Residents living in Rubirizi and the neighboring district of Kasese have been out joyed after the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) commenced works to erect an electric wire fence around parts of the Park. This comes at a time where residents had frequently been in battles with trespassing wild animals from the park which destroyed gardens and at times attacked the population.
As a result of increasing populations of communities living near or/and around national parks, communities have continued to grow food crops close to the gazzated areas which have occasionally been destroyed by the wildlife especially primates and elephants.
This has constantly raised into unending conflict between such communities and park authorities. For example, in December 2019, farmers in the villages of Rwehingo, Bugemu and Katholhu in Nyakiyumbu Sub-county, Kasese District, suffered immense loses after a herd of elephants damaged their maize, banana and sunflower plantations that existed nearby the park.
Recently, the UWA started works on a 21km electric wire fence from Kikorongo to Kasese Cobalt Company in Kasese Town majorly to restrict wildlife from crossing the park boundaries into neighbouring communities. The commencement of this long awaited project has provided relief to residents of Kirembe, Nyamirangara, Muhokya and Lyemibuza, who have over the years lost their crops to wandering wildlife.
Residents could not hide their joy about the project. A one Peter Muhesi, a resident of Lyemibuza Village in Muhokya Sub-county, Kasese District, revealed that with an existing electric fence barrier, they are assured of rich crop harvests in the coming harvesting season. “I lost all my maize to elephants when they invaded my garden last season but since there is an electric fence, I expect more produce,” he said.
Also, Mr Sam Mwanda, the executive director of UWA, commented that they have started erecting electric fences around several parts of the national park that are closer to human habitats in Kasese and Rubirizi districts to cub down the former prevailing conflicts between neighboring residents and park authorities. He further added that the project will soon be rolled out to other national parks across the country with a compliment that the electric fences were not meant to kill the animals as perceived by some sections of the population. “The fence only shocks them back to the park,” he said.
The residents were also advised by Mr Jeconious Musingwiire, the western region focal person for the National Environment Management Authority, to plant crops like tobacco and tea that are nauseating to wildlife.
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