In recent reports, allegations of corruption within the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have come to light, specifically concerning the issuance and sale of gorilla permits. The accusations involve officials from UWA’s Information Technology and Finance departments. Several arrests have been made, and numerous suspensions are pending as the investigation continues.
According to inside sources, the fraudulent activities were first noticed by staff members stationed at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, who raised concerns about suspicious transactions lacking official records. It is alleged that UWA staff, in collusion with others, printed gorilla permits and diverted the funds to their personal accounts.
The modus operandi reportedly involved printing permits, selling them to tourists, but not remitting the proceeds to UWA’s accounts. The corruption network seemingly extended from the UWA head office to the Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks where the gorillas are located.
Ordinarily, tourists are required to pay for gorilla permits at a bank and then provide the payment slip to the accounts department for verification. After confirmation, they receive a permit, which is then used for reservations. However, it is claimed that this process was manipulated by UWA employees, with some personnel at the parks assisting in bypassing the system to facilitate tourists’ gorilla tracking without proper payment.
Records reveal instances of permits issued without proper documentation, including permits with no names and unsigned permits. Several individuals, including Mr. Shafik Twebaze, Ms. Josephine K, Mr. Gad Ekochu, and Ms. Susan Ayupa, have been implicated in the issuance of these questionable permits.
Tour operators and individuals benefiting from these fraudulent permits are also under investigation. Concerned employees at Bwindi reportedly alerted UWA management about these irregularities, but their concerns went unanswered.
UWA initially introduced an online booking system in 2014 to curb fraud and robberies. Despite resistance, a cashless system was implemented to track funds. However, recent reports suggest that the new IT system was also compromised, with UWA allegedly losing significant revenue.
While UWA management claims a loss of $143,000, sources argue that the actual fraud amount may be as high as Shs60 billion. It is also reported that overbooking and compromised standards at the parks have led to a decline in revenue. Additionally, allegations of the sale of complimentary gorilla permits to undeserving individuals and tour operators have surfaced.
UWA is currently conducting an internal investigation to identify those responsible for the alleged corruption, and the organization has vowed to take legal action against anyone found guilty.