Tanzania Livestock Master Plan

A roast meat vendor

Masindi District Council has instructed the Chief Administrative Officer to sue the executive director of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Dr Andrew Seguya, for allegedly causing financial loss to the district.

The leaders accuse Mr Seguya of causing irreparable damage on Kafu market businesses after media reports quoting him as saying vendors at the market on Kampala - Gulu highway, sell baboon meat to travellers.

However, Mr Seguya last week appeared on a local FM radio station in Masindi and retracted his earlier statement.

"A lot has been said about your business but let me now make it clear, the meat you sell has no problem," he said.

However, during the Masindi District council meeting on Tuesday, the councillors said Dr Seguya's appearance on a local radio has not made any impact because sales at Kafu market have drastically dropped.

They suggested that in order to make an impact, Dr Seguya should have called a national press conference like he did earlier when he made statements against the vendors.

The motion to sue Dr Seguya was raised by the councillor for Miirya Sub-county, Ms Julian Ayesiga, who informed the council that vehicles no longer stop at Kafu market and vendors are making losses, which is affecting the district revenue collection.

"There is no way we are going to market Kafu market when people are making such unnecessary statement. Therefore, since we are a legal entity, we should sue the UWA executive director," she said.

The councillors anonymously resolved to sue Dr Seguya and instructed the Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Mark Tivu to engage a district lawyer to start the legal process.

Mr Tivu, who concurred with the district councilors, wondered why Dr Seguya made such a statement at the time when the tourism industry is planning to invest billions of money to make Kafu an international tourist stopover.

When contacted, Dr Seguya declined to comment on the council resolution, saying the district has not yet communicated to him over the matter.

"Let them be the ones to tell me what you are telling me. They have not communicated to me what you are saying," he said.