Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU) has finally left the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakitoma, Nakasongola District.

The organization has been embroiled in a misunderstanding with Capt. Charles Roy, the owner of the land where rhinos are being bred which forced the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to take over the sanctuary. The UWA says that the move was for the rhinos’ safety.

For a period of about five months Rhino Fund Uganda, an organization that has been managing the rhinos at the Sanctuary in Nakasongola District, has been in a serious battle with Capt. Charles Roy, the owner of the land where the endangered animals are bred.

Captain Roy has for that period demanded that Rhino Fund Uganda vacate his land. RFU has now vacated the sanctuary.

Since 2002 when they acquired a 30-year lease on the land, Rhino Fund Uganda’s intention was to avoid the extinction of rhinos in Uganda. RFU has managed to achieve these goals considering that there are now 33 rhinos at the sanctuary.

Vacating the Sanctuary means the over 140 workers will lose their jobs.

The Nakasongola district chairperson Sam Kigula calls the incident regrettable.

 The General Manager Rhino Fund Uganda, Augustine Mudukoi, has shown his disappointment for not appreciating the institution enough yet it has done a commendable job in as far as reintroducing rhinos in Uganda.

All eyes are now on the government, how it plans to manage the 33 rhinos that are currently being kept at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.