Buyende district Woman MP seeks compensation for families hit by crocodile attacks

Residents of Nkoone Parish in Buyende District are avoiding parts of Lake Kyoga following a fatal crocodile attack that has disrupted fishing and access to water, with local leaders warning that more reptiles remain in the lake.

The September 23 killing of Batuli Joseph, an elderly resident of Butoli A in Irundu Sub-county, has heightened fears among communities that depend on the lake for their daily needs and livelihoods.

Batuli was reportedly attacked and eaten by crocodiles, with his remains discovered the following day.

The incident has renewed calls for sustained intervention by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), after two crocodiles were captured in the area last week.

Julius Bwanga, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) for Irundu Sub-county, said residents had been afraid to approach the lake since the attack, disrupting fishing and water collection.

“The crocodile has been a danger to the community,” Bwanga said, explaining that women who routinely visit the lake to fetch water had also been chased away by the reptiles.

Fishing, a key economic activity for many households in the area, has also been affected as residents weigh the risks of going onto the lake against the need to earn a living.

Two crocodiles trapped

Bwanga said local authorities contacted UWA officials in Kampala after Batuli’s death, seeking urgent intervention to address the threat.

A UWA team arrived on October 20 to begin trapping crocodiles. Two were captured on October 22 and taken away by the wildlife authority.

The operation offered some relief to residents, but Bwanga said the danger had not been eliminated because other crocodiles were still believed to be in the lake.

He appealed to UWA to continue the exercise to reduce the risk of further attacks.

MP seeks lasting solutions

The situation has also prompted Buyende District Woman MP Sarah Namulondo to raise the matter in Parliament, seeking urgent government action to protect residents and their property.

Speaking under Rule 56 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, Namulondo cited Batuli’s death and the loss of two cows belonging to a resident, Baziriyo, in Kiwongoire Village, Buyanja Sub-county.

She asked the Government to strengthen preventive measures through UWA and work with local authorities to establish safer water collection points and protective infrastructure.

Namulondo also called for compensation for families that have lost relatives and livestock to crocodile attacks.

Her proposals seek to address both the immediate danger posed by the reptiles and the longer-term challenges facing communities that depend on the lake.

For residents of Nkoone and neighbouring communities, the capture of two crocodiles is a welcome development, but concerns remain over the animals still in the water.

Without continued wildlife management and safer access to water, residents could remain exposed to the risk of further attacks while struggling to maintain essential household activities and livelihoods.