UWA to Compensate People Affected by Wild Animals in Murchison Fall National Park

Date:

Share post:

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) on June 15th, 2023, launched a new compensation policy for human deaths, injuries, and property damage caused by wild animals outside Murchison Fall National Park boundaries.

According to Bashir Hangi, the communication manager at UWA, the compensation will depend on the evaluation of properties, and up to Shs 20 million will be paid to families in cases where a human death was caused by a wild animal outside the protected area.

“The authorities will compensate up to Shs 20 million to families in cases of human death (death is caped) caused by a wild animal, and other compensation will depend on the valuation of properties,” he said.

During the meeting with the local leaders, Godfrey Rubangakeni, the Wildlife Warden in Masindi, said that the policy intends to ensure financial help for families affected by such an unfortunate situation and foster a better awareness of animal conservation.

“This financial aid aims to alleviate the burden faced by the families and demonstrates the UWA’s commitment to preserving wildlife heritage,” he said.

Rubangakeni stressed the importance of timely reporting of incidents involving wild interference to ensure proper documentation and submission of files to higher authorities.

“Report within three days in case of any attack by a wild animal so that we can escalate to higher authorities. This increases the chances of assessment and potential compensation for the affected individuals or their families,” he added.

UWA is also conducting a sensitization campaign on sharing space with the area’s fauna since, according to officials, sensitization fosters a greater understanding and regard for wild creatures while lowering conflicts between them and humans.

Related articles

Uganda’s Fuel Prices Continue to Drop Despite ‘Experts’ Criticisms on Tax Increase

Ugandans are currently witnessing a significant drop in the prices of fuel across the country, which have reached...

Security is the Bedrock of Development—Col Katabazi to Teso RDCs, DISOs 

Colonel Emmy Katabazi, the Deputy Director General of the Internal Security Organization (ISO), has told the Resident City...

EASF holds 33rd Policy Meeting to Enhance Regional Security

The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) officially commenced its 33rd Policy Organs Meeting at the Kigali Convention Centre...

NUP Asylum Seekers Face Deportation Over Forged Document

In a troubling development, several asylum seekers associated with the National Unity Platform (NUP) are facing imminent deportation...