Uganda Wildlife Authority Officials Charged with Corruption and Financial Loss in Gorilla and Chimpanzee Permit Scandal

Strategic Insights -

Prosecutors have brought corruption charges against 15 officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for their alleged roles in a massive permit scandal involving gorilla and chimpanzee tracking tickets. The accused officials allegedly exploited their positions to issue thousands of fake permits between July 2020 and September 2023, resulting in losses of over USD 2.5 million and threatening conservation efforts in Uganda. The case is a significant blow to the tourism industry, which relies heavily on primate tourism revenue.

Key Takeaways:

  • 15 officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have been charged with corruption, neglect of duty, and causing financial loss exceeding Shs9.3 billion (approximately USD 2.5 million) in a gorilla and chimpanzee permit scandal.
  • The accused officials allegedly manipulated UWA's online Go Chimp reservation system to issue thousands of invalid permits between July 2020 and September 2023.
  • Notable names among the accused include senior UWA officials such as Stephen Sanya Masaba, director of tourism and business development; Jimmy Mugisa, director of finance and administration; and Leslie Muhindo, former head of reservations.
  • Investigators claim that the accused colluded with others still at large to issue over 8,400 fake permits, undermining a key source of Uganda's conservation revenue.
  • Each official faces charges under Sections 2(1), 19(1), and 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act, Cap 116, covering corruption, neglect of duty, and causing financial loss.
  • The case follows internal audits that uncovered irregularities in the Go Chimp system, prompting investigations by the police's Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Inspectorate of Government.

Statistics:

  • 15 officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority have been charged in connection with corrupt activities.
  • Over 8,400 fake gorilla and chimpanzee tracking permits were allegedly issued.
  • The total financial loss is estimated to exceed Shs9.3 billion (approximately USD 2.5 million).
  • The case involves corrupt activities that span over 3 years (July 2020 to September 2023).

Sources:

  • "15 UWA Officials Charged with Corruption", The Nile Post, 2025.
  • "UWA Officials Charged Over Shs9.3 billion Corruption Scandal", The Nile Post.