Suspected poachers have vandalised about 5km of electric fencing around Murchison Falls National Park, raising concerns that wild animals could stray into neighbouring communities, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has said.
On Monday, Mr Movadi Turyatemba, the warden in charge of law enforcement at Murchison Falls National Park, told Monitor in an interview that an investigation had been launched but no suspect had been arrested.
Mr Turyatemba said the vandalised section measures approximately 5km and that authorities suspect poachers were behind the destruction.
He warned that the damage could allow wild animals to leave the park and enter neighbouring communities.
‘We are getting challenged because our electric stretch is being vandalised by poachers with the intention of going into the park to poach,’ Mr Turyatemba said.
In 2022, UWA embarked on an electric fencing project to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts by preventing wild animals from encroaching on neighbouring communities.
However, Mr Turyatemba said poachers and possibly members of surrounding communities were vandalising the fences, creating openings through which wild animals could enter settlements and injure residents.
‘Every day we must send our team for inspections because they normally damage this fence at night, and more than 5 kilometres of fence were vandalised around Oyam district,’ he told the Daily Monitor.
‘The affected areas are in Oyam district in the parish of Juma parish, Zambia parish, Akuridia parish and Bombay parish, all in the sub-county of Myene and Kamdini,’ he said.
Mr Turyatemba said the damaged sections posed a threat to neighbouring communities because wild animals could stray into settlements and destroy property. He urged local leaders to sensitise residents against vandalising the fences.
Since 2022, UWA has installed 126km of electric fencing around Murchison Falls National Park as part of efforts to address human-wildlife conflict in Buliisa, Masindi, Nwoya, Oyam and Kiryandongo districts.
Residents in these areas have previously complained about frequent incursions by wild animals into their communities. Elephants, in particular, have repeatedly destroyed crops when they cross into settlements neighbouring the national park.
Bonny Omara, the LC2 chairperson of Juma Parish in Kamdini Sub-county, Oyam District, also blamed the vandalism on poachers.
‘This thing is happening, and these are poachers because they still go there illegally for poaching at night, and they fear being electrocuted once they come in contact with the fence,’ Mr Omara said.
Mr Omara said residents had been spared incursions by wild animals, particularly elephants and buffaloes, but warned that the destruction of the fences could expose them to renewed attacks.
‘We have been free from incursions by wild animals, especially elephants and buffaloes, but such acts could see us experiencing attacks by wild animals. We condemn the acts, and we don’t accept anyone vandalising these fences,’ he added.