Environment lobby loses pangolin case
Uganda Wildlife Authority law enforcement officers and police personnel examine pangolin scales impounded recently at Entebbe airport. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
KAMPALA. The High Court in Kampala has ordered the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to immediately issue an export licence to businessman Smith Ewa Maku to enable him sell off his stock of pangolin scales, worth millions of shillings.
The businessman was stuck with 7,310 kilogrammes of pangolin scales valued at Shs11 billion that he had collected from UWA.
This was after court in February this year, temporarily blocked UWA from renewing the businessman’s export licence to sell off his pangolin scales until the main case that was filed by an environmental lobby body Greenwatch was determined.
Greenwatch had sued UWA for not doing enough to conserve the endangered pangolins.
But while dismissing the Greenwatch’s plea last Friday, Justice Elizabeth Musoke noted that it did not adduce any scientific data to prove its case but instead chose to rely on inconclusive newspaper reports, which were speculative.
“I vacate the interim order and order that the licence be given. The businessman can go ahead and export all his stock,” the judge ordered.
However, the judge made an exception for only the export of Mr Maku’s legally acquired pangolin scales, not for everyone.
The judge to that extent ordered that UWA institutes stringent measures in future to protect pangolins.
Pangolin trade
The pangolin, similarly referred to as a scaly anteater, have large, protective keratin scales covering their skin.
The scales are used for making medicines and bangles. The biggest market in Asia is found in China. Occasionally, they are used as a substitute for ivory.
