By Our Staff Reporter

Namisindwa,Uganda – Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Namisindwa District leaders and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have struck an agreement aimed at easing years of friction between communities bordering the national park and wildlife officials

The deal was sealed on Wednesday at a coexistence baraza in Luwa Town Council, where district leaders, UWA officials, security agencies and residents gathered to air long-standing grievances over arrests, harassment, and disputed boundaries.

Namisindwa LC5 Chairperson Bwayo Emma announced six resolutions coming out of the meeting, calling on all parties to honour them. Chief among them: an end to what residents call unnecessary arrests and harassment, with suspects to be tried locally where possible rather than taken to Kampala.

Bwayo also pressed UWA to clearly demarcate the park’s boundaries, citing complaints that wildlife authority operations had spilled onto community land. He further urged both sides to pursue mediation in pending court cases as a path to lasting resolution, and pledged to personally follow up with the relevant authorities to see the resolutions through.

Representing the Chief Warden, UWA Mbale Regional Office Administrator Richard Matanda acknowledged that a number of disputes between UWA and surrounding communities remain unresolved. He stressed the importance of protecting the park while urging residents to abide by the baraza’s resolutions to avert future confrontations, and reaffirmed UWA’s commitment to working with communities to build lasting peaceful coexistence.

The disputed park boundary remains at the heart of the standoff between residents and wildlife authorities.