MINISTER BEATRICE AKELLO AKORI SOUNDS ALARM OVER DEADLY ELEPHANT INVASIONS IN AGAGO AND NORTHERNUGANDA, DEMANDS URGENT GOVERNMENT ACTION

BY OUR REPORTER

Kampala-Agago Woman MP and Minister of State for Northern Uganda questions whether wildlife conservation is being prioritised over human lives as elephant attacks reportedly leave two people dead and several others injured.

The Minister of State for Northern Uganda and Woman Member of Parliament for Agago District, Hon. Beatrice Akello Akori, has called for urgent government intervention over persistent elephant invasions that are destroying crops, threatening livelihoods and endangering human lives in Agago District and other parts of Northern Uganda.

While contributing to the report of the Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry in Parliament, Hon. Akori expressed deep sorrow over recent incidents in Agago in which elephants reportedly killed two people and injured several others during attempts by residents to drive the animals away from their farmlands.

The Minister questioned whether wildlife conservation was being prioritised over the lives and safety of the people of Northern Uganda, stressing that protecting animals must go hand in hand with safeguarding the communities living near wildlife habitats.

She noted that repeated elephant invasions have left farmers struggling to protect their gardens, which are essential sources of food and household income. Beyond crop destruction, the situation exposes residents to dangerous encounters as they attempt to defend their livelihoods.

Hon. Akori called on the government to take immediate and practical measures to address the crisis, including effective demarcation of protected areas and measures to keep elephants within their designated national park boundaries.

She urged the responsible ministries and wildlife authorities to strengthen wildlife management, improve responses to reported invasions and establish lasting solutions to prevent further destruction, injuries and loss of life.

The Minister emphasised that communities in Agago deserve protection and should not be left to bear the consequences of human-wildlife conflict without effective government support.

She further called for a balanced approach that protects Uganda’s wildlife while ensuring the safety, dignity and economic well-being of affected communities.

For farming households, the destruction of crops threatens food security, household incomes and years of hard work. The reported fatalities have made the need for urgent intervention even more pressing.

Hon. Akori’s message to government is clear: wildlife conservation cannot be separated from the responsibility to protect human life. She is calling for decisive action to protect the people of Agago and other affected communities across Northern Uganda before more lives and livelihoods are lost.