By Moses Lokeris
KAABONG: An elephant has trampled a 30-year-old man to death in Kaabong District, bringing the total of people who have been killed by elephants in the past seven months to seven, according to the authorities.
The deceased has been identified as Lowuale Apaloputhkau, a resident of Muledo Village, Kaliope parish, Lolelia South Sub-county.
Paul Chilakweny, the LC1 Chairperson of Muledo Village confirmed the incident saying that the deceased was killed early this morning at 4:00 a.m.
He said that the deceased was killed while trying to rescue his brother, who had run home after being chased by an elephant from the garden.
According to Chilakweny, the deceased was this afternoon taken to Kaabong General Hospital by a team from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and the police for postmortem exercise, pending hand over to his relatives for a burial.
He observed that this latest fatality has reignited concerns over the escalating human-wildlife conflict in the Kaabong as encounters between residents and wild animals remain a constant threat to human life.
Chilakweny revealed that the tragedy follows another harrowing encounter just a month ago, when 30-year-old Lolemu Mzee, a resident of Lopet village, Sarachom Parish in Lobalangit Sub-county was attacked and killed by a stray elephant on Thursday, July 23.
Efforts to get a comment from Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) were futile as the game rangers who were on the ground declined to talk to our reporter, claiming that they are not allowed to speak to the media.
Meanwhile, the Kidepo Regional Police Community Liaison Officer, Kalisto Narusha issued an advisory to the farmers to be vigilant while guarding their gardens.
He also emphasised the need for them to desist from confronting the elephants and other dangerous wild animals once they sight them in the area.
