Musinguzi, Musingo’s 18 year old journey of transforming Entebbe Zoo

Diligence and Faith, with focus on the transcending work of building a rather formidable institution is one of the traits any leader in a thriving institution ought to do. 

In tripling the capacity of the Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Center, two partners, David Musingo and James Musinguzi, who both entered then Entebbe Zoo as young and lukewarm, but confident about the future of the institution, founded on a revolution that would set a triumph of high achievement, with the history of helping one another are running a long emphatic way.

Renovation of the Zoo, with all paved roads and better infrastructure including the floating restaurant has seen the institution receive untiring praise for the fascinating sights and sounds, with fresh water waves touching the shoreline of the fringing beaches for an amazing adventure.

With white sand, the aquaria leaves memories for a romantic evening at the palatial residence, close to wildlife and hospitality.

“It was amazing. It were my first time to be in the Zoo, visiting a number of wild animals I only expected to find in the jungle and snakes unexpected. For a Lion, Giraffe and elephant all seen at ago, with my totem, I find it rather better a place with arousing affordability,” one of the visitors found in the Zoo told this website.

How the two joined UWEC

In 2006, as Dr. James Musinguzi was teaching at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Mbarara, the biology enthusiast saw an advert seeking for education and conservation officers at the then Entebbe Zoo.

At the time, Musinguzi was working at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology as a lecturer and an administrator. At the same time, he had also married a young beautiful lady who lived in Kampala. “I therefore had to come to Kampala every weekend and return to Mbarara every Sunday which was a little hectic. So when I saw the advert, I gladly tried my luck.” Musinguzi says.

Out of the very many people who applied for the job, James Musinguzi and David Musingo emerged as the overall best candidates. Even when the Zoo needed one person, the high skills exhibited by the two forced the institution to employ them both so as not to lose touch with their best leaders.

The two, later grew in ranks to becoming the Acting Executive Director (James Musinguzi) and later substantive Executive Director, upon leading the institution through the most turbulent times.

At the time, the institution only depended on donations and grants. With its wide scope, good name and international recognition, the institution longed for direct government funding to cater for not only the feeding of the wild animals, but also the engagement in the further development of the place to meet the perceived international standards.

It is upon such background that the acting Executive Director Musinguzi, led a team that included David Musingo to defend the quest to have an improved budget, with direct funding and a vote from the Central Government to further develop the Uganda Wildlife Education and Conservation Center.

Indeed, as government of Uganda approved the budget, what ran in their minds, as leaders of the institution was how to make UWEC better, a Zoo and aquaria best in the East African region.

“We started off together. Me and Musingo, joined on the same day, worked hand in hand and put brains together to get to where we are right now. If I can attribute this success, I wouldn’t say, it is single handed. With guidance from the team and support from my colleague Musingo, we have come a long way and continue to improve this facility for Uganda to benefit,” says James Musinguzi, the Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Center. 

How it transformed from Entebbe Zoo to Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Center.

In a tenure filled with challenges, Musingo, Musinguzi stool high above a Potomac rejuvenating UWEC to not only the wild but also the consumers of the wild adventure. A chimpanzee sanctuary was improved, increasing the number of Chimpanzees to more than 29, despite losing the founding primate, Zakayo.

Zakayo met his demise in 2018 aged 54. The chimpanzees alone have introduced several rich people such as Sudhir Rupareliia, getting to the place, acting as brand ambassadors for the wildlife, with affection to the apes.

A magnificent floating restaurant that offers a refreshing adventure into nature, surrounded by water on Lake Victoria added value to the already constructed guests rooms that offers night experiences while sleeping at the Uganda Wildlife Education and Conservation Center in Entebbe.

Situated about 10 kilo meters from Entebbe International Airport, the place acts as the first point of interaction between tourists and nature in Uganda as soon as the jet off an aircraft, reaching Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.

“Guests leave the airport and their first point of interaction with what and how Uganda looks like should be at the Uganda Wildlife Education and Conservation Center. To those who want to leave Uganda for a trip abroad, you can keep time by coming early, getting to UWEC and interact  with wildlife in a refreshing way and later check in without the Kampala traffic jam havoc,” says James Musinguzi, the Executive Director of the Entebbe Zoo.

For an institution brought up from no funding to a subvention under the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities vote, James Musinguzi’s leadership at the institution would end the grappling with funding and, a lot of conservation work was being done by the institution in managing and improving Uganda’s Wildlife.

