The 129 kilometers of electric fencing installed around the park in Nyamugasari, Kabirizi, Kikorongo, and other locations within the Kitagendwa, Rubirizi, and Rukungiri districts have not only protected local communities from wild animals coming from the park but have also served as a unifying force for families, fostering peace among families and promoting harmonious coexistence between people and wildlife.

Jackson Nuwagira, the chairperson of Kabirizi village, explains that the days when residents had to stay outside at night to protect their gardens, mainly from elephants, are over and nowcouples live happily because their spouses no longer have to spend nights guarding the gardens.

“Previously, some would hide under the guise of guarding crops at night to commit adultery, which caused many families to break apart,” he added.

Nuwagira mentions that he used to handle two domestic violence cases per week linked to one partner staying out at night to protect crops from wild animals but ending up in infidelity. Both men and women fell victim to this behavior, with some men even resorting to DNA tests to confirm paternity.

“At one point, I had to organize a meeting with residents to set a night schedule for guarding the crops. Usually, those suspected of having affairs were not assigned to guard on the same night,” Nuwagira noted.

Mike Baluku, a member of the scout team, explains that besides keeping couples together and reducing domestic violence, the electric fence has allowed food crops such as cassava, maize, and bananas to thrive along the boundary between the park and the communities. This has improved food security in Kasese, with crops grown for both household consumption and commercial sale.

Birungi Mike, the Assistant Warden in charge of Human-Wildlife Conflict at Uganda Wildlife Authority, confirms the fence’s effectiveness. He adds that it has also lowered fuel costs for patrol vehicles and reduced the need to use bullets to scare away animals invading communities.

“Sometimes, the warning shots were misunderstood by community members, especially cattle herders, who occasionally thought we were cattle rustlers. This often led to security issues when rangers on duty were confronted,” he explained.

Electric fencing is one of the methods implemented by the Uganda Wildlife Authority to manage wildlife both inside and outside Protected Areas. This approach has been effective in addressing human-wildlife conflicts, which mainly arise from crop destruction, attacks on people and livestock, and occasionally fatalities, primarily caused by elephants.

The areas most impacted are Queen Elizabeth National Park Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park. In locations where electric fencing has not yet been installed, the Authority has introduced various other measures, including planting chili peppers, Mauritian thorns, digging trenches, growing of non-palatable crops, organizing community scout groups, and promoting beekeeping along the borders between the parks and local communities. Despite these efforts, challenges continue to persist and that’s why more advanced methods, like the electric fence are getting on board.