Uganda Wildlife Research and Training Institute Act, 2016

Section Commencement Section This Act shall come into force on a date appointed by the Minister by statutory instrument. The Minister may appoint different dates for the commencement of different provisions.

Section Interpretation Section In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— " Board " means the academic and research board established under section 12 ; " Council " means the governing council established under section 6 ; " currency point " has the value assigned to it in Schedule 1; " Director " means the Director of the Institute or any person acting on that behalf; " Institute " means the Uganda Wildlife Research and Training Institute established under section 3 ; " Minister " means the Minister responsible for wildlife ; " protected area " means an area gazette as such in accordance with the Uganda Wildlife Act; " wildlife " means any wild plant or wild animal of a species native to Uganda and includes wild animals which migrate through Uganda; " wildlife conservation area " includes a national park, wildlife reserve, wildlife sanctuaries, community wildlife areas or any other area provided for under the Uganda wildlife Act.

Section Establishment of Uganda Wildlife Research and Training Institute Section The Institute may, for and in connection with its objects and functions under this Act— There is established the Uganda Wildlife Research and Training Institute . The Institute shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue and be sued in its corporate name. purchase, hold, manage property, whether movable or immovable; enter into any contract and other transactions as may be expedient; and do any other act or thing which may be lawfully done by a corporate body. The seal of the Institute shall be in such form and may be used for such purposes as the Council may determine.

Section Objects of the Institute Section The objects of the Institute are— to provide for research and training in conservation and sustainable development of wildlife resources in and outside protected areas; to conduct research in wildlife resource conservation in and outside protected areas for purposes of wildlife management and policy development; to provide consultancy and specialized technical services in conservation and sustainable development of wildlife resources; to conduct formal training in conservation and sustainable development of wildlife resources and related matters; to organize tailor-made courses in conservation and sustainable development of wildlife resources and related matters; to promote professionalism in information generation and human resource development to ensure effective conservation and sustainable management of wildlife resources both in and outside wildlife protected areas; and to carry out any other activities related and incidental to research, training, wildlife conservation, protection, management, and related matters.

Section Functions of the Institute Section The functions of the Institute are— to conduct research in wildlife resource conservation in and outside protected areas for purposes of wildlife management and policy development; to provide consultancy and specialized technical services in conservation and sustainable development of wildlife resources; to conduct formal training in conservation and sustainable development of wildlife resources; to organize tailor-made courses in conservation and sustainable development of wildlife resources; to provide related services necessary, incidental, or conducive to the efficient attainment of its objects and functions under this Act; and to collaborate with other institutions of learning within and outside Uganda, as the Council may consider appropriate for the execution of its functions. The Institute shall, in the performance of its functions, consult and cooperate with Ministries, departments, branches and agencies of Government having duties related to, or having aims or objects related to those of the Institute .

Section Director Section The Minister may, on the recommendation of the Council , suspend or terminate the appointment of the Director for— The Institute shall have a Director and a Deputy Director who shall be appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the Council , from among three names submitted to the Minister by the Council . The Director shall be a person of high moral character and proven integrity, with professional knowledge and experience in wildlife conservation, research, and training. The Director shall be the chief executive of the Institute . The Director shall hold office for five years and shall be eligible for re-appointment. Misbehavior; Inability to perform the functions of the office; or any other sufficient cause.

Section Deputy Director Section The Director may with approval of the Minister , suspend or terminate the appointment of the Deputy Director for— The Institute shall have a Deputy Director who shall be appointed by the Council on terms and conditions that may be specified in the instrument of appointment. A person to be appointed as the deputy Director shall qualify for appointment by virtue of his or her professional knowledge and experience in wildlife conservation. The Deputy Director shall perform the functions of Director in the absence of the Director from office and shall perform such other duties as the Director or Council may direct. Misbehavior; Inability to perform the functions of the office; or any other sufficient cause.

Section Registrar and Bursar Section There shall be a Registrar who shall be a Secretary to the Academic Board and its committees. There shall be a Bursar to the Institute who shall be responsible to the principal.

Section Appointment of other staff of the Institute Section The registrar, bursar, and other administrative and academic staff of the Institute shall be appointed by the Council on terms and conditions as may be determined by the Council .

Section Disciplinary procedure Section The Council may make regulations for the discipline of all staff, employees and students at the Institute as it may deem fit.

