KIRUHURA — The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has intensified efforts to address escalating human-wildlife conflict in Kiruhura District following repeated incidents of buffaloes straying from protected areas into community farmland and destroying crops.
On July 29, UWA officials convened a community engagement meeting at Minekye Village in Sanga Sub-county, bringing together local leaders and residents to discuss practical solutions to the recurring conflict that has affected households living adjacent to protected wildlife areas.
The meeting followed recent reports of buffaloes invading farmland, particularly banana plantations, leaving many farmers counting significant losses and appealing for urgent government intervention.
During the engagement, residents voiced concerns over delays in accessing compensation for wildlife-related damage. Some community members alleged that district agricultural officers demand facilitation fees before conducting assessments of damaged crops, a practice they said discourages affected families from pursuing compensation claims and undermines confidence in the compensation process.
The UWA delegation was led by Chief Warden Fred Wanyama and included Assistant Commissioner for Human-Wildlife Conflict Geoffrey Mwedde and Senior Human-Wildlife Conflict Officer Sharon Kamuganga.
Officials used the meeting to explain the wildlife compensation framework, outlining the procedures for reporting incidents, verification of claims, assessment of damage, and determination of eligibility for compensation. They urged residents to follow the established reporting channels to facilitate timely processing of claims.
UWA also updated the community on ongoing mitigation measures aimed at reducing future wildlife incursions. These include the excavation of a trench along vulnerable sections of the protected area boundary and plans to install an electric fence to prevent buffaloes from crossing into community land.
Residents welcomed the engagement, saying it provided an opportunity to present their concerns directly to UWA officials. Many expressed optimism that the proposed interventions would significantly reduce crop destruction and strengthen cooperation between conservation authorities and neighboring communities.
Following the meeting, UWA officials, accompanied by local leaders, conducted a field inspection of sections of the trench under construction and visited gardens that had recently been damaged by buffaloes to assess the extent of the destruction.
According to UWA, the visit reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to working closely with neighboring communities to protect livelihoods while promoting the sustainable conservation of Uganda’s wildlife resources.
The meeting attracted several local leaders, including the LC I Chairperson of Minekye Village, the NRM Chairperson, the LC III Chairperson of Sanga Sub-county, the area councillor representing Sanga Sub-county, the Chairperson of the Nshara Community Collaborative Committee, and other community representatives.