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On Monday, 3rd March 2025, Lira City hosted celebrations to mark World Wildlife Day, with a focus on the pressing need to safeguard Uganda’s natural habitats.
The festivities commenced with a march through Lira Town, culminating at Mayor’s Gardens, where the main event took place.
Tourism Minister Col. (rtd) Tom Butime and State Minister for Tourism Martin Mugarra led the march, accompanied by officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) headed by the incoming Executive Director Dr. James Musinguzi, Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute, the Ministry of Tourism, among others.
Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng, who also serves as Lira City Woman Member of Parliament, represented President Yoweri Museveni at the event. She underscored the significance of conservation efforts for Uganda’s wildlife, emphasizing its vital role in the country’s thriving tourism industry.
In a speech delivered on behalf of the President, Aceng noted that Uganda welcomed over 1.3 million international tourists in 2024.
However, she stressed the need to fully harness the country’s potential for social, economic, and ecological benefits.
“We need to take advantage of our enormous potential to harness the social, economic, and ecological benefits,” remarked the president.
President Museveni urged Ugandans to actively protect wildlife and its habitats, including wetlands, forests, open waters, and grasslands. He cautioned against activities that threaten their preservation.
The world currently faces critical environmental crises, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and extreme pollution. World Wildlife Day serves as a platform to increase public awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation, bringing together stakeholders to find lasting solutions to support sustainable environmental protection practices.
President Museveni implored Ugandans to desist from encroaching on wildlife conservation areas, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and trafficking wildlife products. He also urged citizens to adopt sustainable farming practices that do not destroy wildlife ecosystems.
Tourism Minister Butime highlighted Uganda’s impressive biodiversity, noting that the country is home to over 53% of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas, 11% of the world’s recorded bird species, 8% of global mammal diversity, and a range of other species.
However, Minister Butime acknowledged the ongoing challenges in recovering populations of species such as lions and rhinos, which are still in decline.
In February 2025, the Ministry of Tourism launched a national action plan for managing large carnivores, aimed at boosting their numbers in Uganda.
Echoing the President’s message, Minister Butime reiterated the importance of engaging local communities in wildlife management. This approach, he stressed, will lead to a range of benefits, including improved livelihoods, ecotourism opportunities, and greater resilience to climate change.
The new incoming Executive Director of UWA, Dr. James Musinguzi, called upon all Ugandans to support the activities of wildlife and also desist from poaching, which destroys wildlife.
