By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE DISTRICT
One person has been shot dead following a violent confrontation between residents and security personnel accompanying Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) officials in Wanale, Mbale district, over a long-running dispute concerning the boundaries of Mount Elgon National Park.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 16, 2026, when residents blocked a road to prevent UWA officials and security personnel from attending a scheduled meeting with district leaders.
The meeting was intended to address growing tensions over the demarcation of Mount Elgon National Park, which residents accuse UWA of extending into their land.
UWA head of communication and public affairs Bashir Hangi, says unidentified residents barricaded the road, forcing security personnel to intervene.
Hangi said a confrontation broke out when officers attempted to clear the road, leaving several personnel injured.
He confirmed that one person died during the confrontation but maintained that the officers acted in self-defence.
Hangi described the death as unfortunate, saying the situation escalated after residents confronted the security team.
However, local accounts accused security personnel, including soldiers and UWA enforcement officers, of assaulting residents and damaging property during the scuffle.
An area councillor reportedly confirmed that one resident had been shot dead.
The identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the shooting had not been independently established by Saturday morning.
Hangi said later that security personnel eventually cleared the road, allowing the meeting with district leaders to proceed.
He described the discussions as productive and expressed hope that continued engagement would help resolve the boundary dispute peacefully.
The deadly confrontation comes amid years of tension between UWA and communities neighbouring Mount Elgon National Park.
Residents of Wanale and surrounding areas have repeatedly accused the authority of extending park boundaries into privately owned land, raising fears of displacement.
In August 2026, Parliament directed its Committee on Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to investigate the boundary dispute following complaints of harassment, arbitrary arrests and alleged human rights abuses by UWA personnel
Bungokho Central MP Muhamood Masaba told Parliament that residents of Wanale, Busaano and Budware sub-counties were suffering at the hands of wildlife officers.
The dispute has also raised questions about the legally recognised boundaries of the national park and the rights of communities living along its edges.
The latest death comes days after Parliament called for independent investigations into allegations of killings and disappearances involving UWA rangers in other parts of the country.
On October 13, Parliament’s Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry recommended investigations by the Uganda Human Rights Commission and police into alleged abuses in Nwoya, Buliisa and Kasese districts.
