The Uganda Deputy Chief of Defense Forces (DCDF) Lieutenant General Charles Angina has commended the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for visionary leadership in establishing an intelligence unit which will prevent illegal crimes against wildlife before they occur.
Speaking at the pass out of 80 rangers 15 of them women at the School of Military Intelligence and Security (SOMI) in Muhoti, Kabarole District on Friday August 30th, 2013, General Angina who was the chief guest said the conservation agency had existed since the time it was under Uganda National Parks but none had come up with such a beautiful idea.
“Uganda did not start yesterday. But the current progressive leadership to have come up with this excellent initiative shows excellent management and vision for the fast developing industry,” he remarked amidst cheers from the trainees, instructors and UWA senior managers present.
The DCDF said there is no doubt that tourism sector is the second leading foreign exchange earner for the country and had to be guarded jealously against the wrong elements especially poachers.
He told the trainees who had spent four months in the training covering the areas of Security intelligence, counter intelligence, Operational intelligence, Criminal intelligence, General intelligence, reconnaissance and political education that “I have no doubt that you have grasped the most important areas of how to get information, process it and ultimately the ball is in your court to ensure it does not remain just in theory but put into practice so that those who have been surviving on being poachers lose appetite because we have brought in additional means of dealing with that problem”.
He added that ” I would wish you take it upon yourself that is critical for you to reach a point and say we have grown enough and UPDF therefore can take totally another assignment and we can now run as how on your own.”
General Angina thanked the leadership of UWA for good cooperation; our working relationship has been cordial. He said UPDF is happy to be associated with UWA especially current leadership that has given us the reason to move together and work jointly in improving our additional source of income through tourism.
He thanked UWA for being one of the most active participants in national celebrations including independence where UWA has at times performed better than other regular forces. Please keep it up as the only way to go, he stressed. He appreciated the idea of introducing intelligence saying of all trainings we have done we treasure and respect one of the greatest strategist General Sun Tzu says “know yourselves very well and your enemy very well and will succeed in all the battles. He urged them to learn about the poachers who enter the parks to destroy the resources and be pro active by not operating like pathologist who appear to see what has happened but catch the bad guys before destruction thereby demonstrating and exhibiting intelligence all the time.
He also urged them to be disciplined and become intelligence and know through counter intelligence that within yourselves you might have collaborators and operations will not succeed .Check yourselves to ensure no body among you becomes a bad guy. Love your job, don’t be disgruntled and have an attitude that makes people feel proud of you. Put time into your personal growth so that we can see you grow from today’s graduand to leaders of tomorrow” he emphasized.
Uganda Wildlife Authority Executive Director Dr. Andrew Seguya said the main constraint has been gathering necessary information and was happy that with new intelligence unit that gap will be bridged. He appealed to the members of legal fraternity to cooperate with UWA in dealing with illegal activities .He revealed that all the senior managers would proceed to Murchison Falls for basic training on how to process and use intelligence information.
Later, the chief guest presided over awarding of prizes to the best performing students namely Ms Jaddress Komugasho, as the best overall student, Fred Safari as the best in class, Walter Otto emerged the best in field activities and Ali Wasagali was awarded for being the most active.
The function was attended by the Commissioner for Wildlife Mr. James Lutalo who represented the Permanent secretary Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the UPDF chief of Military intelligence Brigadier Charles Bakahumura, UWA Board of Trustees chairman’s representative Captain Emily Otekat, the school commandant Lt. Colonel Medard Bagambe, UWA Law Enforcement Coordinator Colonel Charles Tusiime and other UWA senior staff .
