Government finally completes Mt Elgon survey

Mt Elgon

Mbale- The government has completed the boundary survey of Mt Elgon National Park. The survey was meant to streamline ownership of the land and bring to an end the long standing conflicts between Uganda Wildlife Authority and neighbouring communities that have left many dead and several displaced.

This comes after leaders in the Elgon Sub-region petitioned the government on several occasions calling for its intervention in the unending clashes that had led to loss of lives, property, displacement and mistrust.

According to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development spokesperson, Mr Dennis Obbo, the ministry used the statutory gazette document for Mt Elgon to start the surveys from February last year and completed the surveys in December 2017.

“The lands ministry led the survey and we completed the surveys in December. We’re putting together the information into a report before we give it to parliament and later to the chairpersons of the Mt Elgon districts anytime,” said Mr Obbo last week.

The Elgon area conservation manager, Mr Fred Kizza, explained that the perennial squatter problem in Mt Elgon area once again topped on the survey and that the report will proffer a solution without compromising the ecological functions of the park.

“We are just waiting for the report and we are sure it will provide for compensation of those staying in the park or resettlement which we are ready to provide as UWA,” Mr Kizza said.

He explained that the report will bring to an end the long standing court battles involving UWA and the communities and High Court injunctions that had restrained the eviction of people and accelerated encroachment at the tourist resource. Mr Kizza said since the court injunctions were issued in 2006, encroachment on the national park expanded to 144.19 square kilometres by local communities; the Benet [Kween], Kapsegek [Bukwo], 48 Zesui families [Sironko] and some families in Namisindwa district.

“And for small families that are illegally in the park, the report recommends eviction and we shall act on this to save the park from further encroachment,” Mr Kizza said.

The minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Prof Ephraim Kamuntu, said the target is to re-map and demarcate the national park land in an effort to curb conflicts between UWA and the encroachers and protect the natural resource.