Authorities warn UWA of elephant attacks in Adjumani district

Adjumani district authorities have issued a stern warning to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for failing to adequately respond to repeated elephant attacks in Arinyapi sub-county.

The warning comes after Sabuni John, the district councillor for the Arinyapi sub-county, expressed his dissatisfaction with the elephants’ destruction.

Crops (gardens) have suffered damage, and lives have been lost. Sabuni lamented UWA’s slow response to distress calls from affected residents.

“Elephants are destroying crops in areas where they shouldn’t be. When you call UWA, they say there’s no transport or ask for fuel to be sent. Meanwhile, the elephants wreak havoc,” he said.

“We want the RDC and Commissioner to ensure community sensitization is conducted to help residents handle such situations,” Sabuni added.

Commissioner Collins Obedi Gertrude, the presidential representative for the RDC West Nile region, has urged UWA to take its responsibilities more seriously. She emphasized the importance of taking swift action to protect people from the elephants’ growing threat.

“UWA needs to act more decisively. So far, elephants have killed three people, which is unacceptable. If UWA is called, they must respond immediately because these are our people who don’t have the expertise to deal with these animals,” Obedi stated.

Ali Bakiti, UWA Area Manager, acknowledged the challenges and identified encroachment on wildlife corridors as a major issue.

He explained that human activities have significantly disrupted traditional wildlife migration routes, such as the corridor that connects Kidepo National Park, Nimule Park, East Madi Wildlife Reserve, and Murchison Falls National Park.

“We’re facing a situation where elephants are leaving their habitats and causing destruction. Wildlife corridors have been heavily encroached upon, and wetlands have been taken over. This limits the movement of animals and increases human-wildlife conflicts.

“While international conservation laws state that wildlife has no boundaries, the current situation makes it hard for us to manage,” Bakiti explained.

Uganda Wildlife Authority, a semi-autonomous government agency, is mandated to conserve, manage, and regulate Uganda’s wildlife resources within and outside protected areas.

However, local leaders in Adjumani are calling for more proactive measures to ensure resident safety and long-term management of wildlife-human interactions.