Revenge act: Kasese residents kill leopard

Kasese. Residents of Kasenyi Fishing Village, Katwe Sub-county in Kasese District have killed a leopard in revenge attack, after it killed a one-and a half year-old baby.

Residents said Gertrude Ainembabazi had spent the entire Wednesday evening playing with her siblings before the beast attacked and killed her.

The incident occurred after an elephant early this week reportedly killed a three-year-old baby in the same village that neighbours Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda.
Mr John Sibukere, a resident, said the leopard could have been hiding in an abandoned house from which it had earlier killed a goat.

“It went wild after locals attempted to engage it but it was later overpowered,” Mr Sibukere said.
Mr Ben Mutungire, the father of the deceased, said he was not at home by the time of the incident.
“My daughter was attacked and killed by the leopard but her body was taken by security officials without informing me. As I speak now, I don’t know where her body is,” grieved Mutungire said.
Ms Jalia Natukunda, the mother of the deceased, had gone to a nearby shop to buy food items only to return and find her child dead.

The Queen Elizabeth protected area manager, Mr Edward Asalu, on Thursday confirmed the incident saying he is waiting for a report from his field staff.
The Katwe Sub-county chairperson, Mr Cyrus Baluku, said the leopard raided the landing site on Wednesday evening before killing a child who had been left under the care of her siblings.

“I strongly advise residents, especially in the fishing villages, to guard against letting their children outdoors after 7pm and ensure they are in the care of an adult to minimise such unfortunate incidents,” Mr Baluku cautioned.
In July last year, residents of Hamkungu Fishing Village poisoned a pride of lions they accused of preying on their cows.

In 2010, more than six lions were poisoned from the very spot after pastoralists complained of an invasion in an unending conflict between wildlife and people in the area.
However, the human-wildlife conflict has worried conservationists, who cite the dwindling number of wild cats in Uganda.

Decrease in numbers

The poisoning of the pride of 11 climbing lions at Hamukungu Fishing Village, for instance, was the third incident since 2007 when 13 lions were poisoned. Later in 2010, eight lions were also poisoned in the same park.
Mr Edward Asalu, the manager of Queen Elizabeth national park, estimates the current population of lions in the park at 42 out of 400 in the whole country.

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