Farmers in Mubuku Irrigation Scheme, Kasese district are counting losses after wild animals strayed into their gardens.
The wild animals especially Elephants from Queen Elizabeth National Park have destroyed several acres of gardens for the past three days.
Paul Byamugisha, a maize farmer says the animals are subjecting them to losses and poverty considering that they are destroying crops which they have invested in lots of money.
//Cue in “Gavumenti etuyambe…”
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Prossy Masika, a maize farmer says all her hopes have been ruined since the crops in the farm were her only hope to cater for her children's fees and pay back a loan.
Kasese district vice chairman Gideon Ntabosi says vermin animals are discouraging people against farming yet it is the district's major source of income.
He wants the Uganda Wildlife Authority-UWA to increase manpower to ensure the animals do not stray into people's gardens.
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Ntabosi also revealed that the district was in the final stages of writing a petition to parliament asking the August House to expedite the passing of the UWA 2017 Bill.
The district boss says the bill provides for compensation of damages caused by wild animals to the individuals affected.
Ntabosi says Kasese is losing billions of shillings in damages caused by wild animals from Queen Elizabeth National Park.
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Edward Asalu, the Conservation Area Manager Queen Elizabeth National Park, says that compensation is not practical since there is no country where it has been a success.
In 2015, President Museveni directed UWA to devise ways of stopping Elephants from destroying crops. He suggested the growing of tea and beekeeping along the boundaries of the park as biological methods of keeping the stray elephants at bay.
