The Parliamentary Committee on Tourism, Trade, and Industries, chaired by Mbarara City South MP Mwine Mpaka, has instructed officials from the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center, led by Acting Executive Director David Musingo, to provide detailed documentation regarding the allocation of funds for lion breeding initiatives and the establishment of a zoo in Mbale. The committee requested a breakdown of the ten billion shillings designated for lion breeding and the seven billion shillings allocated for the zoo project.
During the committee session today, the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center officials, headed by David Musingo, presented their budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year of 2024-2025, amounting to 16.498 billion shillings. They also appealed for additional funding to support priority projects that currently lack funding.
Musingo informed the committee that their budget had been reduced from 21.6 billion to 16.498 billion shillings, yet they require an additional ten billion shillings for lion breeding. However, this allocation was not included in the budget. He assured the committee of their commitment to secure funding for lion population enhancement.
In response, Committee Chairperson Mwine Mpaka and other committee members requested Musingo to provide detailed justifications for the ten billion shillings earmarked for lion breeding. However, Musingo was unable to present the requested documentation, prompting the committee to instruct him to provide the breakdown of the allocated funds.
Furthermore, committee members expressed surprise upon learning that the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center currently possesses eight female lions and two male lions for breeding purposes. It was noted that each female lion is expected to produce at least two cubs annually, although there is a possibility of some lions failing to conceive.
