Shock and grief have engulfed the residents of Waiga Village in Bugana parish, Buliisa sub-county in Buliisa district after stray elephants attacked and killed a 75-year-old man leaving one other injured.

The deceased had been identified as Mogo Ungyera, a resident of the Bugana, while the injured is Abraham Ogen Mungu.

Charles Urombi, a resident of Waiga, who doubles as LC1 chairperson and scout in-charge of chasing the elephants, said Mungu told them that they were attacked by stray elephants yesterday (February 12) evening as they were watering their tobacco nursery bed.

Urombi said the deceased was with his two colleagues in the garden and when the Elephant attacked them, they took off, but the elephants caught the deceased as he tried to run for his life.

He added that when Mungu returned while sounding an alarm to rescue the old man, the animals turned against him and injured him severely.

According to Urombi, Mungu was rescued by the residents who responded to the cry for help and was taken to Buliisa General Hospital where he is receiving treatment. 

He added that by the time the resident responded, the old man had been killed by the angry elephant.

Remedies needed

The death of the old man has come at a time when the residents bordering Murchison Falls National Park and Bugungu Wildlife Conservation area are demanding the Government for a remedy to control the continued attacks of the elephants on people’s homes and gardens.

Last year, the residents petitioned the Uganda Wildlife Authority over what they called rampant invasion of elephants and Buffaloes into the community causing massive destruction to their crops and killing of people.

The affected villages include Kaborwa, Kamandindi, Gotyech, Pandiga, Ajiigo, muvulenunda, Bugana, Waiga, Avogera, Kharatum, Kigoya and Katareba from the sub-counties of Buliisa and Ngwendo in sub-counties of Butiaba, Buliisa Ngwedu, Biiso and Buliisa town council, which all share a common border with the parks.  

Richard Oyirwoth, the field office of Tasha Research Institute Africa, a community-based organisation in Buliisa, said several hectares of cassava, maize, beans, sweet potatoes, jack fruits, pawpaws and bananas have been destroyed by wild animals over the years, and residents say that apart from the destruction of crops and property, the animals are a threat to human life.

Albertin region Police spokesperson Julius Hakiiza confirmed the incident and urged the local communities against confronting such animals once they stray into their villages.