The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has asked Parliament to approve Shs10 billion for the purchase of a helicopter to strengthen wildlife protection and emergency response in national parks.
The request was revealed on Tuesday when UWA’s Business Development Manager, Dorcus Rukundo Twesigomwe, appeared before Parliament’s Committee on Tourism during discussions on the tourism sector’s 2026/27 National Budget Framework Paper.
Twesigomwe told MPs that the helicopter would greatly improve aerial surveillance in protected areas, boost efforts to fight poaching and enable rapid deployment of veterinary teams to treat injured animals. She explained that many wildlife emergencies occur in remote and hard-to-access parks such as Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where ground transport is slow or impossible.
UWA oversees 10 national parks, 12 wildlife reserves and several sanctuaries across the country. Its mandate includes conservation, law enforcement, tourism development and working with surrounding communities. Wildlife-based tourism remains a major contributor to Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings, making effective protection of animals critical to the sector.
However, the proposal drew mixed reactions from legislators. Several MPs questioned whether spending Shs10 billion on a helicopter was justified at a time when government faces competing demands in health, education, roads and water services. Others noted that UWA already relies on the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and the police air wing for aerial support and asked why the authority could not continue with such arrangements.
Some members of the committee also suggested leasing a helicopter when needed, instead of purchasing one that would require high maintenance and operating costs.
Defending the proposal, Twesigomwe said owning a helicopter would allow UWA to respond quickly to wildlife emergencies, including rescuing animals injured by poachers. She added that aerial support is also vital for ecological monitoring, identifying invasive species and conducting annual wildlife censuses across vast conservation areas.
The debate came as UWA presented its plans for spending the Shs240 billion allocated to the authority in the 2026/27 budget. Of this amount, Shs92 billion is earmarked for salaries, social security, medical care and burial expenses, while Shs42 billion will go towards rent, utilities, insurance, fuel and information and communication technology.
Lawmakers also raised concerns over other proposed allocations, including Shs30 billion for constructing electric fences in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks, and Shs10 billion set aside to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict. MPs described these figures as insufficient given the scale of the challenges.
The committee is expected to seek further clarification from UWA before submitting its recommendations to the parliamentary budget committee.