Currently, government of Uganda supports the Tourism, Wildlife Conservation and Education Center with up to Ugx 21.698 billion, from no funding in 2013. The costs have seen the institution not only pave roads to the different animal facilities but also helped grow the Chimpanzee center.

Covid 19

During the 2020 – 2022 Covid 19 period, the country experienced dire budget cuts. With the closure of public places such as the Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Center from visitation from the general Public, the institution lacked fees such as gate collection from visitors and tourists who could supplement the purchase of food stuff for the different animals within their care.

The institution solicited for support from the vast majority of Ugandans, the Indian community and several well-wishers who love and celebrate wildlife. Blanketed in Jungles and fringed by the wonder beach survived a dire covid impasse that left the institution with lack of resources.

For, success is not final and, failure is not Fidel. For it is the courage to continue that counts. People such as tycoon Sudhir Rupareliia now join the big wildlife family in supporting UWEC in transformation. Also National and international leaders move to the center to interact with wildlife and feel the beauty of the country.

Leaders such as the first ladies from the different countries in Africa, Speakers and Presiding Officers from the common wealth nations, Ambassadors and Ministers from visiting countries, tycoons, among other groups of people visit the palatial area for adventure each time they jet into the country.  

Botanical Gardens

The recent addition of the Botanical gardens on the wide list of adventurous areas widely under the support and occupation of the Entebbe Zoo make the institution rather a more adventurous one.

The gardens which hold up the vast majority of the tree and plant species in the world also act as a safe haven for relaxation and tourism. Being a garden, usually open to the public with a wide range of plants grown for scientific and educational purposes, several of the Ugandans especially researcher and school going children visit the place for studies, one a reason Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Center thrives.

It is estimated that more than 5000 people visit the botanical gardens every week, just after the renovation and improvement of the standards of offering services by the UWEC since the transfer of administration of the gardens from the National Agricultural Research Organization to UWEC last year.

Wild Animals sculptures along the main Entebbe Road

Last year, after wide consultations, the institution instituted sculptures along the main Entebbe Kampala road, to educate tourists from the Entebbe International Airport of the wide range of wildlife species that the institution holds at the Zoo.

The animal sculptures which also act as an awareness and educational strategy of the country’s natural endowment left Ugandans amazed by the several educational services that have not only helped in the transformation of the country’s tourism which now acts as one of the leading foreign exchange earners in the country.  

More than 20 sculptures were instituted from the Entebbe International airport through the 15 kilo meter run in the municipality to Katabi town council headquarters.

Indeed Musinguzi, Musingo’s support for such institution has also seen an increase in revenue generation with a new target of an extra Ugx 2 billion deliberated into the consolidated fund from the institution to boost Uganda’s revenue generations.

“We hope for the best. The country is fast developing and in the just concluded merging process of state agencies, we believe we shall be drawn nearer to further transcend the idea of developing tourism through state and non-state funding to further generate resources,” Musinguzi said in an interview with this website.

Flavia Kabahenda, the former Board Chairperson of the Uganda Wildlife Education and conservation center praised the managerial skills of such a team that keeps employees as a family without intrigue.

“The two, Musinguzi and Musingo keep close to the people they work with and ensure their safety and security. They make sure, the zoo is well managed and are well conversant with whatever takes place within UWEC. You get to ask them anything and are readily available to answer, a signal that they understand and love what they do,” she said.

Dr Andre Sseguya

 Musinguzi, Musingo’s triumphant legacy didn’t come alone. The two met an already set up ground for them to work, since inception when they were recruited by Dr. Andrew Sseguya, then Executive Director of the Institution. 

Sseguya, without a running government budget, managed to engage the different stakeholders within the country and abroad to ensure the institute gets funding for the work. 

“Rearing wild animals is always a hectic process, especially, without direct government funding. We managed to learn from Dr. Sseguya who had done it for all the time and kept the Institution running,” says James Musinguzi, the current Executive Director. 

Sseguya, had marketed the Uganda Wildlife Conservation and Education Center to being the top notch destination in East and Central Africa, with wide education benchmarking. 

He also glorified to have been one of the best in spotting talent that would now be leading the facility with great inspiration and development. 

Luckily, he left the Institution in the hands of Musinguzi and Musingo, whose leadership has seen the facility grow and increase the country’s generation of revenue.

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