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Uganda: Encroachers Threaten Tourism in Mt Elgon
Mbale - The future of Mt Elgon National Park in Mbale District as a tourism site is at stake following relentless incursions by poachers, the Chief Warden, Mr Johnson Masereka has said.

Mr Masereka said neighbouring residents have of late increased encroachment into the protected wild life zone, mainly in search of game meat, lumbering, extraction of medicinal plants and establishing human settlements.

"The tourism industry in Uganda is drastically declining due to the unchecked massive encroachment that has seen fancied birds and animals that have been the source of tourist attraction fleeing to Kenya where they find friendship with the people and can live peacefully," he said.

Mr Masereka accused the encroachers of stealing the property of tourists. A Dutch tourist, whose identity the Daily Monitor could not readily establish was killed by unknown assailants in the past week but security operatives suspect that the killers were poachers.

In an interview last Wednesday, Mr Masereka said the evictions ordered by Trade and Tourism Minister Janat Mukwaya during her March 12-16 tour of the region, was on course.

He said if the encroachment went on unchecked, all the valuable animal and bird species would either be hunted down or flee the Ugandan side of the national park and camp in Kenya thereby killing the potential of tourism at the park.

Mr Masereka said the rapid depletion of wildlife, trees and the accompanying degradation of land at Mt. Elgon National Park reflects the "carelessness and hostility" of the people living around the park.

He said whereas the government puts a lot of importance on conservation of wildlife at the park for ecological balance and to earn foreign exchange, the people have not been sensitised on these benefits.

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