Hippo attacks worry Kalangala residents

Residents from two villages in Mugoye Sub-county, Kalangala District are living in fear following a series of attacks by hippopotamuses (hippos).                  

According to the residents of Kibanga and Maboga villages, at least five people have been killed by the animals in the last four months. The Monitor could not independently verify this information by press time.

“The deaths occur when the hippos attack the boats and lead to the drowning of the fishermen as they approach the landing sites,” Mr Twaha Kyomya, the Kibanga Village chairperson, said in an interview at the weekend.

Mr Kyomya added that the hippos are also attacking other domestic animals and have destroyed several gardens.

“Recently, more than six families which had planted maize and beans lost the gardens to the hippos. They have become disastrous,” he said.

The village chairperson said many people have been forced to abandon farming and fishing activities due to fear of being attacked by the wild animals.

Ms Esther Nankajja, a resident of Maboga Village, said the hippos destroyed her maize garden.

“We cannot continue with the farming because the hippos destroy all the crops that we plant. I have lost the maize gardens and have no hope that the hippos will stop attacking our area,” the widow and mother of five said.

Mr Tadeo Kigula, another resident of Maboga Village, said the hippos nearly attacked his children at his home but were scared away by a fire in the kitchen.

“The children were inside the kitchen at around 8pm on December 21 when the hippos came. Hippos fear fire,” he said.

The residents now light fires near their homes and bang empty jerry cans to scare off the animals.

Mr Rajab Ssemakula, the Kalangala District chairperson, said they have registered complaints from the residents and witnessed some of the destruction but are yet to write to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) for intervention.

“We are battling the decreasing taxes from the fishing community and the news about the hippo attacks is a big concern that will be addressed. UWA should be able to resolve this problem. We are going to write to UWA since the attacks have become frequent and a threat to economic activities,” he said.

When contacted at the weekend, Mr Bashir Hangi, the UWA spokesperson, said they are yet to get an official communication from authorities in Kalangala regarding the attacks.  

“Hippos move during the night for fewer hours and the damage caused would be less. However, we wait for the communication from the leaders in Kalangala who will guide our team to make an assessment,” he said.

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