Kasese District Security Committee Orders Parks To Protect Stray Animals.

The Kasese District Security Committee has directed the Chief Park Warden Queen Elizabeth National Park, Tom Okello, to protect wild animals from raiding neighboring Community.
The order stems from the numerous complaints about the stray wild game which have be come a source of insecurity.
On May 26th,elephants invaded Kisinga Sub-County destroying 10 acres of Maize and banana plantations.
Captain James Mwesigye, the Kasese Resident District Commissioner, told journalists in Kasese that that some sub-counties neighboring the park have been hit by a famine as a result of the marauding elephants.
He noted that it's the responsibility of the Park authorities to protect the animals from invading the people's crops.
The RDC described it as unacceptable for the population to become slaves of the national Parks.
Mzee John Ntungwa of Kabirizi said parents have stopped their children from attending classes to guard their gardens against stray animals.
Ntungwa reported that they have petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi, asking him to enforce the amendment of the current laws that governs the national parks and the neighboring communities.
Under the current laws no compensation from the National Parks once a wild animal destroy crops nor kills the community neighboring the national parks.
The Kisinga Sub- County Chairperson said the recently launched Horticulture program in the district will not effectively benefit the population if an action is taken to strengthen the animal management committees formed at village levels.
Benjamin Baita said Uganda Wildlife Authority has failed to protect their animals and increase poverty to the neighboring population.
UWA insists that the 20percent revenue sharing from the gate collection intends to recover the loss incurred and is released monthly.
But the population insists that the funds is to small and benefits groups not the individuals.
Tom Okello, the Queen Elizabeth National Park Chief Warden, said they intended to rehabilitate the former posts used to scare stray animals against attacking the population.