FLYING TO PROTECT: Inside Uganda’s ambitious wildlife conservation plans involving purchase of UGX 10 billion helicopter

In Uganda’s sprawling national parks, where elephants roam and lions rule, vigilance has become a question of life and death; not just for wildlife, but for the communities living alongside them. Now, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is looking skyward for part of the solution: a brand-new helicopter.

The Authority is seeking UGX 10 billion to procure a chopper dedicated to monitoring national parks, rescuing injured animals, and swiftly transporting veterinary teams to the scene. But as the request was tabled before Parliament’s Committee on Tourism on 27 January 2026, MPs raised a practical question: does the proposed cost cover maintenance?

“The members were asking, this helicopter at UGX 10 billion, does it include maintenance? This UGX 10 billion does not include maintenance,” explained Dorcus Rukundo Twesigomwe, UWA Business Development Manager. “We are hoping to procure a brand-new helicopter, and therefore maintenance will come slightly later.”

Rukundo emphasized that the aircraft would serve multiple critical functions. “It helps us do patrols, rescue animals, and conduct ecological monitoring. Sometimes invasives or poachers can’t be tracked on land alone. The helicopter allows us to cover vast areas efficiently and also supports our annual wildlife census.”

The conversation revealed broader concerns about budget allocation for conservation. UWA presented a UGX 240 billion budget for FY 2026/27, with UGX 92 billion earmarked for salaries, social security, medical and burial expenses, and UGX 42 billion for rent, utilities, insurance, fuel, and ICT.

The Authority also proposed UGX 30 billion for the construction of electric fences at Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park, and UGX 10 billion to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict. MPs, however, described the compensation allocation as meagre given the scale of the problem.

Charles Okello, MP for Nwoya East, praised UWA’s efforts in constructing a 10km fence in his constituency but stressed that significant gaps remain. “Nearly 31 kilometers remain in very hot spots,” he said. “Since we last met, eight people have lost their lives to marauding elephants. Completing the fence is critical—it reduces the need for compensation and protects lives.”

Rukundo assured MPs that UWA intends to fence all high-risk areas, explaining that expanded fencing will reduce compensation claims, allowing the Authority to manage human-wildlife conflict more effectively within the existing budget.

Yet, the session was not without its hiccups. The Chairperson of the Committee, Sylvia Nayebare (Gomba Woman MP), had to ask the technical team from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to step out while corrections were made to figures, after Youth MP Boniface Okot highlighted 11 discrepancies in the submitted budget documents.

For UWA, the helicopter represents more than a budget line—it is a tool for rapid response in conservation, a visible symbol of Uganda’s commitment to protecting its natural heritage while balancing the needs of communities living at the frontlines of wildlife corridors.

As Uganda seeks to reconcile economic development, human safety, and wildlife conservation, investment in tools like helicopters, electric fencing, and strategic budgeting may prove the difference between coexistence and catastrophe.