The Kabarole District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Pamela Annet Kirungi, has appealed to Parliament to prioritize Kabarole District when considering interventions to address the growing human-wildlife conflict affecting communities living near protected areas.
Speaking during plenary today in Parliament, Hon. Kirungi said residents living along the boundaries of Kibale National Park continue to suffer persistent attacks by wild animals, leading to loss of lives, destruction of crops, and damage to property. She urged the government to provide lasting solutions to protect both communities and wildlife.
The legislator noted that the increasing movement of animals such as elephants, buffaloes, baboons, and monkeys from the national park into nearby villages has left many families counting heavy losses. She said farmers have repeatedly seen their gardens destroyed, affecting household incomes and food security, while some residents have sustained serious injuries and others have lost their lives in encounters with wild animals.
Hon. Kirungi called on Parliament to ensure that Kabarole is included among the districts benefiting from government programmes aimed at mitigating human-wildlife conflict. She said measures such as the construction of electric fences, digging of trenches, strengthening wildlife barriers, and providing timely compensation to affected families would help reduce the problem.
She emphasized that communities neighboring conservation areas should not continue bearing the burden of wildlife conservation without adequate government support. According to the MP, protecting people’s lives and livelihoods should go hand in hand with preserving Uganda’s national parks.
Residents living near Kibale National Park have on several occasions appealed to government agencies to strengthen interventions against wildlife invasions, arguing that the frequent destruction of crops and property has increased poverty and food insecurity in the affected communities.
The appeal adds to growing calls for stronger collaboration between Parliament, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and local governments to find sustainable solutions that promote peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife.