By Tolit Ivan & Omony Denis
Two women have been trampled to death by stray elephants over the weekend in two separate attacks in Nwoya and Kitgum districts.
The deceased have been identified as Agnes Aciro, 43, who was trampled to death on Friday in Pongo-Pii village, Kiteny sub county, Kitgum District. Aciro met her death while returning home from a burial in Ladoro-Onen Village.
She was reportedly attacked by a stray elephant after raising an alarm in an attempt to save her co-wife, who was being chased by the elephant. The animal reportedly turned on her after hearing her voice and trampled her to death.
Her death brings to four the number of peasant farmers killed by elephants in Kitgum District since the beginning of this year.
The other victim is Acen Christine, 32, a mother of two and a resident of Nyamokino Village, Lungulu Sub County, Nwoya District. She was reportedly trampled to death by a herd of stray elephants at around 8:30am on Saturday at Te Okutu Landing Site in Nyamokino Parish.
Preliminary reports indicate that Acen had gone to collect firewood when she encountered a herd of elephants that ended her life.
The incident is the second reported fatal elephant attack in Nwoya District within the past two months, highlighting the persistent threat posed by human-wildlife conflict in communities neighbouring Murchison Falls National Park.
In October 2022, the government operationalized the Wildlife Compensation Fund to provide compensation to eligible victims of human-wildlife conflict.
Under the arrangement, UWA allocates two per cent of its annual revenue collections to support compensation for eligible victims of wildlife-related incidents.
Human-elephant conflict remains a concern in several parts of Uganda, where elephants sometimes stray from protected areas into neighboring communities, threatening lives, destroying crops and disrupting livelihoods.
