The solar-powered project was launched with the construction of a 10-kilometer stretch at Kyanzeza Village of Kirugu Sub County, Rubirizi district along Queen Elizabeth National park. Upon the completion of the 10-kilometer Kyanzeza stretch, which is expected to take four months, another nine kilometres, will be fenced extending up to Kigarama.
Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has started the construction of an electric fence along national parks in the country. The move is one of the strategies to prevent animals from straying into communities, destroying plantations and threatening lives.
The solar-powered project was launched with the symbolic construction of a 10-kilometer stretch at Kyanzeza Village of Kirugu Sub County, Rubirizi district along Queen Elizabeth National park. Upon the completion of the 10-kilometer Kyanzeza stretch, which is expected to take four months, another nine kilometres, will be fenced extending up to Kigarama.
This will also be followed by a 30-kilometer stretch separating the community of Muhokya Sub County in Kasese district from the park and another 10-kilometer stretch on Murchison Falls National Park.
The Head of the Directorate of Community Conservation at UWA George Owoyesigyire said that in total, the construction will cover 59-kilometers across two national parks in a pilot study, funded by the Ministry of Tourism and The Space for Giants, a Kenya-based charity which works with local communities to prevent human-wildlife conflict.
According to Owoyesigyire, every single kilometer of the fence will cost USD 6,000 (22 million Shillings), implying that the pilot project will cost USD 354,000 (1.3 billion Shillings) will have en spent.
Annah Karema, a resident of Kyanzeza village said the project is overdue. She added that families were breaking up because the heads were spending most of the night time away from home to protect their farms from the animals.
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Cue out…omuhwezi waitu."//
However, Rubirizi District Chairperson Selevest Agubanshongorera appealed to the wildlife body to expedite the construction of the project across the communities neighboring all the national parks in the country.
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Cue out…naho tuhaheze."//
Tourism Minister Prof Ephraim Kamuntu appealed to the community to protect the infrastructure which comes as a relief to farmers whose crops have perennially been destroyed by the stray animals. He said once proved to be effective, the project will be rolled out across all the national parks in the country.
He also cautioned communities against engaging in activities that are a threat to nature.
