By KT Reporter
The Government has announced plans to construct electric fences around residential communities bordering Uganda’s national parks in a renewed effort to curb escalating human-wildlife conflict that lawmakers say is destroying livelihoods, threatening food security and costing lives.
The state minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Susan Nakawuki, told Parliament on Tuesday that fencing has already commenced along sections of Queen Elizabeth National Park bordering Rukungiri and Mitooma districts, with similar interventions planned for other protected areas as funding becomes available.
The announcement came amid growing pressure from legislators representing communities neighbouring national parks, who accuse government of failing to adequately protect residents from marauding wildlife or fairly compensate victims.
“This is a very expensive venture, and we are doing it step by step. Materials are available and work on the fence from Rukungiri to Mitooma started last week. For Lake Mburo National Park, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has already requested funding, but we have not yet received it,” Nakawuki told the House.
The matter was raised by Wilson Kajwengye (NRM, Nyabushozi County), who painted a grim picture of worsening conflict between wildlife and communities surrounding Lake Mburo National Park.
He said wild animals have repeatedly invaded farms in five sub-counties of Kiruhura District, destroying crops, damaging communal water sources and, in some cases, killing residents.
“These are people who have been food-secure for a long time. Because of these invasions, they have now become food-insecure and destitute. The frustration among the communities is understandable,” Kajwengye said.
He urged government to provide emergency food relief and planting materials to affected households while accelerating long-term interventions to prevent further destruction.
Pending construction of the proposed electric fence, Kajwengye called for the excavation of protective trenches around the park as an immediate barrier against wildlife. “If fencing cannot be undertaken immediately, trenching should be considered as a temporary measure to stop wild animals from destroying crops,” he added.
Beyond physical barriers, lawmakers questioned the adequacy of Uganda’s wildlife compensation framework.
Kajwengye argued that although the Uganda Wildlife Act, Cap. 200 establishes a legal framework for compensating victims of human-wildlife conflict, the existing compensation regime remains inadequate and excludes damage caused by several problematic wildlife species.
“The guidelines used to determine compensation are grossly unfavourable to communities. Some destructive wild animals are inexplicably excluded, yet they compete with livestock for pasture and destroy crops just like those covered under the law,” he said.
He also urged government to increase the revenue-sharing allocation to host communities from 20 percent to 40 percent, arguing that people living alongside protected areas bear disproportionate conservation costs while receiving limited economic benefits.
The Uganda Wildlife Act, 2019 introduced mandatory compensation for death, injury and property damage arising from encounters with wildlife, while the Uganda Wildlife Compensation Regulations, 2022 prescribe the procedures and rates for compensation. However, implementation has remained contentious, with many communities complaining of delays, low payouts and restrictive eligibility criteria.
Responding to the concerns, Nakawuki revealed that the compensation regulations are currently under review.
“Compensation for persons affected by human-wildlife conflict is guided by the Uganda Wildlife Compensation Regulations of 2022, and these regulations are currently being amended,” she said.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa described the issue as one affecting numerous constituencies across Uganda and directed the Committee on Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to investigate the concerns in collaboration with the Ministry.
The committee was given 45 days to examine the effectiveness of the compensation regulations, assess proposals to increase revenue sharing and recommend measures to strengthen protection for communities bordering national parks.
“This issue affects many members in this House. The Committee on Tourism should engage the Ministry on the compensation regulations and proposals to increase the revenue-sharing percentage. These are matters Parliament must carefully examine,” Tayebwa said.
Uganda’s network of national parks and wildlife reserves underpins one of the country’s fastest-growing tourism sectors, contributing significantly to employment, foreign exchange earnings and biodiversity conservation. Yet communities living along park boundaries continue to shoulder the costs of conservation through crop destruction, livestock losses, damaged infrastructure and occasional fatalities.
The debate in Parliament once again exposed the delicate balance between protecting wildlife and safeguarding the livelihoods of neighbouring communities.
While electric fencing offers a potential long-term solution, legislators argued that meaningful progress will ultimately depend on adequate financing, timely compensation, stronger community participation and a conservation model that ensures those living closest to Uganda’s protected areas also share more equitably in their benefits-Parliament Watch Ug. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
