UEPB and UFZA joined into one entity as part of Govt agency merger plan

In a move that will cost the government Shs6.516 billion and result in the loss of seven jobs for staff, Parliament has combined the Uganda Export Promotions Board and Uganda Free Zones Authority into a single organization known as the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotions Authority. This authority will be overseen by the Ministry of Trade.

“The Committee also observes that the net savings accruing out of the merger of the Uganda Export Promotions Board and the Uganda Free Zones Authority would be UGX 6.227Bn in the first year of the merger i.e. FY 2024125, and this would increase to UGX 6.516Bn in the subsequent Financial Year 2025/26,” said Mwine Mpaka, Chairperson, Trade Committee.

In a similar move, MPs changed the Uganda Wildlife Authority Act, 2019, giving Uganda Wildlife Authority a new mandate after merging with Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and they also repealed the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center Act, 2015, which will result in the merger of UWEC and UWA.

Tom Butime, Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities defended the merger of the two tourism entities noting, “The role of UWEC and UWA are complementary. One substituting the other is a mere consolidation but the roles remain the same.”

The Tourism Committee of Parliament reports that the merger of the two agencies will result in the loss of 64 jobs, with terminal benefits to be paid to the affected staff amounting to Shs1.334 billion. The merger is expected to save the government Shs15.166 billion in 2024–2025, with further savings expected to reach Shs16.5 billion in 2025–2026.