UWA ranger shoots herdsman over alleged trespass into Mt Elgon park

A 26-year-old man is nursing injuries after he was allegedly shot by Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) rangers near Mt Elgon national park in Kween district.

The victim, Emmanuel Kibet, a resident of Kisingich village in Kapsarur sub-county, was reportedly grazing animals near the park when he was shot on Saturday. Julius Cheptai, the LC III chairperson of Kapsarur sub-county, said UWA should follow the law; if someone is suspected of wrongdoing, they should be apprehended and not shot.

Cheptai also urged locals to avoid entering the protected park without clearance, warning that previous such incidents had resulted in fatalities. UWA spokesperson Bashir Hangi confirmed that Kibet was indeed shot by a ranger but described the incident as the result of a stray bullet.

He said investigations are underway to establish whether Kibet was inside or outside the park at the time.

“We regret the incident,” Hangi said in a telephone interview. “But we urge the community to respect park boundaries. Access to the national park without authorisation remains illegal.”