Kenya and Uganda to Intensifies the fight against Wildlife trafficking through new strategy

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

  In abid to avert the increasing incidences of Wildlife trafficking between Uganda and Kenya, the two countries are developing new strategy to help conservations agencies to protect wildlife’s.

The new strategy in the offing will look at three most sensitive areas that fueling in wildlife trafficking between Kenya and Uganda and they are Stopping Killings, Blocking the transits of Illegal wildlife and finally blocking market accessibility by the traffickers especially on International markets.

Speaking at the closing of Four days Training for Uganda cross border Law enforcement training which aimed at  building capacity for detecting illegal species so as to combat wildlife trafficking in Kenya and Uganda at Hotel Africana . UWA Executive Director Sam Mwandha said the increasing Trafficking of illegal Wildlife products is due to the high demands for the products in the Asian Countries thus the need to come up with strategy to cut off such markets.

Mwandha handing over certificate to one of the participants as Njimbi  smiles on left 

“The new Strategy which the two Conservations agencies are about to adopt   will be game changer in combating Illegal Wildlife trafficking between Uganda and Kenya when we stop the killings of Wildlife and Intensifies enforcement at the borders entries both in Uganda and Kenya boarder points then we shall eliminate Ivory on Transit from the two states to the International markets.” He said.

The proposed strategy will be implemented by Uganda Wildlife Authority and Kenya’s Wildlife Services.

   

Mwandha noted that Wildlife’s killings in both countries has reduced due to the strengthening in the  enforcements  especially in the National parks and game reserves but , the challenges is now with other neighboring countries  in central Africa  where large consignment of Illegal Wildlife products are   entering the two countries on transits to Asian Countries  where the market is high.

 “Our routes are being used by the dealers as transits routes to Asia because of the lope holes on the boarder entries especially on the side of Democratic Republic of Congo, Malaba and Busia but we are ready to ensure that security at those points are beefed up to ensure that Illegal wildlife products are Intercepted before getting its way to International markets especially in China and Thailand” He explained.

Explaining more on blocking market accessibility, Mwandha explained that they will be carrying out more sensitization about the danger of Wildlife trafficking in most Asian Countries to ensure that the market provider Understand the economic value attached to wildlife conservation and also the dangers associated with Wildlife trafficking one of them being the funding of negative forces in most countries. 

   

Training for Uganda cross border Law enforcement was organized by UWA with financial support   from the International Fund for the Anial Welfare (IFAW) and its was attended by participant’s from Law enforcement agencies  from  UWA ,Civil Aviation Authority,  Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda Police Kenya Wildlife Service , ISO and Migration  both from Uganda and Kenya .

Commenting on the outcome of the training IFAW Head of programs Steve Njimbi , said the training  has equipped the participants with adequate skills if used professionally it can yields into positive results in the struggle to eliminate Wildlife trafficking in the two countries

“The enforcement officer have equipped with skills related to carrying out crime Investigations related to Wildlife trade, how to detect Wildlife products being concealed in luggage’s on transits  both at the boarder  entry pointers  even at Airports  we hope that if they  follow the guidelines  the two countries then will registers big progress in combating Wildlife trafficking”  Njimbi said

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 Comments from participants, some participants who attended the training and share their views with the media on condition of anonymity said they have learnt a lot but for the training to be productive, the two countries should allocate more resources in the Implementation of the strategy.

“The strategy is good but more resources should allocated to the various e enforcement agencies to enable them carry out their enforcement duties without being compromised by the Wildlife traffickers especially when it comes to carrying out Investigations both by police Customs officer among other agencies responsible for fighting Wildlife trafficking related cases” Said one of the participant from the Uganda Police forces.

At the end of the Training participants were awarded certificates of participation   in the training