REPORT FOLLOWING THE ADVOCANCY

MEETING

9TH JUNE, 2025

TO: THE DIRECTOR, BCCP

FROM: JAMES BYAHATI

Dear Sir,

RE: REPORT FOLLOWING THE ADVOCANCY MEETING

HELD ON 29TH MAY 2025 AT HOCADEO BOARDROOM
I humbly submit the Report following the advocacy meeting that took
place on the 29th may 2025 at HOCADEO boardroom in Hoima for your
awareness and necessary action.
BACKGROUND
This Advocacy meeting was organised by Justice and Peace Commission (JPC)
an arm of the Catholic church that promotes peace and justice in the entire
globe.
Basing on the existing conflicts between human and wild life in Bunyoro, JPC
deemed it right and fitting to call a meeting of the various stake holders to
share experiences and chat a way forward on this matter.
THEME:
ENHANCING PEACEFUL CO-EXISTANCE OF HUMAN AND WILDLIFE IN
BUNYORO
ATTENDANCE:
This advocacy meeting drew participants from Uganda Wildlife Authority,
Uganda Human Rights Commission, BCCP, HOCADEO, Chairpersons LC3, where
the conflicts between wildlife and humans have been reoccurring time and
again (Muhoro sub county, Kitoba Sub county, Kyabigambire sub county, and
Buliisa sub county) to mention but a few.
AGENDA
1. Prayer and introduction
2. Welcoming remarks from JPC Development Officer
3. Communication from the executive secretary JPC
4. Breakfast
5. Human-Wildlife Co-existence in the Region (perspective of UWA)
6. The situation of the Human-wildlife co- existence in selected sub
counties
7. Discussion way forward
8. Closing remarks and prayer
9. Lunch.

1 OPENING PRAYER

The opening prayer was led by Rev Fr DEO RUBAGUMYA

2. WELCOMING REMARKS BY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER JPC

The Peace and Justice Commission Development Officer Madam Akullo

Brenda remarked as follows;
JPC was a department of the Hoima catholic Diocese.
She said that there have been several incidences of wild life attack on
humans and basing on the cases below;
- On 9th feb 2025 in Buliisa, Kutegeka Eunice 59 yrs, was killed by an
elephant.
- In March 2024, Bridget Kalulina 28 yrs was killed by an elephant in
Buliisa.
- Dancan a boda boda rider had his motorcycle severely damaged by
elephants in Buliisa.
Section 84 of the Uganda wildlife act chapter 19 provides for
compensation of the injured and loss of property.
The Act provides for the procedure to be followed to get compensation.
The primary purpose of the meeting was to advocate for
implementation of the existing laws.
3. COMMUNICATION FROM THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY JPC
The executive secretary of Justice and Peace Commission Hoima Catholic
Diocese Rev Fr Deo Rubagumya made the following remarks.
• Justice and Peace Commission started in Uganda in 1995 to advocate
for peace and justice given the then prevailing situations of
insurgences and other post NRA bush war effects.
• JPC incorporates other aspects and environmental conservation of
both wild and aquatic life is one of them.
• On Tuesday the previous week there was massive invasion of
elephants in Masindi district and they destroyed several crops of
people and communities are now insecure and living in great fear.
• The government had promised to install electric fences along the
national park but its implementation is very slow.
• He called for a collective effort in advocating for peaceful co-
existence between human and wildlife.

4. HUMAN WILD LIVE CO-EXISTANCE IN THE REGION (PERSPECTIVE

OF UWA)

The UWA community liaisons officer Mr. Wilson Kagoro had this to say;
• He thanked JPC for the concern and for organising the advocacy
meeting.
• The Human and wild life conflict had been around for quite a long
time.
• As UWA, they have always been called to handle conflict.
• Whenever confronted with the conflict, the community always
measured the performance of the concerned organisation by how
quick they respond to the reported conflict.
• As UWA they have finished putting up a 6 kms electric fence in Buliisa
and they expect to add more as soon as funds are available.
• The challenge was that the elephants eat too much and they forced
to move a lot in search for food.
• In total 26 kms have already been constructed, and the plan is
underway to cover 433 km around Murchison National park.
• They had a method of digging trenches but these ones are out dated
given the fact that elephants are highly adaptive animals.
• The priority was to protect human life.
• Advocating growing unpalatable crops by communities along the park
such as garlic, beetroot along the side bee keeping as alternative
 livelihood. 3 bn shillings was ear marked for farmers organised in
groups.
• UWA also encourages communities to promote ECO tourism outside
the park which can benefit everybody.
• Translocation has been implemented on crocodiles to relocate them.
UWA has gone ahead to train volunteer crocodile scouts from the
communities on how they capture them.
• There is heed for agencies which can look for funding to support the
communities faced with these challenges.
• Advocacy for behavioural change is much heeded to the communities
living alongside areas with crocodiles, victims of crocodiles never
survive.
• The chimpanzees being great apes like human beings, are territorial
in nature and they cannot be relocated.
• Females can be welcomed but male chimpanzees are always engaged
in wars to fight the intruders by trying to relocate them you sacrifice
them.
• UWA has always responded to reports from BCCP and worked a long
side them in responding to conflicts, the only challenge has been the
communities being so furious and angry to the extent of not wanting
to listen to any body.
• The new law provides and compels UWA to compensate the victims
as long as they follow the right procedure;
~ Report to the chairperson LC 1
~ Inform the police and get the reference number.
~ Inform UWA and the staff will come.
~ inform the Agricultural officer in case the damage is on crops,
veterinary officer for animals. Injury or death inform the medical
officer.
~ You are supposed to inform UWA not beyond 3 days or 72 hours.
~ Forward the form of compensation not later than six months.
~ Investigations are carried out first and in case of cited element of
negligence there will be no compensation.

