President commissions Electric Fence in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Thursday, August 1, 2019

President Yoweri Museveni has commissioned a 10-km long deterrent electric fence covering the periphery of the section of Queen Elizabeth National Park lies in Rubirizi District as a measure taken by government to keep away wildlife animals from raiding farmers’ crops.

President Museveni promised the communities the erection of an electric fence when he last visited Rubirizi District. At its completion, the fence will be 40 kms long. 

The fence that starts at Kakari in Kyambura Gorge is an intervention to stave off human and wildlife conflict that especially targets elephants, which are the most notorious marauding crops of the communities surrounding Queen Elizabeth National Park.

 President Museveni informed the gathering at Kyenzaza playground in Rubirizi District that the target is to cover 40 Kms between Kicwamba and Kigarama adding that in the future government will also install CCTV cameras for surveillance purposes against poaching activities.  

He commended the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities along with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Board for implementing the long awaited government program. He used the occasion to warn the communities neighbouring Queen Elizabeth National Park to avoid tampering with the electric powered fence saying anyone who does that risks being electrocuted. 

Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Minister, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu observed that the fence is a great government initiative that eliminates conflict between humans and wildlife species in the park. He clarified that the fence is very effective because it serves to shock and scare away animals but not to kill them.

During the ceremony, the President delegated Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Minister, Prof. Kamuntu to hand over dummy cheques of Revenue Sharing Funds to the beneficiary neighbouring districts of Rubirizi, Kasese, Mitooma, Rukungiri, Kamwenge, Ibanda and Kanungu that will receive 20% each of the Shs.3 billion collected as revenue in the last 2 financial years.

The districts of Bunyangabu, Ntoroko, Kabarole and Bundibugyo will also receive 20% each of the Shs.150 million.

In an interview, the Chief Warden of Queen Elizabeth National Park’s conservation area Mr. Edward Asalu, said the program will be rolled out to all districts neighbouring national parks eventually covering the whole country.

ENDS