Uganda: Crocodiles, Tsetse Flies Terrorise Mayuge Residents

The Monitor (Kampala)

12 June 2008
Posted to the web 12 June 2008

Fred Siminyu
Mayuge

Residents of Imanyiro Sub-county in Mayuge District are living in fear due to recent attacks by crocodiles, tsetse flies, hippos and wild pigs.

Residents while cultivating their gardens along the shores of Lake Victoria at Waigala Landing Site, were last Wednesday gripped with fear when a crocodile attacked and ate one of them in broad daylight.


An eyewitness, Mr Wilson Ogwaalu, told Daily Monitor last Thursday that David Walujo a resident of Ndhokero village had gone to bathe in the lake when the beast suddenly emerged out of the water and grabbed him.

Mr Ogwaalu said efforts to save Walujo were futile since the man-eater had submerged with the victim leaving a trail of blood on the water surface.

He said on average the beasts eat four people every month in the sub-county. The area district councillor, Mr Peter Tasibula Nkwanga said since a greater part of Imanyiro sub-county is under Bukaleba Forest Reserve and is washed by the shores of Lake Victoria, residents are not only exposed to the crocodiles but are also faced with the nuisance of hippos and wild pigs that destroy crops every season.

He blamed it on the lack of a vermin controller in the district who could sensitise the public to safeguard themselves against the beasts or kill some of the crocodiles.

Mr Nkwanga, however, said plans are underway by the district to employ two vermin control officers.


He said residents are also faced with sleeping sickness spread by tsetse flies that roam the forests and the entire shoreline.

Mr Nkwanga said tsetse flies had rapidly increased due to lack of an entomologist in the district to control them and residents are considering vacating these areas unless authorities intervene.

The Chief Administrative Officer Mr Solomon Ssonko said the district council had recently resolved to appoint a vermin control officer and an entomologist to solve the problem.