Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Launches Safety Education Campaign in Mayuge/Busoga to Curb Human-Wildlife Conflict
Mayuge/Busoga – The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has initiated an awareness campaign to educate communities living near water bodies and protected areas on how to coexist safely with wildlife, particularly hippos and crocodiles, which have increasingly attacked residents in the region. The campaign, which began today, involved UWA officials visiting several landing sites in Mayuge District, where they engaged with communities directly affected by human-wildlife conflicts.
UWA teams visited multiple landing sites across Mayuge, addressing residents who have long expressed concerns about the dangers posed by wild animals while they fish or collect water.
One of the victims, Juma Munana, a 25-year-old fisherman from Masaka B Landing Site in Mbira Village, Bukatube Sub-County, Mayuge District, can no longer fish due to severe injuries sustained after a crocodile attack while he was fishing on the lake.
Another resident, Farouk Kasadha, who also fishes at the same landing site, lost his fishing partner, Musimami Talyaka, to a crocodile that killed him and left behind three grandchildren.
Both Juma and Farouk emphasized the need for greater responsibility from the authorities to address these recurring incidents.
The Masaka B Landing Site supports over 600 people, most of whom are fishermen who now live in constant fear of hippos and crocodiles that roam the waters.
In response, UWA has launched an educational program to teach residents how to protect themselves while working or fetching water near wildlife habitats.
“We are educating communities on safety measures, such as avoiding early morning and late evening fishing, traveling in groups, and using noise-making devices to scare away animals.”
The UWA team has already visited several landing sites across Busoga, including Wambete in Mayuge and Kiwaaba in Nkondo Sub-County, Buyende District. At Kiwaaba, residents reported similar challenges with crocodile attacks.
UWA is also implementing a compensation scheme for victims of wildlife attacks. Under the new guidelines, families of those killed will receive UGX 20 million, individuals with permanent injuries will be compensated UGX 15 million, and those with minor injuries will receive UGX 7 million, pending verification by a designated committee.
UWA continues to expand its outreach to other landing sites across Busoga, where human-wildlife conflicts have persisted for years. The authority remains committed to reducing these incidents through education, community engagement, and timely compensation for affected families.
