Mbale urged to educate locals on park
Jan 07, 2009
LEADERS in the six districts bordering the Mt. Elgon National Park have been urged to educate residents on the benefits of the park. Kapchorwa district chairman Nelson Chelimo said this would minimise encroachment.
By Daniel Edyegu
LEADERS in the six districts bordering the Mt. Elgon National Park have been urged to educate residents on the benefits of the park. Kapchorwa district chairman Nelson Chelimo said this would minimise encroachment.
He was speaking during a farewell party for seven UWA officials at the Mt. Elgon conservation area regional offices in Mbale on Monday.
Chelimo noted that many encroachers like the Benet in Kapchorwa and Bukwo districts, did not understand why UWA was reserving the park.
“It has been difficult for UWA to separate the Benet and the animals in the park. This park is an international tourist attraction that must be conserved at all costs,†Chelimo said.
He said the Government should permanently settle the Benet to stop encroachment.
About 170 Benet families who were evicted from the park, Chelimo said, had been temporarily resettled at Benet sub-county in Kapchorwa.
Seven officials including Johnson Masereka, the area conservation manager, were transferred to various parks and wildlife reserves.
Masereka has been moved to Lake Mburo conservation area in western Uganda. He will be replaced by Adonia Bintora, who has been at Lake Mburo.
Masereka said since 1993 when the park was gazzetted by an Act of Parliament, UWA had recovered over 3,000 hectares of land from encroachers. The area covers Kapchorwa, Bukwo, Bududa, Sironko, Mbale and Manafwa districts.
LEADERS in the six districts bordering the Mt. Elgon National Park have been urged to educate residents on the benefits of the park. Kapchorwa district chairman Nelson Chelimo said this would minimise encroachment.
He was speaking during a farewell party for seven UWA officials at the Mt. Elgon conservation area regional offices in Mbale on Monday.
Chelimo noted that many encroachers like the Benet in Kapchorwa and Bukwo districts, did not understand why UWA was reserving the park.
“It has been difficult for UWA to separate the Benet and the animals in the park. This park is an international tourist attraction that must be conserved at all costs,†Chelimo said.
He said the Government should permanently settle the Benet to stop encroachment.
About 170 Benet families who were evicted from the park, Chelimo said, had been temporarily resettled at Benet sub-county in Kapchorwa.
Seven officials including Johnson Masereka, the area conservation manager, were transferred to various parks and wildlife reserves.
Masereka has been moved to Lake Mburo conservation area in western Uganda. He will be replaced by Adonia Bintora, who has been at Lake Mburo.
Masereka said since 1993 when the park was gazzetted by an Act of Parliament, UWA had recovered over 3,000 hectares of land from encroachers. The area covers Kapchorwa, Bukwo, Bududa, Sironko, Mbale and Manafwa districts.