By Our Reporter
NAMISINDWA
Leaders of Namisindwa District and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have resolved to address the long-standing conflicts between communities living near the national park and UWA officials.
The resolution was reached on Wednesday, 19th August, 2026 during a coexistence Baraza held at Luwa Town Council, attended by Namisindwa LC5 Chairperson Bwayo Emma and his executive, UWA officials, and security agencies. The engagement addressed several concerns and agreed on measures to promote peaceful coexistence between the national park and neighbouring communities.
Richard Matanda, the Administrator at the UWA Mbale Regional Office, who represented the Chief Warden, explained the importance of the National Park and urged residents to respect the resolutions reached during the meeting in order to prevent future clashes. He acknowledged that a few cases remain unresolved but committed UWA to working with the communities to strengthen peaceful coexistence.
Bwayo said six key resolutions had been reached and urged all stakeholders to respect and implement them. He pledged to follow up to ensure that the resolutions are fully implemented.
Bwayo said the stakeholders agreed to end harassment and unnecessary arrests of residents. He also called for suspects to be tried locally, where possible, instead of being taken to Kampala.
He further urged UWA to clearly demarcate and clarify the boundaries of the park, noting concerns that some UWA activities had extended into community land. He also called for mediation to resolve pending court cases between UWA and residents, with the aim of finding lasting solutions and restoring peaceful relations between the two sides.
