Nwoya farmers count losses, blame wildlife rangers as elephants wreak havoc on gardens

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The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers have been accused of slow response to areas invaded by stray elephants.

For the past weeks, stray elephants from Murchison Falls National Park stormed areas in Nwoya district, destroying acres of crops, including maize, soybeans, and cassava.

Sarah Akello, a resident of Ceke Village in Lii sub-county, on August 5, 2025, said it took the rangers three days to respond to their distress call when the stray elephants stormed their area two weeks ago.

Akello said she lost four acres of maize and three acres of cassava to the wild animals.

James Kilama, a resident of Agonga A village in Koch Goma Sub-County, said they are frustrated with the rangers for failing to protect the locals.

Koch Goma sub-county chairperson Francis Ojok expressed his concern over the sluggish response by UWA rangers to the affected communities, saying he alerted them several times, but they took their time to respond.

However, UWA Community Conservation warden in charge of Murchison Falls National Park Wilson Kagoro insisted on the timely reporting of cases of attacks by stray wild animals for a swift response.

400 elephants chased from Abim

The army on August 2 said it had the day earlier, evicted a herd of about 400 elephants from Kidepo National Park that had invaded neighbouring Abim district, causing panic in the population amidst widespread destruction of agricultural fields and farmland.

"The UPDF Air Force promptly responded today (Saturday) by deploying helicopters that have successfully driven back the marauding elephants to the Kidepo game reserve. Decisive action to the threat of food security for the people in the area," Chris Magezi of the Uganda army posted on X, formerly Twitter.