Cyprian Musoke
30 June 2004
Kampala — MPS from eastern Uganda have appealed to the Government to de-gazette the boundaries of Mt. Elgon National Park to ease the existing human population pressure.
In a meeting with deputy Speaker Rebecca Kadaga over the matter recently, over 15 MPs from Kabarole, Kapchorwa, Kibale, Kisoro, Mbale and Sironko districts said more than 50 people had been killed by wildlife authorities.
The MPs also requested that the park monitoring role be reverted to the National Forestry Authority, who were less militarised.
They said at the time the park was created, it was anticipated that the World Bank would give resettlement package, which never materialised, thereby forcing many people to cross into Kenya.
"The boundaries were made unilaterally, displacing over 10,000 people. The wildlife people who operate there are very militarised, and have killed over fifty people. People feel that the Government favours animals more than the people," said David Wakikona (Manjiya), after the meeting.
The MPs blamed the disaster preparedness ministry for the suffering of the landless people, who at the same time suffered the effects of land slides.
They requested that the Government comes up with a scheme to resettle the people, as their fertility rate is too high for a landless lot.
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