Young Mother Killed by Elephant in Kitagwenda Amid Delayed Fence Project

A tragic incident occurred on Friday night when 25-year-old mother of three, Juliet Masika, was killed by a stray elephant while guarding her maize garden in Zambia Cell, Kanyabikyere Ward.

Masika’s death has sparked renewed calls from local leaders and residents for urgent completion of a long-promised 14-kilometre electric fence meant to protect villages from wild animals.

“It is heartbreaking. She went out to protect her crops, only to lose her life to the very animals she tried to keep away,” said Ashabahebwa Silvest, LC1 Vice Chairperson.

Masika is the fifth person reported to have died from wild animal attacks in Mahyoro over the past two and a half years. Local authorities say the situation has reached a critical point.

John Vincent Bimbona, Chairperson of Mahyoro Town Council, visited the scene and condemned the ongoing loss of life caused by human-wildlife conflict.

“The government started the fencing project last year, but progress has been very slow,” he said. “We urge the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to act quickly before more lives are lost.”

In September 2023, the government approved a UGX 1.5 billion electric fence project to protect communities in Mahyoro from elephants, hippopotamuses, and other wildlife from nearby conservation areas. However, residents say work on the project has stalled, leaving them exposed.

“Our people live in constant fear,” Bimbona added. “Crops are destroyed, and lives are threatened almost every week. This fence is not a luxury—it is a necessity.”

Community leaders are now calling on both the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to fast-track the completion of the fence. They insist it is the only long-term solution to the recurring human-wildlife conflicts in the region.

As Kitagwenda mourns another life lost, frustration grows over the slow government response to a problem that continues to threaten both lives and livelihoods.