to support the Town Council in maintaining the Roads, work on the crop compensation in time but hailed Kanungu District Local Government of establishment and recruitment of a District Tourism Officer who will go a long way in bridging the gap between the local residents and other Wildlife Conservationists.
Participants who took part in the Wild Run led by Brass For Children (BFC) band who included the local residents, the student, women and youth and members of the Corporate Community were given gifts and medals by Uganda Wild Run Chief Executive Officer Abdul Muhiire who pledged to continue organising such activities in all National Parks across the country.
According to Muhiire, this years Wild Run was the 25th in the 7 years it has been carried out and it has been named the ‘Silver Jubilee Run’ where over 1000 people of different age bracket participated and was supported by Uganda Wildlife Authority, National Forestry Authority, Jane Goodal Institute in Uganda, Aerlolink, Trackers Safari Hotel, Suba Motel Kihihi, NB Hotel Kihihi and Engagi Lodges Bwindi all which were recognised by giving them plaque awards.
