AGAGO / KAMPALA — Agago North County Member of Parliament, Hon. Lugwar Benson, has forcefully dismissed ground rumors alleging that he and State Minister Hon. Akello Beatrice Akori are behind the influx of wild elephants terrorizing local farming communities. Speaking during a high-level engagement with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Executive Director and board members, Hon. Lugwar revealed that an ongoing land dispute stems from a 2018 illegal land titling scheme where land belonging to Agago communities was erroneously registered under Karenga District.
During the intense dialogue with UWA officials, Hon. Lugwar—who joked that his frequent parliamentary interventions on elephant attacks have earned him the nickname “Elephant” in Parliament—stressed that he was speaking directly as a concerned voter rather than a career politician.
“I’d Rather Lose My Seat Than Abandon Our Community Land”
The Agago North legislator expressed severe outrage over a 2018 land titling exercise that grabbed community farmland across Omiya Pachwa, Paimol, and Kika’au (where the prison is located). He highlighted a massive administrative loophole: because the land physical to Agago was registered under the Karenga Wildlife Conservation Area, Agago District receives zero statutory revenue-sharing benefits or park royalties from UWA.
“Someone was telling me and the MP of Agago County that if you start putting yourself on this issue of land, you will not come back to Parliament. I told them: I would rather not come back to Parliament, provided UWA leaves this land they titled illegally. If that title can be canceled and removed so local farmers can farm their land, that is much better for me and the people I lead.”
Clearing the Air on Political Narratives: “We Did Not Bring Elephants”
Addressing rumors circulating from Omiya Pachwa up to Lira kato, Hon. Lugwar dispelled allegations that local leaders are colluding with central authorities to release wild animals onto public land to drive citizens out.
Ground Narrative Refuted: Voters on the ground have been told that MP Benson Lugwar and Minister Akello Beatrice Akori are conspiring with President Museveni and UWA to release elephants into gardens so communities abandon their customary land for park expansion.
Refuting this narrative, the MP noted that desperate communities are being misled during campaign seasons. “Today the Karamojong kill, the next day you run to elephants, the next day something else happens. It is very distorting. Our common voters do not understand what is happening behind closed doors,” he remarked.
Demands for Mass Compensation & Immediate Relief
Hon. Lugwar criticized UWA’s strict assessment criteria that currently leave thousands of affected farmers without compensation:
- Destruction of Non-Eaten Crops: UWA guidelines currently ignore crops like Simsim (sesame) because elephants do not eat them. However, herds trample and completely destroy entire simsim gardens without officers taking GPS coordinates.
- National ID Restrictions: Requiring national IDs excludes young farmers (under 18) who farm independently to earn school fees and pay PTA dues.
- Mass Relief Demand: Lugwar urged UWA to forgo rigid, piecemeal assessments and instead roll out mass food relief (beans, maize, and household support) to all affected border communities facing severe drought and crop loss.
A Call for Direct UWA Focal Persons on Ground
To end panic and miscommunication, Hon. Lugwar requested UWA to establish dedicated, official focal persons in Agago. Having a direct coordinator on the ground will ensure unified communication between local government leadership, affected farmers, and UWA field rangers when human-wildlife conflicts occur.
Hon. Lugwar concluded his speech by promising to work closely with the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism and Wildlife to ensure national policy adjustments are made to safeguard lives, secure farmland, and ensure justice for the people of Agago North.
© Acoli Side TV News Desk | Reporting live on Northern Uganda affairs, community advocacy, and leadership updates.
May the lord God bless all the leaders he gave to the people of Agago District
All I know is that, in our area(s), any non domestic animal(s) outside gazzeted areas are supposed to be hunted, so animals that are encroaching the grazing/hunting ground or farm land must be treated as stray and hunted down.