UWA battling poachers in Murchison Falls Park

By C. Lubangakene

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is seriously tackling the scourge of poaching in Murchison Falls National Park from the neighbouring communities.

Several poachers have been arrested and cautioned while others have been prosecuted.
Statistics from UWA reveal that at least 104 poachers have been arrested in the park  while 75 were convicted between January and July this year.

Some leaders in Nwoya district accuse the authority of arresting their sons. 
The leaders also accuse UWA of taking suspects for prosecution in Buliisa district  instead of Gulu which is nearer.

“We shall not renew our relationship with UWA unless they bring  the four people  they arrested in the park. We are telling our people not to sell  food to the park rangers until they tell us where the four people are,” the district chairman, Patrick Okello Oryema, said.

“We have given UWA one month to produce these four people otherwise we shall not revive the relationship with them,” the district Woman MP, Lily Adong, said.

However, some leaders disagree with the district council.
“It is not proper to pass such a resolution. We should  find solutions together because the park is also helping Nwoya. Twenty percent of the revenue collected  is shared among the parishes  around the park,” Simon Peter Oryem, the Anaka town LC3 chairman, said.

The area conservation manager, Tom Okello Obong, said: “We don’t kill the people who enter the park illegally. We arrest and prosecute or hand them back to the community.”

Obong revealed that they have identified several poaching hotspots depending on the type of equipment used.

He said at the peak of the poaching, especially during the dry season, they arrest at least 50 poachers a month.Numbers are high during the dry season because the locals look for alternative sources of livelihood due to the scarcity of food.

Obong advised the leaders to work with UWA in sensitising the people on the importance of wildlife conservation.
He showed journalists  poaching equipment  recovered from poachers over the last one year.

Minister without portfolio Richard Todwong warned people against entering the park illegally. He told UWA to prevent animals like elephants and buffaloes from straying into the land of the local communities.

Obong also revealed that over 400 recruits were undergoing training to be deployed as rangers who will fight the problem of straying animals.