Elgon police to investigate UWA staff at Mt Elgon National Park.
Mbale municipal police will look into staff members of Uganda Wildlife Authority in Mountain Elgon National Park. Ten employees of Uganda Wildlife Authority have been seen in a case involving the destruction of locally grown crops in Mountain Elgon National Park, claims Mr. Jacob Opolot. He emphasized that they should report themselves as they know themselves before police arrive searching for them.
The police head ordered Uganda animal Authority to leave all communities using territory claimed to belong to Mt Elgon National Park until clear borders are established, therefore reducing human and animal conflict. Mr. James Okware, the chief warden of Mountain Elgon National Park, also asked police to investigate further and arrest the actual offenders engaged in the destruction of community crops something that could lead to negative effects between the local communities and conservation efforts around Mountain Elgon National Park.
As investigations take form, many community complaints still find resonance. Others have claimed that personnel of Uganda Wildlife Authority extorted money from them in order not to damage their crops while others are advocating that instead of prosecuting those engaged, they should be found and made to pay for what they destroyed.
Mountain Elgon National Park hours on the volcanic mountain with the biggest Caldera worldwide. Two East African nations, Uganda and Kenya, share Mountain Elgon National Park; the major activity in the National Park is mountain trekking, where one may spend up to four days to reach the top.
From Kampala, the capital of Uganda, Mountain Elgon National Park is around five to six hours’ drive away. The journey passes through Mabira Forest, the largest low land tropical forest in central Uganda, to Jinja town, where many tourist activities including grade five white water rafting, Bungie Jumping and Quadi biking take place.
The road then leads you through tiny settlements until you arrive at Mbale town, which was intended to be Uganda’s capital by then—designed and planned by then the president of the republic of Uganda Ida Amin.
From Kampala to Mbale town, road is the major means of transportation to mountain Elgon National Park; it is also very smooth and well-kept. Apart from Mount Elgon Hotel, there are not many posh lodging facilities for those luxury guests planning to visit Mountain Elgon National Park.
To reduce such disputes that might subsequently influence conservation efforts, Uganda Wildlife Authority must prioritize the requirements of the surrounding local populations living near park borders.
The residents of Lake Mburo National Park last week urged Uganda Wildlife Authority to change the wildlife legislation so that individuals who depend on the park and its species would be paid instead of merely supporting wildlife protection at the cost of the people. Therefore, it is envisaged that if the local people’ issues are taken into account, then we should start to witness improved outcomes and cooperation between Uganda Wildlife authority and the surrounding communities in too far future.
