Two women have been killed by elephants in Nwoya district, northern Uganda, in the latest incident of escalating human-wildlife conflict in the area.
The victims, identified as 26-year-old Scovia Ayiyorwoth and 46-year-old Doreen Akumu, were attacked on Friday evening as they returned home from collecting firewood. Witnesses said Ms Ayiyorwoth, who was carrying her eight-month-old baby, managed to throw the child to safety before she and Ms Akumu were fatally trampled. The infant survived unhurt.
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A neighbour, Maculata Mandhawun, who was with the women, said the attack occurred just a short distance from their homes. She also revealed that her family had previously suffered similar losses and that elephants had recently destroyed her five-hectare cassava field.
Community leaders and residents are calling for urgent action from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). Parish councillor Omaka Opiyo warned that frequent elephant invasions had left many families abandoning farming and resorting to firewood sales as their only source of income.
Local officials, including LC II chairperson Walter Piwun and resident Kennedy Osaaga, urged the government to establish ranger outposts and expand the existing electric fence to protect people and crops. They say at least eight residents have been killed by wildlife in the parish since 2013.
Although UWA has previously offered burial support to affected families, residents argue that the compensation is inadequate. The latest attack comes weeks after an elephant damaged a classroom wall at Jachan Okella Parents Primary School, forcing pupils to study outdoors.
According to UWA, 44 kilometres of electric fencing have so far been erected in Nwoya district as part of ongoing efforts to reduce human-elephant conflict. However, locals insist that more comprehensive measures are urgently needed to safeguard lives and livelihoods.
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