The tourism fraternity are calling upon government to give the culprits who poisoned 11 lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, a life sentence to serve as a deterrence.
Visibly furious, they asked the Government to take the four suspects to Luzira Maximum Prison and throw the keys to their cells in the deepest part of Lake Victoria.
“We are just battling to restock rhinos and cheetahs,” lamented the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) board chairperson Barbra Adoso. “The law ought to punish the guilty heavily. That way, they will serve as examples to others hoping to get wealth through the same means.”
She was speaking during a press conference held at AUTO headquarters.
“That poison has not only affected the lions, but also affected the vultures that feasted on the carcasses such as the hyenas and the entire eco-system,” Adoso said.
The Uganda Safari Guides Association (USAGA) vice-president, Herbert Byaruhanga, said saboteurs were crippling their effort to grow the sector.
“Uganda was a must visit destination on the African continent, but it was over taken by countries such as Kenya and South Africa, following the bad times we went through politically,” Byaruhanga said.