Africa-Press – Uganda. Local leaders and farmers in Buliisa District, whose gardens were destroyed by elephants from Murchison Falls National Park last year, are protesting delayed compensation from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA).
A herd of 20 elephants from the national park usually cross and destroy gardens, especially cassava and sweet potatoes, which are the staple food for people in Buliisa.
For the past five years, farmers have been counting losses due to the havoc.
The most affected areas include the villages of Bugana-Kichoke, Waiga, Kabbolwa, Kijangi, Bberoya, Nyamiteete, Buribo, and Kataleeba in Buliisa Sub-county and areas of Mubbaku, Ajigo, Mvule Nnunda, Mvule 1, Kamandindi, and Khartoum in Ngwedo Sub-county.
The affected farmers accuse UWA of sabotaging a compensation plan despite several follow-ups by local leaders.
Mr Ivan Businge, a farmer who lost two acres of cassava to the fauna, said his garden was assessed by officials from UWA, but he has never received any feedback.
“We want to know the status of our compensation plan,” he said.
Mr Kato Sharif, another farmer, who lost two acres of bananas, said the destruction has left his family members to sleep on empty stomachs.
The farmers are now appealing to the government to speed up the compensation plan.
Mr David Katusiime, the village chairperson for Bugana-Kichooka, said the government should look for a lasting solution that can stop animals from crossing from the national park.
Ngwedo Sub-county chairperson Oringi Kennedy said in 2020, they experienced the worst raid by the elephants.
“They came in groups of 10 to 30. We always ask game rangers to come and tame the elephants to return to the park, but it seems they are overwhelmed,” he said.
Hunger crisis
The MP for Buliisa Constituency, Mr Allan Atugonza, said many farmers whose gardens were destroyed last year have started experiencing hunger. He projects that the entire district will be affected by food scarcity.
“The government should consider providing urgent food relief to the families whose gardens were destroyed by the wild animals, our people don’t have food to eat and sell,” he said.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority communications officer, Mr Bashir Hangi, said the compensation plan takes a process of assessment, verification and approval before any pay is done.
“Compensation takes some time, we urge the affected persons to be patient. They will surely be effected when the process is done,” he said.
The law
The Uganda Wildlife Act, 2019 provides for compensation for loss occasioned by animals escaping from wildlife-protected areas. According to the Act, compensation is given to a person who suffers bodily injury or is killed or suffers damage to his or her
property by wild animals.
The person is compensated when they submit a claim to the wildlife compensation verification committee.
The claim is verified and submitted to the board together with its recommendation, and if approved, the victim is compensated according to the market rates.
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