Three children have been devoured by crocodiles in River Kafu in Masindi district in the past one month. The latest victim of the crocodile attack is 17-year-old Sarah Okello. She was devoured by the crocodile on Thursday last week while fetching water from River Kafu.
The other victims are 10-year-old Simon Dadiga, the son of David Adaku and a 13-year-old daughter of Joyce Auma. According to Auma, her daughter was killed by the crocodiles at the beginning of May while fetching water. David Adaku says his son Dadiga was also killed on May 20th on the same river
Stephen Mukosa, the Officer in Charge of Kamengo Police Post has confirmed the deaths, saying all incidents were reported to police. Siraj Mporopyo, the Kayera Village LC 1 chairman, says they are overwhelmed by crocodiles in the village.
According to Mukosa, several people have been devoured by crocodile. He faults Uganda Wildlife Authority-UWA for taking long to respond to their pleas to tame the crocodiles.
Vincent Mugisa, the LC I Chairman Kibangya village says the crocodiles are even disturbing residents in the neighboring villages. He wants UWA to help capture the crocodiles and Hippos that destroy their food crops.
Sunday Musuli, an elder in Kimengo Sub County, faults UWA for doing nothing about the crocodiles that have killed several people in the sub county. He says it’s only Pastor Samuel Kakande who has been supported the families of the crocodile victims.
He asks UWA to use some of the funds at its disposal to sensitise residents to collect the eggs of the crocodile to reduce their numbers in the area.
Peter Ogwang, the Animal Control Expert Uganda Wildlife Authority, apologized to the residents about the crocodile attacks.
He told residents that they would recommend the relocation of the crocodiles to avoid further deaths
The Masindi Resident District Commissioner, Godfrey Nyakahuma, blames the affected people for not reporting the cases of the crocodile attacks in time.
Our team captured this man-eater #croc that killed 3 children along River Kafu in Masindi, #PearlofAfrica #wildlife pic.twitter.com/CP1OubtloI
— Uganda Wildlife (@ugwildlife) June 2, 2017
“Our team captured this man-eater crocodile that killed three children along River Kafu in Masindi,” UWA said in a social media message on Friday.
UWA sector manager in charge of Murchison Falls conservation area, Richard Muhabwe, also admitted that he is aware of the dangers caused by crocodiles on River Kafu.
He said they lack personnel to control or repatriate the beasts. UWA has been relocating other animals from one park to another.
