The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities is set to spend about nine hundred million shillings to compensate victims of wildlife invasions across the country.
Some three hundred victims are expected to be compensated from the scheme.
The compensation is in accordance with section 83 of the Uganda Wildlife Act, 2019 that permits the compensation of individuals who have suffered loss due to wildlife incursions.
The Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, said that the intended beneficiaries are currently being verified by the committee.
“The Wildlife Compensation Verification Committee responsible for authentication of claims has been fully constituted and is set to commence work, “The human-wildlife conflict emanates from human encroachment on grazing land,” he said.
Minister Butime adds that the government will generate a list of victims who will benefit from the compensation scheme for accountability and transparency of the process.
According to the Minister, the government will also engage in high-level sensitization of the communities living near the parks.
The government, through UWA, has been rolling out mitigation measures such as electric fencing, trench digging, and bee-keeping; animal rescue and translocation; and supporting livelihood projects which are curtailed by a funding deficit.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority employs over 600,000 Ugandans and also generates over 2.5% of Uganda’s GDP for the tourism sector annually.
