Stray elephant kills Nwoya farmer outside Murchison Falls National Park

Sam Opiyo, a 53-year-old peasant farmer has been confirmed dead after he was trampled over by an adult elephant.The elephant ambushed him as he worked in his garden in Pakawera village, Langele parish, Koch-Lii sub-county, Nwoya district.The village is adjacent to Murchison Falls National Park.The people near the deceased’s home reported that the elephant encroached on Opiyo’s maize garden next to his residence, he attempted to follow it, raising a loud alarm; nevertheless, the elephant surged up and killed him immediately.

Justine Odong Ajajii, the Koch-Lii sub-county LCIII chairperson, corroborated the report to New Vision online, saying the lifeless body was still lying in his garden, awaiting delivery to the hospital for an autopsy.A report from Koch-Lii sub-county authorities indicates that only this year, stray elephants claimed five lives in the Koch-Lii sub-county.

An attempt to obtain comment from Wilson Kagoro, the warden of community conservation at Murchison National Park was futile since he did not respond to the repeated calls from the reporter.The community has now asked UWA to speed up the erection of electric wire fencing to deter animal attacks.