Michael Karugaba
23 November 2007
Kasese — A Herd of Elephants from Queen Elizabeth National Park has invaded Kisinga, Lake Katwe and Kyalhumba sub-counties in Bukonzo East, destroying several acres of crops.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, the LC 1 Chairman for Rwentutu village in Lake Katwe Sub-county, Mr Semu Bwambale, said the most hit villages are Kabirizi, Rwentutu and Kighenge, where crops have been destroyed causing fear of a famine out break in the near future.
Mr Bwambale said the elephants numbering seven, invaded the homes of Mr Edward Kambere and Mr Paul Mukera, destroying several paw paw trees. Mr Joseph Kahyana, a councilor with Kisinga Sub-county, told Daily Monitor that the elephants had earlier destroyed several acres of crops in Rwembyo, Kisinga and Kagando parishes, all in Kisinga Sub-county, leaving most families with no food.
Mr Kahyana appealed to the district authorities and Uganda Wildlife Authority to come to their rescue before the situation gets out of hand. Mr Bwambale threatened to kill the elephants if UWA does not take them away. Efforts to talk to Queen Elizabeth National Park management proved futile as their phones were switched off by press time. But on several foras, the district leadership has been advocating for change in law to create room for the compensation of persons who lost their properties to wild animals.
The District Secretary for production, Mr Robert Nyarwa confirmed that he had received complaints from the affected villages and said the district is in touch with UWA to find a solution to the problem.
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