Section Award and recognition of certificates of the Institute Section The Institute shall award certificates, diplomas and other qualifications for courses conducted by the Institute . Courses leading to the award of certificates, diplomas, and other qualifications to be awarded by the Institute , shall be subject to approval of the National Council for Higher Education. The certificates and diplomas to be awarded by the Institute shall, be subject to the approval by the National Council for Higher Education.

Section Funds of the Institute Section The funds of the Institute shall consist of— money appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the Institute ; fees charged from the students; grants, gifts, or donations made with the approval of the Minister acting in consultation with the Minister responsible for finance; revenue earned from activities of the Institute under this Act; and any other funds received by the Institute in the performance of its functions under this Act. All funds received by the Institute under subsection (1)(c), (d) and (e), shall be declared to the Minister subject to the Public Finance Management Act. Subject to section 33 of the Public Finance Management Act, the Institute shall open and maintain bank accounts as are necessary for the performance of its functions on which all monies of the Institute shall be deposited. The fees to be charged by the Institute shall be determined by the Council with approval of the Minister .

Section Borrowing powers Section Subject to Article 159 of the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Act, the Council may in consultation with the Minister , obtain loans and other credit facilities as may be required for meeting its obligations and for carrying out the functions of the Institute under this Act.

Section Estimates Section The Council shall, not later than three months before the end of each financial year, prepare and submit to the Minister for approval, estimates of the income and expenditure of the Institute for the next financial year. The expenditure shall not be made out of the funds of the Institute unless the expenditure has been approved by the Minister underestimates for the year in which the expenditure is to be made or in any other estimates supplementary to those estimates.

Section Financial year of the Institute Section The financial year of the Institute shall be the same as the financial year of Government.

Section Accounts Section The Council shall keep proper books of account of all income and expenditure of the Institute and proper records in relation to all transactions of the Institute . Subject to any direction given by the Minister , the Council shall prepare in respect of each financial year, and not later than three months after the close of the financial year, a financial statement for that year.

Section Audit Section The Auditor General or an auditor appointed by the Auditor General shall, in each financial year, audit the accounts of the Institute . The Auditor General shall submit a report of audited accounts of the Institute to Parliament in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act.

Section Protection of members and staff from personal liability Section A member of the Council , Academic and Research Board or an officer or staff of the Institute shall not be personally liable for an act done by him or her in good faith for the purposes of effecting the provisions of this Act.

Section Annual report Section The Institute shall, within three months after the end of each financial year, submit to the Minister a report of the activities of the Institute in respect of that financial year. The report shall include a record of the performance of the Institute during that financial year and its future plans.

Section Minister’s report to Parliament Section The Minister shall submit to Parliament as soon as possible and in any case not later than three months after receiving the reports— the audited accounts of the Institute submitted to him or her by the auditor under section 26 ; and the annual report of the Institute submitted to him or her under section 28 .

Section Offences and penalties Section Any person who— makes use of any certificate, diploma, or any other award of the Institute to which he or she is not entitled; alters or defaces a certificate diploma or any other award issued under this Act or makes a copy with intent to deceive or defraud; reveals or discloses examination or test paper information to an unauthorized person sells, buys, or steals a certificate diploma or any other award issued under this Act with intent to impersonate; Any person who plagiarizes, duplicates or uses research findings without permission or interferes with, or alters ecological sites, local fauna and flora commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding forty-eight currency points or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.

Section Regulations Section Without prejudice to subsection (1), the Minister may make regulations in respect of the following— Regulations made under subsection (1) may— The Minister may, by statutory instrument on the advice of the Council , make regulations generally for better carrying into effect the provisions of this Act. the criteria and the process of admission of students and trainees to the Institute ; the establishment of committees under this Act; the form of certificates or diplomas or other awards issued under this Act; governance and management structures of the Institute ; examination assessment mechanisms and procedures; registration and accreditation of the Institute ; fees payable under this Act; and providing for any matter necessary for giving full effect to the provisions of this Act. create offences and prescribe a penalty for contravention of the regulations and prescribe in relation to such offences, a penalty not exceeding twenty-four currency points or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both; prescribe higher penalties for repeated offences; prescribe penalties for continued offences; and require the court to forfeit any matter in connection with whi...

Section Transitional provision Section All property movable and immovable held by or on behalf of the Uganda Wildlife Training Institute and the former Uganda Institute of Ecology shall, from the commencement of this Act be vested in the Institute . Upon the commencement of this Act, the rights, interest, obligations, and liabilities of the Institute existing before the commencement of this Act under any contract or instrument, or at law or in equity shall by virtue of this Act, be assigned and transferred to the new Institute under this Act.