HEARTLESS! UWA Operatives Critically Shoot 3, 40+ Gardens Destroyed In Mt. Elgon

Bududa District leaders and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have failed to reach consensus on key concerns surrounding ongoing enforcement operations in and around Mt. Elgon National Park, with disagreements persisting over crop destruction, boundary demarcation and the fate of residents living inside the protected area.

The disagreement emerged during a stakeholders’ meeting held at Bududa District Council Hall on Friday, following UWA operations in Bushiyi, Bundesi, Bukalasi and Bubiita sub-counties. UWA officials have been enforcing the park boundary and destroying crops cultivated in areas they say fall within the protected area.

Some residents living inside the park have also reportedly been given a one-week ultimatum to vacate. The enforcement has raised concern among local leaders and communities, particularly over the destruction of crops and the welfare of households expected to leave the area.

Tensions intensified following an incident in Natunga Village, Namirumba Parish, Bushiyi Sub-county, where residents Simeo Benecto, Florence Namee and Veronica Jewa were reportedly shot and injured during an encounter with UWA personnel. The three are receiving treatment in Mbale.

They reportedly sustained the injuries after questioning the destruction of their crops and objecting to orders to leave their homes within one week. In another incident, residents from Bubiita and Bukalasi sub-counties reportedly stormed the offices of the Resident District Commissioner and district chairperson carrying coffee, banana stems and other crops, asking leaders to intervene before the destruction of their gardens left their households facing hunger.

During Friday’s meeting, community representatives called on UWA and Government to take responsibility for crops destroyed during the enforcement exercise, saying farmers had suffered significant losses and should be considered for compensation. More than 40 gardens belonging to over 40 households have reportedly been destroyed.

The affected crops include coffee, bananas, onions, maize and cassava. Farmers also raised concern over how they will repay Parish Development Model (PDM) funds they borrowed and invested in agriculture after their crops were destroyed. The enforcement operation was still ongoing at the time of filing this report.

UWA officials told the meeting that approximately 1,500 acres of land had been encroached on by people living or cultivating land in areas falling inside Mt. Elgon National Park. Bududa District Chairperson Geoffrey Natubu said the concerns surrounding Mt. Elgon National Park require extensive consultations involving national leaders because they affect communities in several districts surrounding the mountain.

Natubu said some communities had occupied the area for generations and called for a coordinated Government approach to address their concerns. He urged Members of Parliament from affected areas and the wider Bugisu region to join future engagements so they can participate in discussions concerning communities they represent. Natubu cautioned against leaving local governments to handle major interventions such as relocation without clear guidance and involvement from the national Government.

He called for continued dialogue among UWA, local leaders and communities to prevent further tension. Mukhwana Wekhoola Koloto, the National Resistance Movement chairperson in Bududa, said leaders understood the importance of protecting the forest and were willing to sensitise people living inside the park to vacate. However, he questioned where the affected residents would go, particularly after their food crops had been destroyed.

Mukhwana also questioned whether the sensitisation exercise had been brought to the attention of MPs representing the affected communities. He said MPs should be involved because they represent the affected people at the national level. Bududa Resident District Commissioner Juliet Solome Namara called for peaceful and coordinated engagement between Government agencies and communities.

Namara said residents had raised concerns over crop destruction and restrictions on activities within the protected area, which she said should be addressed through dialogue while ensuring communities understand the Government’s position and have an opportunity to present their grievances.

She urged UWA, district leaders and security agencies to provide communities with clear and consistent information and cautioned against approaches that could create unnecessary tension between residents and enforcement personnel. Bududa District Internal Security Officer Denis Elyebu said leaders could not stop sensitising residents to leave the forest, but the challenge was that UWA had not provided a clear boundary linking the protected area to community land.

Elyebu said he visited Bushiyi and found that, apart from eucalyptus trees, there was inadequate physical demarcation to guide residents and enforcement teams. He asked UWA to provide each sub-county with geographical coordinates so that communities and local leaders are not caught off guard during enforcement operations.

Bududa Chief Administrative Officer Max Martin Mukula cautioned against rushing into enforcement or relocation measures without adequate planning. Mukula said the consequences of Government actions, particularly for households that may be required to leave areas confirmed to be within the protected area, must be carefully considered.

UWA Administrator Matanda addressing the officials

He said any relocation or eviction process should follow applicable legal and administrative procedures while taking into account the welfare of affected communities. The CAO also called for accurate information on affected households, crops, homes and livelihoods to support Government planning and decision-making.

Godfrey Matanda, the UWA administrator, explained the Authority’s mandate to protect and manage the protected area. Matanda said Mt. Elgon was gazetted as a national park in 1993 after previously being managed as a Central Forest Reserve. He said the park boundary is established using geographical coordinates and that the legally established boundary has not changed, although population growth and encroachment have created challenges in some areas.

Matanda said some boundary pillars had reportedly been removed, displaced or shifted, making it necessary for stakeholders to work together to verify and clearly identify the boundary on the ground. He said UWA remained committed to working with district and local leaders to address concerns arising around the park.

The meeting also focused on concerns over different references to the Mt. Elgon park boundary, including those associated with 1993, 2005 and 2017. District and security officials called for accurate geographical coordinates and clear, visible boundary markers to help communities, enforcement personnel and local authorities identify the extent of the protected area.

Stakeholders said clear boundary information would help reduce misunderstandings and potential conflicts between communities and conservation authorities. They also called for verification of allegations that some boundary pillars had been removed or shifted and for the findings to be clearly communicated to affected communities.

The meeting also considered the fate of people who may be required to leave areas confirmed to be within the national park. District leaders said residents required to leave protected areas who have no alternative place to stay should be considered for resettlement through the appropriate Government structures.

They said the matter requires engagement with relevant national Government institutions to establish a clear and coordinated approach. Stakeholders emphasised that any resettlement process should be properly planned and communicated to affected communities.

The stakeholders also discussed allegations of misconduct, possible collusion and selective targeting involving some enforcement personnel and community members. Participants called for such allegations to be investigated and appropriate action taken where wrongdoing is established. At the same time, communities were urged to comply with the law and avoid activities that contribute to encroachment or undermine conservation efforts, including illegal cultivation and interference with boundary markers.

UWA also encouraged communities to explore conservation and tourism opportunities around Mt. Elgon, which could contribute to local livelihoods. Stakeholders agreed that Members of Parliament from affected areas should participate in subsequent engagements. District leaders said MPs should participate as a team in planned sensitisation and community engagement exercises rather than leaving the responsibility to the district chairperson and sub-county leaders alone.

Their involvement is expected to provide a platform for national leaders to participate in discussions on community concerns and contribute to issues requiring national-level intervention, particularly resettlement and other major Government measures.

The meeting ended with a commitment to continue consultations among UWA, district authorities, security agencies, MPs and communities despite the lack of consensus on some of the key concerns. District leaders pledged to pursue a peaceful, lawful and coordinated approach to managing Mt. Elgon National Park while seeking solutions to concerns raised by surrounding communities.