In Rwoburunga Sub-county in Mitooma District, angry residents neighbouring Queen Elizabeth National Park, took leaders through the gardens and showed them trampled crops. The gardens were destroyed by elephants.
Ignitious Ndyamuhaki, the Ruzonga village chairperson in Rwoburunga Sub-county explains that the human-elephant conflict is pushing the local people into poverty
“People here think that the government does not care about them. No compensation efforts are in place and on top of that, they are fraudulently charged by the police around before registering their damage,” says Benon Karyeija, the Mitooma District chairperson.
On Easter Monday, an emergency meeting was convened and it was attended by Thomas Tayebwa, the deputy Speaker of Parliament Martin Bahinduka Mugarra, the State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, officials from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and communities neighbouring the park. The meeting sought to resolve tensions between communities and park authorities over wildlife raids.
Magnitude of the problem
Elephants have for many years been destroying gardens and human lives. Residents who use to depend on farming have since turned to other sources of livelihood such as charcoal burning, which also threatens the environment.
According to residents, elephants come as early as 5pm and feed on people’s crops till morning. Children who are supposed to be in school now spend hours guarding crops against elephants. This also puts these children in harm’s way.
Mr Richard Mafara, the Kiyanga sub county chairperson stresses, UWA authorities have made it hard for the locals to cross to the park to fetch firewood and herbal medicine.
The most hit sub counties include Kiyanga, Rwoburundo and Kigyende. Conflicts of this nature have also been happening in the neighbouring districts of Rubirizi and Kasese.