Dr Eric Enyel, the Uganda Wildlife Authority manager for the Kidepo Conservation Area, says the Authority has deployed wildlife officers in Lamwo district and neighbouring areas to drive the elephants back towards the park.

The intervention comes as residents await a lasting solution to the recurring challenge of elephants entering communities bordering wildlife habitats.

While driving the animals away may ease the immediate threat, garden destruction and household displacement could leave affected families struggling to meet basic needs.

Lamwo District Woman MP Nancy Acora Odonga also appealed to the Office of the Prime Minister to provide food relief, saying the affected households had lost crops at a time when a prolonged dry spell had already placed pressure on livelihoods across the Acholi sub-region.

Acora said she intended to write to the Office of the Prime Minister, along with Lamwo County legislator Johnson Nyeko, to seek assistance for the affected residents.

The appeal for relief highlights the additional burden on households whose crops have been destroyed and whose access to their homes and gardens has been disrupted.

Concerns about human-wildlife conflict in areas bordering protected wildlife habitats, where elephants can destroy food crops, damage property and threaten human life have pushed for a long lasting solution.

The district authorities and UWA also face the challenge of preventing further incursions and reducing the risk of future encounters between people and wildlife.

Ogwang Peter, a resident of Madi Opei sub-county, said that residents need clear guidance from wildlife officers on when it is safe to return home, while affected households may require an assessment of crop losses to determine the extent of the damage.