5. THE SITUATION OF THE HUMAN –WILD LIFE CO- EXISTANCE IN

SELECTED SUB COUNTIES, LC3, BULIISA
 LC 3 BULIISA
The chairperson LC 3 Buliisa sub county Mr Kabagambe commander
had to raise the following issues.
• Buliisa has got the problem of elephants and crocodiles.
• For the four years he has spent in leadership since 2021 they have
lost seven people.
• A lot of community sensitisation has been carried out to raise
awareness.
• The challenges encountered in processing compensation to the
victims.
• For someone to bring an officer for assessment they ask for fuel.
• There was someone who was killed by a crocodile and to process the
compensation they asked the relatives to bring the letters of
administration which can now cost between 600,000 shillings and
one million shillings.
• Victims getting paid money much less than what was valued.
• Delay in settling the compensations to the victims.
• There is a school which is always disturbed by elephants every
morning by 8:00 a.m. they invade the school compound disrupting
the learning process.

LC 3 KITOBA

The chairperson Mr Kaliisa ABooki informed members that situation

in Kitoba of human- wildlife conflict is not like in other areas as stated
above. This was because BCCP had done a great work in the sub
county through sensitisation and putting in place various alternative
livelihoods. He said conflicts have been there before but now they
are reduced. He said that people were lacking the knowledge about
why should chimpanzees be conserved. On that note he invited the
project manager Bulindi chimpanzees and community project Mr
Moses give the of conserving chimpanzees and he presented as
below;
A. Chimpanzees have got a right to live on protected and private land
and are protected by both domestic and international laws.
B. Chimpanzees are our next relatives (brothers and sisters) and
have 98.8% genetic makeup of a man.
 C. Chimpanzees are endangered as classified by international bodies
meaning they are rapidly reducing in number.
D. They act as a source of revenue through tourism.
E. The chimpanzees need to be preserved for the future generation
to see them.
F. They act as important resource of conducting scientific studies.

MUHORO SUB COUNTY

Mr. Kanyaruga Charles Lwanga from Bunyoro tourism and

environmental conservation program a community based
organisation in Muhoro raised these issues below.
• As an organisation they have tried to work with UWA on several
occasions.
• Very many children in Muhoro have died out of chimpanzees attacks.
Children tend to harass chimps and they in turn retaliate by killing
them.
• Last year the chimp grabbed the child from the mother’s back and he
ended up being killed.
• The rate of human –chimpanzee conflict was very very high in
Muhoro sub county.

LC 3 KYABIGAMBIRE SUB COUNTY

Mr. Alex Mwesigwa the chairperson LC 3 Kyabigambire sub county

took the floor by thanking BCCP for the wonderful work they are
doing in the sub county of Kyabigambire and elsewhere by promoting
peaceful co- existence with chimpanzees. He outlined all the
programs that are being implemented by BCCP that have helped to
reduce conflicts.

VICTIM

Teacher Akugizibwe Conceptor told the meeting that the number of

chimpanzees in Kihomboza have grown so high to the tune of about
35 of them and they are so destructive. She said her family lost 6
goats and when she reported to UWA, the staff came and he
 promised to help them get compensated but up to then nothing had
happened.

WAY FORWARD

• Follow up on the formation of the district verification committees

and enhance the process of compensation.
• Advocating for implementation of the law regarding compensation.
• Engaging the ministry on the issue of compensation and how it is
being done.
• UWA promised to give out tree seedlings for wood lots to
communities around the park to reduce on the risk of going inside to
look for firewood.
• Advocating for behaviour change of the communities living where
crocodiles are prevalent.
• Engaging oil companies to support initiatives of alternative
livelihoods.
• The Justice and Peace coordinators under JPC are to continue being
alert and respond to emergencies rapidly.
• The catholic church pledged to carry out awareness creation on
pulpits every Sundays and in their periodical newsletters.
• Need to establish rehabilitation centres for wild life victims.