Stray elephants destroy over 700 acres of crops in Abim, Otuke, Napak
What you need to know:
- The elephants also broke the legs and hands of Mr Emmanuel Ongodia, 45, a resident of Odokojeni Village in Morulem Sub-county and Mr Sam Ebele a resident of Barapua Village in Ogwete Sub-county.
Residents from Abim, Napak and Otuke districts are counting losses after about seven stray elephants destroyed their crops.
The wild animals, which reportedly escaped from Kidepo Valley National Game Park on June 2, destroyed crops planted in over 700 acres as they wandered in the village.
The animals also injured two people in Abim and Otuke Districts who attempted to chase them away from their gardens.
Mr Selestino Opio, the LC3 chairman of Morulem Sub-county in Abim District, confirmed that the elephants caused massive destruction in Morulem Sub-county, Apeitolim Sub-county in Napak and Ogwete Sub-county in Otuke.
He asked the government to compensate the affected farmers.
“Let the government adequately compensate the farmers who have lost their crops. In most cases when the government sends their valuers, they don’t consider the amount of money the farmers have spent on growing their crops right from clearing the bushes,” Mr Opio told this publication on Sunday.
He said the elephants also broke the legs and hands of Mr Emmanuel Ongodia, 45, a resident of Odokojeni Village in Morulem Sub-county and Mr Sam Ebele a resident of Barapua Village in Ogwete Sub-county.
The two are currently admitted to Abim hospital where they are receiving treatment.
“Mr Ongodia was trying to chase the seven elephants from his garden when the wild animals attacked him and broke his legs. He suffered a very serious compound fracture and all his bones are out,” Mr Opio said.
He added: “I called the game rangers, they came and tried to drive the elephants away but they failed after firing a whole magazine of bullets in the air. So, they told residents to keep banging jerrycans to try to scare away the animals but it has instead worsened the situation since the animals have refused to go away but they are just roaming in the area.”
Mr Peter Okweda, the LC3 chairman of Ogwete Sub-county, said the stray elephants appeared at Barlyec Village in Atira Parish where the locals reportedly gathered in large numbers to see them, with many seeing it for their first time.
He said the presence of big numbers of people incited the animals which turned violent and injured one Mr Sam Ebele, a resident of Barapua Village at the border of Ogwete Sub-county in Otuke and Morulem Sub-county in Abim District.
“The elephants attacked and broke his legs and arms leaving him in critical condition but he was rushed for treatment to Abim hospital which is much nearer to his village,” Mr Okweda said.
He said he reported the presence of the elephants in his area to Angaro UPDF Detach which responded and dispersed the community members who had gathered to see the elephants.
“I also called the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and the District Police Commander (DPC) of Otuke to inform them about the presence of the elephants in my area,” Mr Okweda said.
Mr Francis Abola, the Otuke LC5 chairman, advised residents to avoid provoking the animals.
“I am appealing to residents of the areas to avoid moving at night and attacking the animals as we wait for the game rangers to drive them back to where they came from,” he said.
Kidepo Valley National Park is a 1,442 square kilometres national park in the Karamoja region in northeast Uganda. Kidepo is rugged savannah, dominated by the 2,750 metres Mount Morungole and transected by the Kidepo and Narus rivers.
