SAD! Elephants trample woman to death in Buliisa

Buliisa: A tragic incident occurred in Buliisa District as a herd of elephants trampled 51-year-old Kutegeka Eunice Kyabadiri Nyajangi to death.

The deceased, a resident of Kigoya Village in Buliisa Sub-county, was attacked on Sunday, February 9, 2025, around 5 PM while collecting firewood with her four-year-old grandson Robert Nuwagaba.

According to her daughter, Janet Tigulikya, Nyajangi had gone to the nearby bush to fetch firewood, as was her routine. When she failed to return home at the expected time, the family mounted a search.

“At around 8 PM, we found the child critically injured and rushed her to Buliisa General Hospital,” Tigulikya recounted.

The search continued until midnight when they discovered Nyajangi’s lifeless body, which had been trampled by the elephants. The body was transported to Buliisa General Hospital Mortuary for a postmortem examination.

Wilson Kagoro, the Warden in charge of community conservation at Murchison Falls National Park, confirmed the incident. He stated that they collaborated with police to retrieve the body and assist the bereaved family.

Kagoro expressed his condolences and revealed that the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) contributed UGX 2.5 million to support burial arrangements.

He further advised the family on the necessary procedures for compensation, which include presenting a postmortem report, death certificate, burial expenses, and formal resolutions from a family meeting.

“We are committed to ensuring the due process is followed so that the family is compensated. The first step is for them to report the incident to the police and provide all required documentation,” he noted.

Kagoro emphasized that the only way for communities to coexist with wildlife is by promptly reporting any stray animals to the authorities.

“We have ranger posts in Bugana, Beroya, Muvule Nun’da, and our headquarters. Additionally, we have trained community scouts equipped with torches and vuvuzelas to help deter elephants when they wander into villages,” he added.

To mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, UWA has already fenced 10 kilometers from the River Nile towards Pandiga in Buliisa District, with plans to extend the fence by an additional 20 kilometers.

Kagoro noted that partners are willing to support extending the fencing up to Butiaba Escarpment to prevent further incidents.

Rising cases of human-wildlife

Buliisa District has seen an increase in elephant attacks and other human-wildlife conflicts, with several incidents reported in recent years.

In February 2024, the decomposing body of Benon Mpairwe, a herdsman, was found after he was killed by an elephant in Waiga Village, Bugana Parish.

In March 2024, Bridget Katulinde, 28, of Kichooke Village, was trampled to death by elephants while trying to chase them away from her garden.

In September 2024, a boda boda rider named Dancan narrowly escaped death after elephants attacked him in Bugana-Kichooke Village, destroying his motorcycle beyond repair.

In May 2024, Elephants destroyed the farm of Terego Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Godwin Angalia Kasigwa, causing losses worth UGX 2 million.

Fencing the park

In October 2023, UWA announced plans to install 30 kilometers of low-voltage electric fencing around key human-wildlife conflict hotspots at an estimated cost of UGX 50 million per kilometer.

However, delays in implementation have caused frustration among residents.

During the commissioning of Butiaba Health Centre III in April 2024, residents urged Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to intervene.

In response, Nabbanja demanded answers from UWA Executive Director Sam Mwandha, who promised to complete the fence within three months a promise that remains unfulfilled.

UWA has since stated that it is still deploying additional personnel and scouts to elephant-prone areas while working on erecting the fence.

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