The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has challenged suppliers and contractors to move beyond the traditional buyer-seller relationship and become strategic partners in wildlife conservation, tourism development and Uganda’s broader economic transformation.
The call was made by UWA Executive Director Dr James Musinguzi (PhD) during the UWA Supplier Forum 2026, held at Skyz Hotel Naguru under the theme “Sustainable Procurement for Wildlife Conservation.”
The forum brought together UWA officials, suppliers, contractors and procurement stakeholders to examine how public procurement can deliver greater value for conservation, tourism and national development.
Dr Musinguzi said the quality, reliability and timeliness of goods, works and services supplied to UWA directly affect the Authority’s ability to fulfil its conservation mandate.
He urged suppliers to view themselves not simply as businesses contracted by UWA, but as partners whose performance can either strengthen or undermine conservation operations on the ground.
“I therefore encourage you not to see me as the suppliers of UWA, but as partners in conservation,” Dr Musinguzi said.
He explained that a reliable ranger vehicle, for example, enables effective field operations, while infrastructure constructed to the required standards strengthens both conservation activities and tourism services.
Likewise, equipment supplied at the expected quality enables UWA staff to perform their duties effectively, making suppliers an important link in the protection of Uganda’s wildlife and natural heritage.
Dr Musinguzi said the importance of responsible procurement has become even greater as Government places tourism among the priority sectors expected to drive Uganda’s economic transformation.
He noted that Government has identified agriculture and agro-industrialisation, tourism, minerals including oil and gas, and science, technology and innovation as key sectors for economic growth.
Tourism, he said, occupies a particularly strategic position as Uganda pursues the ambitious target of growing its economy tenfold, from about $50 billion to $500 billion by 2040.
As one of Uganda’s major tourism players, UWA, he said, must continuously improve efficiency, innovation and service delivery if the country is to realise that ambition.
Dr Musinguzi’s message was reinforced by Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) Executive Director Canon Benson Turamye, who challenged suppliers to recognise the enormous economic influence of public procurement.
Turamye said public procurement accounts for a substantial share of Uganda’s public expenditure and therefore provides a major platform for stimulating infrastructure development, industrialisation, local businesses and employment.
He encouraged suppliers to view public procurement not merely as an avenue for winning contracts, but as an opportunity to contribute to Uganda’s long-term development.
The PPDA chief also stressed the importance of continuous dialogue between regulators, procuring entities and suppliers.
He said the regulator is interested in understanding the challenges businesses face, receiving feedback and working with stakeholders to develop practical solutions that improve procurement outcomes.
Turamye noted that stronger engagement can help identify weaknesses in procurement systems and inform reforms that enhance efficiency while safeguarding accountability and value for money.
The engagement, he said, should therefore not be viewed as a policing exercise, but as an opportunity for stakeholders to collectively improve public procurement and ensure it contributes meaningfully to sustainable national development.
The importance of quality procurement to UWA’s conservation work was further emphasised by UWA Commissioner Dorcus Rukundo Twesigomwe, who said virtually every good or service supplied to the Authority ultimately contributes to wildlife protection.
Whether a supplier provides construction materials, uniforms, books, water, vehicles or other services, she said, each contribution supports the people and systems responsible for conserving Uganda’s wildlife.
“If you’re supplying, for example, sand, if you’re supplying books, if you are supplying water, this contributes to our work of conservation,” Rukundo said.
She acknowledged that UWA has at times disagreed with suppliers over quality standards, but explained that such disagreements arise from the Authority’s responsibility to ensure that public resources invested in conservation generate durable and reliable results.
Substandard supplies, she warned, can cause delays, create additional costs and result in unnecessary duplication of work, ultimately diverting resources that should be directed towards conservation.
Poorly constructed staff accommodation, for instance, could compromise the welfare of rangers and other personnel operating on the frontline of wildlife protection.
Rukundo therefore urged suppliers to use the forum to collectively examine how procurement can be improved to support sustainable conservation.
“When we do not start from the suppliers, then our dream of conserving for generations might be affected,” she said.
The forum was part of UWA’s commitment to continuous improvement and followed recommendations by PPDA for stronger engagement between procuring entities and their suppliers.
It provided a platform for strengthening collaboration between government and the private sector around three interconnected priorities: quality conservation, sustainable tourism and national economic transformation.
As Uganda seeks to expand tourism and transform its economy, the forum underscored the growing role of responsible suppliers in ensuring that every shilling spent delivers lasting value for the country, its people, wildlife and natural heritage entrusted to UWA.