Farmers in Bunyama village, located near Murchison Falls National Park in Kiryandongo District, are pleading for urgent relief following a fresh wave of wildlife attacks on their crops.
Over the weekend, elephants invaded the area, destroying more than 10 acres of maize and banana plantations in a single night leaving families in despair and pushing many to the brink of hunger.
Jacklyn Awori, one of the affected farmers, shared her ordeal, revealing that she expected to harvest 40 bags of maize this season but ended up with only 20 kilograms. “We are struggling to survive,” she said, noting that this is the eighth consecutive season elephants have raided their farms.
Despite repeated promises of electric fencing since 2021, the villagers say no action has been taken. “Our leaders have abandoned us to wild animals,” said Godfrey Kisembo, another farmer. “We’ve cried out to the authorities, but no one listens.”
David Ogwang, the LC1 Chairperson of Bunyama, confirmed the destruction and appealed to Uganda Wildlife Authority and district officials for immediate intervention. “If nothing is done, the whole village could face hunger,” he warned.
Nelson Osaga, the LC3 Chairperson of Kyankende Sub-county, called the situation unfortunate and said that although local leaders have tried to mitigate the problem, the elephant incursions have continued. He added that an appeal has already been made to the central government to prioritize fencing off the park in high-risk areas.
