Kasese residents want UWA to expedite compensation

Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Communities neighbouring Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kasese District have asked the Uganda wildlife Authority- UWA to expedite compensation of people whose livelihood is affected by wildlife.  

In 2019, President Museveni assented to the Wildlife Act 2019. According to the Act, compensation will be given to a person who suffers bodily injury or is killed or suffers damage to his or her property by wild animals. This will be effected when the person’s legal representative submits a claim to the wildlife compensation verification committee.

The committee shall verify a claim and submit it to the board together with its recommendation.

However, residents neighbouring the National Park say that they are yet to be compensated for their property damaged by wild animals.

Geoffrey Kasozi a model farmer in Karusandara Sub County questions why the compensation clause has been handled slowly yet the wild animals continue to cause havoc in communities including destroying crops and injuring people. 

Kasozi says their appeal to Members of Parliament to follow up on the matter has so far been futile. 

Erikanjeru Bwakaboinohwa, neighbouring Queen Elizabeth National Park in Tweyambe village says wild animals attack victims survive without help due to the absence of a legal instrument. 

According to Bwakaiboinohwa, one of his relatives was attacked by a hippo but has never been assisted and he is still struggling to recover. 

Damali Kambakali a resident of Muhokya says that she was shocked when on two occasions her efforts to get compensation for her destroyed cotton garden were futile.  According to Kambakali UWA promised to send her a team to assess the damages she suffered but this has been in vain. 

“To date, I have not seen anyone from UWA at my home,” Kambakali said.

Richard Kiiza Wamara farmer in Nyakatonzi says many community members notably pastoralists have been punished under the new law.  He says that several cows found grazing in the National Park has been confiscated. 

But the UWA Spokesperson Bashir Hanji, says that the authority is currently developing the regulations to guide on compensation.

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