Walking along the scenic stretch of Kira Road, in Kampala it’s impossible to miss the striking sculptures of Uganda’s iconic wildlife an elephant, a majestic lion, a leopard, a buffalo and giraffe craning its long neck to the sky.
These sculptures, symbolic of Uganda’s natural heritage, are more than just public art they are a testament to a powerful partnership between the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) that has spanned nearly a decade.
On Thursday, April 10, leaders from both institutions gathered at the UWA headquarters in Kamwokya, Kawempe Division, to solidify the enduring partnership that has not only beautified the city but also contributed to wildlife education, tourism promotion, and environmental conservation.
KCCA and UWA have been collaborating under an existing Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 to jointly promote Kampala City as a tourism gateway.
“Today, we celebrate a friendship that has grown into a movement,” said Sharifah Buzeki, Executive Director of KCCA.
“Our collaboration with UWA is at the heart of making Kampala a tourism destination of choice. We are committed to continuing this journey, not just to preserve the environment but to nurture a city that celebrates wildlife and educates its children about the importance of conservation.”
Buzeki emphasized that wildlife and environmental conservation are not just rural affairs. “We believe that the city must play an active role in showcasing Uganda’s rich biodiversity. We have benefited from this partnership through enhanced tourism information sharing, urban beautification, and wildlife education in schools.”
She called for the expansion of the project. “Let’s extend the animal sculptures to other streets. Let’s protect our urban birds and give them sustainable homes. The time to debate the partnership is long gone. Let’s renew it and scale it up.”
She also emphasized the importance of waste management, urging citizens to adopt the principles of reuse, reduce, refuse, and recycle. “We are enforcing a no-littering policy and promoting the protection of green spaces. A cleaner city begins with us, and that’s part of how we conserve the environment.”
UWA Executive Director James Musinguzi commended KCCA for its nine-year dedication to wildlife conservation.
“Congratulations to KCCA for a fruitful partnership. Through this collaboration, we’ve reconstructed and fully equipped the Wildlife Information Centre at Sheraton, installed 10 symbolic animal sculptures along major city roads, and facilitated educational visits for KCCA staff and Kampala school children to national parks.”
He revealed plans to scale up wildlife education services, designate Kira Road as an official “Wildlife Street,” and expand to include five more sculptures.
“There’s potential to turn Kampala’s wetlands into tourism attractions by constructing boardwalks and inviting young people to participate in conservation.”
UWA also envisions enhancing the use of recreational centers like Entebbe Botanical Gardens as part of this urban-nature integration.
During the event, Buzeki was honored with a symbolic gift a framed photograph of monkey and a rhino, one of Uganda’s endangered species highlighting the conservation message at the core of the partnership.
Deputy Executive Director of KCCA, Benon Kigenyi, expressed enthusiasm for the renewal of the partnership. “We’re excited by UWA’s continued support. Let’s work together to strengthen conservation efforts, beautify our city, and educate our youth.”
Stephen Masaba, UWA’s Head of Tourism and Business Development, highlighted that the partnership, which began in 2014, has helped position Kampala as a gateway to Uganda’s tourism experience.
“Our objectives are clear,” said Masaba. “We want to promote Kampala as a tourism hub, enhance wildlife education, create platforms for tourism products, and improve the visibility of conservation efforts in the city.”
Though the current partnership agreement is due to end in 2026, both institutions are already discussing plans to renew and expand it.