Buliisa residents protest continued elephant invasion
He says that residents are living in fear, and they are anticipating hunger in future.
Buliisa: Residents of Buliisa sub-county in Buliisa district have protested against the continued elephant invasion and the government’s failure to erect an electric fence around Murchison Falls National Park.
While presenting their petition to the sub-county chairperson on Friday, July 19, 2024, the angry residents expressed concern over the governments’ laxity to have the electric fence constructed within three months, as earlier on promised by Prime Minister Robina Nabanja.
Ndolerire Grace, a resident of Bugana parish and one of the affected persons, contends that elephants have continued invading them, destroying their crops and killing people.
She said so far they have lost the lives of five people, and many are surviving with wounds due to the elephant attack at the watch of the government.
Ndolerire also expressed her dissatisfaction with the long process and bureaucracy when seeking compensation, saying that most residents have failed to be compensated due to excessive requirements.
Baleke Kasololo and other affected residents say that some parents have refrained from sending their children to school due to the elephant scare.
He says that residents are living in fear, and they are anticipating hunger in future.
Kabagambe Kamanda, the Buliisa subcounty chairperson, appealed to the government to expedite the construction of the electric fence as it’s the only long-term solution to the human-wildlife conflicts.
He acknowledged the elephant invasion in the villages of Bugana, Kataleba, Waiga, Kabolwa, Nyamitete, Kigoya, and Ngwedo, among others, as the biggest challenge affecting economic progress at the household level because most crops have been destroyed.
He observed a need for collaborative efforts from all district leaders and members of parliament to compel the central government to address the issue.
Last year, in October, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) announced plans to install 30 kilometers of low-voltage electric fencing in major human-wildlife conflict hotspots within the park. Each kilometer was estimated to cost 50 million shillings.
The fence was intended for areas where trenches are prone to siltation due to flash floods, gully erosion, and elephant activities. However, the actual installation process has delayed to be completed.
For over a decade, wild animals, especially elephants, rhinoceroses, primates, and buffalos have attacked and killed dozens of residents living near the park.
These animals have also devoured crop gardens, leading to food insecurity and starvation in the district.
In April this year, during the commissioning of Butiaba Health Centre III in Buliisa district, residents asked the prime minister to intervene in the matter.
In response to these concerns, Robinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister of Uganda, directly addressed Sam Mwandha, the UWA Executive Director, demanding an explanation for the delay in rectifying the electric fence along the park’s borders.
Nabbanja emphasized her frustration with repeatedly answering questions about the delayed fencing both in parliament and during public functions.
In turn, Mwandha assured the people of Buliisa district that the erection of the electric fence would be completed within a three-month period.
He said the ongoing efforts include deploying necessary forces and scouts to elephant-prone areas, in addition to the fence erection.
Last year, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) initiated the erection of an electric fence in Ngwedo Sub County, but up to now, the entire park hasn’t been fenced off.
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