UGANDA’S RHINO FUND ELECTS NEW BOARD AND NAMES HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
(Posted 24th May 2017)
RFU, short for Rhino Fund Uganda, the conservation NGO responsible for having brought the rhinos back to the country and making the big five viewing possible again for tourists, last weekend held their Annual General Meeting at the Amuka Safari Lodge, located on the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Some 25 members were present for the AGM to elect a new board of directors after the three year term of office had come to an end.
Sadly were no ex officio members from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities or the Uganda Wildlife Authority present at this crucial meeting and they are both challenged to take their involvement in the Rhino Fund more seriously from here on and be once again an integral part of rhino conservation, the rhino breeding programme and sooner or later the relocation of some of the Ziwa rhinos to other locations in the Ugandan national parks.
The results of the election, one agenda item besides many others, was as follows:
BOARD MEMBERS (EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE)
Andrew Lemieux Chairman
Daudi Makobore Vice Chairman
Lt. Gen Ivan Koreta Board Member
Comm’r Abram Sagal Board Member
Tim de Wet Board Member
Joseph Kusaga Board Member
Anne-Marie Weeden Board Member
Congratulations are extended to the newly elected RFU Board as are best wishes for their challenging task ahead.
Notably did the Annual General Meeting also honour past Chairpersons and the First Executive Director of RFU, who were made Honorary Life Members of RFU:
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
Dirk ten Brink
Jacob Manyindo
Bill Pelser
Yvonne Verkaik (RFU”s first Executive Director)
and finally yours truly Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome
Also honoured were four technical advisors to RFU and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary who both past and present were influential if not outright crucial for the success of the rhino re-introduction and breeding programme:
Dr. Felix Patton
Ray Victurine (RFU Founder)
Dr. Pete Morkel
Anasta Kamahoro
Angie Genade, who is the current Executive Director of the Rhino Fund Uganda and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, needs to be singled out on this occasion for her dedication and commitment to the Rhino Fund and her tireless efforts to fundraise and create awareness over RFU’s challenges and successes.
The number of rhinos, as previously mentioned here, now stands at 19 with one more birth expected this year and as many as five in 2018, making the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary one of Uganda’s prime safari locations.
For added information on Ziwa and RFU click on www.rhinofund.org
