No threat of eviction of Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, says High Court

A Rhino with its calf at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The conservation area has made Nakasongola District a tourist destination. PHOTO | EMMA MUTAYIZIBWA

What you need to know:

  • Rhino Fund Uganda had argued that they would suffer irreparable damages if court does not issue an injunction, pending the hearing of the main case.

The High Court in Kampala yesterday ruled that there is no threat of eviction of the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary from its Nakasongola location.
Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU), the operators of Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a home for 33 endangered white rhinos, had late last week asked court to issue an order, stopping their eviction until final disposal of their main case that is pending before the same court.

The court case arose last week after Rhino Fund Uganda sued Zziwa Rhino & Wildlife Ranches Ltd and its proprietor Capt  Joseph Charles Roy over alleged breach of contract and threatened to evict them from the Nakasongola land before the agreed 30-year lease could expire.

“In the instant case from the pleadings and the submissions of both parties, it has been shown that the space that accommodates the sanctuary in dispute, is currently under the management of Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). In a letter written by the Executive Director dated April, 20, 2021, undertook the management of the sanctuary,” Mr Jamson Karemani, the presiding assistant registrar, ruled. 

He added: “The status quo is that despite the respondent (Zziwa Rhino and Capt Roy), having earlier threatened to evict the applicant (Rhino Fund Uganda), the status has since changed and the current actual status is that UWA is in control of the sanctuary and not the applicant. My finding is that there is no imminent threat posed by the respondents to warrant an interim order of injunction before the main application is heard.” 

Rhino Fund Uganda had argued that they would suffer irreparable damages if court does not issue an injunction, pending the hearing of the main case. 
They had also argued that there was need to preserve the status quo of the place since there were rhinos, a school and offices at the location.