UWA to Offer Procurement Contracts to Special Interest Groups and Free Open Park Days to boost Domestic Tourism 25th -27th September.

By Abraham Lincolns | Kampala

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has enrolled to reserving 15 percent of its procurement budget to Special Interest Groups to promote social inclusion in line with national public sector guidelines with working capital below UGS 30 million.

The reservation scheme is targeting groups of businesses and enterprises owned by women, youth, and persons with disabilities which policy is implemented under directives from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) to drive national development and local economic participation.

According to Ronald Kyeyune, the Assistant Commissioner in charge Procurement at Uganda Wildlife Authority, the eligible enterprises from these groups benefit from exempted bidding fees and can submit a bid-securing declaration instead of traditional financial bid security.

“Under the reservation schemes, at least 15 percent of procurement budgets is reserved for Special Interest Groups, while procurements worth UGX 30 million and eligible enterprises from these groups benefit from exempted bidding fees and they can submit a bid-securing declaration instead of   traditional financial bid security intended to promote social inclusion in line with national public sector guidelines”. Kyeyune said.

 He revealed this during the forum, themed “Sustainable Procurement for Wildlife Conservation,”  held at Sky’s Hotel (Protea ) in Nagulu which focused on bringing UWA and the  suppliers closer to understanding their essential role in national conservation and development goals.

The Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Dr. James Musinguzi while addressing the inaugural UWA Supplier Forum 2926 held at Sky’s Hotel Naguru emphasized that the Authority is fully committed to strengthening partnerships to ensure better service delivery and enhance institutional efficiency.

UWA and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), represented by its ED Canon Benson Turamye, warned service providers that supply substandard goods compromise ranger operations and wildlife protection noting that the best value is not the lowest price. “This is a drive for national development; we urge suppliers to personally visit national parks to better understand and appreciate how their provided goods and services directly sustain conservation efforts” Dr. Musinguzi said.

Suppliers were also challenged to embrace local content, deliver high-quality supplies according to specifications, and align their operations with Uganda’s Vision 2040 goals.

The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Executive Director Canon Benson Turamye warned that substandard supplies can cause delays, increase costs and disrupt operations, ultimately affecting its ability to protect Uganda’s wildlife for future generations.

“Conservation must start from the suppliers,” Turamye said, urging suppliers to build stronger partnerships with UWA based on quality, accountability and sustainability.

The discussions emphasized aligning procurement processes with national development goals by supporting local enterprises, manufacturers, and value-addition initiatives where contributions and panel insights were shared by key figures like Mercy Kyoshabire, the Director of Procurement and Disposal Capacity Building and Sheila Nakiwala, the Senior Legal Officer PPDA.

UWA engaged key suppliers and partners to build transparent, ethical, and eco-friendly partnerships that safeguard Uganda’s natural heritage. Suppliers were also urged to treat public procurement as part of the country’s wildlife conservation effort, with officials warning that poor-quality goods and services that can directly undermine operations in protected areas.

According to reports from PPDA, procurement accounts for about 65 per cent of Uganda’s annual budget, making suppliers important partners in the country’s development agenda. Turamye also said PPDA wants to strengthen engagement with suppliers to better understand the challenges they face and identify ways of improving the public procurement system.

The discussions at the forum focused on the link between procurement and conservation, particularly the need for UWA and its suppliers to ensure that resources are used efficiently and that goods and services meet the required standards.

For an institution responsible for managing Uganda’s national parks and other protected areas, reliable supplies are essential to the work of rangers and other conservation personnel. The forum therefore sought to promote a procurement approach in which quality, sustainability and accountability are considered alongside cost when supplying goods and services to UWA.

Officials said stronger collaboration between the Authority, suppliers and procurement regulators could help ensure that public resources contribute more effectively to Uganda’s conservation and wider development goals. Among the challenges addressed by service providers including submission of bulk documents, the Authority promised to align the procurement system by going digital.

Meantime UWA has again offered free entry by the public to all it’s National Park during this year’s free open park days that starts on 25th to 27th September 2026.

According the UWA Executive Director (ED) Dr. James Musinguzi disclosed that the move is aimed at boost domestic tourism and therefore called upon people from all the walks of life in Uganda to  take the advantage of the free open park days and visit the parks at no cost.