Kampala, Uganda: Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among has commended President Museveni for ensuring peace and security in Uganda which has been instrumental in reviving wildlife conservation, particularly the restoration of rhino populations.
While meeting officials from the Ministry of Tourism and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) at Parliament on Wednesday, Hon Among said Uganda’s insurgencies in the 1980s nearly wiped out rhinos and crippled the tourism sector.
The Speaker noted that the prevailing peace has enabled conservation programmes to flourish, culminating in Uganda’s first-ever Rhino Naming Ceremony, “Kiira,” a name that reflects the indigenous word for the River Nile, which she said represents life and resilience.
“Earlier today, I met with officials from the Ministry of Tourism, led by State Minister Martin Mugara. During the meeting, I named a rhino Kiira as part of the Name a Rhino, Save a Rhino campaign—an initiative aimed at reintroducing rhinos to Uganda after their near-extinction in the 1980s. Parliament is committed to wildlife conservation and the promotion of tourism,” she stated.
The initiative, expected to raise US$11 million (UGX 40 billion) for rhino conservation, will see public and institutional participation in symbolically naming baby rhinos.
Uganda Tourism Board CEO Juliana Kagwa invited the Speaker and Members of Parliament to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to witness the conservation success story firsthand.
Hon Among urged the Ministry of Tourism to intensify awareness on wildlife protection and to find lasting solutions to human-wildlife conflicts in communities neighboring conservation areas.
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