Lawmakers have criticized the way security personnel from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) are managing the safeguarding of national parks.
William Chemonges (NRM, Kween County) reported that a local resident was reportedly beaten to death by the security officers stationed at Mount Elgon National Park, noting that there have been multiple fatalities under similar circumstances.
“This person was killed in Kakwata, around the national park, just when he had gone to collect the branches of Cyprus trees, which we always get for building. Just between 2021 and today, we have lost a total of 14 people who are killed by trained officers,” said Chemonges.
He raised the concerns during a plenary sitting held on Wednesday, 29 January 2025.
Chemonges urged the Prime Minister, Attorney General and Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to visit the affected area in Kween District, to assess the impact of the situation.
The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, said that clarifying the boundaries of the national parks across the country will go a long way in eliminating the conflict between national park security officers and residents neighbouring national parks.
He noted that there are inconsistencies between the boundaries considered by Uganda Wildlife Authority, citing the 1992 boundaries proposed by the President, compared to the first boundaries of 1963.
“In my constituency (Ruhinda North County), people requested for residential space in the 1950s and they were given part of Queen Elizabeth National Park. But this was not reflected within the gazette. Recently, NFA [National Forestry Authority] came to evict people saying they are in forest land, yet these people have lived here since the 1950s,” said Tayebwa.
He added that he recently assigned the Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry to visit areas neighbouring national parks across the country, and present a report on the matters affecting the residents in those areas.
“The chairperson told me that the report is ready. We shall have it here next Tuesday and the Minister for Tourism should come and specifically respond to this issue,” Tayebwa added.
The Third Deputy Prime Minister, Rukia Nakadama, said the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, will visit the affected areas and give an update to Parliament.
